Book 7 - Ronald Bilius Weasley

I love Ron in this book. This is the book where Ron really grows up. He probably matures more in this book than any other. It starts from the very beginning. I think he first truly realizes the danger they're in when people he knows personally, his own family, in particular, start getting seriously wounded. It's one thing to have someone you don't know killed, another to have someone you know and trust killed, and quite another to have your own brothers hurt. It actually probably started at the end of book 6. First there is the shock that Dumbledore could be killed. Then Bill is attacked by Fenrir Greyback. At the very beginning of book 7, George's ear gets cursed off by Snape. It had to have been a rude awakening for Ron.

To add a bit of comic relief to Ron's maturing, he also starts off the book with a new awareness of how to treat women. He takes the book that Fred and George gave him and starts learning that girls are different than guys and need different treatment. (Leave it to Ron to not figure that out until he's 17...) It's so cute to watch him compliment Hermione and see her positive reaction to his efforts.

Ron shows foresight in protecting his family by leaving an alibi for why he didn't return to Hogwarts. Arthur, Fred and George helped him in his plan by transforming their ghoul to look like Ron with spattergroit. That way, the Ministry (a.k.a. Death Eaters) won't torture his family trying to find out where Ron, and thus Harry, is hiding.

While they spent weeks and weeks jumping from one place to another, trying to find horcruxes and trying to destroy the locket, Ron was the most susceptible to the locket. Ron had always been a very insecure person. He was always living in the shadows of his older brothers and his best mate. He wanted nothing more than to be special somehow, but always feared that he never would be. The locket preyed on that weakness. It told him that he wasn't good enough. It emphasized Ron's fear that Hermione secretly loved Harry, not Ron. It spread fear and distrust until finally, Ron couldn't take it anymore and left. Of course, Ron isn't really the world's biggest prat, and he regretted the decision immediately, but due to getting caught and Hermione and Harry's increased security, he couldn't come back for weeks. However, when he did come back, it was with true remorse. He immediately found Harry and saved his life. He recovered the sword of Gryffindor under very dangerous circumstances, and then he proceeded to destroy the locket, facing his biggest fears in front of Harry in doing so.

Of course, just as with Hermione, my favorite moment with Ron is the kiss. Ron finally understands why creatures such as house elves should be treated with respect, just like Hermione had been telling him for years. But in this book, Ron actually saw house elves in a good light. He saw Kreacher turn into the most pleasant, lovable house elf, simply because he was shown kindness. He watched Dobby sacrifice his own life to save theirs. He finally realized that house elves should be free to make their own decisions. I don't think he even realized his own change of heart, but when he realized that all of the Hogwarts house elves were in danger of dying simply because they were tied to the castle, he balked at the idea. This is when Hermione finally breaks down and kisses him. My favorite line of the whole thing, however, is said by Harry. "OI! There's a war going on here!" Seriously, I love how Rowling can insert humor into the most dire of scenes.

But don't fear, the snarky Ron that we all know and love is still there. Please note what he tells Rosie about Scorpius in the epilogue. Ahhhh... you just gotta love him. Yes, I think he may be my favorite character of this book.