Hey everyone,
Welcome to another installment of Harry Potter Theory.
In today’s video, we’re going to be discussing the Harry Potter books, the Harry Potter films,
and none other than Neville Longbottom.
More specifically- we’re going to be taking a look at Neville’s character- and uncovering
a few little known facts about Neville that ONLY book-readers will know.
That’s right- things that the films left out!
Now..If you haven’t read the books then your next steps should be a.
Continue watching this video, then B. Buy the complete Harry Potter boxed set and get
to reading.
I should also mention that I’ve made this same style of video for many other characters-
including Voldemort, McGonagall, Sirius Black, Dumbledore, the Weasley family and more- so
if you haven’t seen those be sure to check them out as well.
I’m also going to be continuing to make them, but for right now, let’s focus on
Neville.
Now, the first thing that I want to mention is that book Neville was a fair bit different
than film Neville, and one big thing that comes to mind when I think of Neville’s
character in the films is that he wasn’t really very well respected- at least not early
on.
The Harry Potter films are serious films- they’re not comedies- they don’t rely
on humour, but that certainly doesn’t mean that they’re DEVOID of humour- and in the
films Neville’s character is framed in such a way that he is almost a form of comic relief.
He’s the butt of every joke, and he commands anything but respect.
This does change later on, as the films and his character progresses, but it’s something
that I felt was worth pointing out.
But, Neville’s character wasn’t just different in the film, there were also a lot of things
about him that were just entirely left out.
In this video, I’m going to be highlighting TEN of those things.
Let’s get in to it.
Voldemort could have picked him over Harry
If you’re not particularly privvy with Harry Potter lore- then you may not know too much
about Sybil Trelawney’s ‘Prophecy’- that is, her infamous ‘vision’ that she
foresaw while interviewing for a position at Hogwarts in Dumbledore’s company.
It spoke of a boy, that would be born at the end of July, that possessed the power to defeat
the dark lord himself.
What Dumbledore and Sybill did not know, however, was that Snape (who was then a death eater),
was eavesdropping at the door.
The entire prophecy is as follows:
“The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... born to those who
have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... and the Dark Lord will mark
him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... and either must die
at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ... the one with
the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…”
What’s interesting about Snape eavesdropping is that he did not hear the prophecy in it’s
entirety, and only told Voldemort what he remembered.
Furthermore, young Harry Potter wasn’t the ONLY boy that fit the prophecies criteria.The
prophecy referred to a boy who was born ‘as the seventh month dies’ - July, and whose
parents had ‘thrice defied him’.Neville and his parents ticked the same boxes as Lily,
James, and Harry but Voldemort ultimately decided to go after the latter instead.
Augusta’s Respect
Those who have only seen the films probably don’t know a lot about Neville and his relationship
with his grandmother, Augusta.
Here’s the thing- Augusta was extremely proud of Neville’s father, Frank, which
meant that she had particularly high expectations from Neville, even going so far as to give
Neville Frank’s wand in the hopes that some of his talent could be transferrable.
Ironically, this wand was actually quite detrimental to Neville.
Anyway, when it turns out that Neville isn’t much like his father, Augusta ends up being
quite disappointed.
However, that all changes when she finally discovers just how brave he was in the battle
against Voldemort and the Death Eaters.
Neville’s Parents are ALIVE Neville’s parents aren’t mentioned that
often in the films- and they also sort of lead us to believe that they had been KILLED
by Bellatrix.
However, book readers will know that this is NOT the case.
In the Order of the Phoenix the trio run in to Neville and his grandmother at St.Mungos
Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.
It’s here that it’s revealed that Neville’s parents are in fact alive, but were just driven
insane through Bellatrix’s horrific torture.
In heartbreaking fashion, Neville would go and visit his parents every Christmas to spend
the day with them, despite them barely recognizing who he is.
Set on Fire At one point during the Battle of Hogwarts,
things are looking bleak.
