Harry's Guardian? ...& Reward

[ellejir]

No: HPFGUIDX 73791

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Anne wrote:
> Mr. and Mrs. Weasley probably woulnd't have accepted it. But how 
about when
> Ron's wand was burping out slugs for the whole year? And it never 
even
> occurred to Harry to say, "Hey, how about we get you a new one and 
then your
> parents can pay me back or not?" Do you *honestly* think Ron would 
have
> turned down the offer of dress robes as the ball approached? I 
don't think
> so for a minute.

Me:
I think that (particularly in GoF) Ron has been *very* sensitive 
about the issue of Harry having more money than the Weasleys.  
Remember that he got all huffy about Harry not telling him that the 
leprechaun gold that he had given Harry to pay for the omnioculars 
had disappeared, and bitter when Harry explained that he had not even 
noticed that it was gone.  Harry is wise enough to realize that he 
has to tread very carefully around this issue, or Ron's feelings of 
inferiority could be aggrievated further.  Harry does buy little 
things for the group (like ice cream cones in Diagon Alley in CoS, 
treats on the train in all books, butterbeers in the Hogs Head in 
OoP), but I do *not* think that Ron would appreciate Harry 
playing "Lord of the Manor" and offering to outfit him for school 
(and I believe that canon bears me out on this point -- although he 
might have accepted new dress robes for the ball -- what *was* Mrs. 
Weasley thinking!)
Of note, he did seem to relax a bit in OoP.  He was going to let 
Harry lend him money to buy his share of the memory aid potion.  But 
perhaps that passage was just meant to emphasize how desperate he was 
becoming in the leadup to his O.W.L.S.      Elle