Percy Weasley - Slytherin in disguise?

Book 5: HP & the Order of the Phoenix Forum

Okay, I'm basing this on absolutely no real evidence, but perhaps it will start up a discussion.

First of all, we all know that Percy is upsetting his family with his current mindless political standings. We all believe the reason for this is because Percy believes he should look out for number one, which is himself. However, what if the truth were more sinister than this? What if his unrelenting desire to become successful lead him to follow the easy way, rather than the right way? (thanks Sherry)

So we have a desire to prove himself, if I remember correctly this is a treat of the Gryffindor House... however we've also got someone who seems to be willing to cut off contact with his family to achieve this... blood thirsty, isn't it? Like a Slytherin

One argument has been that Percy was really warning the Order what is occuring within the Ministry.... well, it's a nice thought, but the truth is Percy has always been a pompus idiot who hasn't really cared for anyone but himself. So this idea really is just wishful thinking.

One thing I just thought of last night is that Percy has always been in contact with Slytherins... hence my idea of him being a Slytherin in disguise... and this is what I'm basing it on:

Last night I was watching Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and I came to the part where Harry and Ron use the Pollyjuice Potion to become Crabbe and Goyle... and they're on their way to the Slytherin Common Room, where they come across Percy. He asks what they are doing there, and they ask what he is doing there... And then Malfoy comes along, and also asks what Percy is doing there...

Well, Percy simply replies that he's a prefect and gives them both attitude (which is his style) - but why did Malfoy care if Percy was there or not? Is it perhaps because they were around the Slytherin common room, and someone in Gryffindor really has no business being there?

I haven't compared this to the book, since I left it back in Australia... so I can't really check how this part reads in the original story, but it did make me think there was something else behind Percy being there...

Are there any other instances of Percy being somewhere he possibly wasn't meant to be, but we always shrugged it off because he's "a prefect"?

How much can we really trust anything Percy has said and done in the past? Is it possible to be put in one House, but really have the personality of another? Or is it possible for someone's personality to change so much that they are rooting for another side?

Finally, in The Chamber Of Secrets Movie - why does Tom Riddle remind us so much of Percy?

Damn, Grant, but you just said in another thread that Tom Riddle was a Gryffindor.

Anyway, how exactly do you mean Percy is a Slytherin in disguise? Was he sorted into Slytherin, or 'became' one while the years at Hogwarts?

By my opinion, Percy is a Gryffindor. Not all Gryffindors are all that great, but they're still Gryffindors.

I agree with you, Maja. Just because he's a Gryffindor, that doesn't mean that he can't be like he is. I can't see him being a Slytherin in disguise at all.

Flippin Brilliant Grant. I think Percy had the Slytherin traits, just was put in the wrong house. I think in his heart he was and is a Slytherin.

EVERYONE keep in mind that something small in book 2 becomes something big in book 6. Percy being in the Slytherin corridor is small.

I too watched Chamber of Secrets that day. Tom and Percy did seem very alike.

Grant, you've brought up some great points here... and I think that, even though we don't see eye to eye on this particular thing... we should all discuss this and see what we come up with. Excellent conversation

Hey... excellent point, Sherry. That's right... that something small in book 2, is going to be quite big in 6. Could that be it? Or something else?

No matter if Percy is Gryffindor or Slytherin... I think that we might be surprised with his actions in the next book.

I want to post a couple different articles I've found, about Percy.


In a recent online chat, J.K. Rowling said that, in Order of the Phoenix, Percy was acting entirely of his own accord. This rules out one popular theory: that Percy had fallen victim to the Imperious Curse. But another theory exists that hypothesizes that Percy is secretly working for the Order.

Admittedly, evidence to support this theory is scarce, but it is there if you look hard enough. The most commonly sited piece of evidence is Percy's letter to Ron. It's true that Percy lets Ron (and by extension Harry and Hermione) know about the upcoming Daily Prophet piece, as well as in imprisonment of Sturgis Podmore; he also hints at Umbridge and Fudge's plans to replace Dumbledore within the year. He has the letter delivered at night so Ron can "read this away from prying eyes and avoid awkward questions," which could mean one of two things: he either wants to avoid Harry seeing the letter or Umbridge seeing the letter.

