ronweasleydefensesquad:

Okay I’ve just seen someone on a Romione thread say that Post-locket!Ron was “less of an insecure, bullying git, more compassionate […]” and I just –

Can you NOT?

Because it freaking annoys me to see people completely gloss over the book’s text, I decided to compile a small (and non-exhaustive) list of the awesomeness that is Ron Weasley. Because we Ron-lovers love to talk about that chess match or that time he stood up on a broken leg… how about the time where he gave Dobby brand new socks and his own jumper for Christmas? How about the time when he helped Harry dress in his pyjamas? How about I actually give you that list instead of rambling uselessly, yeah I’m gonna do that.

Kindness, generosity and basically the most supportive friend ever

• Ron meets Harry on the train, is awed by his scar for a few seconds, then they start talking a little. Harry expresses his fear of not being good at magic; instead of feeling relieved that even the hero of the world is just like him”, Ron makes it a point to reassure Harry, telling him how Muggleborns do just fine at Hogwarts. He’ll try to split his corned-beef sandwiches with Harry even though they’re the sole food he has for the entire journey, and immediately gives Harry an extensive training course about wizard candy without sounding condescending (something Hermione can’t do).

• This was so unfair that Harry opened his mouth to argue, but Ron kicked him behind their cauldron.
  “Don’t push it,” he muttered, “I’ve heard Snape can turn very nasty.”
  […]
  “Cheer up,” said Ron, “Snape’s always taking points off Fred and George. Can I come and meet Hagrid with you?” – pg 139, Philosopher’s Stone

  M’aaaaawwww look at this little sweetie giving advice to his best friend and cheering him up and expressing genuine interest in knowing his friend’s friend better ♥

• “You don’t know that you’ll make a fool of yourself,” said Ron reasonably. “Anyway, I know Malfoy’s always going on about how good he is at Quidditch, but I bet it’s all talk.” – pg143, Philosopher’s Stone

  RONALD WEASLEY IS THE OFFICIAL VOICE OF REASON, SORRY HATERS I GOT THAT IN PRINT

• During the flying lesson, Harry mentions how he hears “an admiring whoop from Ron”, which totally underlines how deeply jealous and resentful Ron is that Harry is doing well at something. //sarcasm
• Ron visibly feels bad when he realizes that Hermione overheard him saying that she was a nightmare. Tell me again how he’s insensitive?
• Ron, probably by talking with Harry, discovers that his best mate is not going to receive Christmas presents from his family. What’s the son of Molly Weasley to do? Write his Mum of course, so his best friend gets the Christmas he rightly deserves! What a beautiful child ♥
• After he misinterprets Quirrell’s little chat with Snape, Harry attemps to cheer up the nervous teacher by giving him encouraging smiles (wonder how Voldemort might have taken this…) while Ron loudly tells off anyone who mocks his stutter. These dorks, oh my god, they’re adorable.
• Ron’ll also punch Malfoy after being finally provoked one too many times – first Malfoy insults Neville, then Harry, then Ron, then Ron, then Harry again and Ron’s poverty – and Ron snaps. As Harry returns from his Quidditch match, Ron cheerfully announces (with a bleeding lip) that he’s given Malfoy a black eye, and he praises Neville (who’s on his way to the hospital wing) who tried to take on both Crabbe and Goyle by himself. Aww, you tried, Neville, you tried.
• In second year, we get one of Ron’s most memorable moments: the Dursley Heist where Harry is freed from the “care” of his relatives and sweeped away to the Burrow! Consider how Ron is an insecure darling, he must have first thought that Harry had realized he didn’t want to be friends with a Weasley and… waitwaitwait, he did say his family treated him like crap, right? Oh shite what if that’s what’s been going on?
  This also displays that Ron is a great listener – but only when the subject happens to interest him… and his best mate is a favourite subject of his!
• Sharing your sandwich with someone you’ve just met? How about share your entire home and family even though money’s low and you feel overshadowed by all your siblings? Now that is what I call generosity.
• Ron tells Harry “we’re going through the Floo”. Harry is bemused by the term and asks what it is. Ron apologizes about forgetting that Harry never took the Floo Network before and immediately explains him what it is, again, without sounding condescending. And people would rather headcanon Hermione as a teacher?!
• When Harry’s arm gets un-boned by Lockhart, Ron helps Harry put on his pyjamas. That’s seemingly a small thing but look – it’s very much a brotherly, if not outright parental gesture. Ron is best dad-mom.
• When Hermione turns herself into a cat, Ron and Harry both come to give her her homework – Ron gently teasing her to drop her books and enjoy her rest, she’s going to ace these exams anyway…
• When Ron and Hermione go to Hogsmeade in Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry notes that the both of them look like “they’ve had the time of their lives”. Take that, people who say Ron and Hermione only ‘tolerate’ each other for Harry’s sake!
• When Hagrid is crying his heart out over Buckbeak’s condemnation, Hermione says she’ll do research to help, and Harry looks at Ron to get him to say something. Ron blurts out “shall I make a cup of tea?” and when Harry stares in disbelief…
  “It’s what my Mum does whenever someone’s upset.” Aaaaawwwww.
• When Harry is caught having the Maraudeurs’ Map by Snape, Remus arrives to the rescue… and Ron does, too, having ran from Hogsmeade to Hogwarts just so he can say he’s the one who “bought” the Map at Zonko’s. Hogsmeade and Hogswarts are quite distanced from one another, and there are tricky stairs in Hogwarts, but will that stop the storm of kindness that is Ronald Weasley? No it won’t!
• Ron just wanted one thing – for Hermione to finally acknowledge that she hurt his feelings, badly, and to apologize about that. When he sees Hermione crying over Buckbeak’s impending execution and how she can’t help for the appeal? He immediately volunteers to help her, and when she actually does say she’s sorry, he downplays his feelings by saying “oh you know, he was old, plus I might get an owl you know”. Absolute, complete, pure sugary sweetheart.
• Just after receiving the soon-to-be-named Pigwidgeon from Sirius, Ron, in an act of pure Ron-ness that will never stop making me squeal because it’s just so adorable: he puts Pig under Crookshanks’ nose, asking him “Are you fine with an owl?” and Crooks purrs in response. Crookshanks and Ron are best buddies, sorry I don’t make the rules.

• Ron is furious at his mum for giving him horrible second-hand robes – note that she’s gushing over how Harry’s bring out his eyes in the same scene, she’s actually treating Harry more like her son than Ron here!! – but does he get angry at Harry and blames him for his mum’s favoritism like many kids would do? Nope, he doesn’t, because he knows it’s not Harry’s fault. We call that maturity, people.
• People are quick to bring their torches and pitchforks when Ron gets pissed at Harry in Goblet of Fire but may I remind you of this:
  

  “What do you reckon?” Ron asked Harry. “Be cool to enter, wouldn’t it? But I s’pose they might want someone older…. Dunno if we’ve learned enough….”

