Character Summary: Neville Longbottom

[lj2d30 at gateway.net]

No: HPFGUIDX 11172

Poor, dear, sweet Neville!  I have always liked Neville, even if he 
doesn't get much air time.  He always seems just a couple of seconds 
behind everyone else.  And after GoF, I just wanted to put him in my 
pocket and take him home with me and tell him that everything will be 
all right.  

I think a lot of his "problems" stem from a lack of self-confidence, 
although he *did* ask Hermione to the Yule Ball.  That took a lot of 
guts, IMO. 
 
> QUESTIONS:
> 
> Why is he so forgetful?

 I think Neville is scared of magic, especially his own.  He knows 
what happened to his parents and how it happened--obviously his mum 
and dad were pretty powerful wizards.  See what happened to them? 
This could happen to me if I am good at magic.  He wants to be a good 
wizard, but that underlying fear of "what might be" keeps him from 
blossoming fully and manifests itself in forgetting things.  Just let 
me blend in and get by.  Maybe it'll be okay.  
> 
> Why is he so terrified of Snape? 

  Snape has a tendency to find his students' weak spots and pick at 
them time after time.  He twits Harry about being the *famous* Harry 
Potter endlessly, has on several occasions made personal comments 
about Hermione (the teeth episode in GoF, calls her a "know-it-all" 
in PoA (I think)) and Neville's self-confidence issues ("My Gran 
thought I was all-Muggle for ages.") regarding his magical abilities 
are fodder for Snape.  It seems to me that Snape is the only Prof at 
Hogwarts to degrade Neville constantly, which only makes his already 
insecure nature even more so.  I think he really, really tries in 
Snape's class, but since Snape makes him nervous and is not easily 
pleased, he gets more nervous and makes more mistakes.  I'd be 
terrified of Snape in Neville's shoes too.  I would love to see the 
worm turn and have Neville stand up to Snape, but I know this would 
only happen if Neville's confidence were stronger.
> 
> Why doesn't anyone seem to know about his parents?

  It's probably such a painful memory for those who knew/worked 
with/loved the Longbottoms that they don't talk about it, at least 
not (or especially) in front of the kids.  I have feeling that the 
Hogwarts generation only know the generalities of Voldemort's first 
reign and all the unspeakable acts done in his name aren't talked of.
> 
> Is he a second Peter Pettigrew? NO

  Will he betray Harry? NO
 
  Or will he be loyal? YES

  Will he make it through the series alive? Oh I hope so, but I worry 
about him.  He has "Victim" tatooed across his little round face.


Trina