Warning! At least some content in this article is derived from information featured in Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. As such, spoilers will be present within the article. For gameplay-specific information, please see the relevant article on the Harry Potter: Wizards Unite Wiki!

I'll join you when hell freezes over! Dumbledore's Army!" —Neville bravely rejects and protests against Voldemort's offer to join him[src]

Professor Neville Longbottom (b. 30 July 1980[1][2]) was a British pure-blood[3] wizard, the only child and son of Frank and Alice Longbottom. Neville's parents were well-respected Aurors and members of the original Order of the Phoenix until they were tortured into insanity by Bellatrix Lestrange and three other Death Eaters with the Cruciatus Curse when he was about sixteen months old. They were placed in the Janus Thickey Ward at St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, leaving Neville to be raised by his grandmother, Augusta Longbottom.

Neville began school at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in 1991 and was sorted into Gryffindor House, along with Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ronald Weasley. Throughout his school years, he was mostly a shy, clumsy, introverted boy who was constantly being told by his grandmother that he was not good enough or living up to his parents' accomplishments. However, in his later years, he showed that he possessed great courage and perseverance: he became an important member of Dumbledore's Army, an organisation taught and led by Harry Potter with the goal of helping other students learn spells to attack and defend themselves. Neville would later fight in the Battle of the Department of Mysteries (1996), the Battle of the Astronomy Tower (1997), and the Battle of Hogwarts (1998). 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 from Hufflepuff. He is also the godfather of Harry's and Ginny's second son, Albus Potter.

Contents show]

Biography

Early life (1980-1991)

"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 first prophecy[src]

Neville Longbottom was born on 30 July, 1980, to Frank and Alice Longbottom, a pair of Aurors.[1][2] Moments after his birth, Neville was able to adjust his blankets so that he was swaddled more snugly, but no one witnessed this unusually precocious display of underage magic.[10] The midwife who attended the birth assumed that his father had tucked him in more tightly.[10] Neville was born "several hours" before his classmate, Harry.

As a pure-blood wizard, he was likely related to other wizarding families such as the Weasleys, Crouches, Potters, and the Blacks. Neville's parents were members of the Order of the Phoenix and in these roles, they 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.[2]

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 Death Eaters Bellatrix Lestrange, her husband Rodolphus Lestrange, her brother-in-law Rabastan Lestrange, and Barty Crouch Jnr. The four Death Eaters were all sentenced to Azkaban for their crimes, while Frank and Alice were sent to St Mungo's Hospital, where they would live the rest of their lives, not being able to recognise their own son. Neville was subsequently raised by his paternal grandmother, Augusta Longbottom. At some point early in his life, he also witnessed the death of his grandfather.[11]

Neville's grandmother was a stern and formidable woman who was concerned when her grandson did not exhibit early signs of magic (Neville did, however, show faint signs of magic in him throughout his early years, something which his family persistently missed — the first such sign took place moments after birth, when Neville managed to magically shift his blankets more snugly over himself, something which went unnoticed by midwife who attended his mother[10]). She often chided Neville for not living up to his family's honour and was partly the reason for Neville's lack of self-confidence early in his school years.

His relatives feared that Neville might be a Squib, though this was disproved when his great-uncle Algie was holding him out of a window by his feet when he was offered some lemon meringue and let go. Miraculously, Neville bounced. Previous to this, there were 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.

Hogwarts years (1991-1998)

First year

"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!" —Neville bravely standing up to his friends[src]

Neville began attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry on 1 September, 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 his toad from Rubeus Hagrid.[12]

Neville felt intimidated by Gryffindor's reputation for bravery. During the Sorting ceremony, he silently argued for a long time to be placed in Hufflepuff, but the Sorting Hat won in the end, and Sorted him into Gryffindor.[13] 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.[9] 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 melted Seamus Finnigan's cauldron, and was subsequently drenched in the boil-curing potion they had been brewing.[14] 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.[15]

That year, Neville received a Remembrall from his grandmother as a gift which 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.[15]

Shortly after the Christmas holidays, Neville was the target of a cruel 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 consoled him by telling 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.[16]

