- "These girls, they're going to kill me."
- — Ron Weasley on girls.[src]
Ronald Weasley's seventeenth birthday took place on 1 March, 1997. He received many gifts from friends and family including the traditional watch from his parents and a set of new Keeper's gloves from Harry. While he was opening his presents, he found a box of Chocolate Cauldrons not knowing that they had been discarded by Harry and spiked with Love Potion. Ron ate a few of the Chocolate Cauldrons and fell in "love" with Romilda Vane. After noticing Ron's odd behaviour, Harry Potter took him to Horace Slughorn's classroom. There, Slughorn gave Ron the antidote. Afterward, Slughorn felt that Ron needed a pick-me-up. He gave Ron a glass of Mead that he originally intended for Professor Dumbledore. Unknown to him, the mead had been poisoned by an Imperiused Madam Rosmerta. Ron fell, but luckily, as the Half-Blood Prince's book had fallen into Harry's possession, Harry was able to shove a bezoar down Ron's throat, saving his life. Fred and George pointed out that it was not one of Ron's better birthdays.