Either version is a little hard to understand. If Percy wants the letter to stay hidden from Harry... well, he should honestly know better. Percy's been with Ron and Harry; he knows they share everything, that they stay up late together in the common room. However, why Umbridge would be particularly interested in any letter Ron gets seems a bit of a stretch, too; she's far too concerned with Harry to be bothered about Ron. The delivery time, therefore, is shaky evidence at best.

Setting the letter aside, Percy still has moments that seem suspicious, for good or ill. His comments as reported in the Daily Prophet are among those moments. Again, this could be interpreted in two different ways. One is that he's a pompous "Big Head Boy" who will say and do most anything for attention and power. The other is that he's again subtly giving subversive advice and information to the members of the Order. For a news source, he's awfully resourceful. He knows a lot about what's happening and isn't shy about sharing it. He knows the whys and wherefores of Umbridge's appointment to Hogwarts; he knows that she sends reports to Fudge about what happens at the school; he knows about Fudge's "plan to get to grips with" a Hogwarts education (at least he knows about its phases). All in all, regardless of where Percy's loyalties lie, he is exceptionally good at giving out a lot of information.

Another two-sided moment comes before the school year even begins, at Harry's hearing. Percy is there, of course, as official court scribe. He's been working for Fudge for about six or seven weeks by now. To Harry, he appears very cold and distant, not even looking at Harry. Percy could be acting like that to impress his new boss, which is entirely likely. Then again, if he's working with the Order, he'll have been in contact with Dumbledore. Perhaps Dumbledore warned him not to look in Harry's eyes for fear of him (or even Voldemort through Harry) guessing at the intrigue. If Percy is working undercover, then the fewer people who know or guess, the safer the espionage is. Imagine if Fudge saw Percy looking over at Harry, hoping to catch his eye. It would compromise Percy's position. In cases like this, it's best to avoid the eyes.

Unfortunately, this theory is not without its holes, the biggest of which is the fight between Percy and his parents. According to Ron, it was a pretty intense row, which seems rather unlike Percy or Arthur. After Arthur's attack, Percy doesn't visit. Percy sends back his Christmas presents. His photographic self walks out of the family portrait. This is all pretty ominous behavior. However, it doesn't necessarily have to read that way.

Let's assume that Percy is working undercover for the Order. Obviously Dumbledore knows about it. Who else would know? Though everyone is trusted, it's simply not safe to have an entire organization know who their mole is; it could potentially jeopardize the mission. What if Dumbledore and Percy are the only ones who know about this mission? Wouldn't it be simpler and more secure for Percy if he didn't live at home? Living at home promotes an ease of conversation, which isn't something you want in a spy. But, his parents wouldn't really be too keen on his leaving, seeing as how it would leave just them in the house for the majority of the year. Really, if Molly thought it was a bad idea, she could probably convince Percy out of it. So, the best way to break out of the house is to break off relationships. It's harsh, but it has to be done. Besides, if Percy had already decided on leaving, regardless of his parents, he very well may have gotten into a fight with them (though perhaps not as large a one). A fight makes the parting much easier if you can be mad at them; you can't miss someone you're mad at.

Percy is an enigma wrapped in a mystery (covered in a secret sauce ) throughout Order of the Phoenix. His behavior is at once so like the character we'd grown to tolerated yet so unexpected. Needless to say, we won't know for certain what was going on in Percy's head until J.K. Rowling tells us (hopefully) in the sixth book.

Although I was not surprised by Percy's actions in Book 5, I found myself cursing the rat-faced weasel. Why? Percy has shown signs from Book 1 about how far he takes his ambition. Ron has even taken the time to warn us that Percy would betray his family for prestige and power. Why should I be angrier at Percy than I am at Voldemort or even Umbridge? What is it about this character's betrayal that cut at me deeper than Umbridge's conniving smile?

After my third read, and hours of thinking, I believe I finally understand why Percy gets to me. Unlike Umbridge or Voldemort, Percy has shown redeeming qualities since day one. Although ambitious, Percy has always tried to do what is right and has shown care for his family. When I think of Percy, I think of the middle of Book 4 when Ron comes out of the water after the second task. Percy turns pale as he runs to see if his brother is okay. He forgets about his demeanor and his place at the tournament, he throws all appearances away to make sure that Ron is okay. But, how can I reconcile this image with the heartless Percy in Book 5?

