Things You Probably Didn't Know About The Weasley Family
Harry Potter discussions can never be complete without indulging in facts about the Weasleys. After all, this was the only family Harry was truly a part of, eventually being part of it in the literal sense after he married Ginny Weasley. There are plenty of things to know about the family that weren't mentioned in the books, and plenty of game-changers that might make you look at the family in a different way.
Here are the facts about the Weasley family that have that perfect magical twist.
- Photo: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 / Warner Bros.
Molly's extreme protectiveness of her children has been criticized by some but this was actually the result of Molly losing both her brothers. Their names were Fabian and Gideon Prewett and they were both members of the Order of the Phoenix when they were slain by Death Eaters. While the Weasleys weren't members of the Order the first time around, Molly joining the faction in its next incarnation was actually her following in her brothers' footsteps.
- Photo: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets / Warner Bros.
The Weasleys are known for being sorted into Gryffindor House and stay away from pureblood fanatic families. However, Arthur Weasley's own mother was not only a member of the Black family but was also a former Slytherin. His parents were Septimus Weasley and Cedrella Black, the latter of whom was disowned by the Black family for marrying into a blood-traitor family like the Weasleys.
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The Weasleys Were Against Being Named In The Sacred Twenty-Eight
Photo: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1 / Warner Bros.In order to keep the perception of blood supremacy intact, one of the fanatics in the wizarding world published the Sacred Twenty-Eight, which were the names of the families that remained fully pureblood. The Weasleys were a part of this group but were noted to have gone on record to be against their inclusion as they didn't want to be amongst the families known for their prejudicial ways.
- Photo: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince / Warner Bros.Pictures
Although not much of a big deal was made out of Ginny by Molly as much as she fretted over Bill or Percy, Ginny was actually very significant for the Weasleys. That's because she was the first girl to be born in the family for at least seven generations. The family had only had male children all this time, making Ginny the first to break this streak.
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Arthur Has Two Brothers
Photo: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets / Warner Bros.It appeared as if the Weasley family comprised only of the ones shown in the series but the reality is that Arthur actually had two brothers. At least one of them, or perhaps both, had children of their own as the cousins seen at Bill's wedding were the children of these two brothers.
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The Burrow Was Originally A Pigpen
Photo: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets / Warner Bros.The Weasleys lived in a house known as the Burrow, which was originally a pigpen and part of an old Tudor building. While the building didn't stand, the pigpen is where Arthur and Molly settled. The house was never actually constructed and had add-on bits that Arthur magically held up as the family grew larger.
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Molly Homeschooled All Her Children
Photo: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets / Warner Bros.Mrs. Weasley had her hands full all the way from Bill's birth to Ginny being sent off to Hogwarts as she was responsible for teaching the children everything they knew until they were sent to school. Molly was the one who taught the children studies such as arithmetic, grammar, and all the basic schooling.
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Fred And George Created Pygmy Puffs
Photo: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince / Warner Bros.Puffskeins were existing magical creatures but Fred and George created a new variation called Pygmy Puffs. While these were shown in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, it's interesting to note that these creatures were the creation of the Weasley brothers.
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Ron Left His Job As An Auror For Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes
Photo: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 / Warner Bros.After the Battle of Hogwarts, Ron had joined Harry and Neville as the youngest inductees into the Auror department at the Ministry of Magic. However, Ron didn't stay there long as he left his job to become a partner with George at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.
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Ginny Became A Quidditch Player
Photo: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince / Warner Bros.Charlie, Fred, George, Ron, and Ginny were all part of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. While none of the brothers had any interest in pursuing the sport as a career, Ginny did follow through with it. Ginny ended up becoming the captain of the Holyhead Harpies and was a leading professional athlete until she decided to retire to become the sports editor for the Daily Prophet.
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Every Family Member's Name Alludes To Medieval Times
Photo: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets / Warner Bros.Interestingly, the names of each Weasley family member apart from Molly, who was a Weasley by marriage, can be linked to medieval history.
Arthur shares his name with King Arthur; Bill with the knight William Marshal; Charlie with Charlemagne; Fred to the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa; George with St. George; Percy as Percival, one of the knights of King Arthur's roundtable; Ron as a cognate of Reginald; and Ginny as the Italian form of Guinevere.
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There Are Three 'Mollys' In The Weasley Family
Photo: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone / Warner Bros.It's common knowledge that Mrs. Weasley's name is Molly, but she's not the only member of the family with the name. In fact, Ginny's full name is Ginevra Molly Weasley, while a third-generation child of the name arrived when Percy named his daughter Molly Weasley after his mother.
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JK Rowling Deliberately Named The Family After The Weasel Animal
Photo: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix / Warner Bros.No character brings up the peculiar name of the Weasleys in the series. JK Rowling, however, named the family after the weasel animal deliberately due to the stigma surrounding the animal and wanted to show how a name doesn't define anyone's character while also hoping the goodwill for the Weasleys would pass on to the weasels in the real world.
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There Are Nine Weasleys In The Next Generation
Photo: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 / Warner Bros.By the epilogue of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, it's known that the Weasley siblings have had children. There are in fact nine children who carry the name, with these being Bill's children Victoire, Louis, and Dominque; Percy's daughters Molly and Lucy; George's children Fred and Roxanne; and Ron's children Rose and Hugo.
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Charlie Weasley Never Married
Photo: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban / Warner Bros.Charlie was always distant compared to the other Weasleys as he lived abroad and didn't have any interaction with Harry. It turns out he was too dedicated to his career among dragons as he chose not to marry or have any children. This makes him the only Weasley sibling apart from the deceased Fred not to have any heirs of his own.