Neville was sent to the hospital wing a third time after a Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. During the match, Malfoy began to taunt the Gryffindor Quidditch team, as well as Neville. Neville challenged Malfoy on hearing this, and single-handedly took on Malfoy's friends Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, while Ron fought Malfoy. Although he was knocked out by Crabbe and Goyle, Madam Pomfrey insisted that Neville would make a full recovery. This was the first time that Neville stood up for himself.[17]

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.[18]

The night Quirinus Quirrell attempted to steal the Philosopher's Stone, Neville followed Harry's advice and 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. This was another early instance where Neville showed bravery, standing up to his only friends.[19]

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. In the final exams, he scored well in Herbology, making up for his poor marks in Potions.[20]

Second year

"Why is it always me?" —Neville referring to his 'bad luck'[src]

In 1992, after the start-of-term feast, he applauded Harry and Ron for flying a car to Hogwarts. The following morning when Ron received a Howler from his mother, Neville warned him to open it quickly.[21]

In Gilderoy Lockhart's first Defence Against the Dark Arts class, a pair of "freshly caught" 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.[21]

After the basilisk attack on Colin Creevey, Neville feared that he might be attacked, due to his poor magical skills, and tried to protect himself by purchasing a large, "evil-smelling" green onion, a pointed purple crystal, and a rotting newt tail. However the other students pointed out that Neville should be all right; he was a pure-blood and thus unlikely to be attacked. However, he thought he was very close to being a Squib and was still in danger anyway.[22]

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.[22]

Shortly after Valentine's Day, Neville informed Harry that his belongings had been searched by someone.[23]

Neville would have been present at the end of term feast that year, having thankfully not been attacked or petrified by the Basilisk, and would have been present when all his classmates who had been petrified returned to full health after being cured by Mandrake Restorative Draughts, and would have been there to greet Rubeus Hagrid following his release from Azkaban.

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 Miss 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." — A reference to Neville's skill as a wizard[src]

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. Then new Professor Lupin gave them chocolate telling them it would help them feel better about the shock. After arriving at Hogsmeade Station, Neville told people about the experience in the compartment.[24] This made its way to Draco Malfoy, who taunted Harry about fainting.[25]

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 beast, which did not seem to want to bow back.[25]

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 pet 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.[7]

Later that day, Neville helped Professor Remus Lupin's first practical Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson about boggarts. Neville was the first person to be asked. This was most likely because of Professor Lupin's preference for the underdog and him wanting to build Neville's confidence. When asked what scared him most in the world, Neville replied "Professor Snape", to which everyone found amusing. To counter the boggart, Lupin asked Neville to picture Snape in his grandmother's clothes. For his help, Neville earned ten points for Gryffindor and he confidently banished the boggart at the end of class.[7]

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.[26] 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 for the remainder of the school year, 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 while security trolls hired to guard the Fat Lady leered unpleasantly at him. But none of that compared to what his grandmother had in store for him. Two days later during breakfast, Neville received a Howler from her; 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.[27]

At the end of his Divination final exam, Neville was told that, if he told anyone his results, he would suffer a serious accident.[28]

Fourth year

Hermione Granger: "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[src]

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.[29] He was also awestruck by Ron's miniature figurine of Viktor Krum.[29]

In "Mad-Eye" Moody's first Defence 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 Jnr, 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[30], but he was stubbornly searching through the library.[31]

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.[32]

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.[33]

It can be assumed that Neville was among the spectators of the third task ( Triwizard Maze), supporting Harry along with his fellow Gryffindors. He was also most likely among the mass of students that attended the Memorial feast to Cedric Diggory, after Cedric was murdered on the orders of Lord Voldemort.

Fifth year

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 Potter: "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[src]

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.[34]

After arriving at Hogwarts, Neville helped Harry get into Gryffindor Tower as Harry had not learned the new password yet, and then 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.[35]

When Harry, Ron, and Hermione began organising Dumbledore's Army, Neville was among 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.[36] With Harry's encouragement, by the beginning of Christmas break, Neville had improved "beyond all recognition."[37]

During Christmas break, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny 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.[38]

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.[39]

When on 18 June Harry had a vision that Sirius Black was tortured by Voldemort in the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic, he informed Ron and Hermione. The latter convinced Harry to check to see if Sirius was at 12 Grimmauld Place before rushing off to rescue him, and Ginny and Luna came to their assistance. Harry and Hermione broke into Umbridge's office, and Ron wanted to trick Umbridge, Ginny and Luna stopped people from entering the corridor. Umbridge unfortunately wasn't fooled and ordered the Inquisitorial Squad to round them up. Neville, seeing what is going on, tried to help, but he was caught as well.

