Why buy Ron Maroon? (Was: Why buy 5 sets of Lockhart's book?

[quigonginger]

No: HPFGUIDX 113853

Magda wrote: 
> It's actually worth re-reading the whole dress robes page to show
> just how goaded Ron is before he erupts:

snip excerpt from GoF

> So first she tries to tell him that everyone wears them, then that
> he's being silly, then that they're just like Harry's, before she
> finally admits that he'll have to settle for this dress-thing 
because
> its the best they can afford - supposedly.  But Harry gets robes 
that
> match his eyes.
> 
> I really wonder if she'd remember Ron even exists if he weren't 
Harry
> Potter's best friend.
> 
> Magda
 
Ginger, having now coughed up the orange juice that went down the 
wrong way, responds:

Oh, wow, do we read this differently!  You read it and thought Molly 
was horrible.  I read it and thought Ron was a spoiled brat.  It is 
one of the few times in the book that I haven't liked Ron-usually I 
adore him.

Let's look at things from Molly's POV.  She has all the family home, 
plus company.  More cooking, more cleaning, probably a lot of 
preparations to make sure everyone has a nice time and all that.

After fixing a big meal, cleaning up, and getting to bed late, she 
wakes up before dawn to get everyone up that's catching a portkey, 
fixes breakfast, goes off on the twins, gets the others on their way, 
hops over to Diagon Alley with 6 lists of things to get for school, 2 
of which aren't even her duty -she does it out of the goodness of her 
heart.  After getting books, potion ingredients, robes for those who 
have outgrown theirs (if needed-kids do grow), 5 sets of dress robes -
and may I say she did a bangup job on Hermione's- or 6 if she got 
Ginny some that day assuming she'd be asked, and any other items that 
they may need, such as underwear, toiletries, etc. she goes home and 
hits the hay.  The next morning she is awakened bright and early with 
an exaggerated report of the events at the QWC (as if the real events 
weren't bad enough), awaits word from her family, not knowing if they 
are dead, injured, or otherwise harmed (darn Rita Skeeter) and hoping 
that her last words to F&G won't be her last words to them, period.  

During the following week, Arthur is rarely home, she still has a 
houseful, and things are strained because of Rita and the hubbub at 
the Ministry. 

The day before they leave, she does everyone's laundry, and makes 
sure everyone gets packed.  I'd bet a galleon she hasn't thought 
about Ron's dress robes since she bought them. There are more 
important things to worry about, especially with a houseful of 
company.  She may have intended to alter them, but who can blame her 
for forgetting.  When she sees them again, Ron is pitching a fit 
about them.  Had he asked nicely, she might have considered altering 
them for him, but he doesn't ask for alterations, he simply refuses 
to wear them.  And he does so rather rudely.  

Then he starts in on Harry's robes and their financial situation.  
After she does his laundry for him, he has the nerve to rub it in her 
face that she can't do as well for him as Harry's inheritance 
allows.  He embarrasses her in front of Harry, which, in turn, 
embarrasses Harry.

Molly runs her behind off for him, and he has the nerve to complain.  
I wanted to turn him over my knee.  

Ginger, who wonders why Ron got to bring 2 friends when the other 
kids didn't get to bring any.  Harry, I can see.  He loves 
Quidditch.  But Hermione?  Wouldn't Lee Jordan have been a better 
choice for the extra ticket?  Why didn't F&G get to bring him?  Even 
if he had a ticket, these were box seats!  Yes, yes, plot purposes, 
but it looks like Ron isn't so overlooked after all.