Harry is confirmed to be dead, which results in a standoff between the remaining Heroes
of Hogwarts and the Death Eaters.
At this point, Neville courageously steps forward, an offense for which Voldemort intends
to punish him severely.
Voldemort proceeds to stop Neville with a full-body binding spell, just before placing
the sorting hat on his head and setting it on fire.
This is a BRUTAL punishment that I wished they showed on-screen.
Fortunately, Neville IS able to break free.
Squib The Longbottom’s were a talented wizarding
family.
This put immense pressure on Neville to perform from a very young age.
Because he wasn’t able to produce ANY magic at all for quite some time, it resulted in
many of his family members believing him to be a SQUIB- that is a WIZARD who can’t use
magic.
Because of this, Neville was put through many tests, including being hung by his ankles
out of a window, and being pushed off the end of Blackpool pier.
Oh, and did I mention that it was his GREAT UNCLE who did this to him?
Herbology One thing about Neville’s character is certain-
he was passionate about and had a knack for the subject of Herbology.
However, this passion aside, after the Battle of Hogwarts Neville decided to pursue a career
as an auror- and gifted Auror he was.
BUT when it finally became clear to him that being an auror wasn’t his true passion-
and when he was offered a position at Hogwarts in the Herbology department by now Headmistress
Minerva McGonagall- he accepted.
Imperius Curse In the Goblet of Fire, Death Eater Barty Crouch
Jr uses Polyjuice Potion to assume the form of Auror Alastor Moody.
He does this in order to secure a teaching position at Hogwarts, where he goes on to
teach Defence Against the Dark Arts.
In one particular lesson, Barty Crouch jr places all of the students under the Imperius
Curse to see how they handle it.
“Neville performed a series of quite astonishing gymnastics he would certainly not have been
capable of in his normal state.”
Slug Club
Professor Horace Slughorn was the head of a club called the ‘Slug Club’- a prestigious
club whose members were hand-picked by Slughorn based on a few things.
If they or their family were famous, successful or powerful, then they were almost a shoe-in
for his club.
Neville’s parents were known to have been two of the bravest Aurors who ever lived-
so of COURSE he had an invite.
At Slughorn’s first gathering Neville can be seen sitting at the table having supper.
However, in the film Neville can be seen in a follow-up gathering filling the role of
a WAITER.
Yes, Neville wasn’t invited back to the club, but making him a waiter was an unusual
choice by filmmakers.
Voldemort Tries to Recruit him
During the Battle of Hogwarts, Neville shows a considerable amount of courage- bravely
advancing towards Voldemort without fear of repercussion.
In the film, Voldemort’s response to this is mockery.
He laughs at Neville, and expresses that he was ‘hoping for better’.
However, in the book this scene is quite different.
Voldemort doesn’t mock him, he wants to recruit him!
“You show spirit and bravery, and you come of noble stock.
You will make a very valuable Death Eater.
We need your kind, Neville Longbottom.
The scene in the film is a complete disservice to Neville’s character.
Fluffy
In the Philosopher’s Stone, we’re introduced to FLUFFY- Hagrid’s monstrous three-headed
dog and an obstacle put in place to protect Nicholas Flamel’s Philosopher’s Stone.
One night in the film, when Harry, Ron and Hermione are roaming the walls of Hogwarts,
carefully trying to avoid caretaker Argus Filch, they encounter Fluffy for the first
time.
After narrowly escaping their first encounter with Fluffy, the trio are seemingly the only
students aware of Fluffy’s existence.
However, this is different in the books.
In the book, Neville is roaming around WITH the trio, and this is because he’s locked
out of the Gryffindor tower.
Naturally, because he was with them, Neville ALSO sees Fluffy- and is equally traumatized
by the gargantuan dog.
Harry, Ron and Hermione have to convince Neville to keep his mouth shut.
And that’s it for this video!
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Until next time…
Remember
We’re all going to keep fighting