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

[festuco]

No: HPFGUIDX 137050

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

> I think there's a misunderstanding here. I never meant to say that
> Arthur sent Percy into the depths of depression or something. I only
> meant to say that Arthur flatly denied that Percy could have gotten
> any promotion at work because of his own efforts and capacities, and
> by doing so stomped all over his son's pride. The best proof for me
> that it crushed Percy's pride is the anger with which he replied to
> his father. I figure that only someone who has been badly hurt can
> throw back such hurtful things. 

Well, actually I think the reason Percy reacted so badly because he
knew Arthur was actually pretty close to the truth. Percy is very
ambitious and not stupid. Though he managed to delude himself very
well about Fudge, Dumbledore, Umbridge and Harry. He may have
convinced himself that Voldemort did not return, but even he must have
had difficulties explaining to himself why he did not think anything
strange about the messages from Crouch when the man was already dead. 
 
> Del replies:
> This is the case of anyone who's ever worked for almost any
> government, in time of war as well as in time of peace. Scapegoating
> people is a *classic* tactic, I don't think there is a single
> government who hasn't used it.

Actually, we don't know that Percy supports this kind of tactic.
Though it would not surprise me if he did. 
 


> Percy is not saying that Harry is evil, he's saying he's delusional
> and making up stories. That's not the same thing. And it's not
> impossible either.

Ok, for the sake of arguement, lets assume that Percy really truly
believes this about Harry, nothing to do with his own ambitions and
career... Here is the boy who saved his sister's LIFE. And who
defeated the monster that almost killed his girlfriend. Who has been a
friend of the familie for years, has been his brother's best friend
and now suddenly has some huge probblems. And what does dear Percy do?
He writes a letter to his brother urging him - not to help him out of
his delusions, help him get back to sanity or other things a good
friend ought to do - but to distance himself from him because
associating with Harry would be bad for Ron's career... If that is not
despicable I don't know what is. 

And ofcourse there is the hearing. Percy was there. He heard the
testimony of Mrs. Figg. And what does he state in the letter? Not that
he thought she did not really see the dementors, not that he thought
the evidence was faked, or that the majority of the Wizengamot were
wrong in believing the witness, but that Harry got off on a 'mere
technicality'. This makes clear that Percy knows very well there is a
lot of fishy stuff going on, but does not want to acknowlege that. 

 

> Del replies:
> First, I think it's unfair to expect Percy to have foreknowledge. Most
> of those things had not even happened by the time Percy wrote his
letter.
> 
> Second, we don't know what Percy knows or not. How much of what
> Umbridge did is public knowledge now, or even Ministry knowledge for
> that matter? I personally suspect very little, if anything, or she
> wouldn't still be working for the MoM and she wouldn't have showed up
> at DD's funeral. 

I agree, but I think it is still significant that he calls her a
delightfull woman. She is very clearly not delightful, unless you like
the type. 

> I'm not saying that Percy is a little saint. I am only saying that
> Percy has always had huge psychological issues that were greatly
> enhanced by the way his family members related to him. 

Well, I don't think there is anything wrong with the way his family
treated him. He was teased a bit because of his stufyness by his
brothers who did not treat him any way different than they treated the
rest. Molly clearly loves him and is very supportive, and apart from
the row with Arthur we have no evidence whatsoever that Arthur was
anything but very proud of his son. I think Percy does not have any
huge psychological issues but is a young man blinded by ambition and
is now paying the very sad price for his lack of character. 

Gerry