Is There Alternating Current in Harry's World?

[Carol]

No: HPFGUIDX 184185

Carol earlier:
> > I always thought that Kingsley was using "firelegs" on purpose as
part of his pretense that he and Arthur aren't on intimate terms. It
gives Arthur the chance to publicly correct him (in the next breath
whispering that Molly is making meatballs and inviting Kingsley to
dinner).
> 
> Sarah:
> I kind of reckoned it might be on purpose, but I never really
figured out his motive.  Appearing to be a pureblood if he's not seems
kind of pointless, since a year later he's installed in an undercover
Muggle job, which I think most of the purebloods couldn't pull off. 
<snip>

Carol responds:
I don't think that Kingsley is trying to appear to be a Pure-Blood.
His status, whatever it may be (and I'm guessing Half-Blood) would be
well-known. what he's concealing, IMO, is his status as an Order
member. Everyone in the MoM knows of Arthur's pro-Muggle sympathies
and, IIRC, his connection to Dumbledore. Kingsley, OTOH, is supposedly
looking for the fugitive Sirius Black. The exchange (pretending to
have information on "firelegs") not only conceals whatever Kingsley
may actually know about that subject but enables him to slip Arthur
the issue of the Quibbler for Sirius without giving away that they're
friends and, more important, fellow members of the OoP. Their tone is
that of acquaintances who happen to work for the same organization but
in different departments (Arthur's the rather lowly Muggle Artifacts
Department). It's all a pose, as revealed by the whispered exchanges
and the magazine hidden among official documents, not to mention
Kingsley's wink and Mr. Weasley's treading on Harry's foot to prvent
him from saying hello to Kingsley. Elsewhere, Bill mentions that
Scrimgeour is becoming suspicious of both Kingsley and Tonks, which
would explain why Kingsley wants to avoid looking like Mr. Weasley's
friend (and vice versa). And, of course, they want to make it look as
if Kingsley is actively searching for a certain fugitive known to
possess a flying motorcycle.

Carol, who thinks that Kingsley used "firelegs" on purpose to get Mr.
Weasley to correct him (evidently Mr. Weasley got that term right in
his report, even if he can't pronounce "electricity" or "plumber")