Neville and the sorting hat

[finwitch]

No: HPFGUIDX 43904

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Carol Bainbridge <kaityf at j...> wrote:
> Something struck me about the sorting hat's response to Neville.  
It's not 
> a big line, but I wonder about its meaning now:
> 
> "The hat took a long time to decide with Neville."
> 
> Every time I read that line, I just assumed that because Neville 
was such a 
> klutz -- and not terribly magical -- the hat had a tough time 
figuring out 
> where he belonged.  Now I have to wonder, especially with, but not 
> exclusively because of, the possibility that Neville will be 
working for 
> Voldemort under the imperious charm.  I sure wish we heard what the 
hat was 
> saying as it figured where to put Neville as we heard it talk to 
Harry.

Neville-- the hat might have tryed to convince him that he does 
belong in Gryffindor. How many times Neville says he's not brave 
enough to be Gryffindor and that he should have been Hufflepuff for 
being so lowsy.

That talk says a lot-- Neville values Gryffindor above all houses. It 
would be ridiculous if the person can not be proud of the house he's 
in...

And -- 'not magic enough' - well... Not magic enough to use non-wand- 
magic as we've seen Harry do before getting his wand.

--Finwitch