  Ron is saying “we”. Ron is implying that both Harry and he will try and enter the Tournament.
  Had they both put their names in the Goblet and Harry’s had come up, Ron would have felt a bit envious, then shrugged and said “hey, fair enough, I never defeated You-Know-Who after all”.

• “I expect gran’d want me to try though. She’s always going on about how I should be upholding the family honor. I’ll just have to — oops…” Neville’s foot had sunk right through a step halfway up the staircase. There were many of these trick stairs at Hogwarts; it is second nature to most of the older students to jump this particular step, but Neville’s memory was notoriously poor. Harry and Ron seized him under the armpits and pulled him out, while a suit of armor at the top of the stairs creaked and clanked, laughing wheezily. “Shut it, you,” said Ron, banging down its visor as they passed.

  Ronald Weasley, defender of the bullied! I still don’t know where Ron-bashers get their “Ron is a bully” shit from.

• Harry heard a tiny pop! in the fire behind him and knew Sirius had gone. He watched the bottom of the spiral staircase. Who had decided to go for a stroll at one o’clock in the morning, and stopped Sirius from telling him how to get past a dragon?
  It was Ron. Dressed in his maroon paisley pajamas, Ron stopped dead facing Harry across the room, and looked around.
  “Who were you talking to?” he said.
  “What’s that got to do with you?” Harry snarled. “What are you doing down here at this time of night?”
  “I just wondered where you –“ Ron broke off, shrugging. “Nothing. I’m going back to bed.”

  Rooooooon. Ron, were you trying to check up on Harry to see if he was okay? Even though you two weren’t talking to each other at the moment? Were you going to try to amend fences before the First Task? Aaaaaawww, Ron, you try to act like an Ice King but I’m not fooled, I know you’re sweeter than ice cream.
  (note how it’s Harry who “snarls” and is visibly aggressive here)

• Remember that in fourth year Harry gives Dobby an old pair of Uncle Vernon’s socks for Christmas. But Ron, ever supportive of the outsiders, gives Dobby a pair of his very own socks as well as the brand new Weasley jumper he just received.
  Remember how Ron despises his hand-me-downs? Here we see him part with brand new clothes just for a house-elf he hardly knows. Tell me how the kiss in DH was “the first instance where Ron respected house-elves” again? Or that he was “prejudiced” against house-elves? When he says that Winky isn’t human, he’s not being insenstive – he’s stating a fact. House-elves are not part of the human race – so they need to be treated differently than humans. Ron doesn’t condone the abuse of house-elves, but he understands that freeing them isn’t the solution either.
  (Dobby was happy working. He could have gotten a raise in his salary and he refused it, because he doesn’t want too much freedom, he prefers working! He said it to Hermione’s face, even! And the girl STILL insists on making S.P.E.W.. *sighs*)
• Ron immediately worries about Hermione’s reputation when she talks back to Rita Skeeter. “You don’t want to make Rita Skeeter angry…” And then, he’s furious on her behalf when Rita slanders her name: “She’s making you look like some sort of… of… scarlet woman!” Oh god I love my naive ginger child.
• In Order Of The Phoenix, the first thing Harry usually sees after waking up from a nightmare is Ron looking worriedly at him.
  Ron shakes Harry awake when his nightmares get too bad.
  Ron probably jerks awake when he hears the first sounds of Harry having a nightmare and immediately take steps to comfort him. How dare people bash this literal angel?!
• Ron sees Hermione hiding various items of clothing over the common room. Hermione blushes when Ron loudly calls her out for trying to trick the elves – which means she’s aware that what she’s doing is underhanded and deceitful. Even so she refuses to admit she’s wrong, because to her “the end justifies the means” and goes to bed feeling quite smug. Ron, furious on behalf of the elves, puts the hats well on display so they won’t pick them up.
  Again, how is Ron the one who is “insensitive to the plight of house-elves”? He’s actually the most considerate of their feelings and their rights to choose what they want for themselves.
• HE GIFTS HERMIONE PERFUME FOR CHRISTMAS, HE’S TRYING SO HARD
• Ron is almost brought to tears by discovering what happened to Neville’s parents. My boy has so much compassion and I’ll forever hate Hermione for saying he had “the emotional range of a teaspoon” because the harpy’s actually projecting her own faults on Ron there.
• When they’re passing their O.W.L.s, Hermione is in full-blown neurotic mode and almost works herself into an early grave, if it wasn’t for Ron mothering her, scolding her for not eating and depriving herself of sleep. The absolute mom-friend.
• Ginny says she’s not dating Michael Corner anymore and Ron, pleased, says “you might want to date someone better next time” before pointedly looking at Harry. Harry notices. And despite Ron displaying all the subtlety of a rhino on steroids lost in a China shop, Harry will spend the better half of Half-Blood Prince moping about how his building attraction to Ginny is a betrayal of Ron – DUDE, HE WANTS TO BE YOUR BROTHER-IN-LAW ALREADY
• Ron is pretty much the only person in the Weasley household, aside from Bill, to treat Fleur with any kind of respect. Sure, he’s entranced by her Veela aura sometimes – but he doesn’t call her “Phlegm” (did Ginny actually thought she was being witty here?) and he defends her.
  Funny, isn’t it, how Hermione is considered by many readers to be a feminist icon, but when there’s a pretty girl in the room she’ll treat her coldly and callously because how dare you be pretty when I’m not. Totes a good example for little girls, that.
• Sixth year was a bad year for Ron. His friends are all invited in an elitist club that only accepts members with noticeable things about them, his little sister insults his lack of romantic experience (and I repeat that I believe that Ron was saving himself for Hermione, because come on, he says “scarlet woman” instead of sl*t/sl*g, he grew up hearing the stories of Beedle the Bard, he lived with Percy, of course he’s a big prude), he learns that Hermione is seemingly not interested in him… So he’ll heal his own heartbreak by getting over Hermione and trying to settle with somebody else.
• Ron tries to get Lavender to chuck him, both because he’s a teenage boy terrified of the wrath of “a woman scorned” (who can blame him after those canaries?) and can’t find the courage to break up himself, and also because in his own naive logic, he thinks that if it’s Lavender doing the break-up, her feelings won’t be hurt. When he notices that she indeed feels bad about it, he feels guilty and ashamed. Aww, Ronnie, you little sweetie.
• HOLDING HERMIONE AT DUMBLEDORE’S FUNERAL
• HOLDING HERMIONE’S HAND IN HIS SLEEP AT GRIMMAULD PLACE
• Fretting over the Cattermole’s fate (two complete strangers he’s never met before), hoping they’ll get out alright and leave the country as fast as they can, even though he’s just gotten his arm mangled by Hermione’s botched Side-Along and is still in pain? How can people say he’s insensitive or has the emotional range of a teaspoon?!
  (Hermione is said in the text to look as if she’s going to kiss Ron and Harry decides to break her reverie here and there. Harry Potter, more like Harry Blocker)
• To make up for his departure, even though Hermione’s in a snit because how dare Ron have independance and individual thoughts and feelings and Harry is doing nothing, Ron takes on a very upbeat and cheerful attitude and basically carries the Horcrux Hunt on his shoulders, encouraging to double-check some places in case they missed something the first time. Useless, of course, since the camping trip accomplished pretty much nothing, but points for trying, Ron.
• At Dobby’s burial, Ron is right here helping Harry dig the grave, the Muggle way… and you know what else he does? He takes off his socks and trainers to bury Dobby with something on his feet – since Dobby loved socks so much. Tell me Hermione, why didn’t you kiss Ron at that moment instead of waiting till the beginning of the battle?

