Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Ginny Weasley
| Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter - Character | |
| Ginny Weasley | |
|---|---|
| Gender | Female |
| Hair color | Red |
| Eye color | Blue |
| Related Family | Arthur Weasley (father) Molly Weasley (mother) Bill Weasley (oldest brother) Charlie Weasley (older brother) Percy Weasley (older brother) Fred Weasley (older brother) George Weasley (older brother) Ron Weasley (older brother) |
| Loyalty | Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter |
Overview
[edit | edit source]Ginevra "Ginny" Molly Weasley is the only daughter and youngest child of Arthur and Molly Weasley. She is in Gryffindor and is the sister of Ron Weasley. She is one year younger than both Ron, Hermione and Harry.
The author has said that Ginny's birthday is 11 August 1981, which actually makes her almost exactly one year younger than Harry (whose birthday is 31 July 1980) and 17 months younger than Ron (whose birthday is 1 March 1980).
Role in the Books
[edit | edit source]Ginny has two brief cameos in the book, first when Harry boards the Hogwarts Express and secondly when he returns. Her interest in Harry is established. She begs her mum to let her see Harry on the train as soon as she knows he is there and her love interest spark immediately.
Ginny's ongoing crush on Harry is evident. When Harry arrives at the Burrow, she promptly runs and hides. As Harry and Ron head upstairs, they briefly glimpse Ginny in her room before she shuts the door, causing Ron to remark that she is usually quite outgoing. Later, when Harry enters the kitchen for breakfast, Ginny promptly spills her porridge. When Harry speaks directly to her, she blushes furiously and puts her elbow in the butter dish, which only Harry notices.
At Flourish & Blotts' bookstore in Diagon Alley, Ginny hangs back as everyone else lines up to meet Gilderoy Lockhart; Harry, mortally embarrassed after Lockhart ruthlessly exploits him for publicity, puts the books Lockhart gave him into Ginny's cauldron. Draco Malfoy appears, harassing Harry and claiming he revels in the publicity. When Ginny defends him, Draco mockingly suggests Harry now has a girlfriend. Lucius Malfoy, Draco's father, appears, and perusing Ginny's second-hand text books, disparages their quality, then returns them to her cauldron.
Ginny makes appearances throughout the book, always appearing ill at ease. This is particularly noticeable on February 14th. Professor Lockhart has employed dwarfs to deliver Valentines around the school; one tackles Harry to deliver a Valentine poem apparently sent by Ginny. In the process, the contents in his book bag spills to the floor, including a book titled, the Very Secret Diary; Draco picks it up, though Harry and Ron reclaim it. Ginny runs off, however, apparently quite upset; we are led to believe it is solely because she was embarrassed by the Valentine poem.
When Professor McGonagall announces at breakfast that the victims petrified by the Chamber of Secrets monster will soon be revived, Ginny approaches Harry and Ron to tell them something, but Percy suddenly appears and dismissively interrupts her, upsetting Ginny enough that she runs off. With information provided by Hermione, Harry and Ron learn that the monster is a Basilisk. From talking with Aragog, a giant spider, they surmise that the Chamber's entrance is in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. As they are about to report their findings to Professor McGonagall, they overhear that Ginny has been taken into the Chamber of Secrets.
Harry and Ron, with Lockhart's forced assistance, locate and enter the Chamber of Secrets to rescue Ginny; Lockhart's attempt to magically erase their memories with Ron's damaged wand results in the cave's ceiling falling in, stranding Harry. He heads for the Chamber, finding an unconscious and rapidly failing Ginny, and a somewhat ghostly Tom Riddle. Riddle explains that he used his diary to ensnare Ginny, forcing her to open the Chamber of Secrets and release the monster. Now he is draining her life force to restore himself. Riddle also reveals he is Lord Voldemort. Harry kills the monster, then destroys the diary, causing Riddle's simulacrum to vanish and restoring Ginny to consciousness. Together with Ron and Lockhart, they return to the surface. Ginny is reunited with her father and mother, while Harry explains to everyone that she was controlled by Voldemort.
