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"And I’m right underneath the ghoul in the attic; he’s always banging on the pipes and groaning..."
— Ron Weasley regarding the Ghoul who lived in the attic above his bedroom[src]

This ghoul was male and lived in the attic at The Burrow. Considered to be more of a pet than a pest by the Weasleys, the ghoul was largely ignored and left to its own devices, although it did bang on the pipes and groan/howl when it felt the house was too quiet.[2]

Biography[]

1992[]

"The ghoul in the attic howled and dropped pipes whenever he felt things were getting too quiet..."
— The ghoul's activities at The Burrow[src]
Weasley Ghoul

The Weasley family ghoul

In the summer of 1992, Harry Potter came to stay at The Burrow for the first time with the Weasleys, and was informed of the resident ghoul by Ron, whose bedroom was located under the attic, although this did not bother Harry, who instantly loved their eccentric home.[2] During his stay, the ghoul would sometimes bang the pipes and groan and howl, whenever it felt the house was too quiet.[4] During his stay, Harry found some chains that belonged to the ghoul. He returned the chains to the ghoul, who repaid Harry by giving him a Chocolate Frog Card he had found.[3]

Harry also assisted Ronald Weasley in calming down the ghoul when it was incessantly tossing pipes everywhere, a task set for him by his mother. To accomplish this, Harry and Ron sneaked into the attic by way of an open window (both to avoid Ron's angry mother and in case the ghoul had locked the attic door) and caught a number of the pipes in an old chest. Eventually, the ghoul became frustrated and escaped into a nearby dresser.[3]

Later that year, Molly threatened to set the family ghoul on the Daily Prophet reporters who had come to ask about her husband's inquiry at work because of his Flying Ford Anglia.[5]

1997[]

Harry Potter: "That’s your ghoul, isn’t it?"
Ron Weasley: "Yeah, it is. Come and have a look at him."
Harry Potter: "But it ... it looks ... Do ghouls normally wear pyjamas?"
Ron Weasley: "No. Nor have they usually got red hair or that number of pustules."
— Harry and Ron discussing the transfigured ghoul[src]
The Ghoul in Pyjamas

The transfigured Weasley Ghoul sleeping

In 1997, Ron came up with a plan to use the ghoul in his plans to assist Harry and Hermione Granger and himself search for Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes. Since he would not be at school and did not want to endanger his family, he convinced his brothers, Fred and George, to help him transfigure the ghoul so it looked more human and dress it in pyjamas. He gave it boils so it looked like he had Spattergroit, a highly contagious disease. Arthur Weasley also helped, albeit without the knowledge of his wife.[1]

Ron's plan called for the ghoul to take up residence in his room while he was away. It was Ron's hope that this would convince any Ministry officials or Death Eaters that he was seriously ill, since no wizard would risk getting close.[1]

The plan worked, to a certain point. After being interrogated following the fall of the Ministry on 1 August, the Weasley file kept by Dolores Umbridge noted that Ron was seriously ill and confined to his bed.[6] He narrowly missed detection when he temporarily abandoned Harry and Hermione and was caught by Snatchers; he told them that he was Stan Shunpike and then managed to escape.[7] Another close call came when Ron, Harry, and Hermione were ambushed at the Lovegood House; Hermione threw Harry's Invisibility Cloak over Ron as they escaped so that Death Eaters Selwyn and Travers did not see him.[8] However, after Harry accidentally broke the Taboo on Voldemort's name in 1998, the Death Eaters learned that Ron was with Harry; the rest of the Weasleys were forced into hiding and prevented from going to their jobs.[9]

Appearances[]

Ghoul

The ghoul disguised as Ronald Weasley in LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7

Notes and references[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 6 (The Ghoul in Pyjamas)
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 3 (The Burrow)
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game) - PS1 version
  4. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 4 (At Flourish and Blotts)
  5. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 12 (The Polyjuice Potion)
  6. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 13 (The Muggle-Born Registration Commission)
  7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 19 (The Silver Doe)
  8. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 21 (The Tale of the Three Brothers)
  9. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 23 (Malfoy Manor)
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