Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Places/Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes
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| Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter - Place | |
| Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes | |
|---|---|
| Location | Number 93, Diagon Alley, London |
| Permanent Residents | Fred and George Weasley |
| First Appearance | Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince |
Contents |
[edit] General Overview
Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes is the joke shop owned by Fred and George Weasley. Their dream of opening a joke shop is mentioned in several of the books (especially Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix), and it was finally realized in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
[edit] Extended Description
George and Fred have been interested in practical jokes all during their Hogwarts years. Zonko's Joke Shop was their favorite store in Hogsmeade. Beginning in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, they turn their (often underestimated) talents to inventing and developing unique wizarding jokes and novelties. They begin a small mail order business, which we hear about when their mother discovers the order forms and expresses her disapproval. Their dream of starting their own joke store is realized when Harry gives them the 1000 Galleon Triwizard prize he won. Harry says that given Voldemort's return, "We could all do with a few laughs."
In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the twins actively test and market their products at Hogwarts, often using first year students as paid guinea pigs. Somewhere during the year, they secure the store premises in Diagon Alley and eventually leave school early to operate full-time.
In contrast to the ordinary buildings around it, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes[1] is described as "hitting the eye like a firework display." A poster in one window reads WHY ARE YOU WORRYING ABOUT YOU-KNOW-WHO? YOU SHOULD BE WORRYING ABOUT U-NO-POO - THE CONSTIPATION SENSATION THAT'S GRIPPING THE NATION!.
When Harry, Hermione, and the Weasleys visit the shop at the beginning of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, it is completely packed with customers. The shop sells all sorts of tricks, toys, and novelty items, such as Skiving Snackboxes, which make you appear ill so you can get out of class. Other products include Daydream Charms, WonderWitch products for young women, Reusable Hangman, trick wands and Peruvian instant darkness powder. All of the magic deployed is quite sophisticated and probably beyond the capability of the average witch or wizard. Even Hermione is quite impressed with the magical knowledge and skill employed by Fred and George. Fred tells Harry that they also do steady business selling Defence Against the Dark Arts products, particularly to the Ministry. Apparently there are a lot of wizards at the Ministry who are unable to perform a decent Shield charm, making the Twins' "Shield Hats" a valued commodity at the Ministry among other places.
The shop employs a woman named Verity who, to Harry's amusement, called the twins "Mr. Weasley and Mr. Weasley".
- ↑ For American readers, it should be noted that wizard, as an adjective, is similar in meaning to "terrific", and wheeze is a synonym for joke.
[edit] Analysis
[edit] Questions
- Will Fred and George's products be useful in the war against Voldemort in Deathly Hallows?
