Percy under the influence (Was: Umbridge and Fudge)

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 152955

Carol earlier:
> 
> >noting that Umbridge is Fudge's Senior Undersecretary and Percy is
his Junior Assistant, and wondering if Umbridge is also responsible
for, erm, brainwashing Percy
> 
Ffred responded:
Nothing quite so subtle, I think (and didn't JKR confirm that Percy
was acting of his own free will?) But Percy's associating every day
with these two (and others in their circle) and he's got no other
influences to countervail them (whatever _did_ happen to Penny?): he's
drinking his morning coffee with them, going for a beer at lunchtime,
taking notes at meetings - it would be very hard for a young and
impressionable man like Percy not to get sucked in to their way of
thinking.
> 
> hwyl
> 
> Ffred (who can't help thinking about the speech by David Owen back
in the early 80s when he talked about the "politics of fudge and mudge")
>

Carol responds:
Right. I didn't mean brainwashing in the sense of an Imperius curse,
just taking advantage of his youth and eagerness and devotion to the
Ministry to indoctrinate him and turn him against Dumbledore. (I'm
familiar with JKR's statement--in the FAQs, IIRC--that he was acting
of his own free will.) Bad choice of words, I guess.

I'm not familiar with the "fudge and mudge" speech, but it could have
unconsciously influenced JKR even if she didn't deliberately borrow
the term (rather like the "hogwort" lilies at Kew Gardens, which her
subconscious mind apparently stored until she needed a name for her
school).

And what *did* happen to Penny? Maybe she'll be the next victim of the
DEs and Percy will return to his family in abject grief and
mortification? If so, I really hope they'll forgive him!

Carol, imagining going out for coffee with Umbridge and gagging at the
thought