Neville Longbottom

Editing of this article by newly registered users is currently disabled. Such users may discuss changes or request unprotection.

Neville Longbottom
Biographical information
Born	July 30, 1980
Blood status	Pure-blood
Marital status	Married
Title(s)	Professor Auror (formerly)
Physical information
Species	Human
Gender	Male
Hair color	Blond
Skin color	Light
Relationship information
Family members	Frank Longbottom (father) Alice Longbottom (mother) Hannah Abbott (wife) Augusta Longbottom (paternal grandmother and guardian) Grandfather Algie (great-uncle) Enid (great-aunt) Harfang Longbottom (possible) Callidora Longbottom née Black (possible) Abbott family (in-laws) Black family
Magical characteristics
Boggart	Severus Snape
Wand	Father's wand (formerly) Cherry, 13", unicorn hair
Affiliation
Occupation	Auror (formerly) Professor of Herbology
House	Gryffindor
Loyalty	Dumbledore's Army Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Slug Club Auror Office (briefly) Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare Longbottom family Abbott family Harry Potter

Lord Voldemort: "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."

Neville Longbottom: "I'll join you when hell freezes over! Dumbledore's Army!"

— Lord Voldemort and Neville, at the Battle of Hogwarts

Professor Neville Longbottom (b. July 30, 1980) was a pure-blood wizard who began school at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in 1991, and was sorted into Gryffindor house. His parents, Alice and Frank Longbottom, were well-respected Aurors and members of the first Order of the Phoenix. Shortly after Neville's birth, they were tortured to insanity by four Death Eaters with the Cruciatus Curse and placed in the Janus Thickey Ward at St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, leaving Neville to be raised by his formidable grandmother, Augusta Longbottom.

Throughout his school years, Neville was mostly a shy, clumsy, introverted boy who was constantly being told by his grandmother that he wasn't good enough or living up to his parent's accomplishments. However, in his later years, he showed that he had lots of courage and perseverance: he became an important member of Dumbledore's Army who fought in the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, the Battle of the Astronomy Tower, and the Battle of Hogwarts. During the Battle of Hogwarts, having refused Voldemort's invitation to join the Death Eaters, he destroyed the seventh and final Horcrux when he beheaded the snake Nagini. He also co-led the D.A. during his final year in opposition to the Death Eater professors. After the end of the Second Wizarding War, Neville briefly served as an Auror before becoming Hogwarts' professor of Herbology and marrying Hannah Abbott.

Biography

Early life

"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."

—Sybill Trelawney's prophecy

Neville was born on July 30, 1980 to Aurors Alice and Frank Longbottom. As a pure-blood wizard, he was likely related to other wizarding families such as the Weasleys, Crouches, and the Blacks. Neville's parents were members of the Order of the Phoenix and in these roles, defied Lord Voldemort at least three times. Neville was one of two infants referred to in a prophecy made by Sybill Trelawney about the person with the power to defeat the Dark Lord. The other was Harry Potter, and it was Harry whom Voldemort targeted on 31 October, 1981, making Harry his equal and leading to his first defeat.

Shortly after, a handful of Voldemort's most loyal followers attacked the Longbottoms. Frank and Alice were tortured into insanity with the Cruciatus Curse by Bellatrix, Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange, as well as Barty Crouch Jr. The Death Eaters were all sentenced to Azkaban for their crimes, while Frank and Alice were sent to St Mungo's, where they would live the rest of their lives, not being able to recognize their own son. Neville was subsequently raised by his paternal grandmother, Augusta Longbottom.

Neville's grandmother was a stern woman who was concerned when her grandson did not exhibit early signs of magic. His relatives feared that Neville might be a Squib, though this was disproved when his great-uncle Algie "accidentally" dropped him out of a window and he miraculously bounced. This followed various attempts to make him show signs of magic, including dropping him off Blackpool pier, where, according to Neville, he nearly drowned. Neville inherited his father's wand at the age of eleven when he started to attend Hogwarts. This wand was later broken during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries.

Education at Hogwarts

First year

Neville Longbottom: "Sorry, but have you seen a toad at all? I've lost him! He keeps getting away from me!"

Harry Potter: "He'll turn up."

Neville Longbottom: "Yes. Well, if you see him..."

— Neville meets Harry Potter

Neville began attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in 1991. While with his grandmother at Platform 9¾, he lost his toad Trevor. Once on the train, he met Hermione Granger, who agreed to help him find his lost toad, and then Harry Potter and Ron Weasley when he entered their compartment tearfully looking for Trevor. After arriving at Hogsmeade Station, Neville managed to retrieve it from Hagrid.

At the Sorting ceremony, Neville was so nervous that when the Sorting Hat shouted out his house, he ran across the Great Hall with the Hat still on his head; he had to return to the stool to hand the Hat to the next student. Neville argued with the Sorting Hat, intimidated by Gryffindor's reputation for bravery, and argued for a long time to be placed in Hufflepuff, but the Hat won in the end. On the way to Gryffindor Tower after the Welcoming Feast, Neville had a bundle of walking sticks dropped on his head by Peeves the Poltergeist.

Much of his first year was plagued by similar mishaps. In his first Potions lesson, Neville managed to melt Seamus Finnigan's cauldron, and was subsequently drenched in the boil-curing potion they had been brewing. The following week, in his first Flying lesson with Madam Hooch, Neville accidentally broke his wrist after falling off his broom from a great height; afraid of being left behind on the ground, he had pushed off too early. He was taken to the hospital wing and his wrist was healed. Several hours later, he ended up heading to the Hogwarts Trophy Room with Harry, Ron, and Hermione for Harry's duel with Draco Malfoy. Nearly getting caught by Filch, they end up in the forbidden third floor corridor, where Neville drew Harry's attention to a giant three-headed dog. They manage to escape and safely return to Gryffindor Tower.

That year, Neville received a Remembrall from his dear grandmother as a gift. It was flown in by an owl. This particular gift later allowed Harry Potter to become Gryffindor seeker. Draco Malfoy threw the small sphere into the air, and Harry flew to grab it, standing up for Neville. Minerva McGonagall saw how easily Harry retrieved the ball and asked him to join the team.

"Longbottom, if brains were gold you'd be poorer than Weasley, and that's saying something."

—Draco Malfoy on Neville

Shortly after the Christmas holidays, Neville was the target of a prank by Draco Malfoy, in which his legs were stuck together with the Leg-Locker Curse. Neville had to bunny-hop all the way to Gryffindor Tower so someone could perform the counter-curse. When Harry, Ron and Hermione urged him to report Malfoy, Neville replied that he didn't want more trouble. Harry gave Neville his last Chocolate Frog from Christmas and told him that he was worth twelve Malfoys, and that the Sorting Hat chose him for Gryffindor, while Malfoy was in "stinking Slytherin." Several seconds later, Neville inadvertently helped the trio identify Nicolas Flamel when he gave Harry Dumbledore's collectible card from the Chocolate Frog.

