A HBP Clue?

[Cathy Drolet]

No: HPFGUIDX 105031

koinonia02 said:

" "Ha!" said Ron excitedly. "There's one of them now!"

The figure was emerging from a side room. As they hurried nearer, 
however, their hearts sank. It wasn't a Slytherin, it was Percy.

"What're you doing down here?" said Ron in surprise.

Percy looked affronted.

"That," he said stiffly, "is none of your business. It's Crabbe, 
ins't it?"
cos-ch 12-pg 219-us"

Percy wasn't down there snooping or investigating.  Just a bit before, Penelope Clearwater had come out of that same area.  He was down there with her.  We find out later the girl Harry & Ron met as Crabbe and Goyle was Penelope when they see her in the Hospital wing.  Later still, we find out Percy and Penelope were meeting all over the school and Ginny ran into them somewhere.  Why was it so important for Percy to keep his relationship with Penny hidden?  Now, there's a question.  Is Penny muggle-born (I think so...TR said that killing muggle-borns isn't what he was interested in any more, it was Harry).  Is Percy afraid his family will be upset by it, or just doesn't want to be teased to death by F&G?

Cathy

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]