Molly's Second Cousin

[Athena Appleton]

'kay, first off, I don't think this is a really serious issue, more of a curiosity...

In Philosophers/Sorcerer's Stone, on the Hogwarts Express, Harry asks Ron if all his family are wizards. Ron replies, "Er - yes, I think so. I think Mum's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we don't talk about him."

This just strikes me odd, because the Weasleys (and Arthur, in particular) have an appreciation for Muggles (okay, Arthur has a fascination/obsession with Muggles, but you get the idea.) It just seems odd to me that they wouldn't talk about a Muggle second cousin, unless there's something they REALLY don't like about the cousin... Arthur would surely want to get to know a real live Muggle in the family, wouldn't he?

Just curious...

[Meg Boyd]

that is a really interesting point there...maybe he rejected the wizarding world or something that would make people as nice as the weasley's not like them...hmmm

[Violet]

there might have been a family fall out or something, i dont think that he has any realy significance

[Scellanis]

maybe the cousin is a squib...to have a muggle in a pure blood wizard family wouldn't you need two muggle parents....or at least one married into the family.....unlikely being pure blood wizards......and Arthur would love a muggle anyway, maybe the accountant is a squib and went to a muggle school instead because they couldn't get into Hogwarts....if they were a squib they would be embarrasing for the family wouldn't they and so they would not talk about them.....

[Scellanis]

sorry to double post but i forgot to say....Harry only asks if all the family are wizards...not if they have any muggles in the family.....

[Nobby]

mayb her cousin doesn't knowe about the wizarding world. Mayb born and put up for adoption. that'll explain why the weasleys dont have contact with him therefore dont talk about him much!

[Cruzio]

The correct quote is

"Er - yes, I think so. I think Mum's got a second cousin who's an accountant, but we never talk about him."

You might think no big deal, never or don't... but I atleast read these two versions quite differently.

If you say you "don't" talk about someone, that inqures that you don't like the person, or that the topic is sacred or similar. Like when the Weasley's doesn't talk about Percy in OotP. Or when people doesn't say Voldemort's name.

On the other hand when you say you "never" talk about someone/something, it might be that the topic isn't interesting, or you just never get around to it.

So I doubt there is any grudge between the Weasley's and this second cousin, other than that they don't have a close relation.
I sure don't know all my mom's next cousins.

[Athena Appleton]

haha... welcome, cruzio way to spot a typo right at the very beginning

honestly, I don't see a difference between the two words... I guess I see your point, but I would read "We don't talk about him" and "We never talk about him" to be the same thing...

It was the middle of the night, I was doing good to NOTICE that line!

[Cruzio]

Just saying how I read it

I'm not however of englishspeaking origin, so it's possible this only concerns me I might have some odd ideas of the english language for all I know.

[Scellanis]

On the other hand when you say you "never" talk about someone/something, it might be that the topic isn't interesting, or you just never get around to it.

So I doubt there is any grudge between the Weasley's and this second cousin, other than that they don't have a close relation.
I sure don't know all my mom's next cousins.

lol, well thats quite understandable...he is an accountant.... (no offence intended to any accountants on here....)

*giggles*

but i mean accountant is a boring muggle profession....i think even arthur with his massive obsession for muggles would get bored of that pretty fast......

[Athena Appleton]

Just saying how I read it

You'll learn early on that I'm a smart-alack and not to take anything I say seriously. Aberforth and I are constantly buggin each other, but (I hope) he doesn't take anything I say seriously anymore.

but i mean accountant is a boring muggle profession....i think even arthur with his massive obsession for muggles would get bored of that pretty fast......

right... um, you did catch the part where he collects electric plugs, right? He'd probably be fascinated with a muggle accountant. All that Muggle money!!!

[Cruzio]

I was just worried you might had taken the correction as an insult (yes yes I'm dramatizing, but some people do that, and as I'm new here I don't wanna get off on the wrong foot)

You are free to say anything you like to me, I promise I wont take you seriously, as long as you do the same with me

"wee I'm a first year"

[child of darkness]

well
you lucky u aint a muggle

it embarrasing
AAARRRGGHHH!!!

i had to walkto the fridge

its soooo annoying[/i]

[Athena Appleton]

*just stares at child of darkness*

uh-huh

way off topic

[Gower]

I can see what Cruzio means with the slight difference between the wording
But I don't think the accountant will play any major part