Ron's talents?

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 97001

> celletiger:
> I hope that Ron does become Gryffindor Quiddich team 
captain, Head  Boy, and Head of the Wizengamot.  I hope he 
proves himself first,  though.
> 
> I disagree that he is developing at all, although I think there is
a  good possibility that he will in the pages to come. Right now, I 
 think he is just there as a reactionary character for Harry and 
Hermione's actions and thoughts. Reactive, not proactive, if you 
 will.  I don't think he has the talent on the quiddich field, nor 
 does he exude the confidence and leadership skills necessary 
to be  team captain, or even a prefect, much less Head Boy.  <<

We've already seen that Ron can make his authority respected 
when he wants to. He doesn't always want to; he's afraid of 
being seen as a Percy type, for one thing. But Ron is getting over 
his insecurities. His decision to go out for the Quidditch team 
without consulting Harry and his ultimate triumph as Keeper 
show that progress is being made.   He may not be able to cope 
with Fred and George, (and honestly, who could?) but he put
Seamus in his place well enough when he started hassling 
Harry at the beginning of OOP. Ginny respects Ron too. She 
doesn't pull any of her little stunts on *him*.  

Besides his unwavering friendship, Ron has an ability that the 
Trio needs very badly. Both  Harry and Hermione  have a 
tendency to charge ahead without thinking when they see an 
opportunity. This has led them to disaster more than once. 
We tend to think of Ron as impulsive because he flies at Malfoy 
whenever he's provoked. But impulsive players don't win 
consistently at chess.

Chess players have to be able to think ahead even when they're 
excited and they have to consider more than one move at a time. 
If Ron had had the confidence to insist that the Trio take more 
time to think about what could go wrong with the polyjuice plan, 
he might have saved Hermione a stay in the hospital wing.

Ron also relates to people better than Hermione does. She often 
doesn't see her own actions as others do, and this leads her to 
misjudge how others will react to her ideas.  Now that his 
confidence is growing, I think that Harry and Hermione will find 
they benefit very much from  having Ron go over their plans.

Pippin