The Twins / Weasleys / Percy

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 145273

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "festuco" <vuurdame at x...> wrote:
>
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "horridporrid03"
> <horridporrid03 at y...> wrote:
> 
> > Betsy Hp:
> > I was unclear, sorry.  I'm talking about the Christmas gnome:
> > 
> > "Fred, George, Harry, and Ron were the only ones who knew that
> > the angel on top of the tree was actually a garden gnome that
> > had bitten Fred on the ankle ..." (HBP p.329-330)
> > 
> > It struck me as a rather involved and sadistic sort of revenge 
> > ...
> > 
> Gerry
> 
> I agree, it made me feel really uncomfortable too. Bit if you
> want to make Fred and George sadistic people because of this,
> then so are Harry and Ron, because they do nothing to prevent
> it or to excgange the gnome for the real angel. 
> 
> Gerry
>

bboyminn:

Well, I have to admit that the Angel/Gnome incident made me cringe
too, but for my own warped twisted thoughts more than the Twins
actions. The minute I read that, my thoughts went to the method of
securing the gnome to the tree accompanied by very unpleasant visions
involving 'body cavities'. 

However, barring my unpleasant visions of 'body cavity' mounting, the
Gnome is not really hurt. He is merely 'frozen' and later the Twins
will probably unfreeze him, and set him free in the garden. Lesson
learned and no real harm done. 

The Twins certainly engage in some childishly cruel activities, and I
certainly don't approve of the way the are treating Percy, but really,
have they actually done anyone any harm? 

Earlier in the discussion, someone commented that the Twins
suffocating Dudley with their Ton-Tongue Toffee was very cruel, but
the Ton-Tongue Toffee was a trick sweet they intended to sell to their
friends. I seriously doubt that they invented a 'trick' sweet that
would kill everyone who took it. I suspect that, much like the Canary
Cream, the joke was self-limiting. Just as Neville only stayed a
Canary for a minute or so before turning back into Neville, logic
would say that the effects of the Ton-Tongue Toffee would have abated
shortly and Dudley would have returned to normal. 

Now there is still an element of cruelty here. A wizard would
understand that the effect were temporary. Dudley, on the other hand,
would have certainly thought the worst and reacted accordingly. Still
though, I contend that the effect would have worn off and Dudley would
have been shaken, but no worse for the wear.

Just a couple thoughts.

Steve/bboyminn