Neville was sent to the hospital wing a third time after a Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. Having heard Malfoy taunt the Gryffindor Quidditch team, Neville and Ron got into a fight with Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, with Neville fighting Crabbe and Goyle, while Ron fought against Malfoy. The pair knocked Neville out cold, but Madam Pomfrey believed that Neville would make a full recovery.

In time, Neville learned about Harry and Hermione's attempt to take Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback up to the Astronomy Tower to send to Ron's brother Charlie. When he learned Malfoy was trying to get them caught, Neville snuck out of Gryffindor Tower to find them and warn them. He instead ended up getting caught by Professor McGonagall. He lost fifty House points, and was put in detention with Harry, Hermione, and Malfoy. Sent into the Forbidden Forest with Hagrid to search for an injured unicorn, Neville and Malfoy went along one path with Fang, while the other three took another. When Malfoy snuck up behind Neville and grabbed him to scare him, Neville panicked and sent up wand sparks to warn Hagrid. When Hagrid learned the truth, he instead paired Neville with himself and Hermione.

Neville: "You can't go out, you'll be caught again. Gryffindor will be in even more trouble... I won't let you do it. I'll — I'll fight you!"

Ron: "Neville, get away from that hole and don't be an idiot —"

Neville: "Don't you call me an idiot! I don't think you should be breaking any more rules! And you were the ones who told me to stand up to people!"

— Neville stands up to his friends

The night Quirinus Quirrell attempted to steal the Sorcerer's Stone, Neville attempted to stop Harry, Ron and Hermione from sneaking out, though he did not know what they were trying to do. However, he thought that they should not be breaking rules and risking that Gryffindor would lose more points, and blocked the portrait hole, willing to fight them to make them stay. Hermione apologised and struck Neville with a Full Body-Bind Curse so that she, Harry, and Ron could leave.

"And finally, it takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to your enemies, but a great deal more to stand up to your friends. I award ten points to Neville Longbottom!"

—Albus Dumbledore about Neville

For standing up to the trio, Neville won ten points for Gryffindor at the end-of-term feast. Having moments before, tied Slytherin for the House Cup, this pushed Gryffindor into undisputed first place.

Second year

"They went for Filch first. And everyone knows I'm almost a Squib."

—Neville Longbottom

Neville's first appearance in 1992 was after the start-of-term feast, where he applauded Harry and Ron for flying a car to Hogwarts. The following morning when Ron received a Howler from his mother, Neville urged him to open it quickly.

In Gilderoy Lockhart's first Defense Against the Dark Arts class, a pair of Cornish pixies picked Neville up by the ears and hung him, by his cloak, from a chandelier. Moments later, he crashed back to the ground when the chandelier collapsed.

After the Basilisk attack on Colin Creevey, Neville feared that he might be attacked, due to his poor magical skill, and tried to protect himself by purchasing a large, "evil-smelling" green onion, a pointed purple crystal, and a rotting newt tail. The other students pointed out that Neville should be all right; he was a pure-blood and thus unlikely to be attacked.

Neville attended the first (and only) meeting of Lockhart's Duelling Club. To practise the Disarming Charm, Neville was paired with Justin Finch-Fletchley. When Lockhart suggested the pair to volunteer spell blocking, Snape shot this down, claiming that Neville had difficulty with the simplest spells, and they would have to send what was left of Justin to the hospital wing in a matchbox.

Shortly after Valentine's Day, Neville informed Harry that his belongings had been searched by someone.

Third year

Severus Snape: "Possibly no one's warned you, Lupin, but this class contains Neville Longbottom. I would advise you not to entrust him with anything difficult. Not unless Ms. Granger is hissing instructions in his ear."

Remus Lupin: "I was hoping that Neville would assist me with the first stage of the operation, and I am sure he will perform it admirably."

— Severus Snape and Remus Lupin on Neville and his skills

On the train ride to Hogwarts for his third year, Neville became alarmed when the Hogwarts Express simply stopped. He entered the compartment Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron and Ginny Weasley were in to find out what had happened. A Dementor then entered the compartment, negatively affecting all the students within, though to varying degrees. After arriving at Hogsmeade station, Neville told people about the experience in the compartment. This made its way to Draco Malfoy, who taunted Harry about fainting.

In their first Divination class, Neville accidentally broke two of Professor Trelawney's tea cups while reading tea leaves. As the class departed, Professor Trelawney warned him that he would be late next class and urged him to work hard to catch up with everyone else. In Care of Magical Creatures class, Neville practised bowing to a Hippogriff; he constantly backed away from the animal, which didn't seem to want to bow back.

The next day in Potions, Neville again managed to earn the ire of Professor Snape. He somehow was able to turn his Shrinking Solution orange instead of green. To ensure Neville would get the potion right, Snape told him that he would feed some of it to Neville's toad, Trevor, at the end of the class. Desperately, he asked Hermione for help; she whispered instructions to him out of the corner of her mouth. By the end of class, he was able to turn his potion green, and successfully shrunk Trevor from a toad to a tadpole. Upon returning Trevor to his proper size, Snape took five points from Hermione simply to spite the Gryffindors.

Later that day, Neville helped Professor Remus Lupin's first practical Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson about boggarts. Neville was the first person to be asked. When asked what scared him most in the world, Neville replied "Professor Snape". To counter the boggart, Lupin asked Neville to picture Snape in his grandmother's clothes. For his help, Neville earned ten points for Gryffindor. Neville destroyed the boggart at the end of class.

In the spring of 1994, Neville lost the passwords to Gryffindor Tower; because Sir Cadogan changed them so frequently, Neville needed to write them down so he could remember them. After the passwords disappeared, Sirius Black managed to enter Gryffindor Tower with a knife. After learning Neville was indirectly responsible, Professor McGonagall banned him from all future visits into Hogsmeade, gave him a detention, and forbade anyone from giving him the password to the common room, thus he had to wait outside the portrait until someone came by. Two days later, Neville received a Howler from his grandmother; he tore out of the Great Hall, amid shouts of laughter, and opened it in the entrance hall, where his grandmother's angry voice told him he brought shame to their family.

At the end of his Divination final exam, Neville was told that, if he told anyone his results, he would suffer a serious accident.

Fourth year

Hermione: "Neville?"

Neville: "Oh, hello. Interesting lesson, wasn't it? I wonder what's for dinner, I'm — I'm starving, aren't you?"

Hermione: "Neville, are you all right?"

Neville: "Oh, yes, I'm fine. Very interesting dinner — I mean lesson — what's for eating?"