With Dobby's help, Harry realizes it was Lucius Malfoy who dropped Riddle's diary into Ginny's cauldron at Flourish & Blotts. Professor Dumbledore sternly warns Lucius that if any additional Riddle possessions should appear, Arthur Weasley can trace them.
Finally, on the Hogwarts Express homewards, Ginny reveals the reason Percy prevented her from speaking to Ron and Harry earlier was because Percy knew she had seen him kissing his girlfriend, Penelope Clearwater, and thought Ginny was about to tell Harry and Ron.
Ginny's role is largely relegated to the background. She is at the Leaky Cauldron when Harry meets up with the Weasleys and Hermione to prepare for school. Ron shoos her away in the Hogwarts Express so that he, Harry, and Hermione can have a private conversation. When the train is inspected by Dementors, Ginny makes her way back to the Trio's compartment, as does Neville Longbottom; she is present when Harry faints. She herself is adversely effected by the Dementors' presence, though not as severely as Harry; this is most likely because of the remembered trauma of her being possessed by Voldemort.
Ginny is present at The Burrow when Harry arrives, shortly after Mr. Weasley berates Fred and George for dropping a Ton-Tongue Toffee in front of Dudley Dursley, giving him a four-foot-long tongue. Soon after, Ron tells Harry that it was Ginny who named his owl Pigwidgeon.
Ginny attends the Quidditch World Cup with Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, Percy, Charlie, Bill, and Mr. Weasley. Ginny and Hermione complain about having to get up so early, but Mr. Weasley notes that a hundred thousand wizards attending an event creates huge logistical problems; attendees with cheaper tickets have to arrive early and remain the entire time. When the Muggle campsite owner has to constantly have his memory charmed, Ginny remarks that Ludo Bagman, head of Magical Games and Sports, ought to know better than to wander around in his Beater's robes.
After the match, Death Eaters riot through the campsite. Mr. Weasley sends the younger Weasleys, plus Harry and Hermione, into the nearby woods for safety, though Ginny and the Twins become separated from the others. When the riots are quelled, the three return to their tents, unharmed
Just before the Yule Ball, we see Ginny comforting a distraught Ron, whose invitation to the ball was rejected by Fleur Delacour. After hearing that Cho Chang similarly declined Harry's invitation, Ron suggests that he can take Hermione and Harry can go with Ginny. But the girls are already attending with someone else. Ginny goes with Neville Longbottom, who repeatedly steps on her feet while they are dancing. Hermione is Viktor Krum's date. While at the Yule Ball, Ginny meets Michael Corner, and they start dating shortly after.
Ginny plays a much larger role in this book and re-enters our story at the Order of the Phoenix headquarters. Shortly after Harry arrives and has vented his frustrations on Ron and Hermione, they are joined by Fred, George, and Ginny. They inform Harry that Percy has fallen out with the family. After dinner, Sirius Black proposes that Harry be briefed on the Order of the Phoenix's current operations; Ron, Hermione, Fred, and George are allowed to listen in, but Ginny, loudly protesting, is unceremoniously bundled off to bed.
We see Ginny in passing a few times during the next few days. She is roped in to help make Grimmauld Place habitable again, removing and destroying Dark artifacts and materials, and ridding magical pest infestations. She joins the victory celebration after Harry returns, exonerated, from his hearing, and is present at Ron and Hermione's celebration for becoming Prefects.
When Fred and George charm their school trunks to fly downstairs, the luggage evidently injures Ginny, though she is healed by the time they leave for the train. Once aboard, Fred and George depart to talk with Lee Jordan, and Ron and Hermione report to the Prefects' carriage, leaving Harry and Ginny to share a compartment with Neville Longbottom and a Ravenclaw girl Ginny introduces as, Luna Lovegood. Apart from cleaning up the compartment after Neville showers everyone with Stinksap, Ginny plays little further part until the school year is underway.