Magical knowledge, instinct, and sheer power

• Okay, think a minute, people. We know Hermione is good at magic because she managed to perform a good Wingardium Leviosa that made her feather fly twenty inches above her desk. Yes, it sure is impressive for a young girl who didn’t know magic existed four months ago!
  Yes, Hermione is good. But Ron is better.
  Because, not even a few hours after Hermione did said excellent Wingardium Leviosa, Ron casts a Wingardium Leviosa that makes a troll’s club FLY twelve feet in the air, a troll’s club heavy enough to crush bathroom sinks to dusk, and it falls with enough force to knock the troll out cold in one hit!
  Even more impressive? That was Charlie’s wand. Ollivander says “a wizard can use any wand, but their own will always work better”. This is Ron powering through the difficulty of wielding a wand that doesn’t belong to him and triumphing. Pretty darn amazing to say the least.
• When Harry discovers the Mirror of Erised, Ron is genuinely excited to see Harry’s family in it. He gets momentarily distracted by his own desire reflected in it (his wish to live up to his brothers’ legacy); later, when Harry will try to return to the mirror to see his family again, Ron is worried and tells him he doesn’t think it’s a good idea. This demonstrates, for the first time, Ron’s intuitiveness about magic and the ways it can be misused – Harry and Hermione are Muggle-raised, to them, magic is something amazing, that allows extraordinary things; they don’t realize just yet how badly it can be harnessed to serve one’s darker intentions. Ron has “a bad feeling about this mirror”, and considering that Harry’s confrontation with Voldemort will happen right in front of it, well… he’s right, you know?
• Ron’s magic makes a comeback when Malfoy insults Hermione, calling her a Mudblood. Charlie’s wand is in very, very bad shape: it’s constantly hissing and doing weird things, it’s a disaster whenever Ron attempts to use it.
  And Ron may have cursed himself instead of his intended target, but let’s face what else he did: he cast a nonverbal charm, at age 12 (something you don’t learn before your 6th year at Hogwarts), with Charlie’s broken wand, and his Slug-Belching Curse lasts about eight hours (all throughout the day he is mentioned to dash to the toilets whenever he feels a slug coming up, and he’s liberated after another “slug-attack” that causes him to spit them all over Tom Riddle’s award).
  (Also, for Hermione fans who are Ron-bashers: Hermione herself tells us that the Slug-Belching Curse is already a spell that’s hard to cast, so with a broken wand it’s even worse. There you go, Ron IS powerful, it’s Hermione-approved. :D)
• We see Ron’s instinct return in Chamber Of Secrets, when Harry tries to retrieve the diary from Moaning Myrtle’s toilets:
  

  Harry and Ron looked under the sink where Myrtle was pointing. A small, thin book lay there. It had a shabby black cover and was as wet as everything else in the bathroom. Harry stepped forward to pick it up, but Ron suddenly flung out an arm to hold him back.
  “What?” said Harry.
  “Are you crazy?” said Ron. “It could be dangerous.”
  “Dangerous?” said Harry laughing. “Come off it, how could it be dangerous?”
  “You’d be surprised,” said Ron, who was looking apprehensively at the book. “Some of the books the Ministry’s confiscated – Dad told me – there was one that burned your eyes out. And everyone who read Sonnett of a Sorcerer spoke in limericks for the rest of their lives. And some old witch in Bath had a book that you could never stop reading! You just had to wander around with your nose in it, trying to do everything one-handed. And –“
  “All right, I’ve got the point,” said Harry.

  Ron actually listens to his Dad. Had Malfoy Sr tried to give the book to him, Chamber of Secrets would be a very different book indeed – maybe Harry Potter and the Year Everything Was Fine – but of course Harry just says “lol I don’t care” and grabs the diary anyway. Harry, get your survival instincts checked out one of these days, yeah?

• Ron’s intuition also does him right in Prisoner of Azkaban, where he just knows there’s something weird about Crookshanks. Turns out Hermione’s cat had Kneazle (a breed of magical cat) ancestry.
• Beginning of JKR’s descent into narcissism (Goblet of Fire); she gives Hermione the task to explain in fear what the Dark Mark is – what?! No! Hermione might have read about the Dark Mark, but it should be Ron who’d react by being visibly terrified! Bill and Charlie and even Percy probably had nightmares about the “snake in the head”! Ron’s the Pureblood, he’s lived through the aftermath of the war – making Hermione scared and Ron dumbfounded doesn’t make sense!!
• Ahem, sorry, so, Goblet of Fire – Ron says “a really clever Dark wizard could fool Dumbledore” when Hermione tells him to stop mistrusting Snape so much. Guess who showed up as a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?
• Also from Goblet of Fire: we get an idea of how Ron is extremely sensitive to suggestion magic. Veelas and half-Veelas have him under a death grip, much to his embarrassment and mortification; Fake!Moody hits him with the Imperius Curse and lifts it, but despite this, Ron is still skipping steps twenty minutes later, which proves how badly this kind of magic can take a hold on him. I have a few theories for this, one being that since Ron is so eager to please his friends and family, he obeys in fear of being abandoned if he doesn’t comply, he obeys because he thinks it’s the right thing to do to make his friends happy, he obeys because he believes it’s what he needs to do to be accepted.
  Yes, I like making myself sad.
• In Order Of The Phoenix, Ron’s crazy powerful magic makes a glorious comeback when he takes his O.W.L.s. Just look at this:
  

  On the whole, Harry thought [his Charms O.W.L.] went rather well. His levitation charm was certainly much better than Malfoy’s had been, though he wished he had not mixed up the incantations for Colour Change and Growth Charms, so that the rat he was supposed to be turning orange swelled shockingly and was the size of a badger before Harry could rectify his mistake his mistake. He was glad Hermione had not been in the hall at the time and neglected to mention it to her afterwards. He could tell Ron, though; Ron had caused a dinner plate to mutate into a large mushroom and had no idea how it had happened.

  HMMMMM???
  HHHHMMMMMMMM???
  Is that a violation of Gamp’s Law Of Elemental Transfiguration I spy here??? Ron clearly made food when it’s not supposed to be possible!
  Yes yes I know Gamp’s Law didn’t exist until DH but screw you JKR, that’s what happens when you forget to re-read your books, you allow your character to be powerful enough to break a fundamental principle of the universe! 😉
  Canon: Ron breaks the laws of the universe casually without knowing how he does it. Voldy, if I were you, I’d be afraid. Very afraid.
  (and Voldemort was afraid of Ron: why’d you think the Locket singled him out for daily mental torture, eh?)

