Hogwarts just wouldn’t be complete without a Weasley within its walls…
When it comes to the book and film character lineup for the original Harry Potter series, it would be easy to say, at a glance, that half of them all belong to the Weasley family. It’s probably fair to say that no family plays a greater role throughout all seven books and eight films than this quirky Irish ensemble. Of the bunch though, Ron Weasley himself stands out prominently, as the best friend of the boy who lived.
Setting aside his occasional tendencies to run out on his friends when the going gets tough, Ron Weasley’s bravery, compassion, and loyalty can also be found in the rest of his family. With players now preparing to step into the great hall and find the sorting hat placed over their head, now seems as good a time as any to explore what we know (so far) about Ron’s ancestor, Professor Matilda Weasley.
Who is Professor Matilda Weasley?
As is common with the other Weasleys, Matilda Weasley is believed to be of British and Irish descent. Her specific age is presently unknown, but she is represented in Hogwarts Legacy as being middle-aged. Once a Hogwarts student herself, she later returned to the castle to take up the post of Transfiguration professor. Her stern outward appearance belies her dry sense of humor.
The trailers and gameplay shown so far indicate that she occasionally enjoys catching students by surprise in her classes. Many students have found, to their chagrin, underestimating her is not a wise decision. Professor Weasley, in many respects, shares many strong similarities to her future counterpart, Professor Minerva McGonagall. This is reflected in both their occupation and temperament.
So, what’s the connection?
However, one question rises above most others at present: How is Matilda Weasley related to her future descendent, Ron Weasley? The developers over at Avalanche Software have not, as of present, publicly clarified the relation, but what little insight we can gain so far indicates that the connection is not (strictly) direct. Nothing so far in the dialogue nor exposition indicates any outside connection to a spouse or partner, and nor is she identified as being a mother or grandmother. Neither in cinematics nor gameplay do we see a wedding ring or similar non-verbal evidence to this effect. While this doesn’t strictly disprove anything, it currently seems plausible that the Weasley line does not extend through her, but rather through a sibling or other relative.
This would strongly imply that Professor Matilda Weasley is either a distant great-aunt or a similarly far-removed cousin. So if you were hoping to encounter Ron Weasley’s direct ancestor in Hogwarts Legacy, it looks like you may be out of luck.
