Why We Should All Be a Little More Like Lee Jordan
Lee Jordan, a character every bit as charismatic as Fred and George Weasley, doesn’t get much attention since his role was significantly limited in the film adaptations. In honor of Lee and Black History Month, here are all the reasons the world needs to be a little more like Lee Jordan.
He is a great practitioner of complete honesty.
THIRTY-ZERO! TAKE THAT, YOU DIRTY, CHEATING – “
“Jordan, if you can’t commentate in an unbiased way –“
“I’m telling it like it is, Professor!” (Prisoner of Azkaban 308)
He is not afraid to point out the ridiculousness of Umbridge’s Educational Decrees.
Exploding Snap’s got nothing to do with Defense Against the Dark Arts, Professor! That’s not information relating to your subject!” (Order of the Phoenix 551)
He helps his two best friends realize their dream of owning a joke shop.
Well,” said Fred, clapping his hands together, “can’t stand around chatting all day, we’ve got business to discuss with Lee. See you later” (Order of the Phoenix 183).
He appreciates the achievements of others.
Brilliant!” yelled Lee Jordan. “Inspired! What an entrance! Flying a car right into the Whomping Willow, people’ll be talking about that one for years —” (Chamber of Secrets 84)
Once Fred and George left Hogwarts, Lee relentlessly carried on the war against Umbridge, levitating Nifflers in through her office window.
In spite of the new door, somebody had managed to slip a hairy-snouted niffler into Umbridge’s office, which promptly tore the place apart in its search for shiny objects, leapt on Umbridge on her reentrance, and tried to gnaw the rings off her stubby fingers” (Order of the Phoenix 677).
In a time of confusion and fear, Lee risked his life to bring information of the Second Wizarding War to the community by way of a wartime radio broadcast, Potterwatch.
Listeners, I’d like to invite you now to join us in a second’s silence in memory of Ted Tonks, Dirk Cresswell, Bathilda Bagshot, Gornuk, and the unnamed, but no less regretted, Muggles murdered by the Death Eaters” (Deathly Hallows 439-440).
In the end, he used his knowledge of the castle’s secret passages to assist in the fight for a better future for the wizarding world.
Harry hurtled around a corner and found Fred and a small knot of students, including Lee Jordan and Hannah Abbott, standing beside another empty plinth, whose statue had concealed a secret passageway. Their wands were drawn and they were listening at the concealed hole” (Deathly Hallows 621).
Lee Jordan was so much more than Fred and George’s best friend. Although a minor character in the amount of lines and appearances he had, in the grand scheme of things, Lee did a lot to influence the plot of the Harry Potter books and holds a very special place in the construct of characters that we have come to know and love. So here’s to Lee Jordan – friend, fighter, and all-around good human being.