• During the battle in the Department of Mysteries, Luna gives us an account of what happened in the “planet room”: four DEs followed Ron, Luna and Ginny and gravity changed; a Death Eater got ahold of Ginny; Luna blasted Pluto at him, breaking Ginny’s ankle in the process; Ron gets cursed by “them”; they get out and return to Harry.
  From Luna’s account, we can deduce that Ron had three Death Eaters to deal with. Three people who can kill you with two words. He got cursed but he’s still alive to tell the tale. That’s a battle I so badly want to see…
• In Half-Blood Prince, Ginny draws her wand while mocking Ron for his lack of romantic experience. Enraged, Ron whips out his wand too; luckily Harry throws himself between the two siblings before things can get too ugly. However, it’s still noted that “a streak of orange light” shots from Ron’s wand. Ron doesn’t say anything, doesn’t cast any spell. He’s so emotional at the moment that his magic reacts on its own. Also, note that while we’ve seen spells that were yellow, gold, red, green, white, blue or purple (Dolohov’s curse), this is the only orange-coloured spell we see in the series. We’ll never see anything like this again after this.
• Still in Half-Blood Prince. After his messy break-up with Lavender, Ron doesn’t feel very proud of himself. As he waves his wand around without really thinking about what he’s doing, his magic once again decides to express his emotional state… and makes it snow inside Hogwarts.
  There are two possible explanations for this: either Ron’s magic conjured snow or made it out of the H2O molecules in the air like any physics-respecting magic does; or else Ron just inadvertently broke the wards on the ceiling of Hogwarts to get snow to fall inside the castle.
  Both explanations only highlight just how powerful Ron truly is.
• In Deathly Hallows, Ron’s quite in shape: not only does he feels the Locket’s pulse better than Harry does (and Harry is supposed to be in-tune with Voldemort’s mind!), he also simply knows that saying Voldie’s name out loud will be bad. He figures out on his own how to use the Deluminator, Disarms Bellatrix Lestrange, Apparates without Splinching himself out of an extremely stressful situation (Malfoy Manor) which is something Hermione is unable to do… and who can forget how his simple cry of “[HARRY] BEAT YOU!” is enough to break Voldemort’s Elder-Wand-powered Silencing Charm? No counter-curse, no waving his wand around, just a pure scream of defiance, love and grief, and Moldy-Voldy’s powers melt like snow in the sun.

A Knight of many talents

• Ron displays amazing tactical skills in the chess match – I don’t care how much the bashers try to wave it away like it’s no big deal or “just a game”, let’s see you try to win a chess match without losing three particular pieces! YES! Because what these people can’t understand is that this was no normal chess match! Ron was playing McGonagall and she’s apparently a tough opponent, but he had to keep his friends alive as well! He had to watch his king! Ron has the humongous handicap of having four pieces he must keep at all costs – and in the end, sacrifices himself without hesitation when it turns out he can get Harry to checkmate the enemy king.
• Ron has excellent observation skills. You’ll also notice that, in the series, he often asks the right questions, is capable of quickly assessing a character (like how he picks up on Malfoy being “all talk” in PS) and acts with caution.
  

  “This isn’t safe – [Mrs Norris] might have gone for Filch, I bet she heard us. Come on.” And Ron pulled Harry out of the room. – pg 211, Philosopher’s Stone

  Ron understands that just because you’re invisible, doesn’t mean you can evade detection…

  “What was he hiding behind his back?” said Hermione thoughtfully. “Do you think it had anything to do with the Stone?”
  “I’m going to see what section he was in,” said Ron, who’d had enough of working. – pg 230, Philosopher’s Stone

  Thanks to Ron’s observation skills, the trio will find out that Hagrid’s more interested in dragon eggs than usual…

  “Right, here’s what we’ve got to do,” he whispered urgently. “One of us has got to keep an eye on Snape – wait outside the staff room and follow him if he leaves it. Hermione, you’d better do that.”
  “Why me?”
  “It’s obvious,” said Ron. “You can pretend to be waiting for Professor Flitwick, you know.” He put on a high voice, “’Oh Professor Flitwick, I’m so worried, I think I got question fourteen b wrong…’”
  “Oh, shut up,” said Hermione, but she agreed to go and watch out for Snape. – pg 269, Philosopher’s Stone

  First instance of Ron’s mimicry, as well as a nifty ready-made excuse for Hermione, all that packed in humour. What more do we need? 😀

  “What’s that at its feet?” Hermione whispered.
  “Looks like a harp,” said Ron. “Snape must have left it there.” – pg 275, Philosopher’s Stone

  O B S E R V A T I O N

  “Yes – of course – but there’s no wood!” Hermione cried, wringing her hands.
  “HAVE YOU GONE MAD?” Ron bellowed. “ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?”
  “Oh, right!” said Hermione – pg 275, Philosopher’s Stone

  See that, Steve Kloves? THAT’s how the scene played out.

  “But there are hundreds of [keys]!”
  Ron examined the lock on the door.
  “We’re looking for a big, old-fashioned one – probably silver, like the handle.” – pg 280, Philosopher’s Stone

  SHERLOCK WEASLEY IS ON THE CASE PALS

  For a split second, Uncle Vernon stood framed in the doorway; then he let out a bellow like an angry bull and dived at Harry, grabbing him by the ankle. Ron, Fred and George seized Harry’s arms and pulled as hard as they could.
  […]
  But the Weasleys gave a gigantic tug and Harry’s leg slid out of Uncle Vernon’s grasp – Harry was in the car – he’d slammed the door shut –
  “Put your foot down, Fred!” yelled Ron, and the car shot suddenly towards the moon. – pg 27, Chamber of Secrets

  Ron is very action-oriented and makes up plans quickly – notice that had he kept quiet, Fred might have not had the idea to accelerate as fast as he’d have.

  “Let Hedwig out,” [Harry] told Ron. “She can fly behind us. She hasn’t had a chance to stretch her wings for ages.”
  George handed the hairpin to Ron and, a moment later, Hedwig soared joyfully out the window to glide alongside them like a ghost. – pg 28, Chamber of Secrets

  Ron casually picks the lock like it’s no one’s business, the twins have probably taught him (which makes it a positive interaction between them and Ron, you know, something actual big brothers would do). Why didn’t this talent come back later on?!

  “I’m glad we came to get you, anyway,” said Ron. “I was getting really worried when you didn’t answer any of my letters. I thought it was Errol’s fault at first – ” – pg 30, Chamber of Secrets

  So Ron had thought of alternative reasons for Harry to not answer his letters (he mentions earlier he’s invited Harry twelve times, he’s written at least twelve letters in one month, what a sweetie) and once he got news of Harry being in trouble, he immediately thought of a plan to go rescue his friend with all the resources available to him. STRATEGY, BABY!