When Harry and Hermione lured Umbridge into the Forbidden Forest, Neville, Ron, Ginny, and Luna stayed alone with the Inquisitorial Squad. Neville and others broke free using skills that they had acquired in their D.A. sessions; Neville used good Impediment Jinx. They then regrouped with Harry and Hermione, who had left Umbridge with a group of enraged centaurs. He, Ron, Ginny and Luna joined Harry and Hermione, who had left Umbridge at the grace of infuriated centaurs. They fly via Thestrals to London, despite Harry's reluctance to let them accompany him.[40]

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.[41] In the subsequent battle, Neville accompanied Harry and Hermione. They run into the Time Room, where he disarmed Rabastan Lestrange who was struggling with Harry, accidentally disarming Harry as well. Wanting to fix his mistake he tried to stun Lestrange, but he hit a rack full of time-turners. Escaping from room he was hit by Impediment Jinx by Antonin Dolohov and Jugson, same as Harry and Hermione. When Hermione casted Silencing Charm on Dolohov and Harry placed Jugson under Full Body-Bind, Dolohov cursed Hermione. Taking advantage of the moment Neville crawled from under the desk, but Dolohov broke Neville's nose and wand, so Harry placed Dolohov under Full Body-Bind. 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.[42] When several Death Eaters cornered Harry alone in the Death Chamber, Neville stormed into the room to aid him, armed with Hermione's wand, but due to his broken nose, was unable to pronounce spells correctly.

When another Death Eater seized Neville, 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.[42] Even under the threat of being tortured (possibly even going insane like his parents), Neville told Harry not to hand the prophecy over.

After the Order of the Phoenix members arrived, Harry tried to get out with Neville, but Harry was stopped by Walden Macnair. Harry urged Neville to run, but Neville refused, instead breaking Macnair's grip on Harry by jabbing the Death Eater in the eye with Hermione's wand. Then Neville was strucked with Dancing Feet Spell by Dolohov, but Harry placed Dolohov under Body-Bind.[43] Moments later they were attacked by Lucius Malfoy. Harry throw Neville the prophecy to cast Impediment Jinx on Malfoy. As Harry pulled Neville 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 Poppy Pomfrey.[44]

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.[2]

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

Sixth year

Luna Lovegood: "People expect you to have cooler friends than us." Harry Potter: "You are cool. None of them were at the Ministry. They didn’t fight with me." — Harry insists that Neville and Luna are cool friends[src]

On 1 September, 1996, Neville sat with Harry Potter and Luna Lovegood on the Hogwarts Express, where both of them expressed disappointment that Harry did not plan to continue D.A. meetings during their sixth year. 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.[45] 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, but he was a server at Slughorn's Christmas party.

Neville also achieved four known O.W.L.s: one 'Outstanding', two 'Exceeds Expectations', and one 'Acceptable'. The classes he were cleared to take were Herbology, Charms, and Defence Against the Dark Arts. The 'Acceptable' he achieved in Transfiguration was not good enough for N.E.W.T.-level and he would not be able to keep up with the course work. McGonagall also stated that Professor Sprout will be delighted to see Neville back with an 'Outstanding' Herbology O.W.L.. He only applied for Transfiguration for his grandmother's desires, but McGonagall states it is time for Augusta to be proud of the grandson she has, as opposed to the one she desires. She let him down gently on his application on Transfiguration, and instead encouraged him to take Charms.

