Ron Weasley
Ron Weasley enters his sixth year at Hogwarts as a prefect and a key member of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, but his journey through the term is defined by romantic turmoil, athletic insecurity, a brush with death, and a final, resolute choice to join Harry in the hunt for Horcruxes. His arc in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince moves from petty jealousy and adolescent awkwardness toward a mature, if still imperfect, loyalty that will carry him into the most dangerous phase of the war.
Identity and Background
Ron is the sixth of seven children in the Weasley family, a pure-blood dynasty known for its poverty and its fierce opposition to Voldemort. He has been Harry's closest friend since their first journey on the Hogwarts Express, and his role as a prefect in this year gives him a measure of official authority he has never held before. His O.W.L. results are solid but unspectacular: he passes everything except Divination and History of Magic, earning no Outstanding grades but enough Exceeds Expectations to continue in his chosen N.E.W.T. subjects. He is also appointed Keeper for the Gryffindor Quidditch team, a position that will test his confidence as much as his reflexes.
Romantic Turmoil and the Break with Lavender
Ron's romantic life becomes a major source of conflict. He begins a highly physical relationship with Lavender Brown, whom he nicknames "Won-Won," a pairing that is both a source of public embarrassment and a wedge between him and Hermione Granger. The relationship is marked by constant snogging in public, which makes Ron the target of his siblings' mockery. Fred and George Weasley tease him mercilessly, asking whether Lavender "had an accident" to sustain such "extensive brain damage." The relationship sours quickly; Ron finds himself trapped, unable to break it off cleanly. He confides to Harry that the more he hints he wants to end it, "the tighter she holds on," comparing the experience to "going out with the giant squid." The final rupture comes when Lavender sees him emerging from the boys' dormitory with Hermione, though Harry is hidden under his Invisibility Cloak. Ron admits he is relieved it is over, though he lacked the courage to finish it himself.
Quidditch, Insecurity, and the Felix Felicis Gambit
Ron's performance as Keeper is wildly inconsistent, driven entirely by his mental state. During the final practice before the match against Slytherin, he fails to save a single goal and reduces teammate Demelza Robins to tears with his shouting. He threatens to resign, telling Harry, "I'm pathetic." Harry, desperate to boost his friend's confidence, secretly pretends to dose Ron's pumpkin juice with Felix Felicis, the liquid luck potion. The ruse works: Ron plays brilliantly, saving every shot and conducting the crowd in a chorus of "Weasley Is Our King." After the match, Harry reveals the trick, proving that Ron's success came from his own ability, not magic. Ron's triumph is short-lived, however; when Cormac McLaggen substitutes for him during the match against Hufflepuff, McLaggen's incompetence leads to a catastrophic defeat, and Ron cannot hide his glee at his rival's failure.
The Poisoning and Its Aftermath
Ron's birthday, March 1st, nearly becomes the day of his death. While visiting Horace Slughorn's office to obtain an antidote for a love potion he has accidentally consumed, Ron drinks a glass of oak-matured mead that Slughorn had intended as a Christmas gift for Dumbledore. The mead is poisoned. Ron collapses, his extremities jerking uncontrollably, foam dribbling from his mouth, his skin turning blue. Harry saves his life by forcing a bezoar down his throat, a remedy he learned from the Half-Blood Prince's Potions book. Ron spends a week in the hospital wing, and the incident deepens the rift between him and Hermione, who had been cold-shouldering him. The poisoning also forces Ron to confront the reality of the war: someone is trying to kill people at Hogwarts, and he has been a target.
Relationships and Conflict
Ron's relationship with Hermione is the emotional core of his year. After he begins dating Lavender, Hermione retaliates by agreeing to attend Slughorn's Christmas party with Cormac McLaggen, a move calculated to make Ron jealous. The tension culminates in a violent confrontation: Hermione, furious at seeing Ron with Lavender, attacks him with a flock of conjured canaries, leaving his hands and forearms covered in scratches. The two remain estranged for weeks, communicating only through Harry. Ron's jealousy is also evident when he learns that Hermione kissed Viktor Krum years earlier, a fact that still rankles. Despite the bitterness, the relationship is not beyond repair. When Ron is poisoned, Hermione is among the first at his bedside, and by the time he is discharged, they are friends again. Ron's final act of the year is to declare, alongside Hermione, that he will accompany Harry on his quest to destroy the Horcruxes, refusing to let his friend face the danger alone.
Change and Ending
Ron's growth is most visible in his final decisions. He passes his Apparition test on the second attempt, having failed the first by leaving "half an eyebrow behind." More importantly, he chooses to abandon the safety of Hogwarts and his family to join Harry. When Harry tells him and Hermione that he will not return to school, Ron says simply, "We'll be there, Harry. At your aunt and uncle's house. And then we'll go with you, wherever you're going." He insists they attend Bill and Fleur's wedding first, a reminder that even in wartime, there is still room for joy. Ron's journey through the year has been one of learning to manage his insecurities, to take responsibility for his actions, and to commit himself to a cause larger than his own comfort. He ends the year not as the boy who needed a lucky potion to play Quidditch, but as a young man ready to fight alongside his best friend, whatever the cost.