  “They’ll be back,” said Ron as they watched the gnomes disappear into the hedge on the other side of the field. “They love it here… Dad’s too soft with them; he thinks they’re funny…” – pg 37, Chamber of Secrets

  Once again, Ron provides a very correct assessment of another character. Sure, he lives with his dad so it’s normal he knows him well; but it’s still showcasing how Ron is able to understand people better than Harry and Hermione do.
  (also Ron we all know you’ve inherited your Dad’s soft personality you little cutie)

  “Finally – [Errol]’s got Hermione’s answer. I wrote to her saying we were going to try and rescue you from the Dursleys.” – pg 45, Chamber of Secrets

  ??! Ron seeking Hermione’s input on his plans? Ron including Hermione even when he probably knows she’ll disapprove of his idea? DON’T TELL ME THEY’RE ONLY FRIENDS BECAUSE OF HARRY BECAUSE YOU’RE WRONG

  “Let’s go together, we’ve only got a minute,” Ron said to Harry (about going through the wall at Platform 9 ¾) – pg 67, Chamber of Secrets

  It’s a small thing, but even in daily situations, Ron thinks about ways to gain time and to reach a goal in the fastest way possible. Strategy takes many different forms, not necessarily big noticeable ones.

  “It’s gone,” said Ron, sounding stunned. “The train’s left. What if Mum and Dad can’t get back through to us? Have you got any Muggle money?” – pg 68, Chamber of Secrets

  Yes, we know how this’ll end, but look at that: Ron is immediately thinking of potential ways to solve their situation. He thinks his parents are stuck on the other side of the barrier; he doesn’t take Hedwig into account (because she doesn’t belong to him, and I don’t see Harry having any bright ideas either); he’s thinking yet again about solving the problem with his own resources.

  “Can you fly it?”
  “No problem,” said Ron, wheeling his trolley around to face the exit. “C’mon, let’s go. If we hurry we’ll be able to follow the Hogwarts Express –”
  […]
  “Check that no one’s watching,” said Ron, starting the ignition with another tap of his wand. – pg 69, Chamber of Secrets

  Once Ron gets his idea, he immediately plans, thinks, checks on their situation, he multitasks and remembers how to get the car in motion. He takes the lead, he’s in charge.

  “Uh oh,” said Ron, jabbing the Invisibility booster. “It’s faulty –“
  Both of them pummelled it. The car vanished. Then it flickered back again.
  “Hold on!” Ron yelled, and he slammed his foot on the accelerator; they shot straight into the low, woolly clouds and everything turned dull and foggy.
  “Now what?’ said Harry, blinking at the solid mass of cloud pressing in on them from all sides.
  “We need to see the train to know what direction to go in,” said Ron.
  […]
  “Due north,” said Ron, checking the compass on the dashboard. “Okay, we’ll just have to check every half hour or so — hold on –”
  […]
  “All we have to worry about now are airplanes,” said Ron.
  They looked at each other and started to laugh; for a long time they couldn’t stop. – pg 71, Chamber of Secrets

  Once more, Ron thinks and plans. Faulty Invisibility booster? No problem, hide in the clouds for cover. No idea of where we’re going? Get down a little and check on the train. And to top it off in true Ron Weasley fashion, he makes a joke and all the tension vanishes.

  Ron put his foot on the accelerator and drove them upward again, but as he did so, the engine began to whine.
  Harry and Ron exchanged nervous glances.
  “It’s probably just tired,” said Ron. “It’s never been this far before…” – pg 71, Chamber of Secrets

  Despite thinking poorly of himself, Ron tends to look on the bright side in many situations. Of course, with Hermione having a very realist approach to life and Harry being more of a pessimist, Ron’s optimism is an unvaluable asset to the Trio.

  “Why couldn’t we get through the barrier?”
  Harry shrugged. “We’ll have to watch our step from now on, though,” he said, taking a grateful swig of pumpkin juice. “Wish we could’ve gone up to the feast…”
  “She didn’t want us showing off,” said Ron sagely. “Doesn’t want people to think it’s clever, arriving by flying car.” – pg 80, Chamber of Secrets

  Ron asks a very important and pertinent question, and gives us an astute observation about McGonagall’s way of thinking. He just gets people.

  Percy was visible over the heads of some excited first years, and he seemed to be trying to get near enough to start telling them off. Harry nudged Ron in the ribs and nodded in Percy’s direction. Ron got the point at once.
  “Got to get upstairs – bit tired,” [Ron] said, and the two of them started pushing their way toward the door on the other side of the room, which led to a spiral staircase and the dormitories. – pg 81

  Harry and Ron are very in-tune with each other and their tendancy to communicate without talking illustrates this very well. Here, Harry thinks of a plan and Ron gets it immediately, and subsequently puts it in action.

  “Why,” demanded Ron, seizing her [Hermione’s] schedule, “have you outlined all Lockhart’s lessons in little hearts?”
  Hermione snatched the schedule back, blushing furiously. – pg 95

  IF IT CONCERNS HERMIONE RON’LL ALWAYS NOTICE

  “Rubbish,” said Hermione. “You’ve read his books – look at all those amazing things he’s done –“
  “He says he’s done,” Ron muttered. – pg 95

  Aaaaand this is the first time someone considers that Lockhart could be an impostor. Hermione is blinded by her crush and her own belief that books are always right (I love this plotline to be honest) while Ron keeps his head on straight.

  Keeping his voice low so as not to wake Neville, Dean, and Seamus, Harry told Ron exactly what he had heard.
  “And Lockhart said he couldn’t hear it?” said Ron. Harry could see him frowning in the moonlight. “D’you think he was lying? But I don’t get it – even someone invisible would’ve had to open the door.” – pg 121

  Once again Ron proves his strategic ability by asking all the right questions and considering the probable alternatives. He is a thinker – just not in the obvious way. The ability to ask the right question is as important as the ability to give the answer.

  “Why would anyone want to celebrate the day they died?” said Ron, who was halfway through his Potions homework and grumpy. “Sounds dead depressing to me…” – pg 130

  He was right, wasn’t he? 😉

  “What’s that thing – hanging underneath?” said Ron, a slight quiver to his voice.
  As they edged nearer, Harry almost slipped – there as a large puddle of water on the floor; Ron and Hermione grabbed him, and they inched toward the message, eyes fixed on a dark shadow beneath it.
  All three of them realized what it was at once, and leapt backward with a splash. Mrs. Norris, the caretaker’s cat, was hanging by her tail from the torch bracket. She was stiff as a board, her eyes wide and staring.
  For a few seconds, they didn’t move. Then Ron said, “Let’s get out of here.”
  […]
  “Trust me,” said Ron. “We don’t want to be found here.”
  But it was too late. – pg 139

  Ron is the first one to notice Mrs Norris and then the first one to decide on the right course of action, immediately understanding what people will think when they find them with the cat’s limp body.