— Neville in an "unnaturally high voice" after a lesson on the Unforgivable Curses

In 1994, Neville met up with Harry, Ron, and Hermione on the Hogwarts Express. He jealously listened to their recap of the Quidditch World Cup; his grandmother had not wanted to go, and did not purchase tickets.

He was also awestruck by Ron's miniature figurine of Viktor Krum.In Mad-Eye Moody's first Defense Against the Dark Arts class, Neville was able to supply information about the Unforgivable Curses, in particular the Cruciatus Curse. When Moody demonstrated the curse on a spider, Neville was terrified; he gripped his desk so hard, his knuckles turned white. Hermione noticed this and called for the professor to stop. After class, Moody — who was in fact Barty Crouch Jr., one of the attackers of Neville's parents, under disguise by use of Polyjuice Potion — took Neville to his office for a cup of tea. Having heard from Professor Sprout about Neville's aptitude in Herbology, "Moody" cheered Neville up by telling him what Sprout had said and gave him a number of books he thought Neville would enjoy. One of them was Magical Water Plants of the Mediterranean, which Crouch intended for Harry to read in order to learn all about Gillyweed for the second task, but he was stubbornly searching through the library.

A few days later in class, Neville was put under the Imperius Curse by Moody, under the pretence of letting the class know what it felt like. Under Moody's influence, Neville performed a series of "quite astonishing gymnastics" that he could not have performed normally.

When the Yule Ball was announced during the Triwizard Tournament, Neville asked Hermione to go with him. After Hermione politely declined, having already agreed to attend with Viktor Krum, Neville asked Ginny Weasley. While the pair seemed to enjoy themselves, Neville accidentally stepped on Ginny's toes while dancing.

Fifth year

Bellatrix: "Longbottom? Why I have had the pleasure of meeting your parents, boy..."

Neville: "I DOE YOU HAB!"

— Bellatrix Lestrange and Neville, during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries

In 1995, Neville met with Harry and Ginny on the Hogwarts Express. Searching for seats, the trio entered Luna Lovegood's compartment. Once inside, he excitedly showed them his Mimbulus Mimbletonia, a birthday present from his great-uncle Algie. He told them about his plans to show it to Professor Sprout, as well as wanting to breed it.

After arriving at Hogwarts, Neville defended Harry during a verbal fight with Seamus Finnigan, claiming that the Daily Prophet was going downhill, not Harry and Dumbledore. He and his grandmother both believed Harry's claim that Voldemort had returned, and had cancelled their subscription to the newspaper.

When Harry, Ron, and Hermione began organizing Dumbledore's Army, Neville was one of the first to sign up. At their first meeting in the Room of Requirement, Neville was left partner-less when they began practice; Neville instead partnered with Harry. After successfully Disarming Harry, Neville then joined Ron and Hermione, so Harry could check on the others. By the beginning of Christmas break, Neville had improved "beyond all recognition."

During Christmas break, Harry's friends learned that Neville's parents were not dead, but patients in St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, having gone insane after being tortured by a group of Death Eaters at the end of the First Wizarding War. Harry was the only one who already knew this, having found out in the Pensieve in 1994, but he had told no one, keeping Neville's secret safe. Before Neville left, his mother handed him an empty Droobles Blowing Gum wrapper; while his grandmother wanted him to throw it away, Neville instead pocketed it.

When it was learned that ten Death Eaters escaped from Azkaban in 1996, including three of the ones responsible for the torture of Neville's parents, Neville did not speak of it, but it "wrought a strange and even slightly alarming change" in him, according to Harry. He worked harder than anyone in D.A. meetings, and was the fastest to pick up new spells aside from Hermione.

When Harry had a vision that Sirius Black was in danger at the Ministry of Magic, Neville was one of the D.A. members who volunteered to accompany him. He, Ginny and Luna joined the trio in flying Thestrals to London, despite Harry's reluctance to let them accompany him.

Neville: "We were all in the D.A. together. It was all supposed to be about fighting You-Know-Who, wasn't it? And this is the first chance we've had to do something real — or was that all just a game or something?"

Harry: "No — of course it wasn't —"

Neville: "Then we should come too. We want to help."

— Neville insists on going with the trio to the Department of Mysteries

Once in the Hall of Prophecies, Harry was drawn to an orb that had his name on it. Neville and Hermione urged him not to remove it; once Harry had, the group was confronted by Death Eaters. In the subsequent battle, Neville accompanied Harry and Hermione. He disarmed a Death Eater who was struggling with Harry, accidentally disarming Harry as well. Later, Antonin Dolohov broke Neville's nose and wand, but Neville refused Harry's suggestion that he leave with an incapacitated Hermione to go get help, instead carrying her while he and Harry searched for Ron, Ginny and Luna.

The other three were soon incapacitated and Neville and Harry were cornered by the Death Eaters. Bellatrix Lestrange briefly tortured Neville with the Cruciatus Curse, both to try to make Harry hand over the prophecy and to see how long Neville held out before "cracking" like his parents.

After the Order of the Phoenix arrived, Harry tried to get out with Neville, who was struck with Tarantallegra by Dolohov. As Harry pulled him up a flight of stairs, Neville accidentally smashed the prophecy. As the battle continued, Neville alerted Harry to the appearance of Albus Dumbledore. The battle soon ended, and Neville and his friends were transported back to Hogwarts, where Neville's nose was fixed by Madam Pomfrey.

Harry soon learned the contents of the prophecy from Dumbledore. As both Neville and Harry were born at the close of July to parents who had all escaped Voldemort three times, they both qualified for the prophecy child. However, Dumbledore believed that the prophecy did indeed refer to Harry, not Neville, as Voldemort marked Harry as his equal by attacking him.

Neville purchased a new wand, 13" cherry wood, with a unicorn hair core, from Garrick Ollivander before his sixth year.

Sixth year

Luna: "People expect you to have cooler friends than us."

Harry: "You are cool. None of them were at the Ministry. They didn’t fight with me."

— Harry to Neville and Luna on the Hogwarts Express

On September 1, 1996, Neville sat with Harry Potter and Luna Lovegood on the Hogwarts Express. When Romilda Vane, a younger Gryffindor student, invited Harry to come to her compartment and implicitly insulted Neville and Luna, Harry coldly rebuffed her, emphasising that Neville and Luna were among his closest and most loyal friends. Neville was later invited to join Horace Slughorn, the new Potions professor, in his train compartment. Slughorn was searching for new students to add to his Slug Club, but Neville didn't seem to meet Slughorn's requirements, and was not invited back to any of Slughorn's parties.

Towards the end of the school year, Neville participated in the Battle of the Astronomy Tower. Along with Luna Lovegood, he was the only member of Dumbledore's Army to reply to the summons via the coins. Neville stood guard outside the Room of Requirement with Ron and Ginny, waiting for Draco Malfoy, who evaded them by using Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder. Neville suffered an injury that kept him in the hospital wing for some time, though he was able to attend the funeral of Albus Dumbledore shortly afterwards, where Luna helped him into his seat.

