Ron's Return

[Carol]

No: HPFGUIDX 180854

"Jayne" wrote:
>
> The part in DH that interests me is where Ron returns to Harry and
Hermione in the forest and saves Harry's life when he tries to
retrieve the Sword. To me I was surprised that Ron could get the sword
as I thought that maybe only Harry would be able to do this. I thought
the act of Ron's showed true friendship.
> I loved Hermione's reaction when they got back to the tent, I
thought it was funny..

Carol responds:

That's one of my favorite scenes, as well (despite a minor annoyance
on my part at the similarity of the locket to the One Ring on its
chain and the nagging question of why they had to wear it instead of
just stuffing it into a pocket).

I loved the way that scene allowed Ron to simultaneously redeem
himself after having left the Trio, rescue Harry instead of being
rescued himself, and not only retrieve the Sword of Gryffindor under
the stipulated conditions of need and valor but (as I've said a few
too many times) symbolically destroy his personal demons at the same
time he destroyed the Horcrux. (Hermione had already saved Harry in
Ron's absence, unfortunately destroying his wand at the same time; I
loved having Ron do the honors and get it right). If nothing else, Ron
finally got a chance to prove his courage by doing something heroic on
his own with no help from anyone but the mysterious Patronus caster
(who, of course, is really Snape, which makes the whole scene even
more delicious, in my view).

Ron's characteristic reaction to Harry (who had brilliantly jumped
into the icy pool wearing the Horcrux), "Are--you--*mental*?" and
Hermione's reaction to Ron's return added humor to the scene. I also
liked Harry's recollection of "their daring, nerve, and chivalry set
Gryffindor apart" and his wondering what chivalry has to do with it, a
question that's answered when Ron chivalrously rescues him. (And what
would James Potter think if he knew that Severus Snape had set up that
chivalrous rescue?)

Altogether one of the best scenes in the book. Make that one of the
best chapters in the book.

Carol, wishing that Snape had stayed around to witness the destruction
of the Horcrux and wondering what would have happened if he'd had to
rescue Harry because Ron didn't show up