We really, really dislike this “Harry Potter” theory about Ginny Weasley
The Harry Potter series is beyond beloved in pop culture. So it’s no wonder that, in the years since the series officially concluded, there have been all kinds of wild (and sometimes totally plausible) Harry Potter fan theories – some of which have actually been shot down or confirmed by J.K. Rowling, who is ~all about~ expanding the Potterverse.
The fan theories range from the absolutely tragic – like this one about the entire events of the series being made up in Harry’s own head or this other legitimately distressing one about why Lupin and Sirius look so young when Harry sees their ghosts in the last book – to the heartwarming ones like the sorting hat theory. Then, there are the theories that are just plain ~bonkers~.
Bustle recently brought our attention to one of said “bonkers” theories – and it has to do with Ginny Weasley and her romantic relationship with Harry.
And to be completely frank, I hate this theory. Like, absolutely, completely despise that this is even a thing people think could be legit.
While we’re all aware that there is a not-insignificant faction of HP fans who strongly would have preferred Harry and Hermione getting together – which is fine! To each their own – some have taken it a step further.
As this one particular theory goes, Ginny slipped Harry a love potion at some point during the events of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, causing him to suddenly fall for her.
Excuse me while I go rage for a sec about this massive injustice to Ginny’s good name.
This theory gained traction when it was posted on a Potter subreddit back in 2013, but there were actually posts about it as far back as 2005 – only a few months after the sixth book was released and years before the film version – in other various online fan forums.
Clearly, the apparent “suddenness” of Ginny and Harry’s relationships did a real number on readers. Supporters of the theory also pointed out that the sixth book had a recurring potion theme – and, admittedly, love potions *do* show up all over Half-Blood Prince. Romilda Vane inadvertently love-potions Ron, Molly Weasley is overheard talking about a love potion of her youth to Hermione and Ginny, and Fred and George even stock it in their store.
Emma Lord over at Bustle does an amazing job of methodically debunking this theory, pointing out that Harry didn’t actually “suddenly” fall for Ginny, that Harry unknowingly may have actually used a potion himself to speed along the break up of Ginny and Dean, and that to use a love potion on Harry would go against the very nature of the badass, self-assured Ginny Weasley, who was far too busy being a successful and accomplished Hogwarts student to find time to slip her crush a magical mickey.
BUT just to add my own two cents in for good measure: It makes absolutely zero sense for J.K. Rowling to have used a love potion to get Ginny and Harry together, from a plot standpoint.
Case in point: Voldemort. Dumbledore tells Harry that Merope Gaunt, Voldemort’s pure-blood witch mother, used a love potion to ensnare the object of her obsessive love, muggle Tom Riddle Sr. When it wore off, Tom Sr. left – but at that point, Merope was already pregnant with Voldemort. In a chat years ago, Rowling herself said that Voldemort being conceived of a loveless, coerced union was significant to his character’s development and his darkness. Again, it makes literally no sense for Rowling to inflict the same thing – a loveless, coerced union – on Harry, her hero. Especially since, as we all know well by now, Harry and Ginny remain together for years after, have a few kids and were called soulmates by Rowling.
In conclusion, it would be entirely out of character for Ginny to use a love potion on Harry and Rowling herself would never have Harry’s soulmate use a love potion to ensnare him. Everybody can go home now.
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