Further significance of Neville Longbottom

[Steve <bboy_mn@yahoo.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 50342

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, baringer2k at a... wrote:
> 
> ...edited...
> I believe that the Longbottoms were powerful magic-users, and had
> a lot of  responsibilities--and from that a lot of notoriety and 
> maybe even  prestige...?
> 
> ..., I have not come across any concrete instances showing Neville 
> was a great student,... ... ...  Could the administration at 
> Hogwarts be passing him for reasons beyond his academic performance? 
> Perhaps they are aware of some potential that he has, as yet 
> untapped? Perhaps they are aware of some strength he has that he's 
> not aware of?
> 
> I'm curious to see what others think of this.
> 
> Thanks,
> Marcus

bboy_mn:

Overview-
I am one of those people who believe Neville is a great and powerful
wizard. I once characterized him as a great wizard hidden under a
shroud. I think we can expect to see great things from Neville before
the end of the series. Sadly, I also fear that he may die in a heroic
act. 

Grades-
Neville excels in Herbology. That excellent grade is usually what
offsets his horrible grade in Potions. A significant portion of
Nevilles bad potion grade is Snape's fault. Neville could do much
better if Snape actually made an effort to help him. 

As far as his other classes, he is at least adequate. We have heard
MeGonagall comment on his poor performance in Transfigurations. But we
have also seen him excel under Remus Lupin's guidance. So for most
classes in general, he is adequate. But let's remember that grades
aren't alway the most accurate measure of a man. There is one guy I
went to school with (1 yr behind me). His grades were terrible even
when he tried, which he didn't do very often. I guess we could have
voted him 'most likely to be mediocre'; 'most likely to be small town
ordinary'. Today he is a mutli-millionaire. So don't judge Neville by
his classroom performance alone.

The Administration-
I think Dumbledore knows details of Neville's life that even Neville
doesn't know. Just like he know things about Harry that he hasn't told
him yet. So yes, I think the administration is making some concession
because they know that there is something going on that is preventing
Neville from reaching his full potential. Just like Dumbledore
believes that, in time ,Harry will come into his own; reach his full
potential. He believes that, in time, Neville will reach his.

I also, believe that whatever is bothering Neville is somehow related
to Harry. Some think that during the 'missing 24 hours', Hagrid kept
Harry at Neville's house and Neville's parents looked after him. That
same theory, also says that's why the Lestrange's tortured Neville's
parents. Since Harry had been with them, they thought the Longbottoms
had inside information on what happened to Voldemort. Again, that's
just one theory. Regardless of all the possible theories, I believe
Neville and Harry's lives are connected in the past, and that they are
both much more powerful wizards than they realize.

Neville's Problem-
Many theories here, but most of them are founded in the belief that
something or someone is supressing Neville. Some believe he was there
when his parent were tortured. Remember that the torture occurred
sometime later, so Neville and Harry would have been closer to two
years old. Some think Neville witnessed it, other believe Neville
himself was tortured in an effort to get the Longbottoms to reveal
what they knew. Sadly, they couldn't tell because they really didn't
know anything.

One possiblility is that this trama is so intense and so stressful,
that it takes everything Neville has to keep it suppressed, and that's
why he is bumbling all the time. That, subconciously, he lives with
the constant fear that he will remember and relive these events.  

Other believe that same events occurred but afterwards, Neville was
put under a memory charm to prevent him from having to live with those
painful memories. Remember the many instances in the series of people
being put under memory charms. It alway has short term effect on their
general memory and intellect, and sometime has long lasting side effects. 

One way or another, whatever happened to Neville is being suppressed
whether by his own subconcious, or by outside influences. Neville will
come into his own as a great wizard when that barrier between his
subconcious memories and his concious life is broken. 

Some people point to the fact that Neville is alway melting cauldrons
as an indication of his true strength. The cauldron aren't melting
because of a chemical reaction in his potion. If that were true more
people would be melting cauldron. The theorys is that Neville's
unfocused uncontrolled magic is melting the cauldron when he is under
extreme stress, the same way Harry turned his teacher's hair blue, and
 blew up his Aunt Marge. It is a sudden outpouring of magical power,
forces out by extreme stress. 

I think I agree on the cauldrons. If it was that easy to make a minor
mistake and create a chemical reation that could melt a cauldron, a
lot more people would be melting them. 

I think there are many variation to this theme, but the all seem to be
based in something or someone blocking Neville's true power. Only the
hows and whos and whys vary.

Just some thoughts.

bboy_mn