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Though it made its debut decades ago,Harry Potterstill ranks as one of J.K. Rowling’s best pieces to date, with its magical world never ceasing to leave fans – both old and new – amused and enchanted to the core. While the plots, for one, are drawn perfectly enough to have fans amazed at their mind-blowingness, what further resonates with the audiences are the characters.
That said, as it turns out, one beloved character from the saga in particular, seems to have taken shape after taking inspiration – in part – from one of the mastermind author’s only friends who believed in her when no one else did – just like he does with Potter in the books. This friend, as expected, is none other than Potter’s best friend Ron Weasley himself.
Ron Weasley was partly inspired by J.K. Rowling’s real-time friend
As lovable as the character of Ron Weasley has been drawn, he has had inspirations of his own stemming from authorJ.K. Rowling‘s life. For one, as she admitted herself, this second-youngest child of the Weasley family was partly inspired by a school friend of hers named Sean Harris. In fact, the author even dedicatedHarry Potter and the Chamber of Secretsto him.
Per the words Rowling herself used for Harris, he was her “getaway driver and foul-weather friend.” In fact, even one of the most iconic scenes of that particular installment of hers in the book series has taken shape from the real-time events that she went through with her friend: The part where Ron and Harry drive to Hogwarts after missing the train.
Fans must remember, in the second book, the troublesome duo ends up missing the train as the magical secret doorway on the wall closes on Kings Cross station right when they are about to go through it. Thus, in a flash of inspiration, they decide to follow the Hogwarts Express in Mr. Weasley’s flying Ford Anglia, crashing it into the Whomping Willow in Hogwarts.
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Turns out, Rowling’s friend owned a similar car that would often serve as the pair’s getaway vehicle. As she shared through her website (viaWales Online):
That turquoise and white car meant freedom and no more having to ask my father to give me lifts, which is the worst thing about living in the countryside when you are a teenager. Some of the happiest memories of my teenage years are zooming off into the darkness in Sean’s car.
That said, every time she faced a crisis through her early years and wanted to escape, her friend would come to her rescue in his distinctive car. This trait ostensibly stuck so close to Rowling that she even decided to weave it into the best friend of the main character of her masterpiece saga.
J.K. Rowling’s friend was the only one to believe in her – just like Ron and Harry
Just like how Ron stuck close to Harry through thick and thin and supported him through everything,J.K. Rowling’s real-timefriend didn’t leave her alone either. If anything, he was the one person who truly believed in her and was even very supportive of her writing, encouraging her to go on and chase her dreams while believing that she would become truly successful.
The writer continued to share on her website while sincerely heaping praises on her friend, writing about Sean Harris,
He was the first person with whom I really discussed my serious ambition to be a writer and he was the only person who thought I was bound to be a success at it.
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Needless to say, this serves as a reminder for all those fans out there who feel the character of Ron Weasleymust have been crafted from the mere fantasy world, from the depths of Rowling’s imagination. Rather, it was her own good friend who turned up like a true friend whenever she needed him who sincerely inspired the creation of the beloved Weasley.
Ron’s genuine heartfelt companionship with Harry can be witnessed in theHarry Potterfilm series, available to be streamed on Max.
Mahin Sultan
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2478
Mahin Sultan is a Senior Writer at FandomWire, where she brings a fresh perspective to entertainment news. Having been in the field for over 3 years now, she has already written more than 2,000 articles across a variety of niches, from entertainment to health and fashion. This diverse experience has allowed her to quickly build a solid foundation and a deep understanding of the industry.
