Query about Neville

[GKJPO]

No: HPFGUIDX 55059

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Briony Coote" 
<briony_coote at h...> 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.
>  
> Briony
> 


My opinion is that Neville had a memory charm put on him by his 
parents' attackers.  This has interfered with his development, but 
the personality is still there.  I have been wondering about GoF. 
Fake!Moody who, if you believe the court scene, was one of the 
Longbottom's attackers, also worked to take Neville under his wing.  
I've been wondering if the demonstration of the Unforgivable Curses 
shook something loose in Neville's brain to help him get better.  JKR 
mentioned Neville and his mental state several times during GoF 
(could have been just leading up to Harry's witnessing of the trial 
too, but I wonder...).  Back to your question, I think the sorting 
hat sorts on potential and choices.  You must have the qualities or 
the potential for the qualities of a house to get put there.  Some 
people have raised Harry's sorting as an example, but Harry had 
qualities of both Slytherin and Gryffindor - hence the choice.  The 
option of choosing Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff was never presented to 
Harry.

The quote from Neville's sorting: "When Neville Longbottom, the boy 
who kept losing his toad was called, he fell over on his way to the 
stool.  The hat took a long time to decide with Neville.  When it 
finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR," Neville ran off still wearing it..."  
(p 120 SS US)

This implies that Neville either had a choice or that his potential 
was difficult to detect.  After all, how many of us know our full 
potential at 11?

Kristen