Ron WAS: Re: DH reread CH 4-5

[sartoris22]

No: HPFGUIDX 186299

Carol

I seem to be the only one discussing his battle with Horcrux!Tom and what I consider to be his victory over the demons that caused both his self-doubt and his jealuousy, culminating in his walking out in anger and being unable to come back. (How many of us have at some time in our lives stormed out of a room, slamming the door behind us, only to cool off and come back later, ready to apologize or at least work things out? Only that option wasn't available to Ron because of the protective spells that Hermione had cast around the tent.)

sartoris22:

I suppose that is Ron's saving grace--he immediately tries to come back; still, I am troubled that he leaves in the first place because of the dangerous situation they are in. And keep in mind, he tries to get Hermione to come with him, so his inital impulse is to abandon Harry, something I don't believe Ron would do even under the influence of the horcrux. As I said before, I can't help thinking that it is a ploy to get Harry and Hermione alone to satisfy the Harry/Hermione shippers. 

Carol:

I think several posters are exaggerating what you call Ron's "driving failure." It's not as if he failed the whole test. He *can* drive a Muggle car. He only Confunded the instructor to conceal his forgetting to look in the sideview ("wing") mirror, which, to Ron, is a small thing since he can "use a Supersensory Charm for that" (755). 

sartoris22:

Is using the Confundus Charm a small thing? I'm not so sure. Hermione uses it against McLaggen, and Harry seems genuinely surprised,telling her it's dishonest. Confunding someone seems fairly serious to me, particularly in order to cheat. And not using one's side mirrors during a driving test is a very big deal. Yes, Ron can use a supersensory charm, but he would be a very dangerous driver without it.