As a person with lots of brothers I can imagine how awful Ron probably felt when he went to his first year Hogwarts with a hand-me-down wand while his older brother got new robes and an owl just because he became a prefect. Favoritism is awful, and he was already really self-concious.
PREACH.
I wouldn’t call it favouritsm because my sister and I are equal for our parents. It’s just my stuff, were reusable, went to my sister and instead of thrown away or discarded. But everything she owned wasn’t hand me downs. Just the regular things, books toys pyjamas etc. And now that I am capable of earning a little she is the one who gets to make demands (because I can’t deny my baby sis, I dare anyone out there to try that), and she claims everything I own as her own. What happened with Ron wasn’t favouritsm, it’s just that they didn’t have the money. The moment fred & George could earn, they bought him a robe. Whether they would’ve done it without harry’s intervention is debatable.
I would agree with you on that, but I’d also like to point out that Ginny got to start Hogwarts with a brand-new wand in her first year, whilst Ron was still having to use a second-hand one (as far as I’m aware, Ron was the only Weasley sibling to start Hogwarts with a second-hand wand).
Not to mention the fact that Percy was given new robes and a new owl in fifth year, despite the fact that the money could have used to buy Ron a wand (quite possibly the most important item for a new Hogwarts student to have). Heck, when Ron gets made a prefect in his fifth year, he has to convince his mum to get him just one present (and, even then, she only relented after he made it clear he didn’t want an expensive one).
The robes for the Yule Ball made this even more obvious. Ron needed dress robes for his fifth year, but was given bad-looking second-hand ones. Ginny didn’t even require dress robes that year, but was still given a nice set to wear, despite the fact that girls robes would likely be more expensive.
I personally find it unlikely that Fred and George would have bought Ron decent dress robes if Harry hadn’t mentioned it. I think Harry was more aware of how humiliated Ron felt wearing those robes than Fred and George were.
I don’t remember(holy shit, couldn’t remember hp facts, the atrocity!) it being mentioned that Ginny got a new wand or Ron being the only one getting an used wand.
As far as replacing a wand is considered, again the money factor comes in. So is case of broom. The weasleys had one single income but 9 mouths to feed. That’s a lot. When you have 7 children & their future to think about, you prepare what we middle class people call a monthly budget. We try to maintain it, and not strech it. But if something happens out of the blue, we can’t help but wait for the next month’s budget to adjust this anomaly. Think it like this, my watch suddenly stopped working. The repair cost will increase this month’s planned amount. If I repair this now, this extra expense will be adjusted by next month’s payment, which turn will affect the next month’s budget and so on. So, instead of repairing it now and increase the debt, I simply go watch less for a month. The same thing happened with Ron. Money was already spent on Percy. So, there was nothing left for Ron. Now, the question arises why didn’t the parents save money for Ron? Because they never thought that Ron would break his wand. Another possibility is that Ron didn’t tell them that the wand is broken.
When I read OotP, I felt like Molly was rearranging the budget to adjust Ron’s demands because this boy rarely asked anything and she would rather hungry than not give him a broom. But, the fact that the broom might result in her other family members being hungry cause her pain. Hunger being an analogy here shows other basic & immediate needs.
Yule ball dress was….let’s just not go there. Didn’t make sense why Ron was given such a ugly dress while Ginny got a beautiful one.
I agree with a lot of your points, although I should stress that Percy’s new things were likely bought at the same time as Ron’s things.
The first-year acceptance letters tend to be sent out at roughly the same time as prefect letters. Percy would have likely recieved his prefect badge at the same time (possibly even on the same day) as Ron’s Hogwarts acceptance letter.
Mrs Weasley still went ahead and bought Percy his presents of a new owl and new robes, when Ron needed a new wand. True, first years don’t usually do much magic in first year (usually sticking to theory and low-level spells), but I personally think Molly’s decision would probably have played into Ron’s insecurity about being ‘the least loved’ of his siblings.
This insecurity was likely confirmed even more when Ginny gets her own wand the following year. First year was one thing, but second years are actually having to use magic a lot more. It must have been very grating for Ron having to perform magic with a wand that wasn’t his, whilst seeing his little sister doing virtually no magic but having a wand to call her own. Wouldn’t it have made more sense for Molly to buy Ron a brand-new wand, and give Ginny the second-hand one?
