Lavender Brown

Lavender Brown was a Gryffindor student in Harry Potter's year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She is best known for her close friendship with fellow Gryffindor Parvati Patil, her brief but intense romantic relationship with Ron Weasley, and her unwavering belief in Divination. Despite a sometimes frivolous demeanor, Lavender was a loyal member of Dumbledore's Army and bravely fought in the Battle of Hogwarts, where she ultimately lost her life.

Lavender Brown began her education at Hogwarts in 1991 and was sorted into Gryffindor House. She quickly became best friends with Parvati Patil, and the two were often seen together throughout their school years. In their third year, Lavender developed a passion for Divination, taught by Professor Trelawney. She was one of Trelawney's most ardent believers, often taking her professor's dramatic predictions with utmost seriousness. A notable instance was when Professor Trelawney predicted that something Lavender was dreading would happen on October sixteenth; Lavender later received news that her pet rabbit, Binky, had been killed by a fox, confirming her belief in the subject. During her fourth year, Lavender attended the Yule Ball with Seamus Finnigan. In her fifth year, she was initially skeptical of Harry Potter's claims regarding the return of Lord Voldemort, siding with the Ministry of Magic's official narrative. However, she was eventually convinced of the truth and joined Dumbledore's Army to learn practical defensive magic from Harry. Lavender's role became most prominent in her sixth year. She developed a strong crush on Ron Weasley after he helped Gryffindor win a Quidditch match. They began a very public and demonstrative relationship, during which Lavender famously nicknamed him “Won-Won”. The relationship was characterized by constant displays of affection, which often made their peers uncomfortable, particularly Hermione Granger. Their romance ended abruptly after several months when Ron, seeking to avoid her after a fight, was seen leaving the boys' dormitory with Hermione, causing Lavender to end things for good.

Despite the dangers posed by Lord Voldemort's control over the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts, Lavender returned for her seventh year. She presumably joined the reformed Dumbledore's Army to resist the oppressive regime of the Carrows. Lavender answered the call to fight in the Battle of Hogwarts on 2 May, 1998. During the battle, she was seen falling from a balcony and was subsequently attacked by the werewolf Fenrir Greyback. Though Hermione Granger blasted Greyback away from her, Lavender's injuries were severe. The text describes her as “feebly stirring,” but it is understood that she succumbed to the attack.

The novels do not provide a detailed description of Lavender's physical appearance. Her personality is portrayed as being somewhat giggly, dramatic, and prone to gossip, especially when with her best friend, Parvati Patil. She had a superstitious nature and was highly credulous, particularly concerning Divination. Her relationship with Ron Weasley revealed a possessive and emotionally intense side of her character. However, beneath this exterior, Lavender possessed considerable courage and loyalty. Her decision to join Dumbledore's Army and later to fight in the Battle of Hogwarts demonstrates her bravery and commitment to her friends and her school.

• General Magical Proficiency: Lavender was a competent witch, having successfully passed a number of her O.W.L. examinations and mastered the various spells taught in Dumbledore's Army.
• Divination: This was Lavender's favorite subject. While she showed great enthusiasm, her actual skill was more a reflection of her faith in Professor Trelawney's predictions than any innate talent.
• Charms: As a member of the D.A., she learned to cast a variety of charms, including the Patronus Charm. The form of her Patronus is not specified in the novels.
• Defence Against the Dark Arts: Her participation in the Battle of Hogwarts suggests she was a capable duellist, putting the practical skills learned in the D.A. to use against Death Eaters.

• Wand: The specific details of Lavender's wand, such as its wood, core, and length, are unknown.
• Binky: Lavender owned a pet rabbit named Binky. She was devastated when he was killed by a fox in 1993, an event she believed was foretold by Professor Trelawney.

• Parvati Patil: Her best friend throughout their time at Hogwarts. The two were inseparable, sharing a love for Divination and gossip.
• Ron Weasley: Lavender's first serious boyfriend. Their relationship was a whirlwind romance that served as a major subplot in their sixth year. It was born from Ron's newfound popularity and jealousy, but their incompatibility ultimately led to a messy breakup.
• Hermione Granger: Lavender and Hermione had a strained relationship. Hermione was openly disdainful of Lavender's love for Divination, and the tension escalated dramatically when Lavender began dating Ron, for whom Hermione had unspoken feelings. Despite this rivalry, Hermione saved Lavender's life by attacking Fenrir Greyback during the Battle of Hogwarts.
• Seamus Finnigan: Lavender's date to the Yule Ball in their fourth year.

• Lavender: The name of a flowering plant with a strong, pleasant fragrance. In traditional floriography (the language of flowers), lavender can symbolize devotion, love, and purity, but also distrust, which could be seen as an allusion to the ups and downs of her relationship with Ron.
• Brown: A very common English surname, derived from the color. Its commonality may have been intended to portray her as a more “everyday” witch within the wizarding world.

• In the film adaptations, Lavender Brown was portrayed by Kathleen Cauley (film) and Jennifer Smith (film), both of whom are black actresses. For her significantly expanded role in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the part was recast and played by Jessie Cave, a white actress. This change sparked considerable debate among the fanbase.
• J.K. Rowling confirmed in an interview that Lavender did indeed die from the injuries inflicted by Fenrir Greyback during the Battle of Hogwarts.
• In the Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix video game, Lavender's Patronus takes the form of an otter. This is not mentioned in the original novels.