Who Framed Fred and George?

[malady579]

No: HPFGUIDX 43110

>>> Dicentra wrote:
>>>People have asserted that Fred and George aren't the most
well-developed characters in the series, and I concur.  I think they
 must be Toons.  They function as Toons.  They do things because
they're funny, and for no other reason.  <<<

>> Melody (me) wrote:
>> The only problem I find with this is that JKR loves to throw
wrenches into common accepted rules of plotlines.  Hence we get Black
and Figg mentioned in PS/SS yet are so important in the plot, Scabbers
perceived as innocent pet till PoA,
 <snip>
 I guess I cannot see Fred and George as "toon" characters because
you do not give sixteen year old prank-prone wizards a 1000 galleons
and expect them to just be good for comic relief. <<

> Dicentra then wrote:
> Ah, but the fact that they may become three-dimensional later
doesn't prevent them from *functioning* as Toons in Books 1-4.  Harry
giving them the galleons happens at the very end of GoF.  They might
very well become just as important as Sirius became, but that doesn't
 change the fact that they have been, up until now, Comic Relief. <

Me again:
They have been a much needed comic relief in this series, but they
have also provided a line of defend for Harry.  The whole Weasley
family can be described as a defending family and those has show they
are quite needed in the series.  Each member has had opportunities to
prove this fact.  (Despite the fact that all of them have been in
Gryffindor which helps prove this point.  We have yet to met a
Gryffindor that does not defend like in GoF pg 370 when all the
Gryffindors are helping Hagrid with the Skrewts while all the
Slytherins are in his hut.)  Arthur has defended muggles at the
Quidditch cup (GoF) and in his occupation (CoS, GoF), and defends his
family's honor against Malfoy (CoS).  Molly has defended her husband
against the press after the flying car fiasco (CoS) and against
Percy's mouth after the Quidditch cup (GoF).  Bill has defended his
father against Percy (GoF), defended his earring and hair to his mom
constantly (GoF), and went after the DE's at the cup (GoF).  Charlie
defends the world against dragon invasion (SS/PS, GoF) and went after
the DE's at the cup (GoF).  Percy defends his views and Crouch with
fevor (GoF) (though he is the only Weasley that defends someone else
above his family, so he has singled himself out) and went after the
DE's at the cup (GoF).  Fred and George and many times defended Harry
in school either with the Slytherin heir thing (CoS) or against Malfoy
(PoA, GoF) and they also defend the Quidditch team against bludgers
(Ps/SS, CoS, PoA).  Ron defends his family's, Harry's, and Hermione's
honor against Malfoy's cruel tongue all the time(Ps/SS, CoS, PoA, GoF)
and is a great strategist (PS/SS), though it only used in book 1.  And
finally, Ginny defends Harry against Malfoy at the tender age of 11
(CoS).

My point is, while yes JKR has not given these characters as much
dimension as say Black or Crouch, she has created them with more
intention than just comic relief.  They are Harry's surrogate family
and he is easily absorbed into them.  They are his line of defense
which the Dursley's are surely not.  (Well the Dursley's are a line of
defence but it is not because they want to be.  Dumbledore must of
given them a damn good reason for keeping the boy in the first place
against thier will.)  Fred are George are the clowns of the family,
but they are also helping to bring the family into more promenance by
being part of a group of good, smart wizards.  The family is coming
into age with the second round of Voldemort war.  Arthur and Molly had
a lot of babies on thier hands the first go round.  It seems Arthur
and Molly were not part of the Order of the Phoenix before, but now
Dumbledore trusts that they (and thier family) are able to help
accomplish his goals.

So I guess I do agree George and Fred are a bit of toons in the first
couple of books but they are also helping establish a famly that will
be very vital to the destructing of evil.

Melody
Wondering how Bill's exploring tendencies and Charlie's dragons will
come into play in the final three books