muggle baiting vs. muggle torture

[steven1965aaa]

No: HPFGUIDX 155518

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Sydney" <sydpad at ...> wrote:
>
>> Obviously I don't think they expected that exact set of events.  I
> just think they are good capitalists-- they build relationships 
with people who might be useful to them.  Harry is a celebrity, and 
a rich celebrity-- he gets stuff for free, for the very good reason 
that makes sense to associate with him.  Don't the twins give him 
free stuff from his shop, and ask him to make sure to tell everyone 
where they got it?  It's like giving Julia Roberts a Fendi bag, so 
everyone will want one. 

Steven1965aa:

I think we just read it differently.  You seem to see the Twins as 
cagey opportunists looking out for themselves, and I don't see it 
that way at all.  I don't think they were hoping for anything in 
return when they gave Harry the map. I think that given the 
irreplacable nature of the map it was an extroardinarily generous 
thing to do (you pointed out that they have already memorized it, 
but that does not eliminate its value to them as it shows 
everybody's location, they could have easily waited a couple more 
years until after they were finished at HW to hand it down to 
Harry).  With regard to the free stuff from their store, I take them 
at their word --- Harry gave them their start up loan and therefore 
they wouldn't feel right charging him (query: the twins always refer 
to it as a start up "loan" - I wonder if they will pay it back 
eventually? Sydney, maybe this supports your point somewhat if they 
don't pay him back?).  Sure they want him to tell people where he 
got the stuff if anyone asks, but I don't think that's their 
motivation.  I see them as good guys who sometimes go overboard but 
with their hearts in the right place.  I think Rebecca made a good 
point earlier about them viewing Harry like a little brother.  Harry 
certainly does not seem to share your view, and the Twins also 
receive eye gleams from Dumbledore in a couple of places in the 
books.

Hermione went on a lot in HBP in a few different places about how 
impressive their magic was - I wonder if this forshadows anything 
for book 7 (I don't think Malfoy's use of the darkness powder in HBP 
counts because that was imported from Peru, the Twins didn't come up 
with it)?

By the way, I don't think that being in Slytherin makes you evil, by 
a long shot.  I think that was suggested earlier.  In fact, IMO the 
#1 candidate for redemption in Book 7 (keeping with the admonitions 
from Dumbledore and the Sorting Hat that the Houses must cooperate) 
is Draco.