The 3rd/7th son

[whizbang]

No: HPFGUIDX 88548

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "madamepudifoot" 
<madamepudifoot at y...> wrote:
> - PS/SS: knocked out during the wizards chess, misses Harry 
>fighting Quirrel 
> - CoS: wall falls between he and Harry, he is left behind with
> Lockhart, misses Harry fighting Tom Riddle - 
> - PoA: gets knocked out when Pettigrew escapes, Hermione and Harry 
>go on to rescue Sirius and Buckbeak 
> - GoF: gone in spirit while harry fights the dragon in the first 
>task, is the person harry has to save in the second, watching the 
>match while harry finishes the 3rd task and goes to confront 
>Voldemort again
> - OoP: addled by the brains in the MoM and misses the battle 
>between the DE's and the Order, as well as actually seeing Voldy 
>appear in the MoM
> 
> Not sure what these mean, but they strike me as significant when 
>he is so close to Harry.

Harry always faces Voldemort without his friends.  That's not to say 
he doesn't have help, Dumbledore or Fawkes.  But Ron isn't more 
missing than Hermione. 
 
In OotP, Ron won his first quidditch match while Harry and Hermione 
went into the forest to Grawp.  Ron is not only overshadowed by his 
brothers.  His best friend is Harry Potter.  He needs to find his 
confidence in order to prepare for the war ahead.  And he needs to 
be prepared for situations that Hermione can't help him with.  
Hermione isn't much for brooms or quidditch.  Ron is developing his 
strengths and his self esteem and this is necessary.

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