Peter and the Finger

[sistermagpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 181914

Dananotdayna:
> Sorry, I have to ask; my curiosity is piqued. The index
> and middle finger sign Americans use for peace or victory
> is offensive in England? I have to go Google British sign
> language, because that sign is also part of the ASL alphabet.
> 
> Is it's meaning analagous to our "FU" finger?
> 
> I'll also toss in my two cents that I would be really surprised
> if JKR meant Pettigrew's pointing to have a double meaning. When
> she wants to toss in something colorful, she isn't really sneaky
> about it. We got "effing" and "Bitch" in DH and a bit of an
> eyebrow-raising conversation between Harry and Ginny, to boot.

Magpie:
Yes, two fingers, I think with the fingernails pointed outwards towards 
the other person=what in the US is done with just the middle finger.

But I agree--not only is it too subtle to really much stand out, 
pointing with your middle finger doesn't mean anything in either 
country. Unless you're being coy--like a kid might point with his 
middle finger to pretending to be flipping off the teacher without the 
teacher realizing or whatever, but Peter isn't doing that here and 
isn't American anyway. 

I assume the two-fingered version is what Draco gave Ron in HBP that 
Ron then repeated to Harry telling him about it.

-m