While Hermione Granger is loyal, Ron Weasley is certainly Harry Potter’s closest ally throughout the course of the seven books and eight movies. The character first meets the Boy Who Lived on the train journey into Hogwarts but, soon enough, finds himself in the shadow of his famous friend. That leads to him often being seen as thicker and inferior, much to Ron’s annoyance.

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However, while Harry is the undisputed hero of the entire franchise, Ron still proves himself to be smarter than the Chosen One on numerous occasions. We’ll now take a look at 10, explaining our choices as we go along.

He Knew All About The Wizarding World

Molly, Arthur, Ron, and Ginny sitting together in Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix

Let’s start with the obvious. Harry, up until his 11th birthday, has no idea that he’s a wizard. The information is held back from him for many years by the Dursleys, who instead choose to treat him like a slave despite Albus Dumbledore imploring them to handle him fairly. As a result, when Harry starts Hogwarts, he finds himself playing catchup.

Ron, however, is at no disadvantage. Having had five brothers go off to the wizarding school before him, and having his father work at the Ministry of Magic, the youngest Weasley son already knows plenty about the wizarding world. This has Harry feeling anxious on his first train journey into Hogwarts, but, after scoffing his face with sweets, he feels calmer by the end.

He Thinks Magically

Devil's Snare

In the Sorcerer's Stone book and movie, Harry, Ron, and Hermione all go down the trapdoor to try and stop Severus Snape from taking the stone—although it's actually Quirinus Quirrell, who is working on behalf of Lord Voldemort. However, things are different in the blockbuster than they are the source material.

Ron is portrayed slightly idiotically when they fall into Devils Snare, screaming his head off while Hermione tries to think of something to save him from an untimely end. In the book, though, he actually keeps his head and instead tells Hermione to "use magic" when she ponders how to create light. This actually leads to her saving the day, and, without Ron, there's a chance the trio would have never got to Quirrell in time.

Wizard's Chess

Ron riding on the giant chess piece in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

If you've ever played chess, you know that there's little to no chance of dying as a result of injury. But, things are different in the wizarding world, with the pieces on the table literally clobbering each other and acting violently during the game.

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Therefore, it's understandable that Harry, Ron, and Hermione could have been scared out of their wits when they're forced to become chess pieces themselves during their battle to stop Snape (Quirrell) from taking Nicolas Flamel's stone. While the other two are pretty useless, Ron takes control and masterminds a sensational victory against all odds. This is enough for Harry to go forward for his showdown with Lord Voldemort and is also recognized by Albus Dumbledore at the end of the year, with the Hogwarts headmaster giving Ron 50 house points as a reward.

He Knew The Truth About Gilderoy Lockhart

Just about everybody is besotted with Gilderoy Lockhart during the events of the Chamber of Secrets. With his dashing good looks and appetite for danger, he certainly makes Molly Weasley feel all warm and fuzzy inside. However, Ron sees through him right from the very off, and, over the course of the year, regularly criticizes Lockhart for his failure to teach them anything.

"I haven't learned anything from him except not to set pixies loose," he says in the book. Hermione tries to swat away Ron's words, but, by the end of the school year, he's proven right. Lockhart attempts to wipe the memories of both Ron and Harry to stop them blabbing but the truth backfires and he's forced to spend the remainder of his days at St Mungo's hospital, signing mail from fans who still consider him to be something special.

He Knew Crookshanks Wasn't Normal

Crookshank, Hermione and Ron in Harry Potter.

Just before Harry's third year at Hogwarts, Hermione acquires Crookshanks the cat from Magical Menagerie after initially intending to buy an owl. The creature immediately annoys Ron by leaping on his head, and, through the school year, the youngest Weasley son grows increasingly suspicious of Hermione's new pet.

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"There's something funny about that animal!" he shouts after Crookshanks tries to maul Scabbers to death. Ironically, he's proven right by the end of the Prisoner of Azkaban book and movie. Crookshanks only went for Scabbers because the rat is secretly Death Eater Peter Pettigrew, who had faked his death and framed Sirius Black many years previously. Crookshanks strikes up a close bond with Sirius, despite the latter being transformed into a huge, shaggy dog.

He Was Academically Better At History Of Magic

Harry Potter movies cut Professor Binns

History of Magic wasn't Harry's favorite subject throughout his time at Hogwarts. Professor Binns was often so boring he'd sent his students to sleep, and didn't even notice. Harry's exam goes disastrously, with the Boy Who Lived fainting and only managing a D in his O.W.L exam, which is short for dreadful.

Ron performs better, though he still doesn't pass the subject. Still, both Harry and Ron earned seven O.W.LS each, and both were able to pursue careers as Aurors as a result. Neither comes close to Hermione, though, who manages a terrific eleven, with 10 being Outstandings.

He Told Harry To Use Felix Felicis

Harry Potter drinking Felix Felicis

In the Half-Blood Prince book, Harry finds it difficult to obtain an old memory from Potions Master Horace Slughorn. Albus Dumbledore sets him the task, but the Boy Who Lived struggles, with Slughorn flatly refusing to relay information on what he told Lord Voldemort about Horcruxes during the villain's time at Hogwarts.

With Harry struggling, Ron then steps forward and brilliantly suggests using Felix Felicis, the little gold potion also known as liquid luck. This does the trick, with Harry's attempt at securing the memory paying off. He succeeds by exploiting Slughorn when he's drunk, which, while we wouldn't normally endorse such behavior, proves to be just the ticket. Slughorn gives up the memory, and it's a vital one, allowing both Albus Dumbledore and Harry to plan Voldemort's downfall.

He Believed In Fairytales

Tales of Beedle the Bard Japanese cover

Just like us, children of the wizarding world were read fairytales growing up. However, while our popular titles include the likes of The Boy and the Wolves, The Golden Bracelet, and The Princess That Wore A Rabbit-Skin Dress, our magical counterparts instead had stories like The Tales of Beedle the Bard.

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Harry and Hermione are both clueless about the book and its contents, but Ron is different, having grown up being relayed the stories of siblings who pursued an Invisibility Cloak, the Elder Wand, and the Resurrection Stone. He also believes the stories, whereas many don't. It turns out that they're true, with Harry having all three prized items in his possession at one point before throwing the stone away and snapping the wand in two.

He Learns Parseltongue (Rather Than Inherits it)

Harry and Ron bored in divination

One of the first things we find out about Harry is that he’s capable of talking to snakes. He accidentally sets a Boa constrictor loose on his cousin Dudley Dursley in The Sorcerer’s Stone, and, in the Chamber of Secrets, everybody in Hogwarts finds out his secret.

Harry is able to communicate the slimy creatures because of Lord Voldemort. However, Ron actually learns the trait while eavesdropping on his friend’s mutterings during his sleep. Ron learns it so well that he’s able to get into the Chamber itself in the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, destroying Helga Hufflepuff’s old cup with Hermione Granger in the movie.

He Evacuates House Elves In Front Of Hermione

Ron and Hermione kiss in the Chamber of Secrets

Okay, so this last one is a little bit cheeky. In the Deathly Hallows book, Ron and Hermione don’t kiss for the first time in the Chamber of Secrets—as far as we know, at least. Instead, it takes place after Ron takes the considerate step of evacuating the House Elves from the Battle of Hogwarts.

Smart move, Ron. Very smart move. Ron knows that Hermione is obsessed with protecting the House Elves, and this sets her up to initiate the kiss. Harry, contrastingly, drags his feet through his relationship with Cho Chang, and, when he crushes hard on Ginny Weasley, only gets a first kiss because of Gryffindor’s Quidditch Cup triumph.

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