Lesson 9:
Gambol & Japes
In a bit, we will be visiting the greatest joke shop of all time, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. First, I would like to tell you about another joke shop in Diagon Alley. Gambol & Japes, was the joke shop where Fred and George Weasley bought all the jokes that made them famous tricksters at school. It was their favorite shop when they came to the alley. The shop sells a huge variety of practical joke items and tricks that would make your mother’s hair curl. One of the items the Weasley twins purchased from this shop was the Dr. Filibuster’s Fabulous Wet-Start No-Heat Fireworks. The shop used to be run by a man with a white beard and a moustache, but I’m not too sure he is still around. Perhaps you can look for him if you decide to stop in.
Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes
Now we will move down the road to, probably the most popular store for Hogwarts students. The twins, Fred and George worked on their creations for years before they opened the shop. Some of their magic items were even tested on Hogwarts students while they were still attending. The twins mother was not too impressed with her sons’ choice of career, but even she was proud once their store was opened and their dream became a reality.
Before the twins opened the store, they began selling their items through mail order. They first created order forms back in the summer of 1994. They were hoping they would sell items while at school. While they were at Hogwarts they conducted market research and built up their client base. They chose to concentrate on their business more than on taking their N.E.W.T.S.
During Voldemort’s return in 1997 it’s presumed that the shop was closed and the Weasley twins continued with their owl package delivery service while they were in hiding. During the Battle of Hogwarts Fred Weasley was killed and many wondered if George would continue the business. As you can see the answer was yes, and his younger brother Ron Weasley decided to come and work at the shop in Fred’s memory.
One of the shops most famous advertisements, which might be a reason why they decided to close the shop for a bit, was the advert for U-No-Poo. The slogan was, “Why are you worrying about You-Know Who? You should be worrying about U-No-Poo, the Constipation Sensation that’s gripping the nation!”
The twin’s first magical item they created was their version of the fake wand. The fake wand costs only five galleons and looks like an ordinary wand, but when it is used, it will change an object into something funny. It is also said to beat the user about the neck and head.