Ginny Weasley

Ginny first appears in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, when Harry encounters the Weasley family at King's Cross station and they help him to reach Platform 9¾. After realizing Harry's identity, Ginny asks her mother if she can board the Hogwarts Express to see him.[5]

Ginny is a first-year student in Chamber of Secrets, where she develops a crush on Harry and is sorted into Gryffindor. During the climax of the story, it is revealed that she opened the Chamber of Secrets, and is attacking Muggle-born students while under the influence of Tom Riddle's old school diary. Lucius Malfoy had slipped the diary into Ginny's cauldron in Flourish and Blotts prior to the term.

Ginny has little involvement in Prisoner of Azkaban, though she is studying at Hogwarts throughout the book and grows closer to Hermione.

In Goblet of Fire, her role was larger as she attends the Quidditch World Cup with her father, brothers, Harry and Hermione. She attends the Yule Ball with Neville Longbottom and can be seen in background appearances.

In Order of the Phoenix, Ginny has "given up on Harry months ago",[6] and has a boyfriend, Michael Corner, whom she met at the Yule Ball. When Umbridge punishes Harry with a "lifetime" Quidditch ban, Ginny replaces him as Gryffindor Seeker. In the last part of the book, Ginny breaks up with Michael due to his sulking over Ravenclaw's defeat in the Quidditch Cup final, later replacing him with Dean Thomas. She joins Dumbledore's Army and is one of five members who accompany Harry in his attempt to rescue Sirius Black from the Department of Mysteries. Near the end of this book Ginny participates in the battle inside the Ministry of Magic, but is forced to withdraw from the action due to a broken left ankle.[7]

In Half-Blood Prince, after she casts a Bat-Bogey Hex on Zacharias Smith, Professor Slughorn respects her magical abilities enough to invite her to join his "Slug Club". Ginny becomes a permanent member of the Gryffindor Quidditch team as Chaser, and substitutes for Harry as Seeker when Severus Snape puts him in detention during the Quidditch Cup final. After witnessing Ginny kissing Dean in an empty corridor, Harry has an angry internal reaction. This reaction surprises him and upon reflection, he realizes his attraction to Ginny.[8] Since Ginny's older brother Ron vocally objects to Dean going out with his sister, Harry fears his reaction would be the same, if not worse, with him. Ginny's relationship with Dean ends altogether in April after an accidental nudge from Harry under the effects of Felix Felicis, which Ginny interprets as Dean unnecessarily trying to help her through the portrait hole.[9] Ginny and Harry share their first kiss after Gryffindor again won the Quidditch Cup defeating Ravenclaw, thus starting their relationship. This does not alter Harry's relationship with Ron as he had feared, and they get to enjoy their relationship for a peaceful few months. After Dumbledore's death, Harry ends their relationship as he fears his love for Ginny would place her in danger.

Propelled by the revelation that Harry, Ron, and Hermione are leaving to seek the remaining Horcruxes in Deathly Hallows, Ginny kisses Harry in her bedroom, and they realize they both still have intense feelings for each other. She returns to Hogwarts for her sixth year, where she works with Neville and Luna on reuniting Dumbledore's Army. As Ron is on the run with Harry and Hermione, Ginny is forced to go into hiding with her family. Though underage, she takes part in the Battle of Hogwarts despite her mother's and Harry's disapproval.[10] After Harry's supposed death, she, Hermione, and Luna take on Bellatrix Lestrange, who nearly strikes Ginny with a Killing Curse, infuriating Molly Weasley to the point of intervening and successfully duelling Bellatrix herself.[11]

In the epilogue, set 19 years after the events of Deathly Hallows, Harry and Ginny are together and have three children: James, Albus and Lily. Though the epilogue does not explicitly say Ginny and Harry are married, news articles and other sources treat it as fact.[12][13][14] Rowling elaborated on Ginny's future after the release of the book, saying that after leaving Hogwarts, she joined the Holyhead Harpies and, after spending a few years as a celebrated player, retired to become the senior Quidditch correspondent at the Daily Prophet, and to start a family with Harry.[15][16]

She has typical Weasley traits: flaming red hair (which she wears in a long mane) and a freckled complexion. She is of petite stature, commented on by several characters, and has bright brown eyes like her mother. When she blushes (which was often around Harry Potter in the early years of their friendship), she goes a shade of red that matches her hair.[18] When in a highly emotional state she is known to acquire a "hard, blazing look".[8]

Ginny is forceful, independent and often speaks her mind. She has an energetic, lively personality; having feelings for Harry, she became shy and withdrawn in his presence, during the first few years of their friendship. According to Harry, growing up with six older brothers toughened her.[19] Ginny is not afraid to stand up to anyone, friend or enemy alike. She stands up to Draco Malfoy on their first meeting in Flourish and Blotts when he insults Harry in Chamber of Secrets. She even stands up to Hermione, her close friend, in defence of Harry's use of the Sectumsempra curse. When describing Ginny, J.K. Rowling notes she is "tough, not in an unpleasant way, but gutsy", also describing her as "warm and compassionate".[20] Ginny was very popular during her time at Hogwarts, and drew attraction by numerous boys. Harry and Ron felt that Ginny was "too popular for her own good".[21][22]

Ginny is a talented witch. By age 14 she could conjure a corporeal Patronus Charm, in the form of a horse.[1] She is also a gifted flier and Quidditch player;[23] she scored "seventeen goals" in a Quidditch practice.[24] Ginny was adept at the Bat-Bogey Hex, which drew her to the attention of Horace Slughorn, and her subsequent invitation to the Slug Club.[25]