The Weasley’s weren’t to know that they’d win money the next year (which is how Ron eventually got a wand to call his own after spending two years with a second-hand one), but it seems unfair to have one sibling struggle with a second-hand wand when they needed a new one, whilst buying another sibling a new wand when they didn’t really need it.
I personally haven’t ever had to deal with poverty, and I understand that the Weasleys were incredibly short on money. But what happens with Ron (to my eyes at least) indicates that Molly often prioritised her other children over Ron. Obviously, there are five children of roughly-school-age when the series starts, but with Percy, Molly prioritised Percy’s want over Ron’s need. I can understand Percy wanted new robes and new owl to reflect his status as prefect, but these presents took away money from something Ron actually needed.
I see your point about the money. Although I do recall that Percy was gifted two expensive presents in Ron’s first year, and that was when five children were still living at home. By Ron’s fifth year, Percy had moved away, meaning there was one less mouth to feed. When you factor in the money the Weasleys won in POA, it’s possible that they were marginally wealthier than they were in Ron’s first year. I understood that brooms are expensive, but Molly didn’t seem to have any such qualms with buying Percy new robes and a new owl at a time when they likely had less money (plus more things to buy including a wand for Ron).
Yeah, I never understood the Yule Ball thing either. It’s messed up that Ron was given ugly robes when he needed decent ones, but Ginny was given a nice dress (which was likely more expensive) when she didn’t actually need a dress that year. Ron does tend to get the short end of the stick most of the time during the HP series.
Okay but where are the deleted scenes where Ron went and got Harry to deal with all the spiders in their dormitory because you and I both know that happened many, MANY times.
I… actually kinda want this.
And after Aragog, Harry will put up with zero people giving Ron s*** about it.
(I had to double-check before I posted this, by the way. There are zero instances, after the one time Hermione laughed at him in CoS when she first found out, of anyone making fun of Ron’s fear of spiders. And it’s mentioned in all of books 2-7. “Hermione makes fun of Ron’s fear of spiders,” yeah, once, when they were twelve, and she’d just found out, before she knew how much they really scared him.)
Hermione’s actually thirteen by that point in COS, but she does never comment on Ron’s arachnophobia again.
It’s come to my attention that I have not yet made a post
about Farmer’s Market Hot™.
Farmer’s Market Hot is a specific kind of aesthetic that is
the result of me watching Orphan’s Black and trying to describe the hotness of
Cal to others.
See my point?
Farmer’s Market Hot is a wholesome kind of hot. Rugged but approachable.
It’s not the kind of hot where you immediately go, “Oh my god they’re so
perfect, I want to take them home and photograph them/tear their clothes off.” That’s
for later.
This is the kind of hot for people who would visit the farmer’s
market to buy some organic cheeses on their way to pick up their kids from
their Creativity Through Music class. It’s the look that says “I’m here to
support our local beekeepers.” You see them and it makes you want to settle down.
You want to do your taxes with them, raise dogs together.
It’s borderline hipster without the elitism and irony,
borderline country without the sound of Tim McGraw. If they’re white, racist
shit like dreads automatically disqualifies them.
Guys will most likely be stubbly, or bearded, but not to the
point of lumberjack. Think Chris Evans in between Marvel movies.
Pictured: a man who wants to buy artisan bread from a stall
and be polite to the merchants.
Imagine a woman with a sunflower tattoo, wearing a high-low
dress and clunky dependable boots, holding a dog’s leash while she waits at the
knife sharpening booth. Imagine a man wearing flannel and holding a baby while
talking about ethical alternatives to quinoa.
Farmer’s Market Hot™.
Add this to your vocabulary.
It’s that time of the year again, so I felt the need to bring this back.
farmer’s market hot
the quality content i am here for
I can’t not post this gif now
^^^^^^^^^^^
This is how I picture Ron Weasley when he’s older.
Ron Weasley; setting trends of male attractiveness since the 1990s.
If you can’t imagine Ron Weasley belting out the entirety of Queen’s back catalogue, then you probably need to.
I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again; Bohemian Rhapsody Is Ron’s anthem. Both within the story and fandom.
(I’m just a poor boy, nobody loves me)
He’s just a poor boy from a poor family Spare him his life from this monstrosity
So you think you can stone me and spit in my eye? So you think you can love me and leave me to die? Oh, baby, can’t do this to me, baby! Just gotta get out, just gotta get right outta here!
If this^ doesn’t remind you of the tent fight you’re crazy.
