JKR has contradicted herself as she says that Ron works as an auror, http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/19959323/ but she also says that he went to work with George as the Weasley's shop, http://www.veritaserum.com/media/2007/07/j...t07-30-07.shtml
UNLESS Ron goes to the shop part-time...

Yeah, I had noticed that too. Maybe JKR changed her mind in the last couple of days? Or perhaps his work with the shop is more background-ish?

maybe he worked at georges before he went into the ministry, or maybe like you said, she has changed her mind and decided she would like him working with george better! Personally I like him in both places....it would be a great tribute to fred to help his lifes dream (the jokeshop) but ron would also know a lot about dark wizards now...so im not really sure where i would like him to be!

I noticed the condradiction as well. I hope she settles it once and for all in the Encyclopedia.

I hoped that Ron ended up an auror with Harry. I see them as the ultimate team for the big cases!

I wanted Percy to be the one to take over for Fred in the joke shop. A way to redeem himself with the family and show he really is a Weasley again. Like Dumbledore I would think he would be a bit afraid of having too much power again after his experience in the Ministry.

heh I can't see Percy ever ever working in a joke shop. He'll be a public servant for life. I like the idea of Ron working with George better. It suits him. He could have worked at WWW first before moving onto the Ministry or vice versa.

Well one thing is for sure, we are gong to have to wait a couple of years before we know which one JKR decides to include in the encyclopedia and finalise.

I wonder would the joke shop be as funny as before without Fred. I mean George could easily go into a depression, and have less ability with the jokes and tricks.

Anyway is Kingsley the permanent minister? (by the way Umbridge got locked up in Azkaban)

JKR states that none of the trio went to work for the MoM right away. So Ron goes and helps George at the joke shop and then he latter decides to become an Auror, and along with Harry transforms the department. I do not see a contrdicition, 19 years have passed since the fall of LV. There is a lot of time there to do many things that she did not list.

If I'm not mistaken, the topic of Ron's occupation isn't the only contradiction that Rowling made. As I recall she said that - and I paraphrase because I don't remember her exact words - Luna and Neville might just get together. This after she had debunked N/L a few years ago. Now she is saying that Luna married later in life to some (random) guy that we had never heard about before. So which is it Jo? Hmmm?

There are times that it's best to just be quiet. If in fact she plans on writing an encyclopedia, where she explains what became of other characters, etc., then she should get busy writing it.

Its on this sites homepage - go to the link of the entire transcript of when JKR was answering q's.

JKR said in the Dateline interveiw that rons occupation was an aror. or however you spell it.

when i read that he worked with george i was really confused too because i thought he had become an auror... i dunno like ppl have said maybe she just changed her mind.
i could never really imagine ron as an auror that was always harrys thing
but hey we'll just have to wait for the encyclopedia to be certain

There also might be another contradiction. I noticed that in the Half-Blood Prince it was said that Voldemort used significant deaths to create his Horcruxes.



I know she was important in terms of giving up information, but he could have used other deaths that were more significant to his past.

Yeah I think that she mentioned that in the interview... i think that she said that he does become permanant (sp?) minister.

Maybe she did change her mind but couldn't she have said that she did instead of confusing us? Ron did say that being an auror would be cool... but then again he always admired the jokeshop... who knows what he really did then?

QUOTE

There also might be another contradiction. I noticed that in the Half-Blood Prince it was said that Voldemort used significant deaths to create his Horcruxes.

QUOTE

The diary - Moaning Myrtle. The cup - Hepzibah Smith, the previous owner. The locket - a Muggle tramp. Nagini - Bertha Jorkins (Voldemort could use a wand once he regained a rudimentary body, as long as the victim was subdued). The diadem - an Albanian peasant. The ring - Tom Riddle snr.

I know she was important in terms of giving up information, but he could have used other deaths that were more significant to his past

Hmm... I didn't notice that! You're right - a muggle tramp doesn't really seem like a significant death to me. Neither does some random Albanian peasant.

nEITHER rON OR hARRY HAVE THE QUALIFICATIONS to be an Auror. Both needed an O on their o.w.ls but didn't get it. They got an A..I remember Harry being disappointed about not getting to be an Auror!

