The Weasleys are a courageous and brave family with all of the members, including the parents, sorted into the Gryffindor house. Fred and George’s presence at Hogwarts and in the Weasley family adds some of the most whimsical and funniest moments to the books. Teachers, classmates, family, and friends enjoyed years of laughter from the inseparable twins. They are so indistinguishable that at times their mother even confuses them. Their personality traits are so iconic that if the characters were merged into just one brother, he would still have been lovable and had a strong relationship with Ron. J.K. Rowling wrote Fred and George as twins to foster a theme of dichotomy within the book series. Sadly, they are torn apart by the Second Wizarding War in The Deathly Hallows. The death of Fred further supports the theme of balanced duality in the heavy aftermath of his passing.
Fred and Geoge helped Harry on numerous occasions to plan schemes. When Harry was upset he was unable to go to Hogsmeade with the other students, the Weasley twins gifted him with the marauder’s map. This was one of the many instances when Fred and George had this habit of speaking in unison:
George Weasley: “This, Harry, is the secret of our success.”
Fred Weasley: “It’s a wrench, giving it to you, but we decided last night, your need’s greater than ours.”
George Weasley: “Anyway, we know it by heart. We bequeath it to you. We don’t really need it anymore.”
Harry Potter: “And what do I need with a bit of old parchment?
— Fred and George Weasley giving Harry Potter the map [src].
The idea that two halves make a whole is evident in the dichotomy of Fred and George. The twins literally completed each other’s sentences. Both of their personalities contributed to their merged responses and attitudes. They were always seen together sharing outfits, meals, extracurricular, and hobbies. Fred and George even share the same patronus form, a magpie, that was confirmed by J.K Rowling herself through the social media platform Twitter. Rowling revealed on Twitter that the Weasley twins both cast Patronus charms shaped like a magpie. Rowling states, “We have a saying about them in the UK, ‘one for sorrow, two for joy,’ as you might know,” she wrote. “Plus, they’re talkative thieves.” Rowling’s statement is an expression for the intentional dualism that can be found in a whole. One twin is not complete without the other and their patronus form is a reflection of that dependence.
This theme of dualism is one of the many relatable aspects in the series. People have a desire to be accepted and understood. The Weasley twins were the personification of this desire to exist as a part of something larger, and to never be alone. In The Deathly Hallows George lost his ear in the Battle of Seven Potters. When he lost his ear he made a joke to Fred who was worried sick. When asked how he was feeling he replied, “saintlike….You see… I’m hol(e)y, Fred, geddit?’ The twins are mirror images of each other, as are most people’s ears. It is well known that ears are symmetrical so when Snape uses the sectumsempra curse on George he was removing one of a pair, one of an identical set. This foreshadows George losing part of himself when in the final battle Fred is tragically torn away from his family and friends in an explosion.
Fred died with, “the ghost of his last laugh still etched upon his face.” For the rest of George’s life, everytime he looks into a mirror he will be reminded of his brother. The shared part of himself- mannerisms, and overall desire to explore the world were lost in part with the death of his twin brother. He lost a part of himself when his brother passed that could never be replaced. The loss of Fred is the culmination of a part of a whole that is broken. Fred and George represented one of the most important themes of mirroring and dualism in the books. This representation of being a part of something larger made people around the world feel less alone.