Seventh year

Neville: "Alecto, Amycus’s sister, teaches Muggle Studies, which is compulsory for everyone. We’ve all got to listen to her explain how Muggles are like animals, stupid and dirty, and how they drive wizards into hiding by being vicious toward them, and how the natural order is being reestablished. I got this one ((indicates to a large gash on his cheek)) for asking her how much Muggle blood she and her brother have got."

Ron: "Blimey, Neville, there’s a time and a place for getting a smart mouth."

Neville: "You didn’t see her. You wouldn’t have stood it either. The thing is, it helps when people stand up to them, it gives everyone hope."

— Neville explaining the situation at Hogwarts during his seventh year

On 1 August, 1997, Lord Voldemort took over the Ministry of Magic. While Muggle-borns were rounded up and Harry, Ron and Hermione went on the run to search for Voldemort's Horcruxes, Neville returned to Hogwarts, and, along with Ginny and Luna, restarted Dumbledore's Army. The D.A. opposed the new headmaster, Severus Snape, and the two new Death Eater professors, Alecto and Amycus Carrow, who taught anti-Muggle propaganda and the Dark Arts. Neville got in trouble with the Carrows for refusing to practise the Cruciatus Curse on other students as a method of punishment, as well as for standing up against their bigotry and cruelty.

The revived D.A. helped protect fellow students from being bullied by the Death Eater teachers, and generally rebelled against authority, such as writing "Dumbledore’s Army, still recruiting" on the Hogwarts walls and freeing students from detention. Neville, Luna and Ginny also attempted to steal Godric Gryffindor's Sword from Snape's office, but were caught on the way out. In his own way to subvert the Carrows' manner of discipline, Snape only gave them a detention, sending them into the Forbidden Forest with Hagrid. Neville eventually decided to cease their open rebellion after Michael Corner got caught and tortured freeing a chained-up first year.

Neville was eventually left alone to lead the rebellion efforts, as Luna was dragged off the Hogwarts Express by Death Eaters around Christmas of 1997 to coerce her father into ceasing his political dissidence in The Quibbler, and Ginny did not return to Hogwarts following the Easter holidays, as her family went into hiding following Harry, Ron and Hermione's escape from Malfoy Manor. By this time, the Carrows were aware of Neville's role in the rebellion, and he suffered beatings and torture. The Ministry also targeted Neville's grandmother to try to intimidate him, but she evaded capture and went on the run.

Eventually, the Carrows realized that Neville was the main ringleader and decided that Hogwarts could do without him. Fearing that they may kill him, Neville made for the Room of Requirement, which he was able to turn into a hiding place for the D.A., and to connect to the Hog's Head in order to get food from Aberforth Dumbledore. By May, most of the D.A. had taken to living there.

Battle of Hogwarts

"Everybody in this room has proved he's loyal to Dumbledore. Loyal to you."

—Neville to Harry, before the Battle of Hogwarts.

On May 2, Neville enthusiastically greeted Harry, Hermione, and Ron, and led them from the Hog's Head into the Room of Requirement. Believing that their return meant the overthrow of the Death Eater professors, Neville signalled the rest of the D.A. to return to Hogwarts. As students returned, along with the Order of the Phoenix, Voldemort and his Death Eater army approached, and the Battle of Hogwarts began.

During the first round of battle, Neville used various plants to attack Death Eaters, and helped transport the injured and dead when a temporary cease-fire was called. He briefly spoke to Harry, who told him that it was top priority to kill Voldemort's snake, Nagini. When the Death Eaters approached with a "dead" Harry, Neville stood up in defiance of Voldemort. He was subsequently forced to wear the Sorting Hat as it burned because he refused to join Voldemort. Fortunately, due to Harry's sacrifice, Neville was able to shrug off the Full Body-Bind Curse.

Lord Voldemort: "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."

Neville Longbottom: "I'll join you when hell freezes over! Dumbledore's Army!"

— Lord Voldemort and Neville, at the Battle of Hogwarts

Because of his tremendous bravery shown on the battlefield, Neville was able to pull Godric Gryffindor's Sword from the burning hat, in the process proving himself a true Gryffindor, something that was doubted constantly throughout due to his apparently weak-willed, shy, and bumbling nature. In a single stroke, he killed Nagini, destroying Voldemort's last remaining Horcrux. Neville subsequently teamed up with Ron Weasley as the defenders of Hogwarts and Death Eaters were forced into the Great Hall and defeated Fenrir Greyback. Also during the Battle Neville duelled Scabior on the Covered Bridge. Scabior fell to his death when the bridge fell down.

Neville witnessed Harry's final defeat of Voldemort and survived the Second Wizarding War.

Later life

Ginny Potter: "Don't forget to give Neville our love!"

James Potter: "Mum! I can't give a professor love..."

Ginny Potter: "But you know Neville"

James Potter: "Outside, yeah, but at school he's "Professor Longbottom", isn't he? I can't walk into Herbology and give him love...."

— Ginny Potter and her son exchange goodbyes at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters before her children depart to Hogwarts for the school year.

Neville briefly worked as an Auror immediately following the war. Sometime afterwards, he became Professor of Herbology at Hogwarts. His students were impressed when he would show them his Dumbledore's Army coin, which he and other D.A. members kept as a badge of honor. Neville remained in contact with his old friends, as in 2017, Ginny told her and Harry's eldest son to give Neville their love when he arrived at Hogwarts.

In time, he married his former classmate and D.A. member Hannah Abbott, and the pair lived at the Leaky Cauldron, where she became the landlady. It is unknown if they ever had any children.

Physical appearance

Neville was described as round-faced, with a short, chubby build and blond hair. He had quite bucked teeth. He was called "fat" by Pansy Parkinson, but this may have been an exaggeration, as Pansy frequently made disparaging comments about Gryffindor students. Neville strongly resembled his mother.

Personality and traits

Bellatrix: "Longbottom? Why, I have had the pleasure of meeting your parents, boy."

Neville: "I DOE YOU HAB!"

Bellatrix: "...let's see how long Longbottom lasts before he cracks like his parents...unless Potter wants to give us the prophecy."

Neville: "DON'D GIB ID DO DEM! DON'D GIB ID DO DEM, HARRY!"

— Neville defying Death Eaters with a broken nose in the Department of Mysteries

When he was younger, Neville was clumsy, forgetful, shy, and many considered him ill-suited for Gryffindor house because he seemed timid. However, Neville proved that the Sorting Hat had seen the bravery beneath his insecurity, as he stood up to his only friends as a first-year and later became one of the D.A.’s most courageous members. Part of Neville’s problem seems to have been poor self-esteem, as he referred to himself as a "nobody" and "almost a Squib" at times. This was likely caused by his grandmother’s belief that he was not living up to his parents’ accomplishments, and browbeating from fellow students and people like Professor Snape. Though he came from a pure-blood family, he held no prejudice against half-bloods or Muggle-borns.

