[HPforGrownups] Mrs. Weasley (was Re: Defending Harry (was Somebody please save Ron!)

[Richelle Votaw]

No: HPFGUIDX 44835

Dona writes:
>
> So we'll take Harry off the hook but, what about Mrs. W?

Now that's a little bit tougher.  Mrs. Weasley often overlooks Ron.  I get
the general impression over the course of the books that Bill got attention
because he has a pretty impressive job, Charlie had an interesting one, plus
he was a great Quidditch player, so that gets him some attention.  Percy was
smart and did well by the family name.  The twins are always into trouble,
so that gets them attention.  Ginny's the only girl, plus she had that awful
year being taken over by Riddle and all.  Then there's Ron.  It seems like
to Mrs. Weasley that he's "just Ron."  He's not overly brilliant.  He
doesn't constantly play tricks on people (okay, there was the car incident).
He doesn't play Quidditch (at least not yet).  He's "just Ron."  He's
embarassed to be poor, he's often jealous of Harry, his best friend.  He had
to endure an extremely embarassing broken wand for an entire year before
getting a new one--and his first REAL wand.

Then there was the incident with the dress robes.  Our dear sweet Molly
Weasley actually told her own son, "Fine, go naked.  And Harry, make sure
you get a picture of him.  Goodness knows I could do with a laugh."  Ron's
next comment was "Why is everything I own rubbish?"  Quite sad, coming from
a fourteen year old.  Considering he's felt that way at least since he was
eleven.  Most families who are poor manage in such a way that the children
usually don't even know it until they're grown and look back.  But Ron is
very much aware of his family's monetary state.  Which leads me to believe
either it is very unusual in the WW for a family to be so poor, or his
family does a lousy job of keeping the home life upbeat.  Does Ron really
sit around worrying about his hand me downs as much as it seems he does?

Well, now I'm getting off track.  Back to Mrs. Weasley.  She could do
better.  A lot better.  She frequently shows more concern for Harry than
Ron.  What does this mean?  I don't have a clue.  Have we ever seen her hug
Ron?  There was the time in CoS when she hugged both Harry and Ron at the
same time.  In PoA when they came through the barrier she hugged Harry.  In
GoF she hugged Harry in the hospital wing, and again after he came through
the barrier at King's Cross.  Now I realize that she is taking Ron home with
her and Harry's got to go with the Dursleys, but still.  If I was seeing my
mom for the first time in several months, I'd be a bit hurt if she hugged my
best friend before me.  Let alone if she hugged him and not me!

Richelle