Ron Weasley is probably the least loved and most underappreciated of the main characters from Harry Potter. While Harry is the protagonist and Hermione is ridiculously smart, Ron is a bit more average, so it’s hard to identify what makes him important. However, he does bring many skills to the table and offers and help to Harry and Hermione.
While Ron does have many strengths and is a good person, he isn’t a perfect person. He can be moody and resentful, and he’s also the least loyal to the trio . He definitely made mistakes over the course of the series that changed things either on a personal level or a broader one.
Letting his jealousy get in the way
Ron’s jealous nature is one of his biggest character flaws. He feels jealous of Harry, and he’s also jealous anytime Hermione is interested in any other boy.
He also feels jealous of his siblings and worries he’s not special enough. While these are understandable feelings, he often lashes out at others around him because of his jealousy in ways that hurt his relationships especially his relationship with Hermione.
Refusing to work hard at his spellwork
Ron isn’t as naturally great at school as Hermione, but the truth is that Hermione also studies a lot and works hard. Ron isn’t bad at school and magic by any means, but he definitely doesn’t try. He’s rather lazy, and he often expects others to help him, especially Hermione.
This lack of hard work and dedication leads him to get pretty average grades and to not know magic as well as he should.
Giving Albus Severus a love potion
While most of the entries on this list are from the original Harry Potter series, it’s worth noting that Ron makes some mistakes in adulthood, too.
While Harry Potter and the Cursed Child isn’t the best writing, and it’s often not considered by many fans, it’s an interesting look at how Ron might have been as an adult. He ends up giving Albus Severus a love potion, and given that love potions are rather creepy and remove consent, this seems like a very bad choice.
When he stole his dad’s Ford Anglia
When Ron and Harry are kept from getting onto the Hogwarts Express when the platform barrier is closed, they don’t make the best choice in what they do next. Instead of getting help from Ron’s parents, they choose to steal Arthur Weasley’s car and fly to Hogwarts instead.
This decision caused them to be spotted by multiple Muggles, and they also landed in the Whomping Willow. It also led to Arthur getting in big trouble with work, and Harry and Ron were lucky to not be expelled.
Ruining his relationship with Hermione over Lavender
Ron’s decisions when it comes to romantic relationships are some of his worst. While they are all teenagers who are going to be immature, Ron is the most immature and tactless. He’s selfish and jealous, and he wants to prove he can have a girlfriend.
So, he dates Lavender despite his feelings for Hermione, and he definitely hurts his relationship with Hermione because of this at least for a time.
Making Hermione cry during their first year
Another one of Ron’s big flaws is that he’s just kind of a jerk. He doesn’t really think before he speaks, and he often says judgemental remarks.
At first, Ron and Hermione don’t get along at all, but when he makes fun of her for having no friends, he takes things too far. Because of this, Hermione ends up alone in the bathroom with the troll, and this also puts Ron and Harry endangered when they go to help her.
When he stopped being friends with Hermione over Scabbers
While, for the most part, Harry and Hermione get along pretty well, Ron and Hermione have a lot of issues and often argue. Ron blames Hermione for everything that Crookshanks does, so, when he thinks Crookshanks has killed Scabbers, he takes things out on her.
This is one moment where Hermione and Ron’s friendship almost ends for good, but luckily, they do makeup. However, Ron’s immaturity here is just another instance of when he hurt his relationships.
Getting extremely drunk at his own wedding
This is another thing that happened in the Cursed Child, but it’s so messed up it had to be included here. Ron apparently got so drunk at his wedding to Hermione that he doesn’t even the wedding ten years later.
This might not seem like that big of a deal, but it does show that Ron is still immature even as an adult and that he continues to make choices that hurt his relationship with Hermione.
Being jealous of Harry during the Triwizard Tournament
When Harry is named a Hogwarts champion, he lets his jealousy get the better of him and stops being friends with Harry. Luckily, Harry still had Hermione’s , but this did cause a lot of stress for Harry During a dangerous time when he had a lot to worry about.
Leaving Hermione and Harry alone
Probably the worst mistake Ron ever makes is to leave Harry and Hermione and go back home when the Horcrux Hunt is too much for him. While the locket clearly had something to do with this, it’s not entirely to blame as it just worsened what Ron already felt.
Leaving Harry and Hermione like this took a huge toll on both of them, and it’s partially why they made the dangerous move of going to Godric’s Hollow.
