Defending Percy

[delwynmarch]

No: HPFGUIDX 105223


I, Del, wrote :
> > I don't remember reading that Snape and McGonagall told *anyone* 
> > about what they had witnessed. And I don't remember either that it 
> > was revealed to the WW that Barty Crouch Jr had not died in 
> > Azkaban. Fudge knows that, but I'm pretty sure Percy, just like the
> >  rest of the WW, ignores that fact, and hasn't heard anything from 
> > Snape or McGonagall's mouth.

Andromeda answered :
>   The fact that no inquiry is made and the evidence of witnesses to 
> a confession never given should perhaps have been a bit suspicious 
> that something was being covered up.

Del replies :
No enquiry was made about what ? Cedric's death or Barty Jr's death ?
We still don't know how the Ministry explained Cedric's death but
since nobody's been publicly contradicting it, it seems quite
convincing. As for Barty Jr, he wasn't even supposed to be alive, and
precious few people know he was at Hogwarts impersonating Moody.

Andromeda wrote :
> IN fact, at the end of OOP, remember Dolores ranting as she's about 
> to Crucio Harry:
> 
> OOP US ed p747
> "Somebody had to act," breathed Umbridge, as her wand came to rest 
> pointing directly at Harry's forehead.  "They were all bleating 
> about silencing you somehow - discrediting you - but I was the one 
> who actually did something about it...."
> 
> Was Percy privy to this _plan_ to discredit Harry?   Possibly not, 
> but he certainly seems to be part of the team.

Del replies :
I doubt it, since he'd joined Fudge's cabinet barely a month before
the Dementor attack on Harry. I seriously doubt they would talk so
openly in front of such a fresh new member, no matter how much he
insists that he's on their side and against Harry.
And even if they were indeed talking about silencing Harry, it didn't
necessarily sound suspicious, if you're already convinced Harry is
telling huge stories to attract attention or something.

Andromeda wrote :
>   But there was at least one peace offering from the parents' 
> side... remember Molly in tears at Christmas with her sweater 
> returned unopened.  I don't believe she ever insulted him, yet is 
> still treated like vermin.

Del replies :
In a post some months ago, I pointed out that we don't have the
details of what happened. There was most likely a note attached to the
present, and we don't know what was in the note. Molly is not famous
for her diplomacy, so I wouldn't put it past her to have been a bit
tactless in her wording. We need more details.

Andromeda wrote : 
> Remember that Percy's father nearly DIED and Percy never even 
> bothered to contact or visit?

Del replies :
By the time Percy learned of the attack, he also learned that Arthur
would be all right. Moreveor, Arthur was attacked while on Order duty,
so Percy's reaction was probably "serves him well !" Not nice, but
Percy is a Weasley and the Weasleys are not nice when angered, we've
seen that several times in the books. And fear for someone does bring
anger when they did soemthing stupid that put them in danger (like
when my 20-month-old son stands up on a chair and falls : first I'm
terrified and then I'm angry because he had been doing something
stupid and disobeying my orders to start with.)

Andromeda wrote :
> How important is his career to him?  I think Ron has it right, Percy 
> has put his own advancement over everything and anyone.  Not good.

Del replies :
I don't see that Percy is denying the truth to preserve his career. I
see that he made an honest mistake as to who said the truth and now
he's being fiercely loyal to his side (loyalty : another Weasley trait).

Del, who had a cat named Andromeda (whose mother was Eclipse, sister
was Orion, and brother was Vega - no Sirius though :-)