"Dear Ron,
"I have just heard through a mutual acquaintance that you have
become a Hogwarts prefect.
"I was most pleasantly surprised when I heard this news and
must offer my congratulations. I must admit that I have
always been afraid that you would take what we might call the
'Fred and George' route, rather than following in my
footsteps, so you can imagine my feelings on hearing you have
stopped flouting authority and have decided to shoulder some
real responsibility.
"But I want to give you more than congratulations, Ron, I want
to give you some advice, which is why I am sending this at
night rather than by the usual morning post. Hopefully you
will be able to read this away from prying eyes and avoid
awkward questions.
"First, I presume that absent any radical changes in your
life, you are still close to Harry Potter. I have reason to
fear that continued fraternization with him could cost you
your badge -- or worse. Before you throw this letter away in
anger, please let me explain.
"The Minister is convinced that Potter and Dumbledore are
spearheading a campaign to undermine him. I have heard him
say in private moments that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named cannot
have returned, and thus Potter must be insane and/or lying
about it for political reasons. His primary Undersecretary,
Dolores Umbridge, agrees with him and together they are
planning some manner of retaliation against Potter and
Dumbledore both.
"However, in my time here, I have cultivated contacts in other
parts of the Ministry. From my acquaintances within the
Department of Mysteries I have learned that the Unspeakables
have accepted Potter's account of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's
return as an incontrovertible fact and are acting accordingly.
I cannot relay their reasons for this to you due to Ministry
regulations imposed just this week, but the evidence offered
to me has been most convincing.
"Thus I find myself in the position of having to warn you to
sever your ties with Potter for the sake of both your future
and your safety. Potter's disciplinary hearing before the
Wizengamot this summer was only the beginning of the
Minister's campaign against him, if what I have overheard is
any indication. I suspect that there will be no hesitation to
strike at his associates if it furthers the Minister's plans.
If you are 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, should matters fall out as the
Minister desires.
"That is assuming you *have* future prospects. Remaining a
very visible friend and supporter of Potter will make you a
primary target for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and his followers.
While I understand that our family is already marked for death
as 'Blood Traitors', the simple fact is that by being one of
Potter's two closest friends you have elevated yourself (and
most likely everyone else in our family) to 'kill first, kill
at all costs' in the eyes of the Dark Lord and his followers.
"This is the simple truth, Ron: in the current social and
political atmosphere, keeping company with Harry Potter is at
best a decision that will ruin your immediate future, and at
worst will cost you your life. Please, please distance
yourself from him and protect not only yourself, but the rest
of our family.
"I am sorry that I was unable to see more of you over the
summer. At the time I was afraid that I could no longer live
under our parents' roof while they remained mixed up with what
I saw as the dangerous crowd around Dumbledore. Even though I
now know that Potter and Dumbledore are right, that does not
make their crowd any less dangerous. I choose to continue my
estrangement from our parents in order that some part of our
family will escape the inevitable retribution which
He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named will visit upon the Weasleys for
their rejection of his cause.
"I count myself very lucky to have escaped the stigma of
association with Dumbledore's people, but make no mistake --
as much as I respect the Minister, his refusal to accept the
evidence possessed by the Unspeakables reveals him to be far
less astute than I had believed. However, by sticking close
to him and to Dolores Umbridge I have acquired a certain
protective coloration that will serve me in good stead should
the worst occur. I strongly recommend that you make similar
arrangements. Break publicly with Harry Potter, and align
yourself with any clique or classmate whose political views
can shield you. The rest of our family may be doomed by their
association with Potter and Dumbledore, but you do not have to
be. And if by some miracle they and I both survive the next
few years, rest assured that I will be ready to offer them a
full apology for the pain and anguish I have surely put them
through.
"Please think over what I have said most carefully, and
congratulations again on becoming prefect.
"Your brother,
"Percy"
Harry looked up from the parchment in his hand. "Well," he said
after a long moment of thought. "He's not exactly wrong, you
know."
