| Harry Potter character | |
|---|---|
| Neville Longbottom | |
 Matthew Lewis as Neville Longbottom in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. |
|
| Parentage | Pure-blood |
| Actor | Matthew Lewis |
| First appearance | Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone |
Neville Longbottom is a fictional character in the Harry Potter book series written by J. K. Rowling. Neville is described as a plump, round-faced boy Gryffindor student in Harry's year. Throughout the series, he is often portrayed as a bumbling and disorganised character, and a rather mediocre student (though he is highly gifted at Herbology). However, the character's personality appears to undergo a transition after he joins Dumbledore's Army in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. The encouragement he receives gives him confidence in his magical abilities, turning him into a more competent wizard. Neville has been played by Matthew Lewis in all the Harry Potter films to date.
Contents |
Appearances
Neville's birth date is July 30, 1980, the day before Harry Potter's. His parents are Frank and Alice Longbottom, Aurors and prominent members of the Order of the Phoenix during the first war against Lord Voldemort. As the series progresses, he becomes close friends with Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, and Luna Lovegood. As part of Neville's back story, Rowling reveals that both of his parents were tortured to the point of insanity by Death Eaters, notably Bellatrix Lestrange, with the Cruciatus Curse. Frank and Alice Longbottom now reside in a closed ward of St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Neville's paternal grandmother Augusta has raised him from a young age. The loss of his parents to madness affects Neville greatly, and he keeps their condition a secret. Harry, however, learns of their fate in Albus Dumbledore's Pensieve, and, in the fifth book, Ron, Hermione and Ginny discover the truth accidentally in St Mungo's.
Early on, it is established that Neville is terrified of his grandmother, who is a strict disciplinarian and a perfectionist. She appears to want Neville to follow his father's example, regardless of his desires or suitability. The character does discuss portions of his family life when he mentions his great-uncle, Algie (surname unknown), who seems to have participated in his upbringing to some extent. Neville also describes a time when he was a child and Algie attempted to "scare the magic out" of Neville by throwing him off one of Blackpool's piers to see if he would float (or at least not be harmed), as well as dangling him out of a window — before accidentally dropping him (Neville's magic caused him to bounce into the street). It was initially feared by Neville's family that he was a Squib. Neville's family is relieved, therefore, when he receives his letter inviting him to Hogwarts. Indeed, Algie is so proud that he presents Neville with a pet toad, which he names Trevor. In addition to Trevor, Neville also has something of a pet in his Mimbulus mimbletonia, an extremely rare plant resembling a grey cactus covered in boils, which was a birthday present that his great-uncle Algie got for him in Assyria.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
During his fifth year at Hogwarts, Neville's magical abilities improve dramatically under the tutelage of Harry during meetings of Dumbledore's Army. He also receives far greater characterization than he has in the past, with Harry, and thus the reader, coming to understand him on a deeper level, beginning when Harry's friends learn about the fate of Neville's parents at St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Shortly afterwards, a number of Death Eaters escape Azkaban, including Bellatrix Lestrange, the witch who was mainly responsible for torturing his parents. Neville then devotes himself to Harry's training regimen, and becomes second only to Hermione in terms of aptitude amongst Harry's "pupils". Neville saves Harry's life during the battle in the Department of Mysteries, and plays a key role, if inadvertently, in keeping Lord Voldemort from knowing the prophecy made about "Dark Lord and (?) Harry Potter".[HP5] He and Harry are also the only students left standing after the battle, despite a Death Eater breaking both Neville's nose and his father's wand. His usefulness is impaired by his nose being broken, which changes his voice and makes his spell casting ineffective. Because the prophecy was destroyed during the battle, neither Harry nor Neville manages to hear its contents. Albus Dumbledore, to whom the prophecy was originally made, explains that it concerns "the Chosen One", a wizard that would have the power to vanquish Voldemort. This "Chosen One" would be born "as the seventh month dies", and thus could refer to either Neville, born July 30, 1980, or Harry, born July 31, one day later.[HP5] It is Dumbledore's opinion that Voldemort indeed marked the "Chosen One" by attacking Harry rather than Neville. According to Rowling, this "does not give Neville either hidden powers or a mysterious destiny ... Neville remains the tantalising 'might-have-been.' " She acknowledges that this "dull" answer may disappoint some fans.[1]
