What's Arthur been up to (was Re: relationships/ages of characters)

[Potterfanme]

No: HPFGUIDX 80649

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "hermionegallo" 
<hermionegallo at y...> wrote:
(huge snip-sorry)
  It seems to me that his job 
> has been the perfect outpost for what he's really up to.  For 
Malfoy 
> to assume that Arthur lacks ambition or ability (or for Percy to 
harp 
> on those issues, for that matter) has got to cut him deep; but he 
> can't say anything.  It's the only way I can accept the reality of 
> the Percy-abandoning-the-Weasleys scenario.  If Arthur weren't able 
> to provide Percy with an explanation as to why they've lived so 
> modestly all these years, why he hadn't been more ambitious, that 
> might be motivation enough for Percy to abandon his family as he 
does.
> 
> Then again, I can see Arthur NOT letting that confrontation go w/ a 
> simple argument, but recognizing that Percy's older and now can be 
> (and needs to be) brought in on more of what's been going on, and 
> Arthur using that explanation to help him understand their family's 
> life to date.  Either way, it seems clear that something happened 
> with Percy: it was either right before the third Triwizard task, or 
> it was after that argument with Arthur; but something happened that 
> changed him.
> hg.

Now Susan:

You know, I think I have to disagree with it being clear that 
something has happened to Percy to change him.  The comments that Ron 
and the Twins make about his ambitions and his being apt to turn in 
members of his own family make me feel that he is advancing each year 
in a normal way for someone with that type of disposition.

However, since he is a Weasley, it does go against *family traits* 
for him to be acting this way.  I have wondered if anyone overheard 
these assessments of Percy by his brothers would play on them.

Now so far as Arthur goes, something that caught me when I was 
rereading COS was a comment that Lucius made:

"Clearly," said Mr. Malfoy, his pale eyes straying to Mr. and Mrs. 
Granger, who were watching apprehensively. "The company you keep, 
Weasley...and I thought your family could sink no lower-" p.51 COS uk 
edition.

Lucius does not say that *Arthur* could sink no lower....he says his 
*family* could sink no lower.  He already knows that Arthur is 
working with Muggle relations.  So what is he talking about?  I 
wonder if this has anything to do with the Weasley's lack of money.  
They are apparently frugal people.  This has me quite baffled.
Susan