Main article: Battle of the Astronomy Tower

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.[46]

Seventh year

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." —Neville explains Hogwarts new regime and his stand against the Carrows[src]

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 "" 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 was caught and brutally tortured for 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 realised 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.[47]

"The thing is, it helps when people stand up to them, it gives everyone hope. I used to notice that when you did it, Harry." —Neville discussing the resistance to the Carrows at Hogwarts[src]

On 2 May, 1998 Neville enthusiastically greeted Harry, Hermione, and Ron, and led them from the Hog's Head into the Room of Requirement. While in the tunnel he explained to the trio the nature of his injuries and the reign of the Carrows at Hogwarts. He also informed the trio that the D.A. had been reinstated and was currently resisting the new regime. Believing that their return meant the overthrow of the Death Eater professors, Neville signalled the rest of the D.A. to return to Hogwarts.[48] As students returned, along with the Order of the Phoenix, Voldemort and his Death Eater army approached, laying siege to the school in the hopes of capturing Harry Potter.[49]

Neville, who had emerged from nowhere brandishing armfuls of Venomous Tentacula, which looped itself happily around the nearest Death Eater and began reeling him in." —Neville fighting against the Death Eaters[src]

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 and Horcrux, Nagini.[50] 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 with relative ease.[51]

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 carried out Harry's final order, slaying 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.[51]

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

Career at Hogwarts (1998-2019)

Ginny Potter: "Don't forget to give Neville our love!" James Sirius: "Mum! I can't give a professor love..." — Ginny and her son exchange goodbyes at platform 9¾[src]

Neville briefly worked as an Auror, immediately following the war.[52] Sometime afterwards, he either sent an application to or was offered a place on the Hogwarts staff by Headmistress Minerva McGonagall, and ultimately landed a teaching job in the Herbology department,[4] under head of department, Pomona Sprout.[53] Throughout his new career, his students would come to be impressed whenever he showed them his Dumbledore's Army coin, which he and other D.A. members kept as a keepsake and had come to be seen as something of a badge of honour.[54] 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.[4]

Sometime before 2014, he married his former classmate and D.A. member Hannah Abbott. The pair lived at the Leaky Cauldron, where she became the landlady.[55] Hannah had retired from being landlady as of 2014, she and Neville were childless and scathingly reported by Rita Skeeter as "enjoying a little more Ogden's Firewhisky than most would expect from custodians of our children".[56] Whether this is true or simply another scandalous rumour from Rita Skeeter is unknown. It was reported by Rita Skeeter that Neville is the godfather of Harry's second son, Albus Potter.

In 2019, Neville aided members of the Statute of Secrecy Task Force who pursued a profession as a Professor by showing them a mental trick to make casting the Deterioration Hex seem as a second nature to profoundly increase its effects, while he also instructed the Magizoologists how to use the Bravery Charm to devastating effect.

Physical appearance

Neville was said to strongly resemble his mother. He was round-faced,[12] short, chubby, and had blond hair.[57] He was also somewhat buck-toothed. Pansy Parkinson had once called him "fat", but this may have been an exaggeration, as she frequently made disparaging comments about Gryffindor students.[15]

Personality and traits

Bellatrix Lestrange : "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[src]

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[12] and later became one of the D.A.’s most courageous members.[36] Part of Neville’s problem seems to have been poor self-esteem, as he referred to himself as a "nobody" and "almost a Squib"[22] 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.

Neville appeared to suffer from a degree of post-traumatic stress disorder, as the torture of a spider via the cruciatus curse by Barty Crouch Junior in disguise as Alastor Moody was enough to cause him a severe anxiety attack. This was likely due to his own experience with his parents being subjected to the curse's worst possible outcome: the onset of permanent and complete insanity. This familiarity of what the Cruciatus Curse could do in skilled enough hands was more than enough to terrify him.

With the support of his friends, the encouragement of Professor Lupin to face his fears, 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.[39] 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.[47]

Throughout the trials he face over his seven years at Hogwarts, Neville blossomed from a timid, self-deprecating, and generally nervous student into a stalwart soldier possessed of an ironclad will, courage of outstanding merit, and a nobility of spirit, despite still having a comical and shy but at the same time courageous and fierce. In many ways, Neville's transformation allowed him to change from a scaredy-cat into a lordly lion, becoming a ferocious defender of his fellow students during Voldemort's reign. Suffice it to say, Neville's appointment to Gryffindor House was well-deserved.

