The Twins are bad, but poor poor Percy!!!!#?%

[susanmcgee48176]

No: HPFGUIDX 136900

> 
> vmonte wrote:
> "Percy is a jerk! And doesn't he choose, out of his own free will, 
to  be a jerk? His father is dying in the hospital during OOTP (at 
least > there was a good possiblity that that might happen) and Percy 
refuses  to see him because of a stupid fight?"
> 
> Del replies:
> Arthur was attacked during the night, and by 5am he was already out 
of
> danger. So unless you can prove that Percy was contacted during the
> night and refused to come, your accusation has no basis. By the time
> Percy most probably learned of the situation (when he went to work),
> Arthur was completely out of danger.

Susan comments:
First, you have no evidence from canon to support that "by the time 
Percy most probably learned of the situation, Arthur was completely 
out of danger."

>From Order of the Phoenix. Scholastic edition. Hardback. First U.S. 
edition.

P. 502.

"Mum's crying again," said Fred heavily. "Percy sent back his 
Christmas jumper."

"Without a note" added George. "Hasn't asked how Dad is or visited 
him or anything
"

Even if you are right, you don't ask how your father is after ther 
has been a near fatal attack, or visit or send a card? It's okay if 
he's out of danger. No, it is consonant with a Percy who storms off 
because his father tells him the truth -- he's been promoted for 
political reasons, not for his abilities.

 
> And may I remind you that during the "stupid fight", Arthur totally
> and completely crushed Percy's pride by arguing *without any proof*
> that the only reason Percy had been promoted was so Fudge could spy 
on  Arthur? Personally I don't see why Percy should make ANY efforts 
to reconcile with such an *unsupportive* family.
> 

Susan says: Arthur, Charlie, Bill, Molly and Ginny have not 
been "unsupportive" of him. He's had conflict with Fred/George and to 
a lesser extent Ron. Because his father points out the truth (and 
Percy learns later that it IS the truth), Percy storms off, after 
saying incredibly vicious things to his father. Percy continues to be 
a lickspittle, shutting out his family, being used by Scrimgeour to 
get to the Burrow, so that Scrimgeour can try to use Harry for his 
own political/public relations purposes. Ychhhhh... Given Percy's 
sanctimonious, pompous and oh so pleased with himself letter to Ron 
(see below), I do not think his pride was even bruised, let alone 
totally and completely crushed. There is no canon evidence to support 
Percy's crushed pride.


> Vmonte wrote:
> "He does not realize that it's family that's important, not the
> corporate ladder."
> 
> Del replies:
> I don't see why Percy should consider his family to be important,
> considering how little they've ALWAYS all thought of him, except 
Molly?

Susan says: Yes, and how has he treated Molly in return? She goes to 
see Percy to talk with him and what does he do?
p. 72. "Mum's in a right state," said Ron dully. "You know – crying 
and stuff. She came up to London to try to talk to Percy but he 
slammed the door in her face. That's despicable.

> 
> Vmonte wrote:
> "Instead of helping them out and the Order (there is a war going on
> isn't there?), Percy is more concerned about "upward mobility.""
> 
> Del replies:
> Just because Percy is not helping the Order (does he even know about
> them?), doesn't mean he's not helping in the war efforts.

Susan says: Let's see..Molly, Arthur, Bill and Charley are in the 
Order. Fred and George are trying to get in. Ron and Ginny know about 
it. Percy doesn't? Oh, c'mon....   And Percy's supporting a corrupt 
ministry that is scapegoting people like Stan Shunpike in order to 
cover up their failure to capture any DEs or deal with LV's murder. 

> 
> Vmonte wrote:
> "In fact, I love the entire Weasley clan. They are a warm and loving
> family."
> 
> Del replies:
> You love them all, except Percy, right?
> 

Susan says: Right! 

Let's review Percy's behavior.....(p. 72 OoP).

"He (Percy) went completely beserk. He said -- well, he said loads of 
terible stuff. He said he's been having to struggle against Dad's 
lousy reputation ever since he joined the Ministry and that Dad's got 
no ambition and that's why we've always been -- you know -- not had a 
lot of money....He said Dad was an idiot to run around with 
Dumbledore...and if Mum and Dad were going to become traitors to the 
Ministry, he was going to make sure everyone knew he didn't belong to 
our family anymore...."

Let's review parts of his letter to Ron about Harry:

"From something the Minister let slip when telling me you are now a 
prefect, I gather that you are still seeing a lot of Harry Potter. I 
must tell you, Ron, that nothing could put you in danger of losing 
your badge more than continued fraternization with that boy. Yes, I 
am sure you are surprised to hear this – no doubt you will say that 
Potter has always been Dumbledore's favorite – but I feel bound to 
tell you that Dumbledore may not be in charge at Hogwarts much longer 
and the people who count have a very different -- and probably more 
accurate -- view of Potter's behavior. I shall say no more here, but 
if you look at the Daily Prophet tomorrow you will get a good idea of 
the way the wind is blowing -- and see if you can spot yours truly!
Seriously, Ron, you do not want to be tarred with the same brush as 
Potter, it could be very damaging to your future prospects, and I am 
talking here about life after school too. As you must be aware, given 
that our father escorted him to court, Potter had a disciplinary 
hearing this summer in front of the whole Wizengamot and he did not 
come out of it looking too good. He got off on a mere technicality if 
you ask me and many of the people I've spoken to remain convinced of 
his guilt. It may be that you are afraid to sever ties with Potter – 
I know that he can be unbalanced and, for all I know, violent – but 
if you have any worries about this, or have spotted anything else in 
Potter's behavior that is troubling you, I urge you to speak to 
Dolores Umbridge, a really delightful woman, who I know will be only 
too happy to advise you."

Let's look at Robbie Fisher's comments on this:

"Percy must remember that Harry saved his sister from the basilisk in 
her first year at Hogwarts. And that Harry enabled him to win a 
dishonest bet against his girlfriend in the Quidditch season of 
Harry's third year. And that Harry has been all but a foster child to 
his parents, from whom Percy has heard all that Harry has gone 
through with his Muggle relatives and his confrontations with the 
Dark Lord. Percy must recall how Harry performed in the second task 
of the Triwizard Tournament, proving not only that Ron is the most 
important thing in Harry's world, but that Harry would even risk 
losing 1000 galleons to help the mer-people's hostages to safety. 
All these things from Percy's own experience, besides all Harry's 
triumphs and goodness that the Weasley family has discussed over the 
previous four years, ought to give Percy a good idea what kind of boy 
Harry is. How could he set aside this firsthand knowledge and simply, 
suddenly, adopt a completely opposite view—- even on the say-so of 
his hero Fudge? Either Percy has lost his mind, or he has made up his 
mind to be unjust to Harry (either out of self-delusion or pure 
evil), ....."

Susan resumes comments: Let's remember that Harry saved Ginny, 
Percy's sister, from being killed by Tom Riddle. 

Now here we are in the HBP...Percy hasn't had the guts or the 
character to admit he was wrong, that Harry isn't unbalanced, that 
Dumbledore was right, even that he picked the wrong horse to bet on 
particularly.....He hasn't acknowledge that Umbridge was vicious and 
abusive to the children...it wasn't just cutting Harry's hand...she 
SENT DEMENTORS TO SUCK OUT HIS SOUL...she wasn't worried that his 
cousin might also have his soul sucked out!...She did the Cruciatus 
Curse....(supposed to be a life time sentence in Azkaban..so much for 
wizard justice) in front of witnesses.... She illegally gave him 
veritasserum...she was going to have Filch flog Fred and George! But 
Percy thought she was a really delightful woman...

Susan McGee