12 Harry Potter Theories Better Than What We Got

3. Arthur Weasley Was Under The Control Of The Imperius Curse

Arthur Weasley is an interesting case in the Harry Potter world because his involvement in the Ministry Of Magic seems curiously uncharacteristic both of that institute and of him as a person. After all, the Ministry is presented as a haven for corruption, self-interest and suppression of difficult truths. He might work in a fairly non-threatening department, but Arthur's alliance at all with the Ministry is a little troubling. It also makes no sense, because despite him being a supposed expert in the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts, he knows less than nothing about Muggles.

There could be an explanation though and one that adds even more depth to a practice of the Death Eaters during the first war with Voldemort. Because one very compelling theory suggests that Arthur was one of the victims of the Imperius Curse who were unwittingly used as instruments by the Dark Lord and his followers.

There is actually a significant amount of evidence in the texts to suggest this was a possibility: we know that Voldemort actively looked to infiltrate the Ministry using the Imperius Curse and coercion because he did it after his return and he had turned Rookwood who worked in the Department of Ministries to his side before the first war. We know that there were genuine victims of the Curse first time around (otherwise the fake claims by Death Eaters would have no credence). We also know that the Weasleys appear more susceptible to suggestion than anyone else and that Arthur was more aware of the Curse than most thanks to Barty Crouch disguised as Mad-Eye Moody in his Defence Against The Dark Arts class.

When you consider that Arthur was a victim of the curse, the fact that "Moody's" response to Ron telling him his father had mentioned the Curse to him is "you father WOULD know that one" gets a whole new meaning.

This could all also explain how a wizard as woefully unqualified as Arthur was able to get the job he did. If he was sent into that department as a mind-controlled agent of Dumbledore in order to investigate criminals using Muggle artefacts to try and recruit them and also to explore Muggle artefacts as potential weapons, that makes more sense than him simply bumbling into a job.

And the whole theory would also add necessary weight to the tragedy that ANYONE could be turned to Voldemort's side, which is missing from the Harry Potter books.