I could see the rules being bent for Harry defeating of Voldy. But Ron (?)

I had forgotten about the strict qualifications for being an Auror. Seems like the only one of the Trio that could have gone on to be an Auror was Hermione. But, judging by the epilogue alone, she chose to be a housewife instead. (It isn't until Rowling says in an interview that Hermione becomes a lawyer.)

I agree that an exception would have been made for Harry, but certainly not for Ron. He's just not the brightest bulb of the three. Sorry if this sounds like Ron-bashing, but I base my opinion on the way Rowling wrote about Ron, and how I interpreted it all.

The only reason Harry needed an O in his OWLs was because of potions. He needed to do potions at NEWT level and Snape said that he would not take anyone on for NEWT who did not get an O in potions at OWL level. That is why he needed an O.

However, they did need NEWTs to be aurors. But maybe Kingsley, being the new Minister for Magic hired them based on their experience not on their qualifications. Who better to be an auror than someone who helped bring down Voldemort? Or perhaps they did their NEWTs after Voldemort was killed.

I think that Ron helped George at the shop for a few years after the war before becoming an Auror. Don't you have do years of Auror training too? My guess is that he worked at the shop while training to become an Auror.

i think ron did help george in continuing the joke shop, but he still can be an auror because handling a business doesn't mean that he was supposed to be there the whole time. ron can still manage the jokeshop with george while he continue to pursue his career as an auror.
like he can help george when he is not on duty.

I'm not Ron-bashing, but Ron just isn't smart enough to be an Auror. First of all, it's a canon fact that his OWLS were not high enough for him to be accepted into Auror training. And, second, I feel that Rowling just wants to keep Ron as Harry's side kick (not said in a derogatory way) - no matter what occupation Harry has. It's Rowling's nature. She just loves Ron and the whole Weasley clan.

I thought Ron and Harry's OWLs weren't good enough in potions but, because Slughorn came along it was all ok. Anyway I think both Harry and Ron have proved themselves to be good wizards that they'd only need a bit of auror training.

im-loveli-rli

i think ron worked at the joke shop while george was still greving over fred's death and then left to become an auror and harry and ron they would make exceptions for them they had very important roles in bringing down voldemort there celberties and ron is smart enough he just diddn't take school seriously and he was young and unwise now he has a large amount of first hand knowledge on the topic

I'm pretty sure that I heard/read J.K.R. say somewhere that Ron worked at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes for a while after Fred's death and eventually became an Auror with Harry.

Actually she said that Ron worked with George at the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes in one interview and then in another interview she said that he and Harry were Aurors. In neither interview did she say that Ron worked with George temporarily at the store.

To me, it is a clear contradiction. It's as if she forgot what she said in the earlier interview.

I think both Ron and Harry both became Aurors even though their O.W.Ls weren't up and fantastic. They both proved themselves as great wizards so the ministry would definitally want them to become aurors. Ok I'm just rambling.

Well, I guess we'll have to just wait to hear from J.K.R, but heres my idea.

Ron originally went with Harry to become an auror, but thought more about it and decided it wasn't for him, so he went to go work with George at the joke shop. I think the joke shop would be a better choice for him anyway. I mean he is a great wizard, but to be an auror don't you have to keep secrets and solve mysteries along with the fighting? And Ron seems to only excell in one of those areas.

Plus, he also probably wanted to help his brother. It must have been hard for George to get back on his feet.

A lot of people are saying Ron wouldn't have been a good Auror, but I disagree. I think he would have been a good one.

To me it seems that Ron was just outshined by Harry. Just because Harry was a great Auror doesnt mean that Ron was a terrible one. Plus, in all of these books Harry knows that more than half of the stuff he does he couldn't do without Ron (and Hermione). I think that both Harry and Ron would be great Aurors, especially if they were together.

Anyways, I stand by my point before

I think Ron helped out at the jokeshop for a few years before becoming an Auror. I doubt that Ron and Harry became Aurors right after the defeat of Voldemort, they probably spent atleast a year or two relaxing and getting there lives together.

I remember JKR saying Ron helped out at the joke shop, but I don't remember her saying he kept that as his career. But, my memory isn't to keen and I'm too lazy to go back and check. I honestly think he helped out at the joke shop for a while and then became an auror with Harry.