  “Do you think I should have told them about that voice I heard?”
  “No,” said Ron, without hesitation. “Hearing voices no one else can hear isn’t a good sign, even in the wizarding world.” – pg 145

  Harry is hearing voices and it’s not a good sign, Ron’s right. Even so will he ditch Harry? Nope. Best mate material there.

  “— The Chamber Has Been Opened… What’s that supposed to mean?”
  “You know, it rings a sort of bell,” said Ron slowly. “I think someone told me a story about a secret chamber at Hogwarts once ….might’ve been Bill…”
  “What’s on earth’s a Squib?” said Harry.
  To his surprise, Ron stifled a snort. “Well – it’s not funny really – but as it’s Filch,” he said. “A Squib is someone who was born in a wizarding family but hasn’t got any magical powers. Kind of the opposite of Muggle-born wizards, but Squibs are quite unusual. If Filch’s trying to learn magic from a Kwikspell course, I reckon he must be a Squib. It would explain a lot. Like why he hates students so much.” Ron gave a satisfied smile. “He’s bitter.” – pg 145

  Ron has an excellent memory when his big brothers tell him stuff. It maddens me that JKR stopped using this particular detail and instead had Hermione give most of the information in the later books. Also, notice that Ron does have compassion for Squibs (“it’s not funny really”) but seeing as it’s Filch and Filch isn’t very sympathetic…
  And, also, Ron assesses a character thanks to the information he possesses and comes out with a spot-on analysis – unlike Hermione who, when she tries dabbing into psychology, ends up with all the wrong conclusions.

  
  “Who can it be, though?” [Hermione] said in a quiet voice, as though continuing a conversation they had just been having. “Who’d want to frighten all the Squibs and Muggle-borns out of Hogwarts?”
  “Let’s think,” said Ron in mock puzzlement. “Who do we know who thinks Muggle-borns are scum?”
  He looked at Hermione. Hermione looked back unconvinced.
  “If you’re talking about Malfoy –“
  “Of course I am!” said Ron. “You’ve heard him – ‘ You’ll be next, Mudbloods!’ – Come on, you’ve only got to look at his foul rat face to know it’s him –“
  “Malfoy, the Heir of Slytherin?” said Hermione sceptically.
  […]
  “They could’ve had the key to the Chamber of Secrets for centuries!” said Ron. “Handing it down, father to son…” – pg 158

  Ron has the wrong culprit, but the right idea. After all, the Malfoys were indeed in possession of the key to the Chamber – only the key wasn’t a literal one.

  Snape, too, was looking at Harry in an unexpected way: It was a shrewd and calculating look, and Harry didn’t like it. He was also dimly aware of an ominous muttering all around the walls. Then he felt a tugging on the back of his robes.
  “Come on,” said Ron’s voice in his ear. “Move – come on –“
  Ron steered him out of the hall, Hermione hurrying alongside them.
  […]
  “You’re a Parselmouth. Why didn’t you tell us?”
  “I’m a what?” said Harry.
  “A Parselmouth!” said Ron. “You can talk to snakes!”
  “I know,” said Harry. “I mean, that’s only the 2nd time I’ve ever done it done it.”
  […]
  “So?” said Harry. “I bet loads of people here can do it.”
  “Oh, no they can’t,” said Ron. “It’s not a very common gift. Harry, this is bad.”
  […]
  “It matters,” Hermione said, speaking at last in a hushed voice, “because being able to talk to snakes was what Salazar Slytherine was famous for. That’s why the symbol of Slytherin is a serpent.”
  Harry’s mouth fell open.
  “Exactly,” Ron said. “And now the whole school is going to think you’re his great-great-great-great-grandson or something –” – Pg 196

  NOTICE. Notice how Ron is the first one to recognize how the situation looks and immediately takes charge, escorting Harry out of the hall. He proceeds to teach Harry about his ability (note that Ron refers to Parseltongue as a “gift”, which means he’s not as prejudiced about Slytherins as people believe him to be). Hermione provides the information she’s probably read about in Hogwarts, A History, and Ron warns Harry about people’s reaction.

  When Hermione had bustled off to check on the Polyjuice Potion again, Ron turned to Harry with a doom-laden expression.
  “Have you ever heard of a plan where so many things could go wrong?”
  

  He’s right you know? The Polyjuice plan has so many holes in it (what if Crabbe and Goyle woke up, what if they can’t find Malfoy, what if they don’t find the password, what if someone sees them changing and that’s just a few on top of my head)… Sadly they don’t have a better idea. That doesn’t mean the strategist in Ron doesn’t recognize how screwed they are. :’D

  All they needed now was a Slytherin that they could follow to the Slytherin common room, but there was nobody around.
  “Any ideas?” muttered Harry.
  “The Slytherins always come up to breakfast from over there,” said Ron, nodding at the entrance to the dungeons. – pg 219

  SHERLOCK RON, THE RETURN

  “Well, it wasn’t a complete waste of time,” Ron panted, closing the bathroom door behind them. “I know we still haven’t found out who’s doing the attacks, but I’m going to write to Dad tomorrow and tell him to check under the Malfoy’s drawing room.”

  Ron your inner Slytherin is showing

  “Well, we won’t find out unless we look at it,” [Harry] said, and ducked around Ron and picked it up off the floor.
  Harry saw at once that it was a diary, and the faded year on the cover told him it was 50 years old. He opened it eagerly. On the first page he could just make out the name “T.M. Riddle” in the smudged ink.
  “Hang on,” said Ron, who had approached cautiously and was looking over Harry’s shoulder. “I know that name… T.M. Riddle got an award for special services to the school 50 years ago.”

  I pointed out earlier Ron’s magical intuition but I repeat; he acts carefully around what might be a cursed object, and he remembers a detail he’s seen just once! Sure he spent a long time looking at it, but trust me when I tell you that there is looking and looking. You can look at something without registering anything about it.

  “He never wrote in it,” said Harry disappointed.
  “I wonder why someone wanted to flush it away?” said Ron curiously.

  THE RIGHT QUESTION AGAIN

  “Could have been anything,” said Ron. “Maybe he got thirty O.W.L.s or saved a teacher from the giant squid. Maybe he murdered Myrtle; that would’ve done everyone a favour…” – pg 232

  Hahahaha, oooh that’s mean but it’s funny all the same, I love dark humour. The best part is that he’s right!

  But Harry had lost his temper. He pulled out his wand and shouted, “Expelliarmus!” and just as Snape had disarmed Lockhart, so Malfoy found the diary shooting out of his hand into the air.
  Ron, grinning broadly, caught it.
  Foreshadowing of what a good Keeper Ron will be!

  “I don’t think Potter liked your valentine much!”
  Ginny covered her face with her hands and ran into class. Snarling, Ron pulled out his wand, too, but Harry pulled him away. Ron didn’t need to spend the whole of Charms belching slugs.

