Highlights
- Lavender Brown's character in the Harry Potter series was often overlooked until she became Ron Weasley's girlfriend in the sixth installment, causing jealousy for Hermione.
- Lavender's fate during the Battle of Hogwarts is unknown, as there is speculation among fans about whether she survived the devastating battle.
- Lavender Brown was portrayed by three different actors in the movies, but her character was more developed in the books, where she was known for being a gossip and a member of Dumbledore's Army.
As a fellow Gryffindor, Lavender Brown often shared scenes with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. However, her character was often pushed to the side, until Harry Potter’s sixth installment. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Lavender Brown’s character was suddenly shoved under the spotlight when she became the girlfriend of Ron Weasley. The pair’s short-lived romance was the cause of jealousy for Hermione Granger, and ultimately made her realize that she had feelings for Ron. However, once Ron and Lavender’s whirlwind romance came to a close, Lavender’s character is rarely mentioned again.
As Harry Potter fans may be aware, Lavender was present at the infamous Battle of Hogwarts, which occurred during the Golden Trio’s final year at the Wizarding School. Whilst the Battle of Hogwarts ultimately culminated in Harry’s defeat of the Dark Lord, it was responsible for the deaths of many significant Harry Potter characters, such as Remus Lupin and Fred Weasley. Sadly, many Hogwarts students lost their lives in the battle including Colin Creevey, a Gryffindor student who was in the year below the Golden Trio. However, Lavender’s fate is widely unknown. Because of this, fans are still speculating whether Lavender managed to survive this devastating battle.
Who Is Lavender Brown?
Throughout the movies, Lavender Brown’s character was played by three different actors, Kathleen Cauley, Jennifer Smith, and Jessie Cave. Due to these frequent re-castings, Lavender was largely rendered as a background character and audiences were unable to get to know her. In contrast to the movies, Lavender was first introduced in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’s book. Because of this, readers had more of a chance to get to know Lavender as her name crops up throughout the entire series.
Who Has Played Lavender Brown? | Which Films Did They Appear In? |
|---|---|
Kathleen Cauley | Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets |
Jennifer Smith | Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban |
Jessie Cave | Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 |
Lavender Brown was from a family of Pure-Bloods and attended Hogwarts the same year as the Golden Trio. Upon arriving at Hogwarts, she was sorted into Gryffindor – a House renowned for its courage and loyalty. Lavender’s bravery was showcased during her fifth year at Hogwarts when she joined Dumbledore’s Army – a rebellious group which was founded by Harry Potter. Dumbledore’s Army directly opposed the Ministry of Magic and challenged Dolores Umbridge’s authority, meaning that it was incredibly risky to participate in the group.
Throughout her time at Hogwarts, Lavender was a popular student and had a close group of friends. She was particularly close with Parvati Patil, a fellow Gryffindor who attended the Yule Ball as Harry Potter’s date. Whilst the movies largely placed Lavender’s character on the sidelines, the books offer more information about her personality. Throughout the books, Lavender was rendered as a notorious gossip. Both her and Parvati were frequently caught whispering about their peers. In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Lavender spread the rumor that Harry was lying about Voldemort’s return. This led to Hermione standing up to Lavender on behalf of Harry, revealing that: “I had to tell her to keep her big fat mouth shut about you, actually”.
As previously mentioned, Lavender Brown is most remembered for her presence in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. In Harry Potter’s sixth installment, she became the girlfriend of Ron Weasley – something which greatly shocked both Harry and Hermione. The pair first got together following Gryffindor’s victory against Slytherin at the Quidditch match. The book describes the pair’s unexpected encounter:
There, in full view of the whole room, stood Ron, wrapped so closely around Lavender Brown it was hard to tell whose hands were whose.
