Harry Potter fans have a lot of critiques of the series, but one in particular keeps rearing its serpentine head: Ron Weasley’s approximation of Parseltongue in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. In the seventh book and the eighth movie, Ron is able to open the Chamber the Secrets by mimicking the sound of his friend and roommate Harry speaking to snakes. Opinions vary on whether this is a plot contrivance or a rare victory for Ron.
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In the Battle of Hogwarts, Harry and his friends find themselves in possession of Voldemort’s horcruxes with no means of destroying them. They know from experience that basilisk venom will do the trick, so Ron and Hermione head to the secret entrance to the Chamber of Secrets. This legendary section of the castle is only supposed to be accessible to the “heir of Slytherin,” and it needs to be opened with a password in the Parseltongue language. Ron talks it into opening, they explains modestly: “Harry talks in his sleep.”
This feat is huge for Ron, even prompting Hermione to finally kiss him for the first time. It also allows them to destroy another horcrux and further weaken Voldemort. However, fans have pointed out that it’s awfully convenient, and it doesn’t feel like it should be possible when you stop and think about it. Salazar Slytherin’s hidden chamber has gone undiscovered for a thousand years, after all.
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As you can see above, fans have also pointed out that this might just be above Ron’s pay grade, specifically. The young Weasley struggled to pronounce basic incantations in earlier movies, yet here he can mimic an unfamiliar non-human language well enough to persuade a magical doorway to open.
Commenters debated on when and how Ron picked up the ability to copy Parseltongue. Some thought he must have been repeating specifically what Harry said to open the Chamber of Secrets in book two, which would have been nearly five years earlier. Other argued he could have been using the same sounds Harry used to open a magically sealed locket earlier that very year. Of course, Ron himself seemed to imply that any old Parseltongue sound would do.
Consistent and rigorous magical worldbuilding isn’t exactly the strong suit of the Harry Potter franchise, as fans have pointed out in all kinds of other ways. The story is very character-driven, and in this moment, Ron needed a win while the team needed a venomous fang. Sadly, it’s probably that simple
All eight Harry Potter movies are streaming now on Max, along with all three Fantastic Beasts movies. The novels are available now in print, digital and audiobook formats.