  DON’T TELL ME THAT BOY DOESN’T LOVE HIS LITTLE SISTER WITH HIS WHOLE HEART HE WAS GONNA HEX MALFOY OVER IT

  “We always knew Hagrid had been expelled,” said Harry miserably. “And the attacks must’ve stopped after Hagrid was kicked out. Otherwise Riddle wouldn’t have got his award.”
  Ron tried a different tack.
  “Riddle does sound like Percy – who asked him to squeal on Hagrid, anyway?” – pg 250

  Once again, Ron proves how good he is at understanding people.

  But the only thing that Harry felt he was really good at was Quidditch. In the end, he chose the same subjects as Ron, feeling that if he was lousy at them, at least he would have someone friendly to help him. – pg 252

  Now, I know that there are many imbeciles out there who thought Harry was “dumbing himself down” for Ron’s sake, and that he’d be a prodigy at Arithmancy or Ancient Runes. Well face the cold, hard FACTS just like Hermione would tell you and understand that Harry doesn’t want to choose the same subjects as Hermione because he’s used to her helping, and Hermione’s way of helping is by nagging and babbling endlessly. Ron’s way of helping is much more tolerable, even if he’s not as good academically as Hermione is.

  As he and Neville pulled the blankets back onto his bed, Ron, Dean, and Seamus came in. Dean swore loudly.
  “What happened, Harry?”
  “No idea,” said Harry.
  But Ron was examining Harry’s robes. All the pockets were hanging out.
  “Someone’s been looking for something,” said Ron. “Is there anything missing?”
  Harry started to pick up all his things and throw them into his trunk. It was only as he threw the last of the Lockhart books back into it that he realized what wasn’t there.
  “Riddle’s diary is gone,” he said in an undertone to Ron. – pg 253

  DETECTIVE SHERLOCK WEASLEY, THE RETURN OF THE COMEBACK OF THE SEQUEL

  “But why’s she got to go to the library?” [Harry asked].
  “Because that’s what Hermione does,” said Ron, shrugging. “When in doubt, go to the library.” – pg 255

  Hahahahah he knows her so well aaawww

  “Follow the spiders,” said Ron weakly, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. “I’ll never forgive Hagrid. We’re lucky to be alive.”
  “I bet he thought Aragog wouldn’t hurt friends of his,” said Harry.
  “That’s exactly Hagrid’s problem!” said Ron, thumping the wall of the cabin. “He always thinks monsters aren’t as bad as they’re made out, and look where it’s got him! A cell in Azkaban!” – pg 280

  An excellent summary of Hagrid’s character. Again, Ron proves very astute and insightful when people are concerned.

  “Frankly, I’m astounded Professor McGonagall thinks all these security measures are necessary.”
  “I agree, sir,” said Harry, making Ron drop his books in surprise.
  “Thank you, Harry,” said Lockhart graciously while they waited for a line of Hufflepuffs to pass. “I mean, we teachers have quite enough to be getting on with, without walking students to classes and standing guard all night…”
  “That’s right,” said Ron, catching on. “Why don’t you leave us here, sir, we’ve only got one more corridor to go –” – pg 287

  Excuse me you think Ron is dumb?
  Clearly you haven’t read the books m’good sir, just watch how quickly he understands Harry’s plan and immediately manages to give Lockhart an excuse to leave them alone.

  “But how would the basilisk been getting around the place?” said Ron. “A giant snake… someone would’ve seen…”
  Harry, however, pointed at the word Hermione had scribbled at the foot of the page. “Pipes,” he said. “Pipes… Ron, it’s been using the plumbing. I’ve been hearing that voice inside the walls…”
  Ron suddenly grabbed Harry’s arm. “The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets!” he said hoarsely. “What if it’s in —“
  “—Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom,” said Harry. – pg 292

  Again, asking the right question, and figuring out the location of the Chamber thanks to Hermione’s notes and reasoning. That’s the way I like my Trio!

  “She knew something Harry,” said Ron, speaking for the first time since they had entered the wardrobe in the staff room. “That’s why she was taken. It wasn’t some stupid thing about Percy at all. She’d found out something about the Chamber of Secrets. That must be why she was –“ Ron rubbed his eyes frantically. “I mean, she was a pure-blood. There can’t be any other reason.”
  Harry could see the sun sinking, blood red, below the skyline. This was the worst he had ever felt. If only there was something they could do. Anything.
  “Harry,” said Ron. “D’you think there’s any chance at all she’s not – you know –“
  He didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t see how Ginny could still be alive.
  “D’you know what?” said Ron. “I think we should go and see Lockhart. Tell him what we know. He’s going to try and get into the Chamber. We can tell him where we think it is, and tell him it’s a basilisk in there.”
  

  MY BABY HE’S ABOUT TO CRY NOOOO D:
  Ron notices that the Heir’s pattern is not followed here, and provides an idea to help. Also, look at Harry’s pessimism. Lucky he didn’t voice that thought aloud – or we might have gotten Ron sobbing his heart out AND THAT’S UNACCEPTABLE

  Harry reached his wand just in time. Lockhart had barely raised his, when Harry bellowed, “Expelliarmus!”
  Lockhart was blasted backward, falling over his trunks; his wand flew high into the air; Ron caught it, and flung it out of the open window. – pg 298

  Don’t worry Oliver, your Keeper position is in good hands!
  Also, who even retrieved Lockhart’s wand? Do you think an Acromantula might have gotten away with it? There’s a fanfic idea! 8D

  “That tap’s never worked,” said Myrtle brightly as he tried to turn it.
  “Harry,” said Ron. “Say something in Parseltongue.”
  “But –“ Harry thought hard.

  RON WEASLEY AND THE POWER OF INSTINCT EVERYONE

  [Lockhart] put his hand on the door knob, but Ron and Harry both pointed their wands at him.
  “You can go first,” Ron snarled.
  White-faced and wandless, Lockhart approached the opening.
  “Boys,” he said, his voice feeble. “Boys, what good will it do?”
  Harry jabbed him in the back with his wand. Lockhart slid his legs into the pipe.
  “I really don’t think –“ he started to say, but Ron gave him a push and slid out of sight. Harry followed quickly. – pg 301

  “THIS. IS. HOGWARTS!” – Ronald Weasley, probably

  “We must be miles under the school,” said Harry, his voice echoing in the black tunnel.
  “Under the lake, probably,” said Ron, squinting around at the dark, slimy walls. – pg 302

  SHERLOCK RON GOIN’ SCUBA-DIVING

  “Wait there,” he called to Ron. “Wait with Lockhart. I’ll go on…. If I’m not back in an hour…”
  There was a very pregnant pause.
  “I’ll try to shift some of this rock,” said Ron, who seemed to be trying to keep his voice steady. “So you can – can get back through. And, Harry -” – pg 304

  Oh god he’s going to burst into tears any second… and despite that he’s still trying to be an optimist.