Ginny is among the 28 students (Harry, Ron, Hermione, and 25 others) who attend the first meeting of what is to become Dumbledore's Army at the Hog's Head. Afterwards, Hermione remarks that Michael Corner likely came only because Ginny did. She says Ginny gave up on Harry; meeting Michael at the Yule Ball, they started dating soon after. Ron decides he dislikes Michael Corner.
After Educational Decree Number Twenty-Four is posted, Ginny fears that the DA may be unable to meet, but Harry reassures her it will continue as planned. She leaves to tell Michael Corner, and, through him, the Ravenclaw members, about the DA. At the first meeting in the Room of Requirement, Hermione suggests naming the group; Cho Chang suggests the Defence Association (the DA for short); Ginny counters with Dumbledore's Army, saying it has the same initials and represents the worst fears of the Ministry of Magic, who foisted Dolores Umbridge on them as the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Her suggestion passes unanimously.
After Umbridge bans Harry, Fred, and George from playing Quidditch, Ginny replaces Harry as Seeker.
When Harry has a vision that Mr. Weasley was attacked by a snake, Dumbledore sends Harry, Ron, Fred, George, and Ginny to Grimmauld Place by Portkey. There, the Weasley children demand to see their father immediately, but Sirius insists it is too dangerous and orders them to wait until their mother returns. They await anxiously until Molly Weasley sends word that Mr. Weasley will survive.
At the hospital, Harry and Ginny eavesdrop on Mr. Weasley, Mrs. Weasley, Tonks, and Alastor Moody using the Twins' Extendable Ears. After Moody suggests Harry may be possessed by Voldemort, Harry isolates himself, believing he is endangering the others. Hermione drags Harry from seclusion, forcing him to talk with her and the others. Ginny, who actually was possessed by Voldemort, draws upon her own experience, saying if there are no big gaps in Harry's memory, then he has not been possessed, greatly relieving Harry.
While visiting Mr. Weasley on Christmas Day, Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione head to the tea shop. Along the way they are spotted by Gilderoy Lockhart, who is still a patient. While visiting Gilderoy Lockhard, they also see Broderick Bode, who is still unable to speak. They also run into Neville and his grandmother, who are visiting his parents, Frank and Alice Longbottom. Neville is horribly embarrassed that they have seen his parents, who were tortured into insanity by Death Eaters.
It is close to Gryffindor's match against Hufflepuff, and Angelina Johnson, Gryffindor's Quidditch captain, is extremely unhappy with how her team is shaping up, especially Kirke and Sloper, the two beaters who replaced Fred and George. Ginny apparently flies extremely well, and Hermione explains that Ginny had been breaking into the Weasley broom cupboard for years, flying all their brooms. Despite the beaters' poor quality, Gryffindor keeps their losses to only ten points when Ginny catches the Snitch.
Just before Spring Break, Harry views Professor Snape's memory that is stored in Dumbledore's Pensieve. This memory is so disturbing that it permanently dispels Harry's idealized vision of his father, James; to avoid discussing it with anyone, he attributes his brooding to his recent breakup with Cho Chang. Ginny suggests he talk to Cho, but Harry says he would rather speak to Sirius, which is impossible; the only way is via the one unmonitored fireplace in Umbridge's office. Ginny says the Twins have left her believing that nothing is impossible. Shortly, the Twins tell Harry they are planning a diversion, and suggest he use that time to get into Umbridge's office to chat with Sirius.
Harry experiences a vision that Sirius is being tortured by Voldemort and wants to contact Grimmauld Place to verify if Sirius is safe. Overhearing the Trio discussing this, Ginny, along with Luna Lovegood, volunteers their help, guarding Umbridge's door and creating a diversion while Harry contacts Sirius with the Floo Network. Umbridge is undeceived, however, and Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Luna, and Neville are captured by Umbridge's Inquisitorial Squad. Hermione fools Umbridge into believing a weapon is hidden in the Forbidden Forest. Ginny and the others are left under guard in Umbridge's office while Umbridge takes Harry and Hermione to investigate.