I don't think Harry had any problems becoming an Auror. In HBP he had enought OWLs because Snape wasn't the potions teacher anymore. He could have finished school after LV died to get his NEWTs. And maybe Ron was able to redeem himself from all the experience he got that year. Anyways, experience is alot better than education. I can definatly see Harry becoming an Head Auror, he could've got Ron in through connections or something.

what i believe to have happened is that immediately after voldemort was defeated the auror department and the way they work was completely changed! this was done because of harry, ron and hermione!i believe i think i remember reading somewhere that J.K. said that those 3 completely revolutionised how the MoM worked and how the auror department works.
they didn't neeccesarily need OWLs or NEWTs to become auror's especially after everything they've done during there time at hogwarts, including there last year.they did exceptionally well considering there age.
now just because ron was an auror doesn't mean to say he couldn't work at WWW aswell.
and who says ron's isn't clever enough to be an auror? when you're being compaired to the "boy who lived", "the chosen one", "the vanquisher of voldemort" AND basically the smartest witch of her age it's hard to look like an exceptional wizard! ron was much better than people give him credit for. he may not be wonderful with a wand and he may not be as quick with his mind but he always got there in the end! he always did the magic when he needed to!
maybe that's one way how the auror department was changed, not just basing the aurors on there magical ability, but there personality aswell!
sorry little bit off topic...
like i said i believe he was able to become an auror and still help george out in the shop! it's not hard to have two jobs when one is with you're family and another is with a load of close friends of the family that have had to stick together through a war!
kc

I think Ron became an Auror with Harry and helped out George. He'd be able to do that because now that Voldemorts gone, there isn't really a bad guy as powerful as Voldemort to track down. The job would have become much, much easier.

I think ron works with george when he's not working as a auror

Didn't Ron work at WWW before working as an Auror, and when he left WWW, Lee Jordan took over? I thought I had read it somewhere, but I don't know if it's true xP Anyway, it sounded good =)

...I still need to go after JRK with a shotgun for killing Fred, Dobby, Tonks and Lupin btw...

Ron had the same grades as Harry, except in DADA. So I wouldn't say he wasn't as capable as Harry. I think Ron would be a good Auror. Nowhere in the books to JKR make Ron out to be a bad fighter, he actually seemed like a good fighter. I think his main problem was being insecure about being in Harry's shadow and that made him not seem as able. He got in the way of himself.

During that Veritaserum chat with JKR she stated that Ron went to work with George in the Weasley's Wizard Wheezes shops. I can't find the link right now...but when I do I'll post it.

Yes she did. But, she also said Ron became an Auror, like Harry. So, either he has the one job and moonlights in the other, or Rowling forgot what she had said before about what Ron's occupation was.

I think she just changed her mind. Working with George suits Ron more than the Auror stuff. When you see how funny he always is, right from book one, and when you see how much he really hates the scary danger stuff, it makes sense that she might have changed her mind about it. I don't mean Ron hasn't been brave when he needs to be, but there is a contrast between Harry rushing in when things look desperate and Ron dealing with bad things as they fall in his path. Anyway, I think Ron woudjl be just the chap to keep George from falling into a depression. Probably the whole family were sending him ideas and keeping him cheery so he would have some focus to get on with his life without Fred. Conclusion: I think it would be terrible for anyone as funny as Ron not to work in a joke shop!

No, Ron was definitely an auror. Not a head auror, like Harry was, but still. It's been his dream since 4th year. He would not just become a co-owner of a joke shop, I think I expect a lot more from him.
I heard from somewhere that after the war, Ron worked with George in the shop for a few years or so until he figured out sort of what he wanted to do with his life.
Then he quit and became an auror
Ron--he helped defeat the Dark Lord...who's not going to let him become a dark wizard catcher? And the grades that were not high enough were potions in 6th year, and look at that--he and Harry got into the class anyway.

It wouldn't be so significant if it hadn't been his grandfather.

And I believe Ron is working in Weasley's Wizard Wheezes with George.

Yes, this is true. I believe that Ron worked at WWW until his early twenties, then went on to be an auror. JKR said this in an interview, I believe. So now we know!

