I think Ron's chief contribution vis-a-vis Harry is his friendship and his access to the Weasleys. If not for those connections, the stories could not have proceeded as they do.

After all, Dumbledore was already headmaster at Hogwarts when Hagrid & Riddle were there.

No, he wasn't. He was Transfiguration teacher. The headmaster was Armando Dippet.

I'd go more general (or maybe this is just another way of saying what you just said). Ron is the only one of the three that has grown up in the wizarding world. Without him, Harry and Hermione are lost.

And yes, Harry has a certain special status as The One Who Survived, but Dumbledore, Hagrid, and so on can't be with him day-to-day to explain this, that, or the other.

Which raises another question -- how are the muggle-born introduced into the ways of wizarding? There doesn't seme to be any real orientation beyond a speech from Dumbledore at the first dinner.

Hermione read everything. And I think there was a class that students could take about history, etc. if they needed it.

No, he wasn't. He was Transfiguration teacher. The headmaster was Armando Dippet.

Hah. I missed that somehow.

Ron is the only one of the three that has grown up in the wizarding world. Without him, Harry and Hermione are lost.

Or, well, the reader is. I think Hermione's position as The Girl Who Reads Everything helps her operate as Infodump Central, but it's true that the reader still needs a social navigator.

And I agree that without access to the emotional support of the Weasley clan, Harry's position is just too depressing for words. And thus too grim for the reader, who needs occasional moments of gnome-tossing in the back garden.

I had forgotten how important Fred and George were (as well as the other family members), frankly--although I sort of wish JKR had made more of an effort to distinguish the two. At the moment, five books in, the only difference I have seen between the two of them is that George was the one who (with Harry) punched Draco--but only because Fred was being physically restrained at the time. That said, she does a solid job with the rest of the family: they're all unique characters.

I'm trying to distinguish between Fred and George myself but finding it difficult. Fred usually speaks first? I guess?

Ron is the only one of the three that has grown up in the wizarding world.

He's the only one who knew about Beedle the Bard

Hermione read everything.

except Beedle the Bard.

except Beedle the Bard.

Right, because that's a children's book, right? Yeah, she would have concentrated on histories and magical theory, not popular literature.

I did like the moment in Book 5 where she says "I cannot believe you guys STILL haven't read Hogwarts: A History, given how much Really Important Information I keep finding in it!" It's really amusing. But why should they, if they have Hermione available to provide the data for them?

I loved that Ron knew something Hermione didn't but I was a little dissapointed that Ron's knowledge of Beedle didn't help more in figuring out the Hallows.