With the support of his friends, to whom he was very loyal, the encouragement of Professor Remus Lupin to face his fears in his third year, and the motivation of knowing his parents’ torturers were on the loose, Neville became braver, more self-assured, and dedicated to the fight against Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters. This was proven by his participation in many battles and his revival of the D.A. in the face of threats and torture at the hands of the Carrows in his seventh year, as well as his defiance of Voldemort himself during the final battle.

Magical abilities and skills

Neville was not an academically strong student in his early years, often requiring Hermione’s help in class and with school-work, but part of this was likely caused by his use of another's wand, poor self-esteem, and anxiety caused the incessant bullying from many of his peers and Severus Snape due to his forgetful nature and clumsiness.

• Herbologist: Neville was gifted at Herbology, earning an Outstanding in his O.W.L. on the subject. Even Professor Sprout, teacher of Herbology at Hogwarts, confirmed that. He later worked as Professor of this subject himself.
• Defense Against the Dark Arts: Neville proved to be capable in Defense Against the Dark Arts, once properly motivated and more sure of himself. Neville's talent with defensive spells was proven in the Second Wizarding War, as well as his post-bellum work as an Auror.
• Duelling: Neville was competent at duelling and in the Battle of Hogwarts, he along with Ron Weasley defeated Fenrir Greyback, and he survived the battle. He also survived the Battle of the Department of Mysteries and the Battle of the Astronomy Tower, without any serious injuries. He also single-handedly dueled Scabior and a large group of Snatchers during the Battle of Hogwarts until the bridge they were on was destroyed, taking the Snatchers lives with it. Neville was notably the last person standing apart from Harry during the battle of the Department of Mysteries until the Order of the Phoenix arrived to rescue them. Neville was also said to master a shield charm more quickly than anyone in Dumbledore's Army apart from Hermione.
• Charms: Neville was also good at Charms, in which he earned an Exceeds Expectations O.W.L..
• Transfiguration: Though not excellent at Transfiguration, Professor McGonagall stated that Neville's work only lacked confidence. With that said, Neville managed to score an "Acceptable", even though he was unable to continue into the N.E.W.T. level.

Relationships

Family

Parents

Neville Longbottom: "Fourteen years ago, a Death Eater named Bellatrix Lestrange used the Cruciatus Curse on my parents. She tortured them for information, but they never gave in. I'm quite proud to be their son. But I'm not sure I'm ready for everyone to know just yet."

Harry Potter: "We're going to make them proud, Neville. That's a promise."

— Neville and Harry Potter about the fate of Neville's parents sometime in 1995.

As Neville's parents, Alice and Frank Longbottom, had been permanent residents of St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries since Neville's infancy, he never knew them as the popular and talented Aurors they were reputed to be. Nevertheless, he held them in high esteem, much like his friend Harry looked up to the parents he never knew. Neville regularly visited his parents at St Mungo's with his grandmother, where he tried to speak to them and brought them sweets, keeping the wrappers his mother handed back to him, even when his grandmother told him to throw them in the bin. Their torture clearly haunted him, as he was badly shaken by seeing the Cruciatus Curse demonstrated on a spider in his fourth year.

When the Lestranges escaped from Azkaban in 1996, Neville did not discuss it, but he became very dedicated to his training in Dumbledore's Army. During the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, he was taunted about his parents by Bellatrix Lestrange, who also briefly subjected him to the Cruciatus Curse, but Neville remained defiant.

Augusta Longbottom

Mrs. Longbottom: "Have you seen my grandson?"

Harry Potter: "He’s fighting."

Mrs. Longbottom: "Naturally. Excuse me, I must go and assist him."

— Augusta Longbottom during the Battle of Hogwarts

Neville was raised by his grandmother, Augusta Longbottom, after his parents were tortured to the point of insanity when he was an infant. This was pivotal in the development of his personality, as his grandmother often expressed her disappointment with her grandson's seeming lack of magical ability, and what she considered his inability to live up to his parents' skills. When Neville was a child, his grandmother, as well as some of his other relatives, feared that he might have been a Squib. However, when Neville showed great bravery and heroism during the Second Wizarding War, his grandmother was clearly very proud of him. She came to Hogwarts during the final battle and ran off to assist him in fighting Death Eaters.

Uncle Algie

Neville appeared to be fairly close to his great-uncle Algie, who tried to "scare" magic into him when he was younger; he once accidentally dropped Neville out of a window while reaching for a meringue, and when Neville bounced, his family was pleased to discover that he was not, in fact, a Squib. Algie later rewarded him with his pet toad Trevor for getting into Hogwarts. Algie and Neville appear to have shared an interest in Herbology, as Algie gave Neville his very rare Mimbulus Mimbletonia plant, which at one point was the password to the Gryffindor Common Room.

Trevor

Trevor was Neville's pet toad. He was given to Neville by his Uncle Algie upon Neville's gaining admission to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Neville often lost Trevor, as he did the first time he rode the Hogwarts Express and Hermione Granger met Harry Potter and Ron Weasley as she helped him search. In Neville's third year, Professor Snape made him test his Shrinking Solution on the toad; though Neville's dubious potion-making skills could have resulted in the toad's death, Trevor was successfully transformed into a tadpole, much to the Gryffindors' delight. At some point, Trevor escaped into the Hogwarts Lake. Both pet and owner felt a sense of relief.

Harry Potter

"Neville speaks most highly of you."

—Augusta Longbottom regarding Neville's high regard of Harry

Harry Potter, his good friend and room-mate

Neville first met Harry Potter in 1991, while Neville was looking for his toad, Trevor, on the Hogwarts Express. They became classmates and room-mates after they were both sorted into the Gryffindor house, and came to be good friends over the years. In 1994, Harry learned that Neville's parents were tortured into insanity by Barty Crouch Jr., and Bellatrix, Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange. Harry felt that Neville was far more deserving of pity than he, though he promised Dumbledore not to tell anyone what he knew, as it was Neville's decision whether or not to reveal his past to his friends.

In their fifth year, Neville became a member of Dumbledore's Army, an organization led by Harry to oppose Dolores Umbridge and learn practical defensive magic. After the Lestranges escaped from Azkaban that same year, Neville resolved to become stronger and try to honour his parents' reputations as excellent Aurors. True to his word, Neville fought alongside Harry at the Battle of the Department of Mysteries and saved Harry's life from Walden Macnair when Macnair attempted to strangle Harry.