After applying a well-executed Bat-Bogey hex to disable Draco Malfoy, Ginny, along with Ron, Luna, and Neville escape and find Harry and Hermione. Luna suggests flying to the Ministry on Thestrals to save Sirius. Ginny is unsure about riding something invisible to her, but gamely accompanies Harry and the others to London. Ambushed by Death Eaters, she, Luna, and Ron become separated from Harry, Hermione and Neville. The two groups re-unite in the antechamber; Ginny apparently suffers a broken ankle, and has to be carried into the Brain Room when the Death Eaters find them. There, she is hit by an apparent Stun spell and plays no further part in the battle.
Harry visits Ron, Hermione, and Ginny in the Hospital wing. Ginny apparently is nearly recovered, but Ron and Hermione need more time to heal. Luna and Neville are also visiting; Umbridge is also present, recovering from her sojourn among the Centaurs. The group can barely stiffle giggles when Ron makes clip-clop sounds similar to horse hooves, causing the traumatized woman to bolt upright up in bed, looking around wildly.
On the Hogwarts Express home, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny share a compartment. When Cho Chang walks past, Hermione tentatively mentions that Cho is now dating Michael Corner. Ron is surprised, but Ginny explains that when she caught the Snitch in the Quidditch match against Ravenclaw, Michael comforted Cho rather than celebrating with Ginny, so she dumped him. When Ron suggests, glancing furtively at Harry, that she can now choose someone better, Ginny announces she is dating Dean Thomas. Ron seems somewhat distressed by this revelation.
Ginny enters our story shortly after Harry arrives at The Burrow late at night. The next morning, after Ron and Hermione awaken Harry, Ginny slouches in, complaining about her. This mysterious female is quickly identified when Fleur Delacour appears with Harry's breakfast, followed by a vexed Mrs. Weasley. Ginny, feeling Fleur is far too full of herself, has nicknamed her "Phlegm".
Ginny and the others purchase school supplies at Diagon Alley. When they visit Fred and George's joke shop, the Twins grill Ginny about her boyfriends, but she characteristically refuses to discuss it. Captivated by a Pygmy Puff (possibly a variant of a Puffskein), she purchases one, naming it Arnold.
On the Hogwarts Express, we find that Professor Slughorn has revived his "Slug Club", and invites Harry to lunch. Arriving in Slughorn's compartment, Harry is somewhat surprised to find Ginny there, particularly as the other students Slughorn introduces are all related to or connected with famous witches and wizards. But after seeing Ginny casting a particularly impressive Bat-Bogey Hex, Slughorn invited her. Harry has been invited for obvious reasons, and Neville because of the prominence of his parents in the wizarding community. Slughorn asks Harry about the battle at the Ministry, seemingly unaware that Neville and Ginny were also involved. Harry, Neville, and Ginny are unwilling to talk about that battle, much to Slughorn's disappointment.
In Potions class, Harry is given an old textbook he discovers contains many revisions to standard formulas. Following these instructions, he excels in his first lesson. Harry whiffs a flowery aroma in the love potion, which he later recognizes as Ginny's scent. Later, Ginny, passing by, is alarmed and angry and asks if he is being given instructions by a book. Harry recalls Tom Riddle's Diary from four years before. Hermione also apparently remembers, and immediately tests the book for any Dark magic, but finds nothing. When putting the book away in his bag however, Harry notices a small notation written inside the cover saying that the book belongs to The Half-Blood Prince.
Harry, as team captain, holds Quidditch tryouts. Ginny is selected as a Chaser, along with Katie Bell and Demelza Robins.
Just before the first Hogsmeade weekend, Ginny delivers a note to Harry from Dumbledore, setting a time for their next lesson. She mentions that she may see him in Hogsmeade; she is going with Dean Thomas.
