Few franchises have inspired more passionate fan theories thanHarry Potter, but one involving Ginny Weasley and her relationship with Harry Potter could completely change how you see the series. As one of the most beloved series of all time,Harry Potterhas inspired countless bizarre andoutrageous fan theoriesover the years. Whether it was speculation that Neville could be the true Chosen One or even thatDumbledore was actually a time-traveling Ron Weasley, while most of these have been debunked, a few continue to stir debate.
WhileJ.K. Rowling’s fantasy seriesfeatured several romances, such as Ron and Hermione’s slow-burn relationship, Harry’s eventual pairing with Ginny always felt a lot more abrupt. The magical nature of the Wizarding World also leaves room for plenty of unconventional possibilities, and some fans believe that mischief was managed when Ginny captured the heart of Harry inThe Half-Blood Prince. It might sound far-fetched at first, buta convincing fan theory proposes that Ginny actually used a love potion to win the heart of Harry Potter.
The Theory Suggests Ginny Used A Love Potion On Harry
Some Feel Harry’s Affection Came Out Of Nowhere
ThisHarry Pottertheory suggests that Ginny Weasley, the young sister of Ron, who always harbored a special place for Harry in her heart, tricked him into falling in love with her duringHarry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. It’s understandable that fans felt this new romance appeared quite abruptly in the series, as prior to this installment, Harry’s affections lay with the Ravenclaw witch Cho Chang. WhileHarry and Cho never worked outdue to their awkward miscommunication following the death of Cedric Diggory, the fast-paced way his thoughts moved toward Ginny felt like they came out of nowhere.
This Ginny Love Potion theory can be traced back to aReddit postfrom 2013.
Prior toThe Half-Blood Prince,Harry always treated Ginny more like a little sister in need of protectionthan a genuine romantic possibility. To go from this to Harry harboring jealous thoughts about Ginny’s relationship with Dean Thomas was so unearned that they were almost suspicious. Add to this the fact that Ginny had an obsessive interest in Harry since as far back asThe Sorcerer’s Stone, and the idea that a love potion may have been involved starts to feel increasingly plausible.
Ginny Specifically Asks Her Brothers About Love Potions In The Half-Blood Prince
Ginny Asks Fred And George About Potions In Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes Joke Shop
The fact thatHarry’s interest in Ginny felt like it came out of nowhereis not enough to confirm that there was dodgy magic involved in their relationship, as it’s normal for teenagers' emotions to run wild or change from one moment to the next. However, the most damning piece of evidence to support the Ginny love potion theory was that she blatantly asked her brothers about how they work inThe Half-Blood Prince. This brief but deliberate moment could have been the inception point where Ginny concocted her wild plan.
While it’s easy to dismiss Ginny’s question in Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes as idle curiosity, the timing of this inquiry and Harry’s later attraction toward her were suspiciously close. Even though it was the Gryffindor student Romilda Vane who tried and failed to slip Harry a love potion later in the story, it could be that Ginny had the same idea, and it worked so well that nobody ever found out the truth. Although if Ginny’s love potion actually worked, it would have had to have had much different properties than the one that Ron accidentally ended up ingesting.
Harry Doesn’t Act The Way Ron Does When He’s Dosed With A Love Potion
Ginny’s Love Potion Would Have Needed To Be Much Different Than The One We See
The entire ethos of thisHarry Potterfan theory relies on the idea that love potions can be subtly used to trick unsuspecting victims into long-lasting romantic relationships. However, the one time we see a love potion in action, the recipient was so obviously under a magical spell that it would be impossible to remain undetected. WhenRon ate Romilda Vane’s spiked chocolates, he not only quickly developed romantic feelings, but he also became obsessive, dreamy, and downright irrational.
Ron’s reaction to the love potion was far from normal, and he became so enamored with Romilda Vane, a girl he didn’t even know.
Ron’s reaction to the love potion was far from normal, and he became so enamored with Romilda Vane, a girl he didn’t even know, that he could no longer focus on anything else. The truth was that if Harry was actually under the spell of a love potion fromThe Half-Blood Princeonwards, he wouldn’t have had the motivation to get out of bed in the mornings, let alone search for the Horcruxes and defeat Voldemort.
For the Ginny Weasley love potion theory to withstand any kind of scrutiny whatsoever, the potion she used would have needed to be entirely different from the one that Ron accidentally ate. It would need to be strong enough to influence Harry’s feelings without turning him into an obsessive, irrational, and enchanted mess.The love potion would also need to be long-lasting and totally undetectable, which is a level of magical abilities that far surpasses the alchemy talents of an inexperienced Hogwarts student.
The Theory Is Way Too Dark To Actually Be True
Its Implications Are Incredibly Sinister
While the Ginny love potion theory is an interesting proposition, when seriously considered, it’s just far too dark to actually be true. Had Ginny genuinely used a love potion on Harry to win his affections, that would mean the entire foundations of their relationship, marriage, and future family would be based on a lie. As a character,Ginny has consistently been portrayed as a person of strong moral standing, and to do this to Harry would strip him of his agency and essentially violate his free will.
To willingly put someone under a spell and then trick them into a relationship breaks through all sorts of boundaries relating to consent and cannot be understood as anything but sexual assault. While there’s merit to the criticism that Harry and Ginny’s relationship felt rushed, to turn her into a manipulative figure who has stolen Harry’s life out from under him would make her a villain equal to that of Voldemort.
The truth is that the pair’s relationship was genuinely meaningful, and Harry’s feelings for Ginny came from noticing how she had transformed from a shy, starstruck young girl into a strong and confident woman who could stand up for herself. Ginny faced her own demons through theHarry Potterfranchise and had even been possessed by Voldemort inThe Chamber of Secrets. With a shared bond and understanding of one another’s trauma that developed over many years, Harry and Ginny’s love may have been magical, but a love potion had nothing to do with it.