In 1996, Harry refused to allow Romilda Vane to insult Neville and Luna Lovegood, stating that they were his real friends, and the only ones who had fought alongside Ron, Ginny, Hermione and himself at the Department of Mysteries. At the end of the year, Neville and Harry both fought in the Battle of the Astronomy Tower and attended Dumbledore's funeral.

The next year, while Harry, Ron and Hermione left Hogwarts to search for Voldemort's horcruxes, Neville, along with Ginny Weasley and Luna Lovegood, led Dumbledore's Army in maintaining a steady level of opposition against Alecto and Amycus Carrow, two Death Eaters who had been appointed deputy Headmaster and Headmistress of Hogwarts under Severus Snape. Neville and Harry fought together in the Battle of Hogwarts in 1998, where Neville showed his bravery and loyalty to Harry when he openly defied Voldemort and beheaded Nagini, destroying Voldemort's last remaining Horcrux.

Neville and Harry remained in contact after the end of the Second Wizarding War, showing their good friendship and Harry's children were later taught by Neville, who had been appointed Herbology professor at Hogwarts.

Hermione Granger

"Stop it! Can't you see it's bothering him? STOP IT!"

—Hermione Granger to Alastor Moody (actually Barty Crouch Jr. who was drinking Polyjuice Potion) about seeing the Cruciatus Curse is bothering Neville in a Defense Against the Dark Arts in 1994

Neville met Hermione Granger on the Hogwarts Express when she helped him find Trevor, his toad. During their years at Hogwarts, they became closer as Hermione encouraged him to stand up for himself when Draco Malfoy and his friends played pranks on him, or made jokes at his expense.

Because of his lack of confidence in classes, Neville frequently made mistakes, and Hermione usually came to his assistance, often whispering instructions in his ear. She also took note of how shaken Neville was by their fourth year lesson on the Unforgivable Curses, shouting for Professor Moody to stop demonstrating the Cruciatus Curse and later asking Neville if it was all right. Because Hermione had "always been so nice", Neville plucked up the courage to ask her to the Yule Ball in 1994, though she had already accepted the offer of Viktor Krum.

Neville and Hermione became members of Dumbledore's Army in 1995, during their fifth year at Hogwarts, and fought together at the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, as well as in the Battle of the Astronomy Tower in 1997. When the trio returned to Hogwarts in 1998 just before the Battle of Hogwarts, it was Neville who greeted them enthusiastically, and who first expressed a willingness to help them in any way possible and to fight the incoming Death Eater army.

After the Second Wizarding War, Neville remained in contact with Hermione.

Ron Weasley

"Blimey, Neville, there’s a time and a place for getting a smart mouth!"

—Ron to Neville after Nevile explains how he received injuries at the hands of the Carrows.

Neville met Ron Weasley on the Hogwarts Express at the start of their first year. As both were sorted into Gryffindor house, they became room-mates. Over time, Neville became good friends with Ron, who, like Hermione and Harry, encouraged Neville not to let the Slytherins get to him.

Ron, Hermione, and Ginny all learned about Neville's parents during their fifth year at Hogwarts, and were shocked to learn that the good-natured, clumsy boy was carrying such a dark secret. Ron and Neville both became members of Dumbledore's Army in 1995, in order to oppose Professor Umbridge and learn to fight the Death Eaters. They fought alongside one another at the Battle of the Department of Mysteries and the Battle of the Astronomy Tower. Neville greeted Ron, Harry, and Hermione enthusiastically when they returned to Hogwarts in 1998, and they all fought against Voldemort's forces in the Battle of Hogwarts. During the battle, Neville and Ron defeated Fenrir Greyback together protecting each other, after the battle they remained close friends and they regularly see each other.

Ginny Weasley

Ginny Weasley, a good friend and his Yule Ball date

After asking Hermione to the Yule Ball in his fourth year and being turned down because she had already agreed to attend with Viktor Krum, Neville asked Ginny Weasley. She agreed to go with him as a friend, being too young to attend otherwise.

The two continued to be friendly afterwards, and Ginny, like Harry, Hermione and Ron, encouraged Neville to be more confident. She and Luna Lovegood were co-leaders of the re-formed Dumbledore's Army along with Neville when Snape and the Carrows controlled Hogwarts. Ginny and Neville also fought at the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, the Battle of the Astronomy Tower and the Battle of Hogwarts.

After the war, Ginny and Neville remained in contact, and Neville appeared to be on friendly terms (as in the school) with Ginny, and her son, James.

Luna Lovegood

Luna: "And I don't know who you are."

Neville: "I'm nobody."

Ginny: "No, you're not. Neville Longbottom — Luna Lovegood..."

— Ginny Weasley introduces Neville and Luna

Neville and Luna, a Ravenclaw student, first met on the Hogwarts Express, in 1995. Neville found Luna a bit "odd", as she believed in the existence of strange, mythical creatures, had a tendency to read magazines upside down, and wore earrings that appeared to be made of radishes. Luna, like Harry and Neville, had the ability to see Thestrals, as they had all seen someone die. Spacey as Luna seemed, she fought alongside Neville at the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, the Battle of the Astronomy Tower and the Battle of Hogwarts. At some point they became very close friends. During Neville's last year at Hogwarts, he, Luna and Ginny, re-formed and co-led Dumbledore's Army in order to oppose the Carrows.

Draco Malfoy

"Longbottom, if brains were gold you'd be poorer than Weasley, and that's saying something."

—Draco Malfoy on Neville

Initially shy and clumsy, Neville regularly found himself on the receiving end of insults from Draco and his gang, and was often the butt of their jokes and pranks-- a fact which served only to make Neville clumsier and less confident. Encouraged by Hermione, Ron, and Harry to stand up for himself, Neville grew to be someone who was much more difficult to bully by his later years at Hogwarts, resisting against not only the Slytherin students, but also Alecto and Amycus Carrow and Severus Snape. During the Battle of Hogwarts, Neville proved to have made an impressive and complete turn around from his earlier years of crumbling under Draco's bullying, when he openly defied Lord Voldemort and beheaded Nagini, effectively destroying Voldemort's final Horcrux.

Hannah Abbott

Neville and Hannah Abbott were never shown as being more than classmates during school. Since Hannah was in Hufflepuff House and Neville in Gryffindor, they probably did not spend too much time together, though it is possible that they became friendly when they were both members of the first and second Dumbledore's Army. Sometime after leaving Hogwarts, Neville and Hannah married and moved into the Leaky Cauldron, where she worked as the landlady and Neville as the Hogwarts Herbology teacher.

It is also possible that she and Neville became close during Herbology lessons, as those were shared by Gryffindor and Hufflepuff of their year. It stands to reason that, since Herbology was where Neville excelled, he may have been confident and even charming amongst the plant life, thus attracting Hannah's attentions. Since Hannah lost her mother in her sixth year, it may also have been Neville's ability to sympathise with her grief that brought the two together.