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Neville receives a new wand (made of cherry wood and unicorn hair), as his previous wand is destroyed while fighting Death Eaters in Order of the Phoenix. Neville proudly asserts that his new wand was one of the last which Ollivander sold before disappearing. The wand appears to have added further improvement to Neville's school performance. It has been commented on several occasions "the wand chooses the wizard," and that one "never gets as good results with another wizard's wand"; Neville had previously been using his father's wand. During the train ride to Hogwarts, Neville is invited to join Horace Slughorn in his cabin, along with several other students. It is revealed that Neville achieved an "Outstanding" in Herbology, and he did well in Defence Against the Dark Arts and Charms, earning an "Exceeds Expectations." He earned an "Acceptable" in Transfiguration, and is disappointed when Professor McGonagall will not allow him to join her N.E.W.T.-level class. Instead, he continues to Advanced Charms, despite his grandmother believing Charms to be a "soft option". When Neville tells Professor McGonagall that his grandmother feels Charms is a "soft option" and prefers that he take Transfiguration, McGonagall informs him that "It's high time your grandmother learned to be proud of the grandson she's got, rather than the one she thinks she ought to have." and that "Just because Augusta failed her Charms O.W.L. doesn't mean the subject is entirely worthless."[HP6] Neville wants the DA meetings to continue, as he feels they have helped him and the others to improve their skills, however they stop as Harry now says there is no need as they now have a "proper teacher". When a group of Death Eaters guided by Draco Malfoy attack the castle, Neville answers the call for help, and he fights against the Death Eaters once again, though he suffered minor injuries.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
With Harry's absence and the control of Hogwarts in the hands of Severus Snape and Death Eaters Alecto and Amycus Carrow, Neville spends much of his seventh year as the resistance leader against Voldemort's takeover. Together with Luna Lovegood and Ginny Weasley, Neville reactivates Dumbledore's Army, stepping into the leadership position in Harry's absence and helping students who were tormented under the new regime. Neville reveals that the Carrows beat him and that, under their command, the Auror Dawlish tried unsuccessfully to kidnap his grandmother (who swiftly overwhelmed her opponent). Neville goes into hiding in the Room of Requirement, which he shows an incredible ability to control, because he, along with a number of other students, had such a great need for its protection. It has transformed into a large ship-like circular room, with hammocks and banners of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw hanging from the walls. Upon Harry's return to Hogwarts, Neville sends messages to Dumbledore's Army, which in turn gathers the Order of the Phoenix. Neville is a leader among the students during the Battle of Hogwarts. During the battle, Neville is spotted twice by Harry using his knowledge of Herbology to help ward off the attackers. With Professor Sprout and a dozen other students, they hurl aggressive and violent plants at the Death Eaters from the castle walls. Before his penultimate confrontation with Voldemort, Harry warns Neville about the importance of Nagini, Voldemort's snake and will-be final Horcrux, and asks him to remind Hermione and Ron of the same -- if the two are unable, he asks that Neville destroy Nagini if the opportunity presents itself. After Voldemort returns with Harry's apparently lifeless body, Neville defies him. After Bellatrix Lestrange identifies Neville, Voldemort offers him a place among the Death Eaters due to his Pure-Blood status; Neville refuses by yelling, "Dumbledore's Army!" to the applause and cheers of the remaining Hogwarts defenders. Voldemort responds by placing Neville in a Body-Bind Curse, summoning the Sorting Hat, placing it on Neville's head and setting it alight, as a sign of showing both his control over Hogwarts and a warning to those who continue to fight against him. When reinforcements of centaurs, Thestrals, Grawp, and Buckbeak arrive and Voldemort is distracted, Neville manages to break free of the curse, pull the Sorting Hat off his head, draw the Sword of Godric Gryffindor from it, and decapitate Nagini. When the battle goes to the Great Hall, he is shown assisting Ron in taking down Fenrir Greyback. After the battle is won, Neville is shown surrounded by a group of admirers. Throughout the series, he gains the courage to fight against both Voldemort and his Death Eaters, and does his part in ending Voldemort's reign of terror.
Epilogue
In the epilogue of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Ginny mentions that he has gone on to be the Herbology professor at Hogwarts. In an interview, J.K. Rowling also mentioned that he shows off his D.A. coin to many admiring students and tells them about his adventures.[2] Neville eventually marries Hannah Abbott, who becomes the new landlady at the Leaky Cauldron.[3]
Family
Known living members of the Longbottom family include Neville, his grandmother Augusta, and his parents, Frank and Alice who are in a special ward for permanent residents at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries after having been tortured until insane at the hands of Bellatrix Lestrange. The Longbottoms are not as poor as the Weasleys, and they seem to be considered a more respectable family in pure-blood circles: Cedrella Black was disowned for marrying Septimus Weasley, but her sister Callidora, who married Harfang Longbottom, remains on the Black family tapestry.
References
- ^ http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/faq_view.cfm?id=84 JKrowling.com Retrieved on 05-30-07
- ^ "J.K. Rowling Web Chat Transcript", The Leaky Cauldron, 2007-07-30. Retrieved on 2007-07-30.
- ^ Weingarten, Tara, Rowling Says Dumbledore Is Gay, <http://www.newsweek.com/id/50787>. Retrieved on 2007-10-19