After seeing the pair together, Hermione is visibly upset. She is furious at Ron and is struggling to comprehend her unexpected feelings for him. However, luckily for Hermione, the pair’s romance is short-lived. Ron is soon struck by the realization that Lavender is incredibly clingy and hilariously over-the-top in her affections. Lavender soon started referring to Ron by the cringe-inducing pet-name ‘Won-Won’ – something which was a great source of amusement for Ron’s peers. At Christmas, Lavender gifted Ron a golden necklace which was inscribed with the words: ‘My sweetheart’.
It soon becomes apparent that Ron does not return Lavender’s romantic affections and is struggling to find a way out of the pair’s one-sided relationship. Ultimately, Lavender became increasingly jealous of Ron’s friendship with Hermione and the pair’s relationship finally came to a close – much to Ron’s relief.
Although Lavender was a prominent character throughout Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, she is rarely mentioned again. Because of this, fans have been left wondering what happened to Lavender Brown, especially after the Battle of Hogwarts. However, a brief scene in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is indicative of the character’s tragic fate.
Does Lavender Brown Die?
Amid the Battle of Hogwarts, the movie contains a glimpse of Lavender’s lifeless body on the floor. Lavender’s eyes are open, but they are glossed over, and the character’s body is motionless. Because of this, the movie indicates that she was tragically killed during the brutal battle.
Following Harry’s defeat of Voldemort, he walks into the Great Hall to see the battle’s many casualties, including Fred Weasley. The camera then pans to Parvati Patil and Professor Trelawney covering one of the battle’s casualties, which is presumed to be the body of Lavender Brown. As previously mentioned, Lavender was close friends with Parvati throughout her time at Hogwarts. During Lavender’s third year, she also formed an unlikely friendship with Professor Trelawney due to the pair’s shared interest in Divination. Because of this, it’s likely that Lavender Brown died during the Battle of Hogwarts. However, there is still a great amount of uncertainty surrounding Lavender’s death.
How Did Lavender Brown Die?
Whilst the movies often differ from the books, Deathly Hallows: Part 2 presents a consistent interpretation of Lavender Brown’s death. In the movie, the Golden Trio are desperately fighting off Death Eaters when they glimpse Fenrir Greyback, the vicious werewolf, hunched over a body. In a dark detail, it appears as though the werewolf is feasting on the body. Hermione then quickly casts a forceful spell, which sends Fenrir flying from the body. However, the Golden Trio are struck with the realization that the body belongs to Lavender Brown. The camera then pans on Lavender’s lifeless body, suggesting that she tragically lost her life amid the battle’s devastation. Deathly Hallows’ book also details Lavender’s tragic death in the following passage:
Two bodies fell from the balcony overhead as they reached the ground, and a grey blur that Harry took for an animal sped four-legged across the hall to sink its teeth into one of the fallen. ‘NO!’, shrieked Hermione, and with a deafening blast from her wand, Fenrir Greyback was thrown backward from the feebly stirring body of Lavender Brown.
While the movie provides a definite interpretation of Lavender’s death, interestingly, Deathly Hallows’ book does not explicitly state whether Lavender died following Fenrir’s brutal attack. Her body is described as “feebly stirring” – a stark contrast to the movie’s depiction of Lavender’s motionless body. Because of this, Lavender’s death has been left open to interpretation. Significantly, Lavender’s profile on Wizarding World does not mention her death, making it a possibility that she recovered from her injuries.
However, following Fenrir Greyback’s attack, Lavender is never mentioned again. She does not appear in Deathly Hallows’ epilogue and is not mentioned throughout the Cursed Child – although this could be due to her position as a background character. Because Lavender is never mentioned again, it’s likely to assume that she tragically died during the Battle of Hogwarts, heightening the battle’s lingering tragedy.
Harry Potter
When Harry Potter learns that he is a wizard, he enters a world beyond belief. Aside from continuing his studies at Hogwarts with best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, Harry must also face Voldemort and his dark wizarding forces. The Harry Potter franchise is a worldwide phenomenon, spanning seven books, eight movies, three spinoff movies, a stage play, and numerous video games.
- Created by
- J.K. Rowling
- First Film
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
- Latest Film
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two
- Where to watch
- HBO Max