Query about Neville

[Andrea]

No: HPFGUIDX 55011

--- Briony wrote:
> I keep wondering as to why Neville was sorted into Gryffindor.  Since
> herbology is his best subject, he would be more suited for Hufflepuff.
> Is there some potential about Neville that the Sorting Hat picked up,
> but Neville hasn't found yet?  If so, the most likely reason is that he
> doesn't believe in himself.  But we have seen sparks of his potential.
> Remember the courage he found in standing up to HRH, and won 10 points
> for Gryffindor?  Or the time he fought the Boggart?  The first time he
> was extremely scared, but when he found that he was successful, and had
> a good laugh in putting Snape in drag, he came up very determinably for
> the second time.

I personally don't subscribe to the idea that certain subjects are traits
of any particular House.  Just because the head of house is the professor
of a certain subject at this point in time doesn't mean that that's
*always* been the case or that there's any particular House-wide affinity
for the subject.  So just because Sprout teaches Herbology doesn't mean
it's "the Hufflepuff subject" any more than Transfiguration is necessarily
the Gryffindor subject or Potions the Slytherin subject.  That's a fanon
construction.

I think you said for yourself why Neville's in Gryffindor.  Whenever we've
seen anything of his inner core -- beyond the clumsy kid melting cauldrons
-- it's been an act of courage.  Standing up to Draco, Crabbe and Goyle at
the Quidditch match.  Standing up to his own Housemates when they were
going to get the House in trouble again.  Facing up to the Boggart twice. 
Getting up the nerve to ask not one but TWO girls to the Yule Ball when
Harry and Ron were still shuffling their feet.  I think his talking about
the Cruciatus Curse during DADA in GOF was an act of courage as well,
after what he's *seen* it do to his family.

There's a lot more to Neville than his classmates think, and I think he's
a Gryffindor right down to the bone.  



Andrea

=====
"Reality is for people who lack imagination."

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