Well, now, some of those things are partly true, Ginny. The twins indeed did turn Ron's teddy bear into a giant spider, but it's not as though I let them do so. If you'll recall, I made them spend the next entire day de-gnoming the garden. And the twins did play pranks on Percy, but I did scold them and punish them when they were too malicious.
But no, the rest of those things are not true, Ginny. Bill has never Obliviated or punished you, and Fred and George never killed any pet of yours.
I believe you when you say you remember those incidents, though, dear.
Well, now, I've gone away and talked with Ron at your suggestion. And with Fred and George.
This is another thing that is right--partly. The twins did kill Pesky with a bludger. The incident with Pesky had slipped my mind, Ginny, when I first answered you, which I suppose may appall you, but it's true. I didn't initially remember what their punishment was either, but the twins did. Vividly.
Besides taking their brooms away, and not allowing them to play Quidditch for the rest of the summer, your father and I made an arrangement with our neighbours, the Bakers. You remember, they used to own that farm south of the Diggorys, the one they called Chestnut Hill? They had an aging pony that had belonged to their son when he was a boy, but the pony was dying.
We assigned Fred and George to spend the rest of the summer caring for White Star: nursing it, feeding it, trying to comfort it. We were trying to teach them empathy. And when White Star finally died, I think they truly understood how Ron felt.
Here's the odd thing about memories, Ginny. They can be very unreliable. I didn't remember all this at first. And yet I am sure that I was very angry with Fred and George at the time, and I don't think you can say that I stinted on their punishment.
Yet, you misremembered too, Ginny. Pesky wasn't your pet. He was Ron's. That's partly the reason why I didn't make the connection when you mentioned the name. You were too young to have a pet at the time.
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But no, the rest of those things are not true, Ginny. Bill has never Obliviated or punished you, and Fred and George never killed any pet of yours.
I believe you when you say you remember those incidents, though, dear.
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I never forgot Pesky. I don't know why you didn't obliviate THAT.
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This is another thing that is right--partly. The twins did kill Pesky with a bludger. The incident with Pesky had slipped my mind, Ginny, when I first answered you, which I suppose may appall you, but it's true. I didn't initially remember what their punishment was either, but the twins did. Vividly.
Besides taking their brooms away, and not allowing them to play Quidditch for the rest of the summer, your father and I made an arrangement with our neighbours, the Bakers. You remember, they used to own that farm south of the Diggorys, the one they called Chestnut Hill? They had an aging pony that had belonged to their son when he was a boy, but the pony was dying.
We assigned Fred and George to spend the rest of the summer caring for White Star: nursing it, feeding it, trying to comfort it. We were trying to teach them empathy. And when White Star finally died, I think they truly understood how Ron felt.
Here's the odd thing about memories, Ginny. They can be very unreliable. I didn't remember all this at first. And yet I am sure that I was very angry with Fred and George at the time, and I don't think you can say that I stinted on their punishment.
Yet, you misremembered too, Ginny. Pesky wasn't your pet. He was Ron's. That's partly the reason why I didn't make the connection when you mentioned the name. You were too young to have a pet at the time.