I was re-reading the Goblet of Fire the other days and found one little episode which i didn’t remember from the previous times
After the second task of the three wizard tournament Harry swam to the bank with Ron and Gabrielle who he saved from the bottom of the lake
Fleur, as an older sister was hysterically running around because she failed the task and was afraid that Gabrielle was still captured by those water beasts
But she stayed on the shore
And there was Percy
Who had less good reasons for worrying
But he was terrified as much as Fleur and rushed right into the ice cold water towards his little brother
Percy Weasley, who was in the line of duty, wearing his uptight ministry worker robes
Percy Wesley who was described as a meticulous snob many mane times, showed us such a great amount of care and kindness that i just couldn’t help but drawn it
Incredible! Mysweetpreciousboy! ♥️♥️♥️
If it were any other sibling he would have stayed on the shore, but it was Ron. He gave Ron his rat, whether you believe he gave it to Ron when he got his Owl or when Fred killed Ron’s puffskein doesn’t matter, Percy had that rat for YEARS and he gave it to Ron. When he was on the outs with his family Ron was the only sibling he reached out to.
When he was an itty bitty Ronnie he was surprisingly fond of Percy. Ron was afraid of Fred and George, and Bill and Charlie were away at Hogwarts for most of the year, so he latched onto Percy who wasn’t mean like the twins or loud like baby Ginny. Percy taught him how to play chess (with some unexpected help from the board itself) and often read the Tales Of Beedle The Bard aloud to his baby brother. When Percy went to Hogwarts, their closeness crumbled apart. Little Ron didn’t understand why his big brother spent more time with books than with him during the holidays, wondered if he’d done something to make Percy dislike him, and ending up resenting those schoolbooks for stealing his brother away. As for Percy, he was absorbed in his studies, feeling the obsessive need to make the world better by becoming Minister of Magic, and that included an outstanding resume.
With Percy gone, Ron became closer to Ginny. They got on really well, both close in age and with caring personalities. Fred and George bullied Ron still, but never bothered Ginny as much because she was the precious baby sister. Once the twins left for Hogwarts, Ron and Ginny became thick as thieves and did all the sort of stupid things a happy-go-lucky big brother and a daredevil little sister do when they have a whole house and orchard for themselves. This sibling bond was soured by the influence Tom Riddle had on Ginny during her first year. She adored her big brother so much that she spent some time writing about him in the diary, how he had helped the Boy-Who-Lived defeat You-Know-Who the year prior. Riddle managed to manipulate Ginny into feeling abandoned by her big brother who spent his time with his friends instead of her, and then twisted this into the seeds of resentment against Ron that we see bloom in Half-Blood Prince.
After the war, Ron rekindled his soured relationship with Ginny when he told her about the locket and how he’d abandoned Harry and Hermione, expecting Ginny to hex him into next Wednesday… and instead receiving a hug full of understanding and absolution. Percy was quite bewildered when Ron forgave him so fast – he had thought that as Harry Potter’s right-hand-man, Ron would have the hardest time forgiving him for turning against the Saviour. Instead he was met by a strong embrace from his not-quite-so-little-brother and plans to meet up for some quality sibling time together.
Is Ron a Taylor Swift fan? What type of music does he listen to?
I have no idea because I’ve never listened to Taylor Swift. *runs away*
I think he’d have a few old-timey Wizard tunes he scoffs at in public but is secretly fond of, and a lot of music he thinks “sounds cool”. It’s not about one particular artist, it’s a question of whether the song is enjoyable or not. He tends to favour rock songs. The variety of Muggle music never ceases to amaze him and he often finds himself whistling along as he’s working. If he made a playlist, it’d be a chaotic mess of music coming from every kind of media possible, from videogames to actual concerts.
What would Ron’s animagus be?
Sooooooo many possibilities…!
There’s obviously Ron as a lion with a beautiful ginger mane that looks like a halo of fire under the sun, truly playing the part of a Gryffindor…
Ron as a falcon, circling the battlefield from above and pondering his move like the chessmaster he is, then checkmating his opponent by diving at breakneck speed…
Ron as a swan because why the hell not? Isn’t he the best of them all, he who was thought of as nothing special, the last and lesser son, who eventually revealed his beauty after countless trials he triumphed over?