  “Have you thought of how we’re going to get back up this?” he said to Ron.
  Ron shook his head, but Fawkes the phoenix had swooped past Harry and was now fluttering in front of him, his beady eyes bright in the dark. He was waving his long golden tail feathers. Harry looked uncertainly at him.
  “He looks like he wants you to grab hold…” said Ron, looking perplexed. “But you’re much too heavy for a bird to pull up there –”

  Ron, once more, demonstrates how he understands people – and animals – very well.

• After learning that Hermione is petrified, Ron is visibly distraught. After a few shenanigans, the only way to discover more about the mystery of the Chamber is to follow the spiders. Traumatized by one of Fred’s meanest pranks at the age of 3, Ron is a lifelong arachnophobic who tenses up in their mere presence. As an arachnophobic myself, trust me: I wouldn’t have followed these spiders for anything in the world.
  Ron, though? Ronald Weasley’s bollocks are harder than adamantium, it’s a fact: he goes into the forest, resigned to meet the horrors that await Harry and he there. After the Ford Anglia rescues them, he is in such an intense panic attack that he gets physically sick.
  And you know the best part? He did all this for Hermione. Looking at her empty seat in the common room is what gave him the determination to face his fear. Can I get an “AAAAAWWWWW”, everybody?!
  (oh boy Ron you’re in deep, deep love and you haven’t even realized it yet my sweet child)
• Volunteers himself to be Harry’s training dummy in Goblet of Fire, allowing his friend to practice spells on him for the Third Task. I mean, that takes absolute faith in someone.
  Oh, also, Harry thinks Ron is the thing he’ll miss the most, so clearly Harry values Ron; why can’t all these haters do the same?
• HBP, Ron is the one who gets the idea for Harry to “get lucky” and drink the Felix Felicis to get Slughorn’s memory. Unconventional idea, that proves to be an excellent one!
• Okay so in DH we get the Room of Requirements burning because of Crabbe’s Fiendfyre. Ron and Harry are both on brooms, Ron having Hermione with him; but Harry returns to save Malfoy and Goyle despite Ron’s shouts that it is too late. So what does Ron do…?
  Instead of saving his hide and his lady love’s as well, he dives right back into the (cursed) fire, grabs Goyle – whom Harry couldn’t reach – and leaves the Room screaming this perfect one-liner: “IF WE DIE FOR THEM, I’LL KILL YOU, HARRY!”
  

• “Oh my – !” shrieked Hermione, as she and Ron caught up with Harry and gazed upwards at the giant now trying to seize people through the window above.
  “DON’T!” Ron yelled, grabbing Hermione’s hand as she raised her wand. “Stun him and he’ll crush half the castle – ”
  

  Hey. Hey.
  Remember that time in DH when Ron pretty much saved Hogwarts, several people and probably a good bunch of house-elves from being crushed to death?
  No? Well now you’ll remember. :>

• In DH, Harry, Ron and Hermione must kill Nagini and she’s in the Shrieking Shack. Ron immediately says “Right, Harry, I’ll go under the Cloak, you stay here with Hermione, I’ll be back -” HE WAS GOING TO SACRIFICE HIMSELF ALL OVER AGAIN MY BABY

There are countless other little moments I haven’t noted because I don’t have the English text handy – all I’ve got are extracts gathered all over Internet. But you see? This is a list of all the little ways Ron Weasley is a beautiful soul and an amazing friend, and it’s not complete. He’s so vastly underestimated by his own author and held to ridiculous standards by this fandom…

And look at all this. Look at this list. Look at all the ways Ron proves to be thoughtful, kind, sensitive, compassionate, clever, observant, all before the Locket took a hold of his mind. All the ways Ron showed his maturity and his emotions only to get an ugly “Teaspoon” stamp on his forehead because “Hermione is always right, nevermind that she’s crap at feelings”. All the ways he’s misjudged by half a bloody fandom that worships Emma Watson’s dainty feet.

I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again: Hermione Granger is JKR’s self-insert, and it wouldn’t be too bad, but she insists to have her do everything and be the smartest one all the time. When GoF happens, Ron and Harry and half the HP cast get their brain capacity cut by half so Hermione can be the one who has all the answers. It’s completely ridiculous and if I were allowed, I’d rewrite HBP and DH entirely (keeping in the Locket scene because no matter how I dislike JKR, this particular bit of writing was genius) so the Great Hermione Granger makes more mistakes and gets a few reality checks for good measure.

There are times when Ron can act like a jerk. The Yule Ball, that time in HBP where he iced Hermione out without explaining anything to her and took his anger out on others, yes, there are times where he can be mean and insensitive and immature… and Hermione wasn’t immature when she threw a hissy fit over Harry surpassing her at Potions; and Harry wasn’t immature for fancying Cho Chang just for her looks; and Hermione wasn’t immature for becoming a violent, abusive harpy when Ron dared to go out with someone who wasn’t her; and Harry wasn’t immature for being jealous of Ron becoming a prefect; and Hermione wasn’t immature when she quit Divination just because she wasn’t good at it…

Yeah, how dare Ron be immature when his friends are just as immature too? They’re teenagers. If you can excuse Harry and Hermione’s every fault, then you can do the same to him.

Whenever Ron achieves something, whenever he’s given time to shine, he gets “punished” for it. Quidditch? He has to endure an entire year of humiliation – some teenagers have been driven to suicide for less than that – before he’s allowed to triumph and even then JKR makes sure he bumps his head on the door’s lintel to ridicule him. Saving Harry’s life, destroying the Horcrux and having his soul laid bare to be psychologically and emotionally tortured, with his best mate for an audience? People choose to forget that, instead dogpiling on the fact that he left (and according to them, shouldn’t have come back – enjoy your drowned Harry and your frosted Hermione then).

Ron has so many things to him, so many powerful feelings and emotions and possibilities. Hell, the scars he’s given at the Ministry of Magic wouldn’t be out-of-place in some awesome superhero’s backstory. He demonstrates frighteningly powerful magic at times, too. He walks on the perfect line of comedy and tragedy, being this character that brings so much joy and light to what would otherwise be a duo of dull cynists, but can’t see how bright he shines and how much he’s needed, and is downright forced to believe he’s not good enough, never was, never will be… all that, because people don’t ever pay attention to him; all that, because despite his charisma and his wit, people notice famous Harry Potter and “brilliant” Hermione Granger more; all that because he’s cast in all these enormous shadows and his own author decided he’d never have any sunlight.

Ron sacrificed his feelings of self-worth and the very, very little self-esteem he had for Harry and Hermione’s sakes, and this sacrifice isn’t even seen by most readers of the HP series, and it just… breaks my heart.

Sources: The Strategic Mind of Ronald Weasley and its importance to the Trio
Ron and Harry: The GoF Fight, An Analysis
Some posts on Tumblr I’m too lazy to find, sorry

I think I know the comment that sparked this post off. Someone I was arguing with on a Romione thread about that old ‘Ron didn’t deserve Hermione’ argument (what a load of rubbish!) ended up saying that Ron would be ‘less of an insecure, bullying g*t’ after DH. I was more than a little peeved by that remark.