Neville and the Sorting Hat

[Zara]

No: HPFGUIDX 178301

> Susan:
> I loved the part in the DH where he draws the sword of Gryfinndor
> from the Sorting Hat, and kills Nagini.

zgirnius:
You and a gazillion other fans, myself included! <bg>

> Susan: 
> How far has he come from the clumsy boy who forgot everything!
> I have always thought that he was forgetful because of the trauma
> of his parents being tortured into insanity by Bellatrix
.that he
> was trying to forget about that! and it made him absent minded and
> forgetful. Post traumatic stress.

zgirnius:
I have always preferred the idea that he is simply forgetful. Not 
everyone is blessed with a great memory! Neville was also never very 
strong academically (except in Herbology, and DADA after he started 
to really put in a lot of work). I think like that about him, he's 
really a lot more of an 'everyman' character than Harry.

> Susan:
> I also think he was handicapped by not having a wand that chose
> him 

zgirnius:
Perhaps, though Neville did get his wand over the summer before DH, 
and we do not hear of any great improvement in his spellwork. In the 
final battle, he uses Herbology rather than spells.

> Susan:
> Also, the self-confident young warrior who is leading the
> opposition to the Carrow's reign of terror at Hogwarts is
> a far cry from the little boy who was terrorized by Professor
> Snape (to the point that his boggart was Snape). 

zgirnius:
Neville was depicted as more fearful in earlier books, I agree. 
However, at the same time he was always portrayed as brave. The 
PS/SS "standing up to his friends" is just one example. I can also 
recall instances of his wanting to attack Crabbe and Goyle, and 
having to be restrained by his housemates. (The one specific instance 
I recall is outside the Potions classroom in OotP, when Draco makes a 
comment about people whose minds have been damaged by magic). To me, 
therefore, the change is not so much about Neville becoming more 
brave - I think he always was. It is more about developing the 
outward confidence that you mention.

> Susan:
> And now we hear (Leaky Cauldron Sat. night Podcast) that the
> Sorting Hat almost put him in Hufflepuff. 

zgirnius:
I think that would not have been a mistake by the hat, either. Loyal, 
hardworking, and valuing fairness/justice also fits him quite well.