And just because I’m a sucker for angst and how much Rowling screwed him over…
As an interesting aside, ròn is the Celtic word for seal. In
Druid lore, seals represent love, longing, and dilemma. No more
appropriate totem animal could be imagined for this boy whose sense of
selfhood is undermined by his longing for love from a rejecting mother
and inadequate father, and who, like the selchie wives of folklore, is
faced with the impossible choice of being who he truly is and being
rejected, or denying the best part of himself to gain love. Ron’s
intelligence and independence threaten his insecure wife (and best
friend), just as the selchie’s identity as a seal-woman threatens her
human husband; Ron imprisons himself by hiding who he is so the Hs can
feel smart and in charge, just as the selchie’s human husband imprisons
his wife by hiding her sealskin in a trunk.
Ron as a seal, feeling so alive when he’s in the water, almost as if he were meant for this; he feels so clumsy on the ground at times, while in the water it’s like flying… carrying his children onto his back when they’re at the beach, bringing them far but not too far off the shore, so he can share this feeling of pure liberty with them, show them how colourful are all the fishes and corals, and coming back to the ground, feeling strangely lost and sad, but as he looks at his family, he feels a warmth that doesn’t exist in the great empty blueness of the sea; and he bids the ocean goodbye, until next time.
Yes! I headcanon that Molly continued to write him the whole time- but he didn’t read the notes because it would be too hard to continue ignoring them. When Ron was prefect he found out at the Ministry, so I imagine the same thing happened.
Percy cares very deeply about Ron- he gifted him his rat, he loses it when he’s in danger in GoF, he even writes him about being a prefect and seems to be trying to get him to his side. He sees something in Ron the others don’t- and says as much in his letter. He means well, as pompous as he comes off.
I feel he’d be very torn about it when his little brother is poisoned and he feels he can’t do anything. The last letter he wrote was met with silence (I’m assuming Ron wouldn’t even respond after tearing it up and throwing it into the fire.) Percy desperately wants to go there and see Ron in person! Make sure his baby brother is ok. But then the rest of the family might be there. He just can’t bring himself to see them, especially his father. Also, it would probably hurt Ron’s healing for there to be excitement and drama. Plus Ron probably doesn’t want to see him anyways….
Percy considers writing Ron, but convinces himself his brother hates him and wouldn’t want to hear from him. Percy ends up asking Kingsley, as he knows the man is close to his father. Kingsley at first says Percy should ask his family, hoping to force him to reunite with them- but when he sees the torn look on Percy’s face decides to tell him his brother is alright. Explains what happened. “He’d be better if his older brother were to check on him.”
Percy shakes his head knowing Ron wouldn’t want to see him, and gets back to work- though he finds it rather difficult to concentrate. Things are changing in the ministry, in the world- he can feel it. He knows his whole family is way too close to it. And more than any of them, his little brother is in it, putting his body on the line, and will be fighting battles long before he’s out of school.
Ron has neuroses based on how he sees himself compared to his siblings…
Bill?
He’s the oldest. The coolest. The one who set the standard; prefect, head-boy, later went on to a well-paying job and married Fleur Delacour. Bill is the sibling Ron probably aspires to be the most; cool, handsome, intelligent, wealthy and attractive to women.
This is possibly brought to it’s prominence during the Christmas break in Ron’s sixth year. Bill is Fleur’s fiance by this point, and Ron is desperately trying to seem accommodating to Fleur (whether this is because of Fleur’s Veela ancestry having an unintentional effect on Ron or just Ron trying to be friendly is never explicitly confirmed). On each occasion, Ron is seen as ‘less impressive’ than his brother, and (in case) he is left sprawling in the dirt after Ginny trips him up (which we’ll come back to later).
Percy?
The Weasley brother that Ron is possibly the least like. Where Percy is rule-following, Ron is a rule-breaker. Where Percy is studious, Ron is lazy. Ron started at Hogwarts with a second-hand wand and robes; whilst Percy was given brand-new robes and a new pet because he’d been made a prefect.
During the whole of OOTP, Ron unconsciously compares himself to Percy; as he is the first Weasley sibling to become a prefect after him. Ron is terrified that people (especially Fred and George) will see him in the same way Ron saw Percy; as a stuck-in-the-mud, pretentious busybody.
Fred and George?
