By Alícia Marédi
Edited by: Marina Anderi and Pedro Martins
Fred and George Weasley are responsible for most of the laughter when reading Harry Potter. They are the kind of people everyone would like to have as friends and few teachers would like to have as students. However, despite being known for their sense of humor, the twins went beyond comic relief. They were examples of determination and courage.
The twins were genuine Gryffindor members: loyal to family and friends, devoted to their projects and brave. At Hogwarts, they actively participated in Dumbledore’s Army in opposition to the tyranny of Dolores Umbridge and, in the Second Wizarding War, they fought so bravely that George lost his ear and Fred, his life. At the same time, they never let the stumbles and family’s disapproval stop them from following their dream of owning a Joke shop.
The formal study was never their focus, though they had good grades overall. Their skills were related to the creation and trade of games, which was not appreciated by adults. The family expected them to “knock some sense in their heads” and get permanent jobs at the Ministry of Magic, just like their father and older siblings. Molly, for example, burned order forms that she found hidden, claiming that the inventions were dangerous and would not give them a future.
Away from home, the twins also had a major obstacle: lack of money. Because they were ambitious, people took advantage of them, like Ludo Bagman, with whom they bet all the savings they had kept in order to raise money for the launch of the Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes physical store, but they were paid with Leprechaun gold, money that simply disappears after some time.
These adversities, however, were not strong enough for them to lose their enthusiasm. With their entrepreneurial spirit and the little money they had, Fred and George were able to build a shop to work with what they loved. Gradually, what began with testing in a small room at the Burrow became a profitable and personality-filled achievement.
After achieving this personal victory, Fred and George turned to the collective good. They fought in the Battle of the Seven Potters, in which George lost his ear, and in the Battle of Hogwarts, where Fred lost his life. However, nothing was in vain, for they were not mere soldiers who followed orders. Outside the battlefield, the twins were taking part in the Potter Observatory, a radio program that worked as a resistance to the terror of Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Under the codenames of Rapier and Rodent, they encouraged the wizarding community to support Harry Potter and broadcasted what was muffled by the Ministry of Magic and the Daily Prophet, without ever losing their joy, even during dark times.
On April 1st, Fred and George Weasley’s birthday, it is necessary to recognize the greatest lesson the twins taught us: you have to fight with great boldness and determination for your dreams and for what you believe to be right, even if great obstacles appear to hinder the journey.
Translated into English by Helga Bannwart
Edited by Aline Michel