“Nobody loves me” also feels like a punch in the gut when you remember how 70% of fanfics involving Ron bash him for being him.
On the upside, here’s some other Queen lyrics that fit Ron quite well.
(’We Are The Champions’)
I’ve paid my dues Time after time. I’ve done my sentence But committed no crime.
And bad mistakes‒ I’ve made a few. I’ve had my share of sand kicked in my face But I’ve come through.
(’Somebody To Love’)
(he works hard) everyday (everyday) I try, and I try, and I try
But everybody wants to put me down
….
I’m OK, I’m alright (he’s alright, he’s alright) I ain’t gonna face no defeat (yeah yeah) I just gotta get out of this prison cell One day (someday) I’m gonna be free, Lord!
I always thought that I want to break free from Queen was another song that fitted Ron during his relationship with Lavender.
… You’re so self satisfied I don’t need you I’ve got to break free God knows, God knows I want to break free
I’ve fallen in love I’ve fallen in love for the first time And this time I know it’s for real I’ve fallen in love, yeah God knows, God knows I’ve fallen in love
… I can’t get over the way you love me like you do But I have to be sure When I walk out that door Oh how I want to be free, baby
…
God knows, got to make it on my own
So baby can’t you see I’ve got to break free I’ve got to break free I want to break free, yeah I want, I want, I want, I want to break free
I also think that Crazy Little Thing Called Love, reflects a some of Ron and his relationship with Hermione when he just found that he was in love with her (especially after the Yule Ball incident):
This thing called love, I just can’t handle it This thing called love, I must get round to it I ain’t ready Crazy little thing called love
This thing (this thing) Called love (called love) It cries (like a baby) In a cradle all night It swings (woo woo) It jives (woo woo) It shakes all over like a jelly fish I kinda like it Crazy little thing called love
…
It’s a very beautiful thing that my little cinnamon roll has an entire soundtrack by Queen.
If you can’t imagine Ron Weasley belting out the entirety of Queen’s back catalogue, then you probably need to.
I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again; Bohemian Rhapsody Is Ron’s anthem. Both within the story and fandom.
(I’m just a poor boy, nobody loves me)
He’s just a poor boy from a poor family Spare him his life from this monstrosity
So you think you can stone me and spit in my eye? So you think you can love me and leave me to die? Oh, baby, can’t do this to me, baby! Just gotta get out, just gotta get right outta here!
If this^ doesn’t remind you of the tent fight you’re crazy.
“Nobody loves me” also feels like a punch in the gut when you remember how 70% of fanfics involving Ron bash him for being him.
On the upside, here’s some other Queen lyrics that fit Ron quite well.
(’We Are The Champions’)
I’ve paid my dues Time after time. I’ve done my sentence But committed no crime.
And bad mistakes‒ I’ve made a few. I’ve had my share of sand kicked in my face But I’ve come through.
(’Somebody To Love’)
(he works hard) everyday (everyday) I try, and I try, and I try
But everybody wants to put me down
….
I’m OK, I’m alright (he’s alright, he’s alright) I ain’t gonna face no defeat (yeah yeah) I just gotta get out of this prison cell One day (someday) I’m gonna be free, Lord!
Fandom: yES QUEEN SLAY, WE LOVE YOU! YOU ARE SUCH AN ICONIC QUEEN! KATNISS EVERDEEN WISHES! ANNABETH CHASE IS SCREAMING! WE LOVE YOU BABY GIRL! YOU ARE SOOOO BRAVE FOR OBLIVIATING YOUR PARENTS!!!!
Ron: *doesn’t even get done breathing*
Fandom: Ew, you are so gross and jealous and impulsive. Hermione doesn’t deserve you. No one deserves you. The only good thing you did was sacrifice your self for Harry and Hermione in first year! I’ve only watched the movies and that’s why I think you are so bad.
See the thing is, Harry, there’s some wizards, like the Malfoy family, who think they’re better than everyone else because they’re what people call “pure blood. That’s horrible! And it’s codswallop to boot. “Dirty blood.” Why, there isn’t a wizard alive today that’s not half-blood or less.
Not gonna lie, I still think this would have been better if Ron had explained what a m*db**d was, like he did in the book.
if flitwick had started charms class with any other spell than wingardium leviosa hermione would probably be dead
I dunno. This is Ron Weasley we’re talking about; he might have ended up using nonverbal magic (like he did with the ‘eat slugs’ thing in second year).
Headcanonsandmore 