Out of all of his siblings, Ron probably has the least consistently-stable relationship with the twins. They were his original bullies; the siblings who burned a hole through his tongue, used his childhood pet for bludger practice, and gave him his arachnophobia (something that is often used to mock him throughout the series). It’s noticeable that Ron spends most of fifth year avoiding using his prefect abilities in front of them, because he knew that they would make his life h*ll if he so much as acted a little like Percy did. He doesn’t worry about this in front of everyone-else; Fred and George clearly inspire so much dread in him. It’s also noticeable that his self-confidence improves significantly after the twins leave Hogwarts.
Ginny?
Probably the most complicated. Growing up, Ron was closest with Ginny. They were the babies of the family, and had a much smaller age gap between them than Ron had to Fred and George. They clearly had a close relationship; given that (throughout the whole of Ginny’s first year) Ron is the sibling that gives her the most attention and support (Percy tends to be a little more parental in his approach, and the twins tend to make rude jokes a lot).
However, it becomes obvious that Ginny is clearly favoured more by Mrs Weasley. As the first girl in the Weasley family for generations, she has a novelty than Ron simply doesn’t have. It’s never stated, but it cannot be a coincidence that Arthur and Molly stopped having children after Ginny. They (although I think Molly more than Arthur) were aiming for a girl for years, possibly since Percy was born. There’s a reason the Horcrux brought up the fact that Ron suspected that his mother craved a daughter; he always half-suspected that he was less loved than his sister was.
There is also the noticeable fact that everyone (aside from Harry and Hermione) seem to prefer Ginny over Ron. She’s considered a beauty and is incredibly popular; a far cry from Ron’s utter lack of romantic attention (aside from Hermione, and-to a lesser extent- Luna) prior to sixth year, as well as Ron constantly being (unintentionally) overshadowed by his two best friends.
Heck, even the Hogwarts teachers seem to prefer Ginny to Ron. Slughorn invites Ginny to become a member of ‘the slug club’ largely because she jinxed Zacharias Smith, whilst Ron was entirely ignored by Slughorn throughout the entirety of sixth year (even after Ron is poisoned in Slughorn’s presence, the professor still can’t remember his name).
Part of this I can chalk down to JK Rowling’s sudden change of characterisation for Ron and Ginny’s relationship. Whereas previously they had a close-but-banterish relationship, in HBP they are suddenly at each-other’s throats a lot of the time. Most of this tends to be from Ginny outright insulting, belittling or humiliating Ron (often in the presence of women Ron is attracted to). It’s never stated why their relationship suddenly went sour, but (within the larger narrative) it’s possible that Ginny was going through a rebellious phrase, and Ron happened to be the most obvious target for that (being the sole older brother left at Hogwarts by HBP). I personally find it uncomfortable to read about, as it often goes beyond usual-sibling teasing and into borderline-bullying (since it often relates to Ron’s insecurities).
(You’ll notice that I left Charlie out. Maybe it’s just my own personal readings speaking, but I always felt that Charlie was possibly Ron’s favourite brother. Unlike their other siblings, Charlie is very relaxed and mild-mannered. He’s also a massive fan of Quidditch just like Ron. Charlie might have the coolest job on the planet, but he’s also a really down-to-earth person, even by Weasley standards. I think Ron really liked him for that reason. I actually have a fic in the works about Charlie noticing Ron’s insecurities about how he saw himself compared to their other siblings, so watch this space…)
Headcanon that Ron is actually the most attractive of the Weasley siblings, but it was never brought up because Harry is oblivious, but also because
Bill was jealous of Ron
Charlie and Percy never noticed
Fred and George were in denial
Ginny was worried that Harry would fall for Ron at some point
The letter from Percy is such a great piece of work—because it IS so obnoxious and deluded and you keep wincing because it’s embarrassing as anything.
But it’s also undoubtedly stemming from the fact that Percy loves Ron dearly, and there’s a consideration to why he does it. He didn’t set out to be obnoxious—for Percy it’s downright sensitive. He specifically writes and sends it so Ron will get it at a time when he can read it in private and without any pressures from anyone else, and the threats Percy speaks about are…real for the most part. He has hold of the wrong end of it, but the problem and threat to Ron’s life and future…exists. There’s a kind of softness—after what has happened that summer—to Percy writing a letter where he titles himself Ron’s brother and actually apologizes for not seeing him more.
