As much as George and Fred Weasley marketed their products as “jokes,” there’s a few that need to be handled with extreme caution.
The Weasley twins were not meant for a conventional lifestyle. Together, they were a wizarding force to be reckoned with, but they managed to keep a bit of fun not too far from the surface. Fred and George left Hogwarts in their final year in the most spectacular way: a flurry of fireworks and thunderous applause. They went on to found Weasley Wizard Wheezes, a store that brought life to a down and out Diagon Alley. Though the store was marketed as a joke shop, there’s a couple of products from the original collection that we have to caution you about before buying.
The Toys
First up, Weasleys’ Wildfire Whiz-bangs. Fred and George perfected this one after departing Hogwarts in their final year. These fireworks go off in a hail of whirrs and bangs. They explode into a series of swear words or a terrifying dragon. If a wizard uses the wrong spell on it in order to dispel it, it can erupt, or multiply, depending on the charm! This one would have to be used with extreme caution and may only be useful during a county fair.
Next, Portable Swamps. Right off the bat, it sound pretty gross. Once these things are activated, any area in the vicinity is flooded with smelly, gloopy swamp water. Fred and George tried this out in Hogwarts once. And it caused a hassle for Filch for more than three weeks! Doesn’t seem worth it to us.
Finally, Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder. One throw, and your target is shrouded in complete darkness. Though this might be fun to confuse people or make a quick getaway, terrifying things can happen when no one’s looking. And since no one can see a damn thing thanks to this “joke product”. There’s all sorts of malevolent deeds that could be carried out. Even Draco Malfoy used it to sneak Death Eaters into Hogwarts!
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Head on over to Pottermore to check out even more hair-raising products care of Weasley Wizard Wheezes.