Thus, it occurs to me that we are given two separate Percy's throughout the five books. On one hand we have the Percy that embraces pride. This is the ambitious Percy that follows rules stringently and looks down on anyone that crosses even the thinnest line. This is the Percy that lusts for prestige and sides with those who have power. On the other hand we have the Percy that embraces love. This is the Percy that had (has?) a girlfriend. This is the same Percy that drops everything to make sure Ron is okay. Now that I recognize these two very different and opposed facets of Percy's character, the question remains of how to reconcile them into the one person.

It is my belief that we cannot simply take Harry's view of things as the only view to understanding the characters. Through Harry's eyes, Percy is an older brother, the Head Boy that went off to work for the Ministry, and the boy that sat at Harry's hearing as though Harry and Percy had never before met. But who is Percy through Percy's own eyes?

True, Percy is one of Ron's older brothers, but Percy is also a younger sibling. How easy was it for him to follow in Bill and Charlie's footsteps? Bill and Charlie were the first two children that got to grow up before the house filled with five other children. Both Bill and Charlie were successful, though perhaps a little rebellious (fang earring, anyone?). How would this middle position make Percy feel and act? With Percy growing up with both younger and older siblings he had to do well and set examples. Like many older siblings, Percy took the role of father when the kids were away at school. In Book 2, he forces Ginny to take medicine and lectures Ron about going into girls' restrooms. Perhaps this is a large part of where Percy's ambition came from. It's not easy growing up in a big family, much less getting lost somewhere in the middle. True, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley have always given their kids lots of love, but was it that way from Percy's view? Did he feel that he had to do well to earn attention? It is a large possibility.

Whatever Percy's reasons for wanting prestige, it is clear that this is a defining part of his personality. Percy wants not only power, but he wants a clear-cut world where all rules are followed and those deemed important and leaders are out to do what is right. And there perhaps is the real reconciliation of Percy's character. While he wants power and admiration, Percy wants to do what is right. Yes, he may feel important for little things such as working on shabby cauldron cases, but he does mention that it bothers him because people might get hurt. Yes, Percy may have sided with the Ministry, but doesn't he make it clear that he does this not out of hate for his family, but because he feels the Ministry is correct.

Take a look at the letter Percy sends to Ron. We can learn multiple things in this letter, such as the fact that Percy still cares about Ron, warning him about what Percy thinks is a danger. Remember, Percy has cut off all ties to his family in order to remove the stigma of being a Weasley (298, US Edition), but yet he is trying to reach out to Ron; if caught he might be re-stigmatized. Also, Percy truly believes the Ministry that Dumbledore is wrong. "I am sorry that I was unable to see more of you over the summer. It pains me to criticize our parents, but I am afraid I can no longer live under their roof while they remain mixed up with the dangerous crowd around Dumbledore...." This line may drive us to punch the nearest wall, but in Percy's eyes he is only saying what he feels is true. "I sincerely hope that, in time, they will realize how mistaken they were and I shall, of course, be ready to accept a full apology when that day comes." Again, Percy is removing himself from those he feels are breaking the rules.

Taken from this view, perhaps Percy is not so evil after all. Perhaps Percy's real flaw is naivety. Striving for power and ambition, Percy has blinded himself to what is real. He honestly believes that people in high places are there because they are honest and good men. He looks up to them, and wants to follow in their footsteps. Examining Book 4, we see much of this in how he hero-worships Crouch. How many times does he defend Crouch and blindly believe whatever is happening? When it comes to Winky picking up a wand, Percy is all about the rules and image. He truly thinks that Crouch is blameless as long as he follows the rules. So what happens when Crouch turns out to have broken some major rules? What happens when the letters start coming with orders? Percy follows the letters to his own detriment. Surely someone in a high position couldn't hurt him, right? Yet, Crouch did break rules, and everything fell apart. This, more than being a Weasley, stigmatized this once prefect.

After years of searching for ambition, trying to do what is right, and living with the Weasley name, Percy is foiled by his own ignorance. How low must this have made him feel? How angry must he be at his father for adding to this stigma? In Percy's eyes, he has done nothing wrong, has followed the rules, but yet he has constantly been pushed down.

Now take this same ignorant Percy and look at how his character acts in Book 5. It starts to make a lot more sense. "I count myself very lucky to have escaped the stigma of association with such people-- the Minister really could not be more gracious to me-- and I do hope, Ron, that you will not allow family ties to blind you to the misguided nature of our parents' beliefs and actions either" (298).

