Fred and George: should we worry? (Was: next prank)

[grey_wolf_c]

No: HPFGUIDX 42687

> I Wrote:
> > Just a brief commentary: people *do* enjoy being turned into a 
> canary by eating a cookie. I can't remember exactly when that happens 
> in the books but I'm sure Harry makes an off-hand comment about all 
> the Gryffyndors in the common room eating the cookies and shedding 
> yellow feathers all over the place, so not all his jokes are cruel on 
> the recipient. I think I'd enjoy turniong into a bird for a while. 
> And I think that turning Percy's badge and cursing Draco was totally 
> justified. I'd admit that the sweets they fed Dudley are a trifle 
> dangerous, but they were with their father, who culd counter-curse 
> it.>

Jenny answered:
> I don't recall the book specifically stating that students were 
> purposely eating Canary Creams just so they could turn into canaries.  
> Doesn't Harry worry about eating any kind of candy for a while for 
> fear of what he might temporarily become?

To quote (Sp. Ed. GoF, ch. 21, Liberal translation):
"One minute after [Neville had eaten the Canary Cream] Neville's 
feathers started to shed, and, once all of them had fallen, his shape 
became the same as always. Even he laughed"

And if this is not enough, a little later (ch. 23):
"Fred and George had had a big success with their Canary Creams, and 
during the first two days of christmas the people were leaving feathers 
all over the place"

If people had not enjoyed turning into canaries, the joke wouldn't have 
lasted two days: in about two hours, everyone would've stoped eating 
the creams. Note that in the first occasion even Neville laughed, and 
he's not particularly known for "laughing along" in hope that it looks 
as if he isn't embarrased -more like running away from the laughter.

The entire feeling I've got out of JKR's writing of those passages is 
that the people *enjoy* being turned into a canary for a minute and 
shed feathers all over the place, before turning back into their old 
selves. There's nothing bad with it: you aren't hurt, and you're not 
made fun of because of it. It looks like great fun and, as I said, I 
think I'd enjoy eating one.

> As far as Percy and Draco "deserving" to be the targets of Fred and 
> George's wands, why?  Percy is no worse for having his badge changed, 
> but Draco is actually knocked unconscious and shows no signs of 
> coming to as Fred and George step on him as they leave the train.  
> Isn't that like saying someone deserves to be punched because of 
> something they said? As satisfied I was when Draco and Co. were 
> hexed, and as much as I like actually seeing Fred and George 
> seriously angry, there is also a part of me that was uncomfortable 
> with what they did.  I can't imagine walking *on* someone who is out 
> cold - can you?
>
> --jenny from ravenclaw ************************

The fact is that Draco indeed deserved to be hit by his words. If you 
insult someone to the face, you can expect a sharp retort, but decency 
says that events don't escalate. However, insulting the memory of a 
dead person DOES call for somthing more than a sharp retort. If someone 
had insulted any of my dear ones a few days after his or her passing, 
they would've tasted my fist. AND I wouldn't feel pity for him, or 
remorse in using him as a doormat afterwards. If that makes me a bad 
person, so be it. Hopefully, I'll never have to pass through this in 
real life.

Hope that helps,

Grey Wolf, who does act like a wolf sometimes: if you anger him, expect 
to be bitten.