Well, this thread is all about the fact that on might have been killed.

Like a lot of people, I would have prefered it if Ron died in the second task.

I personally thought that it was an enchantment that was set until Ron was able to breath air again. And so, if Crouch had enough skill, or possibly just a time turner, or Wormtail even, and they cause a small bubble of air to encompass Ron's head, he would wake up a couple of miles underwater, with a tiny amount of air.

It could be done to all the champions, so that Dumbledore would be blamed, and Harry is the only one who knows what happened because he got there so quickly.

Mind, we never see the benefits of being a quarter Veela aside from the allure, so Gabrielle might survive. But, that way, you have a Harry with nothing less than absolute loathing directed towards Voldemort, and more willing to try and kill Voldemort by bettering himself, learning more dangerous spells as well. After all, his crush and two best (and first) friends would have just been killed.

 

Crouch Jr. had no reason to do anything like that. He was in Hogwarts for one reason and one reason only: To get Harry to the graveyard. Killing Ron wouldn't have helped with that at all.

 

While I do agree with you, it's possible to make it believable. Say that Crouch wanted Voldemort's favor, so he thought framing Dumbledore for negligence resulting in the death of four minors to strip him of a lot of his reputation and power before Voldemort's return would be a good idea. Crouch wasn't trying to kill Ron because he was Harry's friend or something, he was just a means to an end.

 

And thus jeopardizing his actual mission? Crouch is one of Voldemort's most loyal and dependable followers, he wouldn't do something like that. If he wanted to discredit Dumbledore, he'd do it after the tournament.

 

I am in that it's the pairing I prefer, although I don't have major issues with any others.

Really, I think it would depend on the circumstances of Ron's death that would determine Ginny's feelings on the matter. If he'd thrown himself in front of Harry, that might cause an issues. Blame is probably too strong a word, but there would definitely be *something* that would hold them back.

 

Do we really know that much of Crouch's character that you can say for sure that would be OOC for him? I might not be so sure, but I can see where you're coming from.

I was thinking about it, and the idea of Ron and/or Hermione dying, causing Harry to he a lot more serious about Voldemort is very similar to Forging the Sword. That said, I definitely wouldn't be opposed to a story similar to it, but more frequently updated.

As long as it isn't Harry/Hermione...

 

There is never anything wrong with Harry/Hermione itself. It's any story that takes something that belongs as a subplot (romance) and places it up front and in your face. This is why there are stories with a slash pairing in them that are approved by most people (on DLP) who aren't thirteen.

If the story is engaging, the plot interesting and it's a fun read, the romance will be a minor irritant at best for most people I imagine.

 

I think that even having romance as minor would still grate on a lot of peoples nerves. I for one, wouldn't be happy with a H/G paring even if it were in the background because I have been so annoyed by their interactions in a lot of H/G fics that I have a bias against the pairing.

Granted, I would still read the story. However it would be more than a minor irritant to me and I likely would not get as much out of the story as if it had been a pairing I liked, or even no pairing at all.

 

A well done romance subplot can raise a good fic up to greatness, it's just that romance is one of the harder aspects of a story to do well.

 

Mainly depends if they can write a good romance though, or if they're shitty *cough*Rowling*cough*.

 

The Phoenix and the Serpent is a fucking brilliant story that has the pairing, try it.

As to the topic, I like Ron too much, perhaps because I realize how bad bashing was/is. I think while the idea is interesting, it's unlikely anyone's going to top Dwitty's fic for it.

Oh and the quote in your sig, is from Portal 2, it's a game, made by Valve, with portals.

 

Yeah, have to agree there. The problem is that, more than most of the genres of literature (and especially fanfiction), romance draws in a lot of writers who are terrible at writing within that genre.

 

Nah. I don't think it would be the same, you know? I like Ron. But it wouldn't have done the character justice if he died about... say, at the end of OOTP. I think a litle something like Ron dying near the end of DH would be much more effective, although I feel that Fred's death made the whole 'anybody can die' pretty clear.

