The other 'interesting' answer / Percy?

[mhbobbin]

No: HPFGUIDX 115309


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Hannah" <hannahmarder at y...> 
wrote:
> 
> Hannah writes:
> I've just been re-reading JKR's amended answer to the 'what did DD 
> mean by 'remember my last'?' FAQ.  This question had been chosen 
by 
> visitors to the site in a poll.  She says that, of the three 
> options, two had interesting answers (including the one chosen), 
one 
> didn't.  One of the other options was 'is Percy Weasley working 
for 
> a secret boss/ organisation.  I can't remember what the other was, 
> but the answer to it is the 'interesting' one.  I say this because 
> I'm sure JKR said somewhere that Percy was acting on his own 
> initiative, so I guess the answer to that would have been a fairly 
> boring 'no.'  (snip)
> > Hannah

mhbobbin:
Initially, I thought that the question about the whereabouts of 
Wormtail would be the other interesting answer. And I still wonder 
about that. But we haven't seen Voldemort at home much in Book Five, 
and like Sirius, Pettigrew has to hide--can't just show up in the 
Ministry--so maybe that's not the other interesting answer. Maybe 
there's a case to be made for the question on Percy.

What JKR said in the World Book Day Chat (March 2004)"
"""Echo: Was Percy acting entirely of his own accord in Order of the 
Phoenix? 
JK Rowling replies -> I'm afraid so."'"

So, I thought that settled that. But now I question it again.
Re-reading Percy's letter in Ootp (Scholastic Page 296-298) I'm 
intrigued to see that Percy uses words (out of context, of course) 
which JKR's answer seems to echo:
Percy writes: "I must admit I have always been afraid..."
 "I feel bound..."  "It may be that you are afraid..." "I am very 
sorry..." "I am sorry..." "It pains me..." "...but I am afraid..." 
and also "..read this away from prying eyes and avoid awkward 
questions..."  
If Percy is sending Ron helpful warnings, it is clumsy. But then so 
were Dobby's clues in CoS when he told Harry that it wasn't LV after 
Harry but Tom Riddle. A bit clumsy and counter-productive. Just like 
Real Life. But Dobby was sincere in trying to warn Harry. 

And then there is the intriguing "I urge you to speak to Dolores 
Umbridge, a really delightful woman, who I know will be only too 
happy to advise you..." which echoes Harry's earlier letter to 
Sirius where he tells him that Umbridge is just like Sirius' mom.

Maybe Percy **IS*** under the Imperius Curse after all.  There is 
that manic laughing of his as well.  Well, I'm afraid that Percy is 
bound to be bumped off soon, perhaps in Book Six, and I'm afraid he 
may be under the Control of Fudge or other naughty wizards. I'm 
still bound to dislike him.

So that is a Case for Percy being the other interesting answer.

mhbobbin