Ron is the *sixth* son

[blpurdom]

No: HPFGUIDX 33433

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., heidit at n... wrote:
> There are many HP readers who believe that because of the age gap 
between Percy and Charlie, there may've been another son there who 
died before being old enough to go to Hogwarts.

> From christi0469: <<I also suspect that Ron may have so many
> brothers to set him up as a seventh son (Molly and Arthur would 
> have only have had to lose one child, and it would explain 
> the "mortal peril" clock).>>
> 
> Ron is the *sixth* son (and *sixth* child), not the seventh.  1)
> Bill, 2)Charlie, 3)Percy, 4) and 5)Gred and Feorge (we've not been 
> told which one came out first), 6)Ron.  7), of course, is Ginny.  

> mjollner

Although some writers of fanfic (this one included) have postulated 
that there may have been other Weasley children in the large Percy-
Charlie gap, this is not the only possible explanation.  Percy was 
born in 1976, Charlie some time before 1970 (estimates vary) which 
was about the time of the rise of Voldemort.  Given that Voldemort 
was in power in the early seventies when the Weasleys were not 
having children for a time, that could be a very good reason by 
itself for their choosing not to have children at that time 
(although it wouldn't explain the decision to have the rest of the 
children, since Voldemort was still in power at that time).  

Another explanation could be that something happened to Molly or 
Arthur during the "gap."  Perhaps Arthur was on a dangerous mission 
for Dumbledore and went missing for a while, or perhaps Molly was 
hospitalized for an extended period, connected or not to Voldemort.  
Perhaps someone put an infertility curse on them, and it was later 
circumvented.  We really don't know enough about the reign of terror 
to say for sure.  Just the fact that the family lived during that 
time could explain the "mortal peril" clock.

--Barb