 

Putting aside the romances, imo Ron wasn't that interesting of a character. Someone to be keyboard catted out after the first year with the explanation that teen dynamics are rather fluid and he had new friends. Yes, he was a typical boy and I guess commercially that played well to the audience but... he actually doesn't do much useful, ever. Comic relief to the serioud Queen Slug? Idk.

I think the trio could have been better with Luna or somebody, and she could have continued the role of antagonizing Hermione (or truthfully, each other), in completely different ways, but just the same.

It would have allowed Harry to grow a bit more as well, being something a bit more than just Ron and Dumbledore's follower. Gryffindor breeds courage, maybe, but not leadership.

 

Yeah, because Harry and Neville never developed any leadership skills. :-/

 

Leadership ability isn't something that's taken into account when Sorting. Just look at Wormtail; a lackey to the end and a Gryffindor to boot.

 

Yeah, they lead but they also follow at the same time.

A drummerboy also led troops into battle. They were also first to get killed while the general was safely tucked in a tent somewhere well away from the front lines coordinating the real movements.

(Well, in this case, the tent got hit by a fluke cannonball. But statistically, I'd still rather be in the tent than a drummerboy.)

Even when he is running around with his invisible cape he ends up doing exactly as his general wants him too. Guy is so predictable that Dumbledore can predict his every move a year+ after his death. Hermione is even worse but at least she has the excuse of a nice upbringing to believe in authority figures, Idk what posessed Harry to be such a stooge.

I don't especially care for Ron, but I can imagine him being the one person with the gall to tell his puppetmasters where to shove it if he ever smartened up. Hell, when he did flare up with a measure of independence, it's designed so that he's always painted as the bad guy somehow. Maybe HP is just the ultimate conformist tract afterall.

 

I'm with Portus on this. Harry shows in OotP that he can be a leader while being extremely ignored by Dumbledore, even if it ended up getting said Headmaster removed from Hogwarts... again. But, by Harry's actions even being folly he still tried to take the blame. And by Harry doing what he did we got to see a more sure of himself, Neville, who even with his father's wand, was still standing at the end of the battle in the DoM. Then, we go on to see Neville 'leading' the DA and helping his fellow students take refuge in the Room of Requirement. That's leadership even if they follow Dumbledore or in Neville's case Harry... I mean look at what Neville did when everyone thought Harry was dead. He made his choice to listen to Harry just like Harry chose to listen to Dumbledore's wishes and do the task he gave him.

OT: Ron dying in PoA would have been interesting if he had been killed by Pettigrew somehow. I'm not really sure if Hermione and Harry's friendship would've lasted past that if unable to save Ron with the Time-Turner. Because you have to remember that would've been the one year where they Might have had the chance to prevent his death.

I really can't see any other way of Ron dying in GoF, then some of the ones already mentioned though I do agree that the shock of having Cedric still die then get back to Hogwarts and have Crouch Jr., kill Ron would have thrown some for a loop. And would have been the way for Jo to say "the gloves are off now." It also would have been the way for a more gritty darker Harry to come about who would have killed Death Eaters at the DoM instead of disarming and stunning which didn't really help it just bought them time. Then we would have seen massively disappointed Dumbledore... as Harry raved in his office. Though Nagini somehow killing Ron over the course of fifth year and Umbridge being at fault for not believing Harry as he has a vision of the event is a good concept as well. I also see HBP as too easy but it would have an interesting twist to see where the story would go if Ron's death was Draco's fault. Then there's DH, of course, having Ron die instead of Fred and losing one of the Trio would have been more realistic, I think. I mean after all that the three come out no worse for the ware... Bah! FUBAR!!!

 

Can you clarify this?

 

At risk of being flamed by someone I just agreed with. If Ron's death happened in PoA by Pettigrew, I don't see Hermione and Harry's friendship continuing nor do I see the two becoming closer in their shared grief and eventually a romance growing out of it. Although in retrospect, I suppose it could happen considering that by all her Time-Turner usage Hermione would be way closer to fifteen then her September birthday would suggest. And be even more mature and by so doing latch onto her remaining friend with a vice grip and never let go. I don't really know that's more a toss up on it going either way with me.