Sirius and Percy... also HBP (was: Re: Dumbledore and Sirius; Percy Weasly; Defending Percy; Slytherin as HBP)

[Amey Chinchorkar]

No: HPFGUIDX 105213

>> Entropy:
>> Good catch, Jen.  
>> We have to question just how Lupin has learned so much about the Dark
>> Arts. He certainly didn't learn about it through conventional methods
>> (the MOM, like Moody and Umbridge), wasn't a DE (like Fake!Moody), and
>> we've seen enough of his knowledge to be sure he's not a fraud (like
>> Lockhart).
>> So, how did he gain a knowledge of the Dark Arts vast enough to become
>> a Hogwarts professor (and a good one, to boot!)?  Durmstrang seems a
>> good a place as any to learn first-hand about the Dark Arts.  

Amey:
Durmstrang appear to teach "Dark Arts", not the "Defence" stuff as in Hogwarts. But given that Lupin is werewolf, as he said, he finds getting job very hard, as there is "deep rooted" hatred (I don't remember exact word) about werewolves in WW. So, personally I would like to go with the other suggestion, that he learned it in his years as maruader, and probably in his travels to find a job.



Amey previously:
>> > Also, some quotes from OoT, "Snape's Worst Memory":
>> > Snape reacted so fast it was as though he had been expecting an 
>> attack: dropping his bag, he plunged his hand inside his robes and 
>> his wand was halfway into the air when James shouted, 'Expelliarmus!' 
>> <snip>

>> Ces
>> I read that to mean that both James and Sirius had already attacked 
>> Snape in the past and he was almost always prepared now.  Two against 
>> one certainly shows (to me at least)who are the real cowards and 
>> bullies here.<snip>
>> Sirius was a risk to himself at Grimmauld Place - he was sitting 
>> around with little to do, apparently feeling sorry for himself, which 
>> is a very dangerous thing to do and can lead to impulsive acts...such 
>> as running off to the Ministry, instead of staying put like he was 
>> supposed to.  Instead he rushes off to save Harry, who himself 
>> doesn't think ahead and gets Sirius in trouble.<snip>
>> I think a pensieve is objective - it seems to show events as they 
>> happened, without editing. It's a memory of that person's version of 
>> what happened.

Amey:
What gave you impression that "both" James and Sirius had picked fight with him? It is nowhere mentioned that they *both* attacked him at the same time even once in the whole scene. Also, we know that he attacked James when he was not watching him, and could have done again if Sirius hadn't stepped in. Here nobody is coward (I agree not even Snape) because it was always a fair fight, one-to-one, the other person stepping in if somebody tried to attack his friend from behind, which is not at all fair. I don't mean to say that it redeems James for what he did, but nobody in that scene (including Snape) except Lily comes out as a good character. 

Also in GP, Sirius wasn't sitting around doing nothing, he had nothing to do. He couldn't go out and work. He was feeling sorry for himself for that, which was further fueled by Snape. (Remember, he did not take the same suggestion from Fred/George seriuosly because he knew they didn't mean it.) Snape was goading him, he knew the situation fully, still he was teasing Sirius. You can't expect anybody to take this. As for rushing to MoM, that was because he loved Harry and he could not stay put when Harry was in danger. Of course Harry was wrong in going ahead without thinking, but then that's a different issue. And also, remember who told Sirius to stay put? It is Snape, so I am sure he 
must have made it sound pretty *sweet* for Sirius to hear.

And as for penseive, if it shows "a memory of that person's version of what happened.", it's pretty subjective, and the scene might even be different. (Has anyone here heard that mind changes especially painful memories? That is a part of pshycological defence. SOrry to go off topic, I am not suggesting that it *is* the case here, but it might be.)



>> Del replies :
>> A classic in the WW : remember Sirius ? And you can be fond of a
>> little kid one day, and realise the next day that he's turned into a
>> brat. Nothing suspicious in that.
<snip>
>> In the eyes of the Ministry, DD is trying to start a panic. It's like
>> if someone famous said they had insider information that a nuclear
>> power plant was leaking : what matters is to make it clear that that
>> person is talking nonsense.
>> And *fighting* one's governing body with no convincing proof is even
>> *less* patriotic and more unwise. Percy wasn't convinced by the
>> shallow proofs he was presented, so he went for the more patriotic
>> path. I do hope that when my son is nineteen, it will take more than a
>> single testimony from a teenage boy and a bunch of apparently
>> unrelated events to turn him against his country !

>> Del again:
>> The only one with a right mind ?
>> If your whole family got under the rule of a guru, would you feel that
>> you *have* to become a member of the sect too ?

Amey:
Taking your last point first, I hope any of my 19 year old friends in this situation chooses to go ahead with his parents more than he goes ahead with *people who count*. I mean, it's not just testimony of a boy, his parents have seen it and they believe it fully. Here, if we are taking example of guru, he did go ahead with a sect *The Ostrich Sect*, spearheaded by Fudge.

As for the important person bit, I am sure it matters more to check if what he is saying is true than refusing it outright, because you don't want to believe him. You want to believe all good things doen't mean only good things will be said to you, Fudge should remember this. He is a classic *Ostrich* we hear in stories.


>> Del replies :
>> Maybe that's the heart of the problem : most people don't see Percy as
>> a living, breathing, feeling human being, but just as a machine with a
>> different label according to the book. 

Amey:
I agree he is a human, but the problem is not people seeing Percy, he placing those titles before his person and rationale.

>> Del replies :
>> <snip> He doesn't realise
>> he's in a war situation, he thinks it's just a little conflict, with
>> DD on the losing side.

Amey:
So he goes with Fudge because he is winning and not thinking who is right? Speak loads of him.

>> Del replies :
>> Percy most probably doesn't know about Crouch Jr, nobody does outside
>> of those that were at Hogwarts at the time it happened and the people
>> in the Order.

Amey:
The people in Order include his parents and brothers, 2 of which were in Hogwarts when all this happened. Need anything more?

>> Del replies :
>> <snip> and even if he separated himself from
>> his family, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't send any of them to the
>> Dementors like Crouch Sr (no matter what Ron says).
>> And Ron always *overtly* despised ambition, but deep inside his
>> deepest dream at age 11 was to become Head Boy and Quidditch Captain !
>> Quite hypocrit don't you think ? At least Percy was always honest
>> about his ambitions.

Amey:
I agree about Crucio, though that is because it is against rules, in this case not bad at all. But as for being like Barty Crouch Sr, I doubt. Also, Ron never despises ambition, all despise Percy (and some Crouch Sr) for putting ambition over everything else. 

>> Jake Jensen
>> If Slytherin was a half-blood, that would explain why Tom Riddle is 
>> his "own true heir" (CoS, p. 151). Tom's blood lineage, unusual in a 
>> family of pure-blood fanatics, is identical to Slytherin's (hence 
>> the "true heir" part).

Amey:
Welcome abroad, I am also thinking along same lines. I am sure we will see more of him in HBP (hopefully as HBP). Then maybe we can also join Hogwarts as Divination teachers (1 right prophesy is the criterion if I am right). Hermione will be angry with me.


Amey, who is giving more time to Sirius-Defence and Percy than to what he should give more time, HBP and *my work*



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