After all the bitter disappointments in Book 4, Percy finds himself at a crossroads. He can either believe that world is upside down with corrupt leaders and evil men, or he can choose to remain ignorant and believe the world is as it ought to be. When Fudge offers him an assistantship, it was a saving grace to Percy. His career is not only not finished, but he can even be promoted. He can have the prestige he always wanted, and someday outdo Bill and Charlie in excellence. True, his parents would look down on him now, but from his view this would change when they learned the error of their ways.

So Percy, believing (or convincing himself) that he is right, continues to work for the Ministry. He enters a world where it is all or nothing, and he must cut familial ties to survive. He sends back the Christmas sweater and doesn't even visit Arthur in the hospital. It makes us as a reader mad, but not necessarily surprised. Yet, there is comfort in knowing he is doing what he feels is right. This means that once he learns that he is in fact the one in error, he may find redemption in the love of his family. For even if he is willing to turn his back on them, I do not believe Mr. and Mrs. Weasley could ever turn their back on Percy.

Perhaps my first inclination to be madder at Percy than at Voldemort or Umbridge is a hasty one. Percy is not yet a bad guy, just misguided. He angers me because he could know the truth if he didn't allow himself to so easily be blinded by ambition. Yet, I know that Percy is at heart a good man. Despite every transgression he commits in the fifth book, I still picture him running to help Ron. To me, this is the true look into his character. When it comes down to what's right, Percy will drop appearances and all else to help out. For unlike Voldemort, Percy does love. It is my hope that this love will bring him back home where he belongs.

I thought that we could look at those as well, to help us look at the different "sides" of Percy... the different perceptions of him. Like one article said, we're seeing Percy through Harry's eyes, except when we see the letter to Ron.

Hehehe I don't know if I actually believe this Kris just an idea that seems somewhat possible.

One thing that I wont believe: Percy working for the Order... I think it's wishful thinking... nobody wants a Weasley to be bad... But Percy is selfish - would do anything to succeed. He's ambitious, and his ambition, we all can figure, will be his down fall.

I think it's just a case of how far he will fall, and whose side he's really on...

Which brings me to another point. When Ron was being sorted, the sorting hat simply said "another Weasley, I know just what to do with you..." - he probably didn't even look as to what his character traits were...

Which the hat probably did with Percy as well.

bad bad, lazy hat...

I think Percy loves his family, but the girlfriend is most likely a physical thing.

Mmmm.... Physical.... *drooling*

See! Grant is even older than Percy and he had that reaction.

I'm older than Percy?

Man, I keep thinking he's my friend Ron's older brother

In real life Grant. In the Wizarding World you can be in the 6th year.

Oh great... are you trying to make Grant a 16 year old?

Hey if Grant is 16 then that makes me like 29!

Makes me even younger than you

See it works for all of us.

And I get to play with my toys again!!!

Then you guys can be in your early 20s/late teens

He wants to play with his toys. Maybe he and Percy can play Leap Cauldron!

Well if I am 29 again, I am going to go hang out at the Leaky Cauldron or the Three Broomsticks and drink some ale with Hagrid and Mr F.

tsk... that's mean... don't you ever see toys and think "darn I wish I was young enough to play with that"?

I'm going to have some Fire Whiskey, and enjoy the good times as they roll on by.

I'm also going to borrow Harry's cloak, sneak up on Percy, and remove the broomstick out from his butt, and then kick him as hard as I can.

Go Kris! I think I will borrow that cloak when you are done and try to help Umbridge by making claping sounds like hooves around her.

Oh yeah... can I go with you for that mission?

Sure. We can make the toad think a whole herd is after her.

I'll sit patiently and wait until I'm old enough to use magic

Oh yeah...


I want to put a curse on all of Percy's cauldrons. I want to make their bottoms really thin, and leak when he uses them!!!

I can do it... and fast too

Look behind you! See me?

Of course not, because I apparated out of the room so quick!

Damn, that WAS quick. And I thought that was just Oliver Wood checking on me again… Ah those Scots, they’re so paranoidly jealous! And I told Ollie I’m not cheating on him.

(Well, if we’re in a fantasy world anyway…)

somebody stole my ideas about Percy and Voldemort's houses and put it in their articles

I feel so violated

maybe it's a coincidence... but I'll go break their knee caps to be sure...

See Grant, you should have put a curse on this thread so that whoever lifted your idea would have the word "thief" spelled out on their forehead in purple pimples.

I actually did

I wonder what that person looks like now

Alright... I will be on the lookout.

wow