Harry and Neville connection

[Susan]

No: HPFGUIDX 100876

 "jenny_ravenclaw" < wrote:
> Hi -
> 
> This is completely unrelated to my previous post but I've been 
eager to post 
> this.  I hope it hasn't been discussed to death, but I know this 
list and it 
> probably has.
> 
> In PoA, when Harry gets on the Knight Bus and Stan Shunpike asks 
for his 
> name, the first one that came to mind was Neville Longbottom.  I 
found that 
> really interesting, after having read OoP, and knowing that there's 
a real 
> connection between Harry and Neville.
> 
> Maybe the connection between the two boys is stronger than what 
we've 
> seen already, especially since Neville's name, of all the names 
Harry could 
> have chosen, jumped into Harry's head at such a random time.  I'm 
hoping 
> we'll find out more about that prophecy and that it was no 
coincidence that 
> Neville was the last one standing (well, trying to stand) with 
Harry at the MoM 
> in OoP.
> 
> I know Neville will never be as strong as Harry, but I'd like to 
see him come 
> even more into his own.  I enjoyed seeing that in OoP, because 
before that, I 
> was not a Neville fan.
> 
> --jenny from ravenclaw, defender of Harry 'till the end
 ****************************

I do not believe it was a coincidence that Neville was the last one 
standing with Harry at the MoM at all.  Ever since SS, Harry's had a 
huge impact on Neville.  And before I go any further, Neville, like 
everyone else in the WW, knows exactly who Harry is, but Harry has no 
clue who Neville, or his family is, so it's not like Harry's going to 
have instant respect for Neville based on the sacrifices of his 
parents and the circumstances surrounding his homelife with Gran, 
whereas Neville will obviously take everything Harry says to heart, 
at first merely based on the fact that Harry is _the- Harry Potter. 

K, Harry's huge impact on Neville.  When DM curses Neville with the 
Locomotor 
mortis, Harry tells Neville that N's worth 12 Malfoys and that the 
Sorting Hat put him in Gryff for a reason, which Neville believes 
instantly.  He later says Harry's exact words to DM at the Quiddich 
match, plus the boy hops on Crabbe and Goyle after Ron atacks 
Malfoy.  And this is only in the first book!

Neville continues to get more brave and is extremely loyal to Harry 
throughout the entire series.  The bond between the two continues to 
grow, then JKR throws us the juicy tidbit about how the prophecy 
could be about _either_ Harry or Neville, and goes on with all these 
coincidences surrounding the two boys' births, their families having 
defied LV 3x, etc.

Now at first, when Harry said he was Neville on the knight bus, I 
thought it was only because Harry thought Neville was ineffectual and 
his name wouldn't cause the stir that the name Harry Potter would, 
but after finding out more and more about Neville and about the 
prophecy, I think it was a clue from JK hinting that Neville's not so 
ineffectual after all, that his parents were brave and talented, and 
that despite his setbacks, Neville's going to be just as great a 
wizard as his parents were and figure heavily into the upcoming 
battle with LV.  The thing that kid's got is heart.  He can't even 
pronounce the incantations at the DoM, but boy is he trying!  Maybe 
HE's the heir of Gryff?!

Susan (who's loved Neville from the begining ;-)