After Katie Bell falls afoul of a jinxed necklace, Harry recruits Dean to replace her on the Quidditch team. At the first practice, Ron, bothered by Ginny and Dean's relationship and suffering from nerves in general, plays horribly; Dean, Ginny, and Demelza play very well, though, and Harry compliments them. As they return to the common room, Harry and Ron discover Ginny and Dean kissing in an alcove; Ron is furious, while Harry feels extremely jealous and briefly thinks about cursing Dean, though he contains it. Ginny scorns Ron, saying he is only upset because he has never snogged anyone, then storms off. It is at this point that Harry begins to fully realize his feelings for Ginny, and agonizes over them.
At the following Quidditch match, the announcer, Zacharias Smith, criticizes Harry for choosing Ginny and Ron as team members, but subsides after Ron blocks every play coming his way, and Ginny scores four of the six goals against Slytherin. At the match's end, which Harry wins by distracting the Slytherin Seeker and catching the Snitch, Ginny "forgets to brake" while swooping in for the victory celebration, and smashes into the announcer's podium, sending Smith crashing to the ground.
While talking to Luna Lovegood, she tells Harry that Ginny has been defending her, stopping people from calling her "Loony".
When Harry and Ron are at The Burrow for Christmas, Fred and George tease Ron after learning from Ginny about his relationship with Lavender Brown. Percy unexpectedly stops by with Rufus Scrimgeour on the pretense of visiting the family. However, it is only a ruse so Scrimgeour can try to recruit Harry as a Ministry pawn; Ginny, Fred, and George all claim credit for throwing parsnips that hastened Percy's departure.
On their return to Hogwarts, Ginny seems unenthusiastic as she mentions that she promised to meet Dean, somewhat encouraging Harry in his feelings. However, he remembers Ron's reaction to his discovering Ginny's relationship with Dean, and fears if he does act, Ron will become his enemy, possibly forever.
Ginny is, of course, at Ron's bedside as he is recovering from being poisoned on his birthday.
Harry is injured in the next Quidditch match when Cormac McLaggen, demonstrating how to correctly use a Beater's bat, slams the Bludger straight at Harry, hitting him. When Harry leaves the Hospital Wing, Hermione tells him that Dean and Ginny had a fight because Dean thought Harry being hit was funny. Harry tries to hide his elation that Ginny and Dean's relationship may have hit a rough spot, but Hermione, he thinks, may have noticed his interest.
Hermione suggests Harry use his Felix Felicis potion to help him obtain a memory from Slughorn that Dumbledore wants. Harry is initially reluctant; he had been saving the potion for some vaguely defined purpose, something to do with Ginny and Dean breaking up. Eventually, he does take some, and, hidden under his Invisibility Cloak, heads out through the portrait hole, slightly brushing against Ginny as she enters with Dean. Ginny rounds on Dean for helping her when she does not need it.
By the following morning, Ginny and Dean have broken up. While this opens an opportunity for Harry, it also creates a problem: can Dean and Ginny play on the same team if they are at daggers drawn? Luckily, Katie Bell returns from St. Mungo's that same day. With McLaggen gone and Katie back, Quidditch is much more fun. Ginny, in particular, is the “life and soul of the team” pulling stunts and cracking jokes. Harry is glad to have the opportunity to interact with her, but still fears Ron's reaction if he starts dating his sister.
When Harry receives detention for injuring Draco, serving Saturdays with Snape, Ginny fills in as Seeker, while Dean takes over as Chaser; Harry apparently feels that their animosity will not be a major factor. Despite the horrible showing in the game where Harry was injured, they still have a chance at the Quidditch Cup: they have to win by more than 300 points, however. Returning from detention on the day of the Quidditch final, Harry walks into a celebration: they have won the Cup. Ginny, seeing him enter, runs into Harry's arms, and he kisses her; afterwards, Harry sees Hermione's approval, and, more importantly, that Ron is accepting.
Ginny and Harry are happy together, and Harry is delighted that people are now discussing something about him that actually makes him happy, rather than about Dark magic. His Potions work is suffering since he hid his old textbook, but Slughorn attributes that to his blooming romance with Ginny.
