Almost downvoted for bringing me to the verge of tears. But I can’t actually justify that downvote since you definitely added something to the conversation.
So the upside for Rowling is that Vanished animals presumably don’t suffer (at least for more than an instant). The downside is that the children are practising killing for no higher purpose than to practise killing (in that if they just wanted to learn how to Vanish inanimate objects, they’re much more easily available than animate ones).
Not that I think this was good class practice, but I rather doubt that frogs have the faculties to formalize such thoughts. The nearest equivalent in human terms would probably be something like
Until very recently, vivisection was also a staple of biology classes.
You could cut open a frog while it was still alive and watch its heart stop beating as it wished for the faculties necessary to cry for mercy.
Almost downvoted for bringing me to the verge of tears. But I can’t actually justify that downvote since you definitely added something to the conversation.
facepalm at reality
So the upside for Rowling is that Vanished animals presumably don’t suffer (at least for more than an instant). The downside is that the children are practising killing for no higher purpose than to practise killing (in that if they just wanted to learn how to Vanish inanimate objects, they’re much more easily available than animate ones).
Not that I think this was good class practice, but I rather doubt that frogs have the faculties to formalize such thoughts. The nearest equivalent in human terms would probably be something like
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!!”