The HMS STFU - Post a comment
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September 28th, 2005
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| This is slightly off-topic, but it's a response to one of the most annoying things in the Harry Potter fandm - the presumption that Ron is stupid. Though his O.W.L. marks aren't given explicitly, there's definate textual evidence about it, which prove him to be Harry's academic equal - like the books were implying all this time. Admittedly, Ron got no Outstandings. Harry glanced down Ron's grades: there were no 'Outstandings' there... (Chapter 5, page 101, British edition) But we also know he "Only failed Divination and History of Magic" (Ibid). Hence, for each of Ron's seven OWLs (Astronomy, Care of Magical Creatures, Charms, Defense against the Dark Arts, Herbology, Potions, and Transfiguration), he must have gotten either an Acceptable or an Exceeds Expectations. Now, since Ron was cleared to do the same subjects as Harry. (Chapter 9, Page 167) (That is, Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, Transfiguration, and Potions - Pages 166-167). We know he *must* have had an Exceeds Expectation in Transfiguration: "I'm sorry, Neville, but an "Acceptable" really isn't good enough to continue to N.E.W.T. level." (Chapter 9, Page 165) And Potions: '...[Y]ou told me I had to get an "Outstanding" in my O.W.L., Professor.' 'And so you did when Professor Snape was teaching the subject. Professor Slughorn, however, is perfectly happy to accept N.E.W.T. students with "Exceeds Expectations" at O.W.L." (Chapter 9, page 167.) It's strongly implied that Exceeds Expectations is the minimum mark needed to go on to N.E.W.T., though some teachers want more. For instance: 'I see that you have an "Exceeds Expectations in Charms, however - why not try for a N.E.W.T. in Charms?'( Page 166) '[Y]ou qualify for Defence Against the Dark Arts with "Exceeds Expectations".' (page 165) So, that gives us an E for Ron in Charms, DADA, Herbology, Transfiguration, and Potions. Two of those undeniable, the others would require extreme twisting of canon to be anything but that. Let's now look at Ron's two remaining Owls: Astronomy and Care of Magical Creatures. We can presume Ron got an Acceptable in Astronomy like Harry, given that Umbridge's attack on Hagrid happened during their practical exams. OoTP, Chapter 31, Page 635-636) I can't really imagine anyone did very well in Astronomy that night. (We can only presume this would be taken into account if the student wanted to continue to N.E.W.T.) Care of Magical Creatures seems likely to be another Exceeds Expectations, given Ron says, when discussing it as a N.E.W.T. subject,'We were the ones who made the most effort in classes because we like Hagrid.' (Chapter 9, page 164), and given how often the three of them helped Hagrid with some creature during their school career. Which leaves only the two classes Ron failed: Divination and History of Magic. For these, we need to look at Order of the Phoenix. Since Harry passed out in the middle of his History of Magic exam (OotP Chapter 31 pg 642), we can probably presume that Ron did slightly better than him in History of magic - a Poor instead of Harry's Dreadful, perhaps. However, since he "told the examiner in detail about the ugly man with a wart on his nose in his crystal ball, only to look up and realise he had been describing his examiner's reflection." (OotP, Chapter 31, page 633), Ron probably did a little worse than Harry on Divination. In short, we can say with reasonable confidence that Ron's O.W.L grades were
Which is only very slightly (Harry got an O in DADA) worse than Harry's OWL results (See HBP Chapter 5, page 100, where they're given in full), and surely quite respectable. In Muggle Terms, Ron's a "B" student. Not, perhaps, as smart as Hermione, but anyone who's call him stupid is clearly... well, delusional. |
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