Harry and Neville connection

[hickengruendler]

No: HPFGUIDX 101025

 
>  "jenny_ravenclaw" < wrote:
> > 
> > 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

Hickengruendler:

I think, that Neville is in many ways Harry's mirror. Both born at 
the end of July 1980 (and therefore connected by the prophecy), both 
lost their parents, when they were very very young (although we don't 
know exactly how young Neville was). Well, of course they still are 
young, but you know what I mean. Harry showed signs of magic very 
early and was treated badly by his relatives, who wanted to squash 
the magic out of him. Neville didn't show signs of magic at first and 
was treated badly by at least one relative (Uncle Algie and probably 
by Gran, too), because he wanted him to show signs of magic. The 
Sorting Hat took some time to sort both, and in the end both ended in 
Gryffindor. In the course of their first year, both had some tasks to 
overcome, Harry in the big way, but Neville his very personal tasks. 
Both succeded in the end, Harry defeating Voldemort and Neville 
getting the final points for the house cup. During Christmas in PS, 
Harry saw his parents in the Mirror of Erised, In OotP, again on 
Christmas, we saw a very similar scene with Neville, who, too, saw 
his parents, who couldn't speak with him. This, of course, was no 
mirror of Erised, but the sad truth, and, in contrast to Harry, 
Neville doesn't have any closure. He has to endure the same scene 
again and again. Even their enemies mirror the two. Bellatrix, who is 
responsible for Frank and Alice's condition (or at least the most 
important of the responsible characters, since Rodolphus and Rabastan 
are so far unimportant and Barty Crouch junior is already punished 
and out od the story), learned the Dark Arts from the Dark Lord, 
according to herself in the DoM. Neville learned Defence Against The 
Dark Arts from the one, who (hopefully) will defeat the Dark Arts. 
That's why I am sure that Neville will in the end be the one to 
defeat Bella.

Of course there are also differences, mostly because of Voldemort's 
choice. He chose Harry and Neville could live in the shadows. Neville 
will never be as popular as Harry is, because he isn't "The Boy Who 
Lived", but Neville will also never be as hated as Harry, when the 
public opinion is against him. When Harry said, that his name was 
Neville Longbottom, he did so, because he didn't want to be 
recognized, and therefore Jo let him call himself "Neville 
Longbottom", because Harry wanted to be one of many, a part of the 
crowd his mirror character that lives in the shadows.

In the end, I think their fates have to mirror each other, again. Jo 
said, that one of Harry's classmates will become a teacher, and I 
think it is Neville, not only because Jo ruled out the trio, and 
Neville is the most important classmate left, but also, because it 
would be a good mirror to Harry becoming an Auror. One goes out in 
the real world to fight, the other stays in Hogwarts to teach what is 
necessary. That's why I also think it might fit better, if Neville 
will teach DADA and not Herbology, which is admittingly the most 
likely subject.

Hickengruendler