Which, btw, the fact that he thinks that’s at all a priority for Ron in this whole affair is perhaps the only delusion in the letter where I can feel NOTHING but empathy for Percy. He feels this responsibility towards Ron, and as much as it is easy for us to think, “he should know Ron is ready to kick him in the teeth for being a jerk”…god, it’s SAD that he really thinks to himself, “I need to make sure Ron knows that I CARE that I haven’t seen him.”
He’s being an idiot, but he loves his brother.
There’s also the subtle backtracking of what had seemed like a simple stance before—that Percy was leaving and he wasn’t a part of the family anymore. You can already see him starting to reshuffle what was declared and decided in anger, because NOW…it’s all very situational and he very much hopes that it will be resolved eventually!!!
And I’m not sure he’s even conscious of that process, but it’s happening.
The conflict between his family and the government is still unnatural to him, and—probably because he needs to for his own emotional security—he assumes that it can be resolved. They’ll figure out and feel bad and he will be happy to reconcile with them! It’s arrogant and an asshole assertion, but it’s also…childish and naive. He hasn’t accepted reality—not just about Voldemort, but about what has happened and what is at stake with him and his family. What the Minister would DO to them given the chance—and there’s nothing Percy could do to stop him. The ignorance is astounding and frustrating, but reading it back knowing what happens…it’s also kind of devastating. Because the learning curve is coming, and it’s approaching at a high velocity.
I just…I love the way Rowling constructed Percy, I really do. It’s not in vogue to compliment her, but I have to give credit where it’s due: it’s some of my favorite character work in the series. And judging by her little Skeeter quip in that World Cup piece a few years ago, I think it’s very intentional and always was.
To some people in the Wizarding World, Percy Weasley is a nitpicking beaurocrat, and others will fervently assert that he’s “not that bad when you get to know him.” And WE get to know him—fans do it over and over and over again. And he warms, on a reread. He opens up. He becomes a person you can look at with a kind of fondness and understanding (accompanied by frustration and amusement, to be sure). It’s really…skillful and subtle what she manages. From a character who is himself about as subtle as a brick coming through a window. The writing and craft behind how she writes him is what carries the whole thing off. I love it.
The whole Percy storyline in GoF really gets me now that I’m older because the kid is 18. He’s…an infant, and he talks like he’s just So Much Older, and he’s DOING things that a kid straight out of school should not be handling.
Which when you’re young, you’re like, “what a tool” but now I feel like…how are Arthur and Molly not having sirens going off in their minds as Percy is like, “oh yeah Mr. Crouch put ME in charge of everything!”
How…is no one?? Concerned??? And if they are concerned, why aren’t they DOING anything?
I don’t think this year gets the credit it deserves in setting the stage for everything else that happens with Percy the whole series. The Ministry lets Percy flounder and fake this whole year, basically–and then tries to throw HIM under the bus for it, if I remember correctly. Because he “should have noticed” (because entry-level assistants are SO trained and paid to like…investigate whether their bosses are having mental breakdowns okay sure sure sure).
He’s already been taken down a peg and kind of saved by Fudge. And THAT’S when his dad wants to tell him something might be up and he has to rethink everything?
It’s too late. The intervention, the discussions…they should have been happening now. Right now, as Percy starts finding himself in WAY over his head for CLEARly suspicious reasons, and he isn’t noticing. Because he’s too excited and too proud and too self-involved…and too YOUNG to have a frame of reference for what’s happening and how utterly abnormal it is.
Someone needed to step in HERE. Not when their feet are to the fire six months from now.
They lose Percy in Goblet of Fire, make no mistake.
imagine oliver wood when he’s an old man talking to his grandchildren and they’re like, “grandpa, you must’ve known harry potter, right!” and he’s like “oh yes, he was on my quidditch team, he was a great seeker even just as a first year-” “yeah but what was he like? was he a total hero?! did you think he could destroy voldemort back when he was eleven!?” “i remember his very first game-” “no no no, tell us how he found the philosopher’s stone!” “HE CAUGHT THE SNITCH IN HIS MOUTH” “grandpa no-” “WE ARE TALKING ABOUT QUIDDITCH”
Then his husband Percy Weasley walks in and is like ‘he could have done better on his OWLs’ and the children just,,, cry
Headcanonsandmore 