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.
"I have just heard through a mutual acquaintance that you have
become a Hogwarts prefect.
"I was most pleasantly surprised when I heard this news and
must offer my congratulations. I must admit that I have
always been afraid that you would take what we might call the
'Fred and George' route, rather than following in my
footsteps, so you can imagine my feelings on hearing you have
stopped flouting authority and have decided to shoulder some
real responsibility.
"But I want to give you more than congratulations, Ron, I want
to give you some advice, which is why I am sending this at
night rather than by the usual morning post. Hopefully you
will be able to read this away from prying eyes and avoid
awkward questions.
"First, I presume that absent any radical changes in your
life, you are still close to Harry Potter. I have reason to
fear that continued fraternization with him could cost you
your badge -- or worse. Before you throw this letter away in
anger, please let me explain.
"The Minister is convinced that Potter and Dumbledore are
spearheading a campaign to undermine him. I have heard him
say in private moments that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named cannot
have returned, and thus Potter must be insane and/or lying
about it for political reasons. His primary Undersecretary,
Dolores Umbridge, agrees with him and together they are
planning some manner of retaliation against Potter and
Dumbledore both.
"However, in my time here, I have cultivated contacts in other
parts of the Ministry. From my acquaintances within the
Department of Mysteries I have learned that the Unspeakables
have accepted Potter's account of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's
return as an incontrovertible fact and are acting accordingly.
I cannot relay their reasons for this to you due to Ministry
regulations imposed just this week, but the evidence offered
to me has been most convincing.
"Thus I find myself in the position of having to warn you to
sever your ties with Potter for the sake of both your future
and your safety. Potter's disciplinary hearing before the
Wizengamot this summer was only the beginning of the
Minister's campaign against him, if what I have overheard is
any indication. I suspect that there will be no hesitation to
strike at his associates if it furthers the Minister's plans.
If you are 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, should matters fall out as the
Minister desires.
"That is assuming you *have* future prospects. Remaining a
very visible friend and supporter of Potter will make you a
primary target for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and his followers.
While I understand that our family is already marked for death
as 'Blood Traitors', the simple fact is that by being one of
Potter's two closest friends you have elevated yourself (and
most likely everyone else in our family) to 'kill first, kill
at all costs' in the eyes of the Dark Lord and his followers.
"This is the simple truth, Ron: in the current social and
political atmosphere, keeping company with Harry Potter is at
best a decision that will ruin your immediate future, and at
worst will cost you your life. Please, please distance
yourself from him and protect not only yourself, but the rest
of our family.
"I am sorry that I was unable to see more of you over the
summer. At the time I was afraid that I could no longer live
under our parents' roof while they remained mixed up with what
I saw as the dangerous crowd around Dumbledore. Even though I
now know that Potter and Dumbledore are right, that does not
make their crowd any less dangerous. I choose to continue my
estrangement from our parents in order that some part of our
family will escape the inevitable retribution which
He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named will visit upon the Weasleys for
their rejection of his cause.
"I count myself very lucky to have escaped the stigma of
association with Dumbledore's people, but make no mistake --
as much as I respect the Minister, his refusal to accept the
evidence possessed by the Unspeakables reveals him to be far
less astute than I had believed. However, by sticking close
to him and to Dolores Umbridge I have acquired a certain
protective coloration that will serve me in good stead should
the worst occur. I strongly recommend that you make similar
arrangements. Break publicly with Harry Potter, and align
yourself with any clique or classmate whose political views
can shield you. The rest of our family may be doomed by their
association with Potter and Dumbledore, but you do not have to
be. And if by some miracle they and I both survive the next
few years, rest assured that I will be ready to offer them a
full apology for the pain and anguish I have surely put them
through.
"Please think over what I have said most carefully, and
congratulations again on becoming prefect.
"Your brother,
"Percy"
Harry looked up from the parchment in his hand. "Well," he said
after a long moment of thought. "He's not exactly wrong, you
know."
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.