Dumbledore's Army

Dumbledore's Army was an organization led by Harry Potter that sought not only to undermine the dictatorial authority of Dolores Umbridge, but to offer students a means of learning the practical defensive magic Umbridge denied them in their actual Defence Against the Dark Arts class. Neville became a member at the time of its formation in 1995, and this marked something of a turning point both in terms Neville's relationships with other Hogwarts students, and in terms of his magical ability beyond Herbology. As the DA's practice progressed throughout the course of the year, Neville showed marked improvement in his ability to disarm and stun, as well as perform the Impediment Jinx and Reductor Curse, among others.

When several Death Eaters escaped from Azkaban in early 1996, all of the DA pushed themselves to improve their duelling abilities, but none more than Neville, as three of the escapees had taken part in torturing his parents to the point of becoming permanent residents of St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.

While training with the DA equipped Neville to face the Death Eaters in the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, the sense of camaraderie Neville enjoyed with them made him one of only three members (along with Ginny Weasley and Luna Lovegood) to answer Ron and Hermione's call leading up to the Battle of the Astronomy Tower.

Neville, Ginny and Luna co-led the DA in 1997, when it was re-formed to oppose the reign of Severus Snape and Alecto and Amycus Carrow at Hogwarts. Most of the former members reunited and spent ample time hiding in the Room of Requirement, awaiting the return of Harry, Ron and Hermione. They were quick to mobilise against the invading Death Eaters, with Neville at their lead, while Harry, Ron and Hermione were searching for Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem. While Fred Weasley and Colin Creevey were tragically killed, Neville fought valiantly and eventually beheaded Nagini, destroyed Voldemort's final remaining Horcrux.

Bellatrix Lestrange

Bellatrix: "Neville Longbottom, is it ? How's mum and dad?"

Neville: "Better now that they're about to be avenged!"

— Bellatrix Lestrange and Neville, during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries

Bellatrix Lestrange led fellow Death Eaters Rodolphus Lestrange, Rabastan Lestrange, and Barty Crouch Jr. in the torture Neville's parents by means of the Cruciatus Curse, leaving them permanently incapacitated in St. Mungo's. When Bellatrix escaped from Azkaban prison in January 1996, Neville was heavily affected. His performance in Dumbledore's Army increased to the point where he managed to master the Shield Charm before everyone but Hermione.

When he went to the Ministry of Magic later that year, Bellatrix taunted him about his parents, but Neville fought back, much to Bellatrix's surprise. Neville also saw Bellatrix killing Sirius Black, and expressed his condolences to Harry. Neville met Bellatrix again in 1998, during the Battle of Hogwarts, where she was eventually killed by Molly Weasley.

Hogwarts staff

Minerva McGonagall was Neville's Head of House and Transfiguration professor during his years at Hogwarts. She often scolded Neville for his clumsiness and incompetence, though it was more likely his lack of confidence that frustrated her. McGonagall knew that Neville was capable of more than he seemed and saw that he was actually brave, and thus encouraged him to work to his potential. She was also a friend of Neville's grandmother, and had known his parents in their days as Aurors. Neville and McGonagall both fought in the Battle of the Astronomy Tower and the Battle of Hogwarts, and both survived the war. Years after the war, Neville was given the position of Herbology professor at Hogwarts, although it is unknown if McGonagall still teaching there.

Professor Sprout was Neville's Herbology professor, and as Neville proved to be quite adept at Herbology, possibly the best in the year, she was undoubtedly the Professor he got along with best. At one point, Sprout even spoke of Neville's strength in the subject to Barty Crouch Jr., while he was disguised as Professor Moody. Neville helped Sprout use Devil's Snare, Mandrakes, Venomous Tentacula and Snargaluff pods to attack the Death Eaters during the Battle of Hogwarts, and they both survived the war. It is likely that Sprout had retired by the time Neville was appointed the new Herbology professor, though they may have taught the class together.

Severus Snape

"Tell me, boy, does anything penetrate that thick skull of yours? Didn’t you hear me say, quite clearly, that only one rat spleen was needed? Didn’t I state plainly that a dash of leech juice would suffice? What do I have to do to make you understand, Longbottom?”"

—Snape tormenting Neville

During his years at school, Neville was terrified of Professor Severus Snape, and the poor boy managed to earn the Potions master's ire in almost every lesson. Snape regularly targeted Neville with verbal taunts, threats, sarcasm, and malice, which put an extremely nervous Neville even more on edge. Snape went so far as to feed a few drops of Neville's Shrinking Solution to Neville's pet, Trevor, so as to humiliate him for doing badly on the potion and almost kill Neville's toad. Thanks to Hermione, Neville was able to fix his potion so that his toad wasn't harmed. Neville admitted in 1993 that Snape scared him more than anything else in the world, and was the form his Boggart took.

Snape: "Longbottom, at the end of this lesson we will feed a few drops of this potion to your toad and see what happens. Perhaps that will encourage you to do it properly."

Neville (to Hermione): "Help me!"

— Neville in a Potions class

When he sat his Potions O.W.L. in 1996, Harry noted that Neville looked happier than usual without Snape around. Neville also co-led the second Dumbledore's Army and wrote slogans on the walls, in order to oppose Snape and the Carrows. Snape was killed by Nagini during the Battle of Hogwarts. Though Neville was present when Harry informed Voldemort of Snape's true allegiance, it is unknown how Neville reacted.

"It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemies, but a great deal more, to stand up to your friends."

—Albus Dumbledore, of Neville's courage in 1992

Neville thought Albus Dumbledore was the greatest wizard of all time. He met Dumbledore in 1991, when he was the headmaster of Hogwarts. At the end of Neville's first year, Dumbledore awarded Gryffindor the ten points they needed to win the House cup because Neville had the courage to try and stop Harry, Hermione, and Ron from leaving the Gryffindor tower after hours. Dumbledore also knew about Neville's parents, and told Harry not to say anything, leaving Neville the right to choose when he revealed his past to his friends. Dumbledore and Neville also fought together at the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, and the Battle of the Astronomy Tower, where Dumbledore was killed by Severus Snape. Neville was devastated by his death.

Neville despised professor Dolores Umbridge, the Ministry-appointed Defense Against the Dark Arts professor for the 1995–1996 school year. Like nearly everyone else at Hogwarts, with the possible exception of some of the Slytherin students and Argus Filch, Neville hated Umbridge for her sadistic punishments and attempts to control the school. He became a member of Dumbledore's Army partially in order to oppose her. Umbridge left the school in 1996 after paying the price for verbally assaulting a herd of centaurs and attempting to flee; she was discovered by Peeves, who led the students in chasing her away from the school.

