Harry Potter: JK Rowling Almost Gave Hermione An Ultimate Rival

With a varied range of characters starting off from the traditional stereotypes to unique additions to the Wizarding World, the Harry Potter series never failed to surprise us. Although there is a character who never moved past the conceptual phase and might have been a prominent asset to the series. Mafalda Weasley consisted of every quality to be a vital wildcard entry as a fearsome part of the Weasley family and also a mentor into the Slytherins perspective. In addition to all the other spices she would’ve got on board, she might have filled a role in the series that has never been filled before: Hermione‘s genuine rival.

Mafalda Weasley

Mafalda, daughter of the second cousin of Weasleys was established to be the exact opposite of the family. ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’ would’ve introduced her as a loud and nosy girl following the trio to the Quidditch World Cup. She is portrayed as one of the most disliked members, sorted into Slytherin during her first year. Her undesirable characteristics would have done almost nothing to improve Slytherin’s reputation. She would have proved to be a really good asset to Dumbledore’s army to earn secrets about the Slytherins and their parents, including members of the Death Eaters due to her gossipy nature. In fact, she could have been a spiritual successor to Sirius Black’s brother, Regulus Black, who ultimately deceived Voldemort and played a modest but crucial role in his defeat.

Despite the age gap between Hermione and Mafalda, being the ultimate rival would have been particularly appealing. Mafalda would emerge to be an exceptional student in her own right. Hermione would ultimately be bound to encounter her reputation as a “show-off,” which would have emphasized her own progress (and faults). Hermione was said to be pried between her desire to follow the rules and her mission to defeat Mafalda at her own game. It’s noteworthy because, while Hermione had rivals throughout the novel, none of them had the intensity that Harry and Ron experienced with Draco Malfoy. She could have joined Malfoy’s group, igniting the tension between the Gryffindors and the Slytherins even more. She may have provided a distinct human insight on the “evil” house at Hogwarts, something that none of the previous editions in the series managed to do.