Neville again

[Barry Arrowsmith]

No: HPFGUIDX 102232

Neville seems to be one of those 'almost' figures in HP.
Posters regularly express sympathy for his family circumstances and 
point with approval to his ever-growing confidence as an individual.
He's *almost* a central figure.
He's *almost* as close to Harry as Ron and Hermione.
He's *almost* a decent wizard.
We've *almost* reached definitive conclusions as to his role.

Scattered throughout the series there have been clues (or red herrings) 
that cause one to pause, only to say - "No, can't be that significant, 
it's just backstory/detail or whatever," and move on. DD's admission 
that Neville was a possible  candidate as a Voldy!Target, Madam 
Promfrey's comment that thoughts  could leave deeper  scarring than 
almost anything else, the fact that Neville has been trying to do 
quality spells with a wand that  was not his own.

We're told that Neville  was the despair of his family who feared that 
he might not be magical at all.

A short digression or two. Neville himself says that up until he was 
eight he was thought to be "all Muggle." Not Squib - Muggle. Very 
interesting.
And to add fuel to the fire being fanned by those who consider that any 
representation of 'child abuse' is not amusing and must be condemned 
outright - isn't it time you had a go at Uncle Algy? Remembering of 
course, that if he hadn't persisted in throwing Neville off piers, 
dropping him out of windows and whatever, Neville would probably not 
have got
to Hogwarts.  Shame on me, I laughed my socks off at the image of 
Neville bouncing down the path on his head, but obviously JKR was 
making a serious point and humour was the last thing she intended.
  For sure.

There are those that have suggested ESE!Algy and ESE!Gran, usually in 
an attempt to explain Nevilles shyness, near Squibness and the 
continuing hospitalisation of his parents. Theories of memory 
manipulation abound. You might be surprised to hear that just this once 
that arch consiracy theorist Kneasy does not agree. So  he's probably 
wrong this time. Sod's Law. But there's nothing wrong with Neville's 
memory - in GoF he answers Crouch!Moody's question about the Cruciatus 
and believes that the sounds coming from the Egg is someone screaming 
while under the curse. He's not all that shy either; he gets a partner 
for the Yule Ball without all the fuss and palaver that Harry and Ron 
go through. And in OoP he's well aware that Bella was one of those 
responsible for his parent's condition.

No, it's only been with the magical stuff that Neville has had 
difficulties.
Herbology, he's OK. But is Herbology magic? No  spells, no potions, no  
wand waving. And Neville does well. The rest seems to  be a bit of a 
struggle. I sometimes wonder if JKR might cheat a bit on her 
definitions (of what is magical or not) and Neville might be the one 
who 'becomes magical' later in life than usual. Whatever.

I also have a soft spot for a theory I posted last summer before OoP 
was published. It's based on a combination of JKR's love of names and 
factual English history.

As a brief surmise, there were two great noble families that were 
almost petty kings in their own right. Between them they guarded the 
northern border against marauding Scots. One family supported the 
established government for centuries and produced some of the most 
significant characters in English history - the Nevilles. The other 
family were their traditional enemies  and produced generation after 
generation of traitors and troublemakers - their name? Percy.

Now isn't that an interesting coincidence?
Neville vs Percy.
Could be fun.

Kneasy