~Luna♥Lover

he definately worked with george at the joke shop but then when he got older both he and harry got jobs as auror and harry eventually became head of the dept. even though they didn't get their N.E.W.T.'s i'm sure that if kingsly was the minister he would have been able to get them the jobs especially after all that they did to take out voldemort.

i agree with snapyourcrisps ( cutos for the awesome name btw) Ron would have made a good Aura(sp?) and wouldnt they have made exception for the people who killed Voldemort??
i think that Ron help George get back on his feet after the death of Fred. then he would have persued his dreams. i also think that once Ron became an Aura that Percy helped out the the shop.

I've also read 2 different interviews (only those) the first one saying Ron was an auror, the second he worked in George's shop.

I don't agree with he wasn't "the brightest bulb in the tree". It's not that way : it was just a matter of maturity. He only has been the least mature of the group.

Back to his carreer, well, I wonder if JKR changed her mind, giving Ron the opportunity not to Harry's kick-side. I think he could more easily work as an equal with George than with Harry (above all Harry being the head of the departement).

Another point in favour of the joke shop : he's a kind of opposite mirror of Hermione. It would be just to keep the same balance in the couple.

I think Ron would want to work in the joke shop first because obviously George would need the help. He'd be completely emotionally scarred, and it would be nice for him to have a brother there with him, and also I think Ron himself would need a few laughs after what he went through as well. They lost a hell of a lot of people, and I think they'd all be needing each other. Only after that, I think Ron would have gone to work for Harry in the auror department, and I think that would be around about the time George married Angelina.

Ron became very money hungry and worked two (assumed) highish paying jobs....He wanted to buy Hermione anything she wanted lol

I believe that she was trying to say that Ron worked at the joke shop while training to be an Auror, because doesn't it take 3 years? (Or maybe longer, i don't remember) but i don't think it was a contridiction.

Or maybe it was...

At first I saw Ron and Harry as both being Aurors, but now I'm confused... I'm not sure which one is more likely to be true. It's a fact that they don't qualify to be Aurors, and therefore that Ron could definitely not have been one, but I can see Harry passing a special test or getting a special permission or something to become an Auror, because he defeated Voldemort. I can't remember though, did Ron even want to be an Auror? Actually, he's not that fantastic in school, is he? So I can't see him getting that great of a job. I think he would have gone to work at Fred and George's store, and Harry would have become an Auror.

Maybe Ron did become an Auror but since there weren't too many bad wizards left after the big fight, he had a lot of down time. During his down time he decided help his brother since the partner in "crime" was no longer there to help. I think of all the Weasley boys Ron would have been the one to help with the shop. I think the change may have also been made so that George wouldn't seem so alone. We never really got to see what George's future would look like as far as family, wife and kids go. Maybe that was JK's way of letting us all know that George was ok with out his twin.

Actually, you can see George's family on JKR's site. There isn't a link for the site, but here is how you get to it:
Go to www.jkrowling.com
Click "enter site". A new window should come up.
Click on the eraser.
Click on the door handle.
Click on the Dark Mark. A family tree of the Weasleys, Luna, and Draco willl come up. Hope I helped!

Yes, I have always thought that Ron would be the one most likely to help George continue the joke shop, but it also semes likely that he would become an Auror. Even though Ron isn't always described as "smart", now that the final b atle is over, wouldn't Kingsley be more likely to select people with expeirence, even if they hadn't originaly qualified?

Couldnt Ron have worked at the joke shop right after LV died so it was like his first actual job after he left school, and then he applied to the ministry and just kind of worked with george if he needed help after that? Cause im pretty sure the ministry wouldnt have just instantly given ron a job, it wouldve taken the years of training that he had to do, and he wouldve had to go back to school for his NEWTS and stuff, just because he helped stop the greatest dark wizard of all time doesnt mean he gets exempt from the rules, harry probably wouldve had to go back to school too before he could become like head of w.e defense office he was head of

Ron could have started out as an auror with harry but in the 19 year gap they could have rounded up all the death eaters, which would result in not much for the auror office to do. So ron could have easily gone to work with george in the shop. I dont think percy would work in a shop like that but i can see ron working there.