Money, bribery and corruption in the wizarding world

[a_svirn]

No: HPFGUIDX 127354


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Steve" <bboyminn at y...> wrote:

> Again, just filling in some miscellaneous info, I like to remind
> people that the Weasleys aren't as poor as Ron's whining might make
> them seem. They have spending money, a house and land, plenty of 
food
> to eat, and clothes to wear. They are working class. They have to
> manage their money well, they don't have spare cash for 
extravagances
> or luxuries, but they get by just fine.
> 

a_svirn:

The Weasleys are NOT working class. They may be impoverished but 
they evidently come from the old and respected stock or they 
wouldn't meet on the same family tree with Blacks. And as far as we 
can see in the WW being well-connected is more important than just 
being plain wealthy. Goblins after all have little or no political 
influence. (Of course it never hurt being both wealthy AND well-
connected). 

Arthur and Percy both work for the Ministry and Malfoy's 
insinuations notwithstanding Arthur is a head of the Department. 
Even if the most of his colleagues regard his post as a sinecure it 
is still a prestigious position. Moreover, I am not at all sure that 
his post is such an insignificant one as Malfoy would have us 
believed. After all Arthur had enough influence to present the 
Muggle Protection Act that, had his motion passed, would have cause 
no little embarrassment to Malfoy and Co. And it could well have 
passed had not Harry and Ron so obligingly driven that Ford Anglia 
creating just the kind of scandal for Malfoy to have tables tuned. 

Moreover, Arthur is very well-liked. He is on the first name basis 
with the most influential figures in the ministry. Even the 
formidable Crouch Sr. who couldn't bring himself to remember or 
notice his personal assistant, despised Bagman and ignored Amos 
Diggory plainly held Arthur in esteem. And in CoS the governors 
asked DD to resume his post upon being told that Arthur Weasly's 
daughter had been killed. They might have given to Malfoy threats at 
first (and who cares about these muggle-bornes anyway), but as soon 
as one of their own was affected they came to their senses. And 
Arthur is plainly one of them. One of the elite that is, even if he 
is not at all affluent. Otherwise Malfoy wouldn't consider him his 
rival which he certainly does. 

As for giving the Weasleys seats in the top-box because of Harry, I 
think it was certainly an incentive, but had Harry's best friend 
happened to be Seamus he wouldn't have ended up in the top-box. 
Arthur's own position in the Ministry and his friendly relationship 
with Bagman made this PR decision look perfectly natural however. 
What I do not understand though, is why did Molly stay at home? 

a_svirn