Neville in Gryffindor (Was: Who is berk and Slytherin reputation)

[kizor0]

No: HPFGUIDX 105822

> Amey wrote :
> > Sorting hat to Neville:
> > "Let's see. What have we here? You are not exceptionally bright 
> > (Ravenclaw out). Wouldn't do anything to gain what you want, zero 
> > cunning (Slytherin out). Courage I see some, hidden somewhere
deep 
> > down. Plenty of Loyalty too... I think its Hufflepuff for you...
not 
> > Hufflepuff you say, ok then it better be Gryffindor" ;D
> 
> Del replies :
> I don't have my PS book with me, but I vaguely seem to remember that
> Neville said he would be happy with anything but Slytherin. Did I
> imagine that ? And anyway, why would Neville not want to go to
> Hufflepuff ? As you said, he doesn't have exceptional brains, he's
not
> the typical picture of courage, and I doubt he would *want* to go to
> Slytherin ! (Unless there's something about one or both of his
parents
> that we don't know...) So he was *obvious* Hufflepuff material, he
> would have no reason not to want to go there.

I can't see any such line in my copy of PS, though my look wasn't
conclusive.

Fantastic Posts tells me that the accuracy of Neville's sorting has
been called into question from time to time. Since at least my second
reading of the books, Neville has struck me as good, if considerably
non-obvious, Gryffindor material. I admit that he fits the (rather
unfair - see Cedric, for instance) bumbling Hufflepuff stereotype, but
he displays considerable bravery as well. Yes, he's frightened of
Snape and intimidated Draco and his cronies. And? To freely quote a
famous dead guy: "A man who never fears is a fool. A man who fears and
conquers that fear is truly brave."

Neville's not cowardly - as McGonagall states in OoP, Neville's
largest problem is his lack of self-confidence. He certainly doesn't
seem to hold a high opinion of himself. IMAO, he doesn't push back
when he's pushed precisely because of this - Snape's a teacher, Malfoy
is always accompanied by big, tough muscle and Neville considers
himself so inept that he invested in protective measures when there
was a monster around that seemed to be going after Squibs. Rushing
into a confrontation when you think you don't have a chance isn't
brave or courageous, it's just stupid.

Neville does act courageously. In PS, he stands up to his friends
because it's the right thing to do, and Dumbledore even has him win
the House Championship for Gryffindor. He does stand up to Malfoy
earlier in the same book, proving that he doesn't just submit to being
a punching bag. In OoP, he gains the confidence he dearly needs in the
DA, and adamantly accompanies Harry on his rescue mission despite
having to ride on Thestrals and with a good chance of ending up
face-to-face with the Death Eaters or Lord Voldemort himself. While he
doesn't lose his clumsy side, he even proves to be an asset in the
ensuing battle.

And now for something completely different - in the OoP FAQ, it's
speculated that Dumbledore gave Harry the Marauders' Map back. I think
that Rowling has mentioned on her official site that Harry just took
it back from Moody's office off-panel.

- Kizor