During the battle under the Astronomy tower, Harry sees Ginny fighting Amycus Carrow and rushes to her aid. After the battle has ended, it is Ginny who leads Harry away from Dumbledore's body and to the Hospital Wing, where he reports to Minerva McGonagall. Ginny, with Ron and Neville, had been watching the Room of Requirement; when Draco emerged, he threw something, causing everything to go dark. Because Ginny and Ron had taken some of Harry's Felix Felicis potion, they were unhurt. Luckily, they ran into Remus Lupin, who discovered the Death Eaters under the Astronomy Tower and alerted the other Order members.
Harry and Ginny spend all their free time together. They sit together at Dumbledore's funeral, but once it ends, Harry tells Ginny they must separate. Voldemort attacks people through those they love, and Harry refuses to risk putting Ginny in danger. Ginny is heartbroken, but understanding.
Only Ginny and Mrs. Weasley are at The Burrow when Harry arrives following his escape from Privet Drive; the other Weasley family members arrive over the next short while. In the following days, Mrs. Weasley sets Ginny and the Trio to work preparing for Bill and Fleur's wedding, an apparent attempt to delay the Trio's mission. Harry mentions to Ginny that Mrs. Weasley may be hoping that someone else will kill Voldemort while Harry is there making vol-au-vents; Ginny, frightened, understands Harry unintentional implication about his quest, though Harry tries unsuccessfully to dispel her fears. She shows some jealousy when Fleur's little sister bats her eyes at Harry.
On Harry's birthday, Ginny gives him something that he did not seem to expect. She calls him into her room and kisses him passionately, giving Harry "something to remember her by"; Ron interrupts, and, taking Harry aside, angrily warns him to avoid giving Ginny any false hopes; Harry promises it will not happen again, but over the next few days, he catches himself starting to glance at Ginny, before remembering he should not. He also has difficulty controlling his jealousy and irritation over Viktor Krum showing interest in her at the wedding reception.
When the Ministry falls and Harry, Ron, and Hermione make a hasty escape, Harry worries about Ginny until Mr. Weasley's Patronus informs them that the family is safe. Harry continues thinking about her, however.
When Ted Tonks and his group camp within earshot of Harry, Hermione, and Ron, we hear that Ginny was involved in an attempt to steal the Sword of Gryffindor from the Headmaster's office. Harry is relieved to hear she only had to serve detention with Hagrid in the Forbidden Forest.
Ron then appears to be acting odd, which is later revealed because he thought Harry and Hermione were secretly having feelings for each other. He also stated that he thought Harry didn’t care what happened to Ginny because he didn’t have a family himself and that it was something he just wouldn’t understand. Harry, irritated by this annoying opinion, said that Ron could leave if he wanted to, which he actually did.
Between Christmas and his capture by Snatchers in March, Harry often looks for Ginny's dot on the Marauder's Map, imagining what she is doing at Hogwarts.
In the final battle, Ginny comes to the DA's aid to stop Voldemort. When Cho Chang, Harry's former girlfriend, offers to show him the Ravenclaw common room to see Ravenclaw's statue, Ginny jealously vetoes this and suggests Luna go instead.
Ginny rebels when she is forbidden to participate in the Final Battle. She finally accepts having to stay in the Room of Requirement until Harry evicts her to search for Ravenclaw's Diadem. He gives her strict instructions to remain nearby so she can return after he is done, but when he leaves, she is nowhere to be seen.
As Harry heads to the Forbidden Forest to meet Voldemort, he passes Ginny on the grounds, ministering to a fallen girl. Though he desperately wants her to know he is there and how much he cares about her, he fears he will be unable to continue if he stops, and instead passes on to his fate. He thinks she senses his presence as he passes. She is the last person he thinks about before he "dies." She also was the one who shouted and screamed the loudest alongside Ron and Hermione when seeing Harry’s dead body in Hagrid’s arms.
