Last year, I read the Harry Potter books for the very first time, enlisting my then 9-year-old nephew as a reading buddy. We were quick to agree that, while Harry and Hermione are pretty great, Ron is undoubtedly our favorite character. His scenes are the funniest, and when I read aloud passages, I would put in extra effort to make Ron sound more entertaining. Today, Ron Weasley turns 36. That means it's been 25 years since the time Ron receives his letter from Hogwarts, which would have occurred on March 1, 1991. Funny how time flies.
My affection for the youngest Weasley boy has not dimmed, nor has my nephew's. I asked him over WhatsApp why he liked Ron so much. His answer was spot-on: "He's funny, he's a klutz, and he's an underdog."
To that I'll add, he wears his heart on his sleeve. Ron Weasley is the Chrissy Teigen of Hogwarts — quick to react and register whatever emotion he's feeling, whether it's fear of Professor Snape or contempt for Viktor Krum. It's telling that I, a thirtysomething who scoffs at most rom-coms and anything related to Nicholas Sparks, was so completely wrapped up in Ron and Hermione's immature but engrossing mating ritual that I felt like a tween with her first crush.
So here's to Ron, the wingman who gets the girl, the ginger with plenty of spice, and the Gryffindor who leaves us wanting more. May your day be filled with butterbeer and chocolate frogs.
Behold, some GIFs capturing Ron's finest and funniest moments.
He knows how to charm the ladies.
He'll happily chip in for an Uber.
He loves his mum. (And he'll arrange for his pals to get their own wooly sweaters.)
He always cleans his plate.
He has excellent taste in women.
Draco may be a Slytherin, but Ron's looks are withering.
His enthusiasm is contagious.
Nobody makes sheer terror look more entertaining.
He can do that whole "knight in shining armor" thing when required.
He is seriously all of us.
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