9 Reasons Ron Weasley Was the Greatest Wizard in Harry Potter

He sat unaware of quite a bit of dirt on his nose on his first ride to Hogwarts. He produced the funniest reaction on the birth of Teddy Remus Lupin ("Blimey, a baby!" — as if he'd never heard of such a thing before). His appetite is insatiable. He played an amazing game of Quidditch after thinking that Harry slipped him Felix Felicis.

He was 11 years old when he fearlessly willed to sacrifice himself playing as a knight in McGonagall's giant chess game. A year later, he walked to the Forbidden Forest with Harry despite his extreme Arachnophobia. He was brave enough to face his fears for doing the right thing time and [time] again without asking any questions.

Ron had all the reasons to discard Harry's friendship; father and brother working in the Ministry, putting his family in danger just because he's friends with a marked man, Harry breaking up with his sister, etc. He stayed with Harry until the end, even when almost the whole wizarding world, including a brother of his, thought that Harry was barking mad.

Who played the best game of chess on a board that was designed by someone with greater magical prowess than him? Ron. Who remembered the Parseltongue sound of "Open" after hearing it only once and used it to open the Chamber of Secrets? Ron. Whose idea was it to use basilisk fangs to destroy the Hufflepuff Cup Horcrux? Ron's. The world really needs to give Ron more credit when it comes to being clever.

Think about it. Roller-skating spiders. "Percy wouldn't recognize a joke if it danced naked in front of him wearing Dobby's tea cozy." "I... must... not... look... like... a... baboon's... backside." "Excuse me, are you the imprint of a departed soul?" "When two Neptunes appear in the sky, it is a sure sign that a midget in glasses is being born, Harry..." and "IF WE DIE FOR THEM, I'LL KILL YOU, HARRY!" So, Fred and George weren't the only two in the Weasley clan who could make us laugh.

Ron Weasley would do anything for his family. For instance, at age 12, he risks his life going down to the previously uncharted Chamber of Secrets to save his sister from clear and present danger. Not only is this an incredible example of Ron's bravery, but it's also a testament to the bond he has with his siblings. He constantly talks about his older brothers Bill and Charlie, especially about everything they've accomplished. He's clearly traumatized in the books when Percy denounces his family. He even wears the sweaters his mother knits for him even when he doesn't care for them. Ron cares about his family more than almost anything, and that clearly shows through his portrayal in the books and the movies.

It was Ron and not Hermione who remembered the Hogwarts house elves during the battle. He might have not warmed up to the idea of S.P.E.W. but was aware of all of the other mistreated and underprivileged beings around him. That's compassion.

Hermione might have commented that Ron had "the emotional range of a teaspoon," but that's clearly not true. When he was angry with Harry, Harry knew through Ron's body language, not a curt conversation. When Ron was excited about something, such as the Chudley Cannons or his new Cleansweep broomstick, everyone knew he [was] excited. When he wanted to get back at Hermione for kissing Krum, he did it with gusto. Ron's emotional transparency was most noticeable when he was burdened with wearing the horcrux locket. His feelings were so easily manipulated by the locket because they were so close to the surface. Ron was affected by the horcrux just like any of us would be, which just shows us how relatable his character is.

Ron was constantly under pressure to keep up with the academic and/or athletic legacy of his brother. Almost everything he possessed was a hand-me-down. His insecurities are also apparent during the times when he argued with Harry about being seen as the sidekick or as a lesser man. But, if ever put in the same position, we can't say that we'd feel any different from Ron.

Throughout the course of the books, as well as in his life before the books begin, Ron dealt with a lot. While he certainly was loved, he was clearly not the one of the favorites in his family. He was Harry's best friend, which meant that no matter what he did, the spotlight was always on Harry. Harry yelled at him all the time during his super moody phases but Ron just took it in stride. He was just a boy whose two best friends happened to be the brightest witch of her age and The Boy Who Lived. In my opinion, Ron Weasley was one of the most underestimated and under-appreciated characters in the series. His mouth got the best of him sometimes and he used anger to hide his insecurities. He was average, incredibly humble and had just as many flaws as the rest of us but those flaws accentuated his personality and made him feel real. The fact that he wasn't famous or outrageously intelligent is what makes him special. He's just a normal person that all of us can relate to and love.