Death Eaters Alecto and Amycus Carrow were appointed professors at Hogwarts in 1997, after Dumbledore's death. Amycus taught Defense Against the Dark Arts, which he changed to the Dark Arts, and Alecto taught Muggle Studies with an obvious anti-Muggle slant. Amycus and Alecto liked to punish the students with the use of torture, and ordered students to practice the Cruciatus Curse on other students who had been detained. Neville helped re-form Dumbledore's Army, along with Ginny and Luna, and maintained a steady opposition against the Carrows throughout the course of the year. In an attempt to control Neville, Ministry Auror John Dawlish was sent to take Neville's grandmother hostage; unfortunately for Dawlish, the tenacious Augusta Longbottom fought back, apparently putting Dawlish in St. Mungo's and going on the run. As the Carrows no longer had hope of finding any real leverage to use against Neville, and had no reason not to simply kill him, Neville went into hiding in the Room of Requirement, where he was soon joined by a number of other Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw students who saw fit to do the same.

Barty Crouch Jr.

Barty Crouch Jr. was also involved in the torture of Neville's parents by means of the Cruciatus Curse. During Neville's fourth year, Barty impersonated Alastor Moody and served as Neville's Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. During his first lesson with the fourth years, Barty (as Moody) took notice of Neville's name on the class register. He then demonstrated the three Unforgivable Curses on spiders, including the Cruciatus Curse, which left Neville deeply shaken. "Moody" afterwards had tea with Neville and gave him a book about Herbology, seemingly out of comfort and support, although it was later revealed that he had only done so to give Harry a clue about the Triwizard Tournament's second task. It is unknown how Neville reacted upon learning the truth about his D.A.D.A. teacher. Barty Crouch was given the Dementor's Kiss in 1995, losing his soul.

Lord Voldemort

Voldemort: "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."

Neville: "I'll join you when hell freezes over! Dumbledore's Army!"

— Voldemort and Neville at the Battle of Hogwarts.

Lord Voldemort, an enemy

Neville was one of the two children possibly referred to in the prophecy as being destined to bring about Voldemort's end. However, Voldemort chose to target the Potters based on the simple concept that Harry was a half-blood like himself, thus marking Harry, and not Neville, as his equal. After Lord Voldemort's first defeat, four fanatically loyal Death Eaters tortured Neville's parents to the point of insanity, using the Cruciatus Curse, attempting to force Voldemort's whereabouts out of them; this fact initially haunted Neville, but eventually spurred him to rise to his full potential. After honing his skills and steadily acquiring self-confidence through training with Dumbledore's Army, Neville fought against Voldemort's Death Eaters countless times during the Second Wizarding War. Near the end of the Battle of Hogwarts, Neville actually attempted to charge directly at Voldemort, presumably aiming to kill Nagini, as Harry had told him she had to die at all costs. Voldemort offered Neville the chance to join him, commending his "spirit and bravery;" Neville declined, and instead, drew the Sword of Gryffindor from the Sorting Hat and succeeded in beheading Nagini. As Nagini had been Voldemort's last remaining Horcrux, Neville's incredible display of bravery allowed Harry to defeat Voldemort once and for all.

Etymology

• Neville is an English name originally derived from Norman French for "new town". It was the surname of a noble and a powerful warrior lineage family prominent in England in the medieval period, as well as the given name of a Prime Minister of Britain, Neville Chamberlain, whose role in history is controversial. Neville Chamberlain is infamous for his policy of appeasing dictator Adolf Hitler just prior to World War II, which is ironic, considering that Neville Longbottom never faltered in his defiance of Lord Voldemort.
• Longbottom is the name of one of the Hobbits' villages at the Shire, known for its best pipe-weed.

Behind the scenes

• Neville is portrayed by British actor Matthew Lewis in the film adaptations of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 and Part 2 and so is one of the 14 characters to appear in all 8 film adaptations.
• Neville is left-handed. He is seen writing with this hand in a publicity photo for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and he also holds Godric Gryffindor's Sword in his left hand in publicity photos for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. He is seen holding his wand in his left hand several times in the movie series.
• In a game of Mastermind, Matthew Lewis commented that he has been wearing a fat suit for most the films but in the Deathly Hallows, he isn't going to be wearing it any longer (though the Neville character has been noticebly slimmer from the fourth film onward, which most likely is attributed to Neville's transition from shy and clumsy to a more hands-on supporting leader-like figure.)
• In J. K. Rowling's sketches of the five Gryffindor boys in Harry Potter's year, Neville is shown as being the shortest, but in the films, Neville is the tallest, aside from Dean Thomas. Rowling also described Neville as blond, but this was never printed in the novels, and in the films, he has brown hair.
• Rowling has revealed that the original last name for Neville's character was "Pupp".
• The short film The Queen's Handbag includes a reference to Neville's grandfather playing a trick on his grandmother in 1947. The canonicity of the mini-episode is uncertain.
• On 18 February, Neville Longbottom's check-out of Quidditch Through the Ages from the Hogwarts Library ends.
• In film version of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, it is Lucius Malfoy who breaks the prophecy, not Neville.
• Neville will be a playable character in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (video game).
• In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 there is a duel between Neville and Scabior during the Battle of Hogwarts.
• In the film adaption of the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Neville confesses to Harry and Ginny during the battle that he is in love with Luna. However, Matthew Lewis has said that this is merely a "summer fling" before Neville marries Hannah Abbott and Luna marries Rolf Scamander..
• In the film version of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Neville is not burned by Voldemort, he instead makes a speech that despite Harry's 'death', he still exists in their hearts, and that he didn't die for nothing. He even taunts Voldemort, saying that he will die in vain, (though Voldemort simply laughs at him), he pulls out the sword and Harry reveals himself to be alive. As the battle restarts, Voldemort, in his rage, actually stuns Neville before he can give Harry the Sword of Gryffindor but he recovers and beheads Nagini.
• Although the prophecy made by Professor Trelawney could refer to Harry or Neville, it's also possible it refers to both as Neville destroyed Voldemort's last Horcrux.
• Matthew Lewis had to wear fake teeth for the fourth film.
• Neville never took N.E.W.T. level Transfiguration, since he only earned an Acceptable. It is unknown how he became an Auror because of this. As Ron and Harry both skipped their 7th year and they both became Aurors, it is likely that the Ministry counted their actions during their time at Hogwarts and the Battle of Hogwarts to be good enough and to make up for the missed parts.
• In the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (video game), Neville deflects a curse sent from Voldemort using Godric Gryffindor's Sword, causing it to hit Bellatrix Lestrange in the leg. This could've been to allow Neville payback towards Bellatrix for torturing his parents.

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (film)
• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
• Quidditch Through the Ages (Mentioned only)
• The Queen's Handbag
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
• Pottermore (Mentioned only)

External links

• Harry Potter Lexicon page

Notes and references

Hogwarts Faculty

Diagon Alley