Fred and George: Bullies... well, yeah

[nightngle]

No: HPFGUIDX 43167

I really appreciate everyone's thoughts on this issue. It's a real 
eye-opener, I think, to have the courage to look objectively at 
characters who are on the "good side", yet have characteristics that 
uncomfortably brush up against the bad. 

Fred and George cross the line a number of times, intentionally or 
not. The incident on the train was particularly disturbing to me - 
kicking and stepping on someone who is unconscious is an act of 
violence. Being insulted is never an excuse for violence. I'm happy 
to hear some zero-tolerance on bullying folks here, myself.

The unsettling part of Fred and George's behaviour to me is the fact 
that JKR rarely leaves a detail unattended. The fact that the twins 
brush so closely on the line can't be an accident. One of the things 
that Dumbledore makes very clear is that some wizards on the good 
side started using methods that were every bit as bad and wrong as 
the DEs and Voldemort.

I wonder if we'll be seeing characters that we know and love going 
over to the bad side, being tricked into doing things that while not 
intended to be bad, will have bad effects - in other words, they will 
do what seems easy and expedient, rather than doing what is right. It 
seems to me that the twins often do what is easy rather than what is 
right. I will hate to see them causing real harm or being used, but I 
worry that they may be headed for a hard fall.


"nightngle"