In the final assault on the school, Ginny is one of three students dueling Bellatrix Lestrange. Bellatrix sweeps all three aside when Mrs. Weasley joins in, but Ginny apparently suffers little harm.
In the combined celebration and mourning after the battle, Harry leaves Ginny to grieve Fred's death with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, knowing that he and Ginny have a long time to be together later.
In the epilogue, set 19 years later, it is indicated that Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley are married and have three children: Lily Luna, James Sirius, and Albus Severus.
Strengths
[edit | edit source]- Ginny's brothers and family provide her with an inner strength and pride.
- Ginny is very funny and not afraid to speak up.
- She is very good-looking, and this largely contributes to her confidence.
- Her best class is Charms as is shown, in a rather comical light, by her advanced and frequent 'Bat-Bogey Hexes,' which are also noticed by Professor Slughorn in book 6.
- Ginny is able to tell Harry to shut up when needed, cheer him up when needed, and to a large extent control his temper and self-guilt.
- Ginny is a great witch, she's very smart.
Weaknesses
[edit | edit source]We are yet to see what Ginny is afraid of. However it was noted in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban that she had a fear of being controlled by Lord Voldemort. It seems that she has, however, learned to deal with that fear by Harry's fifth year. At Christmas time of that year, she speaks to Harry quite dispassionately about her experiences while under the control of Voldemort.
Relationships with Other Characters
[edit | edit source]Romantic relationships are covered in more depth in a separate section.
- Michael Corner: Ginny meets him at the Yule Ball and goes out with him almost all through Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. She breaks up with him after his House team loses against hers in Quidditch. He "got really sulky, so I ditched him and he ran off to comfort Cho."
- At the end of Harry's 5th year and throughout most of the 6th, Ginny is dating Dean Thomas.
- As Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince closes, she forms a romantic relationship with Harry. At the end of the book, Harry breaks up with her, thinking that if he dates her, she will be targeted by Voldemort. The break-up does not actually end the relationship; it re-surfaces in the early chapters of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and in the Epilogue of that book it is revealed that they have married.
Ginny's role in the series is largely that of the romantic foil, and as such it seems that few of her relationships are unconnected with the trappings of romance. She is, of course, Ron's sister, with the associated sibling-relationship baggage there; their time at Hogwarts seems to be punctuated with the usual brother-sister squabbles, most notably in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, where Ginny's romance with Dean Thomas annoys the then-dateless Ron.
During the series, she establishes a strong friendship with Hermione. While we can see this relationship building quietly starting with Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, it becomes much more apparent in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and later.
Analysis
[edit | edit source]Questions
[edit | edit source]
1. Why does Ginny like Harry so much?
Greater Picture
[edit | edit source]It can be seen why one may think that Ginny could be a Horcrux, seeing that in the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince we find out that the diary was in fact a Horcrux, and in the Chamber of Secrets Tom Riddle tells us that 'Ginny poured out her soul to me.' Later he continues 'I grew powerful, far more powerful than little Miss Weasley. Powerful enough to start feeding Miss Weasley a few of my secrets, to start pouring a little of my soul back into her...'
It seems likely that Ginny was not made a Horcrux, but only possessed by Voldemort, as Dumbledore explains to Harry: 'Well, it is inadvisable to do so, ... because to confide a part of your soul to something that can think and move for itself is obviously a risky business.' It is unlikely Voldemort would have deliberately entrusted even a fragment of his soul to a human; besides, he was not present to do so, only his Horcrux was, and the idea of a Horcrux making a Horcrux for itself is nowhere suggested.
In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Ginny explains to Harry what it felt like when she was possessed by Voldemort. Other than in the Chamber of Secrets, Ginny has never mentioned any instances of feelings of possession. We note that Professor Dumbledore speculates that the snake, Nagini, may be a Horcrux owing to her behaviour. From this, it seems likely that Ginny, if a Horcrux, would still display some strange behavior. Furthermore, as Voldemort intended to kill Ginny in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, making her a Horcrux would have been pointless.