Tag Archives: Mischief Managed

Spies for Adventure: The Weasley Twins!

  Weasley Fireworks W

The Weasley twins are never really recruited… they just like the adventure! Although adventure is a great incentive indeed, it should never be the primary incentive. A spy’s primary incentive should be a value or principle on which you can always rely. Adventure knows no country, nor any morals. Adventure is a rush of excitement that satisfies a specific purpose; such a flimsy or ephemeral rationale is not in and of itself a purpose worthy of action.

Without an underlying and worthy purpose, actions are just that: action without meaning or principle. 

In the Harry Potter series, we identify two individuals who are in a sense spies (or at least operatives) and do so for adventure: Fred and George Weasley. Fred and George clearly enjoy the adventure of spying on people and have even designed the Extendable Ears to do so. But they are also principled and have a moral belief about what is right.

Twins with Kreacher Quote

The Weasley Twins Analysis

Recruitment by: None needed

Incentive Used: The desire to always be up to no good!

Handler: Themselves

Method of Communication: Face-to-face (via quick-witted

banter)

Memorable Quote:

A thin piece of flesh-colored string descended in front of Harry’s eyes. Looking up he saw Fred and George on the landing above, cautiously lowering the Extendable Ear toward the dark knot of people below (76–77).

“George,” said Fred, “I think we’ve outgrown full-time education.” “Yeah, I’ve been feeling that way myself,” said George lightly (674).

 

Answers: Umbridge Takes Over

Umbridge flees fireworks

Just when it looks like Harry and his friends are at Umbridge’s mercy, they put their spy craft to use to counteract her despotic regime. It just goes to show that thinking like a spy can always come in handy. Check your answers to yesterday’s quiz to make sure you know how to escape your own school’s bad education philosophy! (Just kidding, don’t ever use the Weasley twins as role models).

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1. Just before he escapes his arrest, Dumbledore knocks out everyone except McGonagall and Harry. He then covertly talks to them.  What does he tell Harry covertly?

To continue taking Occlumency lessons

2. When the others start to wake up, McGonagall and Harry do what?

Pretend they were knocked out too

3. How does Dumbledore escape?

By touching Fawkes tail and being immediately transported elsewhere

4. After Dumbledore leaves, what room is Headmistress Umbridge unable to enter?

The Headmaster’s office

5. In order to enforce her new rules and authority, Umbridge create a new student organization. What is its name?

The Inquisitor Squad

6. When the Weasley twins tell Harry when they are going to do a little “mayhem,” what do they tell Harry to do?

Have a solid alibi

7. When the mayhem begins, who serves as Harry’s alibi?

Umbridge – he is in her office at the time

8. When in Umbridge’s office, the new Headmistress tries to get Harry to drink tea? Why?

It has Verituserum in it, and she wants to know where Sirius and Dumbledore are located

9. Right before drinking the tea, who does Harry think about?

Mad-Eye Moody

Mad Eye Moody - Constant Vigilance

 

 

 

 

10. Harry, like a good intelligence officer, pretends to drink, and when the Weasley diversion begins, he does what?

Dumps the tea into a potted plant so Umbridge thinks he had drank it