Magical abilities and skills

Apparently, Professor Sprout told Professor Moody I'm really good at Herbology." —Neville's talent in Herbology[src]

Neville was not an academically strong student in his early years, often requiring Hermione's help in class and with school-work. However (as confirmed by McGonagall[58]), part of this was likely caused by his use of another's wand, poor self-esteem, and anxiety caused by the incessant bullying from many of his peers and Snape. When he found both courage and self-confidence in his later years, Neville's magical skills as a wizard grew and he proved to be a powerful wizard in his own right.

Herbology: As confirmed by Professor Sprout, who taught Herbology at Hogwarts, Neville was particularly gifted at Herbology, with him seemingly being on par with Hermione Granger in this subject. In his first year, Neville's Herbology score was so good that it even compensated for his abysmal Potions grade, and he was the fastest worker in class: in 1996, he was the first to extract a pod from a Snargaluff plant.[59] He later scored an "Outstanding" on his O.W.L. exam,[60], helped Professor Sprout with organising the defences around Hogwarts with Devil's Snare, employed Mandrakes into the Battle of Hogwarts to attack the Death Eaters, and even worked as the Hogwarts Professor of this subject himself after the Second Wizarding War. Neville's skills in Herbology would later serve him well in his brief career as an Auror. Neville would improve his already considerable skills in the field to the extent that he was eventually hired on as the new Herbology professor at Hogwarts, succeeding his mentor, Pomona Sprout.

"He was improving so fast it was quite unnerving" —Harry Potter about Neville regarding the D.A.[src]

Possessions

Trevor: Trevor was Neville's pet toad. He was given to Neville by his Great-Uncle Algie upon Neville's gaining admission to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Remembrall: Neville was gifted one these magical items by his grandmother for the 1991–1992 school year, in an attempt to help him remember things, to counter his frequent absent-mindedness. His Remembrall would turn red in colour whenever he forgot something; the only trouble being, he could often not remember what he had even forgotten.

Relationships

Family

Parents

Neville: "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[src]

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.[38] Their torture clearly haunted him, as he was badly shaken by seeing the Cruciatus Curse demonstrated on a spider in his fourth year.[30]

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.[42] Neville would later carry on their legacy as a resistance fighter against Voldemort's regime at Hogwarts, and later in his brief career as an Auror.

Augusta Longbottom

Augusta Longbottom: "Have you seen my grandson?" Harry Potter: "He’s fighting." Augusta Longbottom: "Naturally. Excuse me, I must go and assist him." — Augusta during the Battle of Hogwarts[src]

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. By Minerva McGonagall's claim, however, Augusta should be proud of the grandson she has, as opposed to the one she wants.

When Neville was a child, his grandmother, as well as some of his other relatives, feared that he might have been a Squib.[22] 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.[49]

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. However, as Algie was willing to risk Neville's life to reveal his magic, such as pushing him into a lake and dangling him from a window, Algie more then likely cares for Neville's magic more than the boy himself.

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 friends 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 attention. 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, or simply Hannah felt attracted to Neville's heroism in the Battle of Hogwarts and when the war was over she kept contact with him, they fell in love and got married.

Hannah is eventually retrained as a Healer and applies to become the new matron of Hogwarts, a job held by Poppy Pomfrey during their years as students. It is possible that she applied in order to be closer to Neville. However, in the year 2020, Madame Pomfrey is seen to still be the matron, as she resets Albus Potter's broken arm.

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.[13]

Harry Potter

"Neville speaks most highly of you." —Neville's high regard of Harry[src]

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 Jnr, 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 organisation 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. When Harry was crying over the death of Sirius Black, Neville did not question nor protest Harry's friendship with an alleged criminal and mass murder, instead consoling him for his godfather's demise.

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 thing is, it helps when people stand up to them, it gives everyone hope. I used to notice that when you did it, Harry." —Neville regarding how Harry inspires him[src]

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 would later state that the hope Harry inspired in standing up to his enemies drove Neville to do the same. Neville and Harry fought together in the Battle of Hogwarts, where Harry realised that Neville was one of his closest friends and one of the few people he would like to see once again before he dies in the forest and 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 and Harry made Neville the godfather of his son Albus Severus, showing their good friendship. 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 Jnr DADA lesson in 1994[src]

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.[33]

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, the two best friends remained in contact throughout the years.

