[HPforGrownups] Re: Trelawney Award, part II (Who lead the DA?)

[k12listmomma]

No: HPFGUIDX 177257

> <<poohtwo:
> I think we can all agree that we knew Neville would be important to
> the story, but how many of us could imagine him leading the
> underground movement at Hogwarts in Harry's absence. I certainly
> didn't see it.>>
>
>  I agree with you he was a leader. But was he the 'leader'? He seems to 
> have only been in charge once Ginny didn't come back from Eater Break. 
> Before that it seems pretty clear that Ginny was the main leader. Since 
> she seems to have lead the expedition with Neville and Luna (and 
> others?)for the sword.
>
>  Seamus seems to have been his second at that point. At least that's the 
> way I imagined it. Did anyone else see it differently
>  ~ DA Jones  (Sandy)


It just seems to me, in the natural order of things, that in the "ideal" 
case, the true leader stays head of the organization, but in real life, 
people do move on and get called away to do other things, and who really 
ends up as leader is anyone who's left with any desire to keep that 
organization moving forward. Thus, this is where I see Neville. He would not 
have "risen to the top" if the others had been there still, but when he was 
alone, he stepped up to the plate to keep the movement alive because he was 
important to him. Thus, he "became" a leader, not by choice or natural 
desire to do so, but out of a principled choice to do the right thing. This 
seems to prove to be another step in his bravery, and could have been the 
reason that he had the courage to go after Nagini, as he had his leadership 
and bravery tested for those months at Hogwarts where he had to step up and 
be the leader. I see Ginny missing as a key part in Neville's growth as the 
great man that he grew into, and part of why he would make a great teacher 
later, as he would be able to recognize those students who were not 
"natural" leaders, but those students who had great potential to become one 
given the proper encouragement.

Shelley