Chapter Discussion: Chapter Fourteen, Goblet of Fire: The Unforgivable Curses

[Geoff]

No: HPFGUIDX 192203

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "pippin_999" <foxmoth at ...> wrote:

Pippin:
> I am sure that if Harry had been in sixth year when Voldemort had shown signs of returning to power, Dumbledore would not have felt any need to involve the fourth and fifth year students. 
 
> > 4. Harry didn't seem to make anything of Neville's distress after seeing the
> > Cruciatus curse. Given his own feelings about Avada Kedavra, do you think he
> > should have been more perceptive about Neville, or did he have too much to think
> > about on his own account?

Pippin:
> Harry was never terribly interested in Neville. 

Geoff:
I feel that that is a rather harsh interpretation. In any group of the type 
we see in Hogwarts, there are very close friends, others with whom we 
share some interaction and some with whom we have little connection 
other than being in the same class.

I remember it being thus in my classes in my grammar school many 
moons ago.I had perhaps three very close mates, then others fell into 
the two groups detailed above.

I think Neville probably falls into the middle group. There is certainly 
evidence that Harry looks out for Neville on more than one occasion 
prior to the one in Moody's class and he seems a little closer to Neville 
when he finds out about Neville's tragic background from Dumbledore 
late in this book. Just to give a handful of instances which occur to me:

When the group are at their first Quidditch lesson and Neville falls off 
his broom, Harry takes issue with Malfoy over Neville's Rememberall 
and gets it back from him in the aerial chase which ensued.
(PS "The Midnight Duel" pp.109/10 UK edition)

When Neville comes back into the Common Room after Malfoy has cast 
a Leg-Locker Curse and he is released and seems down because he 
doesn't feel brave, Harry gives him a Chocolate Frog and tells him that 
he is worth twelve of Malfoy in an attempt to lift his spirits.
(PS "Nicholas Flamel" pp.160/61 UK edition)

When the Trio plus Malfoy and Neville are in the Forbidden Forest with 
Hagrid and red sparks go off, Hagrid goes to see what has happened,
HArry expresses a view that he doesn't care if Malfoy has been hurt 
but is concerned about Neville because it is their fault he is in detention.
(PS "The Forbidden Forest" p.186 UK edition)

There are more instances, as I suggested, later in the books, later than 
the chapter we are considering.