Ron's Alleged Jealousy

[dicentra63 <dicentra@xmission.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 52932

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Meliss9900 at a... wrote: In a
message dated 2/26/2003 10:31:12 AM Central Standard Time,
dicentra at x... writes:

As readers, we know that Harry's going to end up in mortal peril by
the end of the book, if not sooner, but Ron doesn't know he's in a
serial novel, so he wouldn't relate to that.

Melissa responded:

But he does know, to paraphrase Hagrid "everything seems to happen to
Harry" He knows that Harry was nearly killed twice in PS/SS.
(Quidditch Match and in  the secret room). He knows that Harry was
nearly killed saving Ginny.  And  everyone thought that Sirius was
trying to kill Harry (so the implied threat  was real enough to
Harry).  So Ron knows that trouble does seem to seek Harry  out.
That's why I have hard time believeing that the thought that someone
was trying to get to Harry again didn't cross his mind.   

Dicentra:

It might have crossed his mind and it might not.  Whatever the case,
Ron went with his stronger emotions: "nothing good happens to me." 
He's born at the end of the line, his mom lavishes praise on his older
brothers while giving him sandwiches he hates and sweaters in the
wrong color and funky-looking dress robes, he had to get through
second year with a broken wand, his stupid second-hand pet rat turned
out to be a Death Eater...  It's only a matter of time before the
coolest friend he ever had falls through on him, right?

Well, right to Ron, anyway.  He really *should* have trusted Harry
enough to believe that he didn't put his name in the Goblet.  But
Ron's an emotional guy, quick to jump to conclusions, especially if
the conclusion jibes with "nothing good happens to me."

Still don't buy it?  Well, this is the best I can do.  If you *really*
want to know why Ron didn't believe Harry, you'll have to ask *him*. :D

Melissa:

I know after the first task Ron says that he thinks that someone was
trying to kill Harry but for all we know Hermione might have been
trying to convince Ron for weeks.

Dicentra:

I think you're right about Hermione working on him all this time.  And
he might have been inclined to believe her, but if Harry *wasn't*
snubbing him, why was Harry refusing to talk to him?  Why wasn't Harry
asking Ron what was wrong?  From Ron's perspective, Harry's actions
confirmed Ron's initial interpretation of events.  He was wrong, but
it all must have seemed right at the time.

--Dicentra, who would like a nickel for each time she's jumped to the
wrong conclusion so that she can pay off her mortgage