Ron Weasley

"Blimey, Neville, there’s a time and a place for getting a smart mouth!" —Ron to Neville after Neville explains how he received injuries at the hands of the Carrows[src]

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 as best friends and they regularly see each other.

Ginny Weasley

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.[33]

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.[47] Ginny and Neville also fought at the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, the Battle of the Astronomy Tower, and the Battle of Hogwarts (where they blew up together the covered bridge).

After the war, Ginny and Neville remained in contact, and they remained closest friends, with Ginny naming Neville godfather to her son Albus Severus and being on friendly terms with her other son, James Sirius.

Luna Lovegood

Luna Lovegood: "And I don't know who you are." Neville: "I'm nobody." Ginny Weasley: "No, you're not. Neville Longbottom — Luna Lovegood..." — Ginny Weasley introduces Neville and Luna[src]

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. Neville seems to have a place in his heart for Luna, they also remained close friends in later life. It seemed that Luna was always glad when Neville, Ginny, Hermione, Ron, and Harry were close by, proved when the trio visited Luna's father Xenophilius Lovegood and seeing Luna's room with their painting on her bedroom ceiling connected with gold letters spelling "friends".

Draco Malfoy

Longbottom, if brains were gold you'd be poorer than Weasley, and that's saying something." —Draco Malfoy's opinion of Neville[src]

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. When encouraged by Hermione, Ron, and Harry to stand up for himself, Neville replied with "how I can barely stand at all" but, despite this previous mind set Neville grew to be someone who was much more difficult to bully by his later years at Hogwarts.

He started 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.

Dumbledore's Army

"I liked the D.A.! I learned loads with you!" —Neville to Harry Potter on D.A. meetings[src]

Dumbledore's Army was an organisation 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 D.A.'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 D.A. pushed themselves to improve their duelling abilities, but none more than Neville, as three of the escapees had taken part in torturing his parents into insanity.

While training with the D.A.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, Alecto Carrow, 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, Lavender Brown and Colin Creevey were tragically killed, Neville fought valiantly and eventually beheaded Nagini on Harry's orders, destroyed Voldemort's final remaining Horcrux.

Bellatrix Lestrange

Bellatrix: "Longbottom? Why, I have had the pleasure of meeting your parents, boy. . . ." Neville: "I DOE YOU HAB!" — Bellatrix taunting Neville during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries[src]

Bellatrix Lestrange led fellow Death Eaters; Rodolphus Lestrange, Rabastan Lestrange, and Barty Crouch Jnr 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 murder Sirius Black, and expressed his condolences to Harry. Neville met Bellatrix again in 1998, during the Battle of Hogwarts, where she was eventually killed in a duel by Molly Weasley.

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[src]

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 and unnecessarily 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. When Professor Lupin asked the Defence Against the Dark Arts class what frightened them the most, Neville at first mumbled inaudibly; when Professor Lupin asked Neville to say it clearly, Neville (after wildly looking around) whispered "Professor Snape." Nearly everyone laughed at that, and then Professor Lupin replied thoughtfully, "Professor Snape."[7]

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 is possible Snape hated Neville so much because if Voldemort had chosen to go after him rather than Harry, Lily would still be alive.

Albus Dumbledore

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 Defence 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 Defence 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 practise 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.

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 was 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 Jnr, 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.

Bartemius Crouch Jnr

Barty Crouch Jnr 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 Defence 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

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: "I'll join you when hell freezes over! Dumbledore's Army!" — Voldemort and Neville at the Battle of Hogwarts[src]

Neville was one of the two boys 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, Frank and Alice Longbottom, to the point of insanity, using the Cruciatus Curse, in an attempt 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 slay 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.

In addition to this, Neville also indirectly fulfilled his role in the prophecy by destroying Voldemort's last remaining Horcrux as it was this act which allowed Harry to finally defeat Voldemort. Although Voldemort chose to mark Harry as his target based on the prophecy, Neville proved by standing up to him and destroying his final Horcrux that he was almost exactly capable of being the other boy to meet the prophecy's requirements. It is unknown whether Voldemort recognised Neville as the other boy which the prophecy referred to and it is also unknown if Neville ever learnt this himself after Voldemort's final defeat.

Etymology

Neville is an English name originally derived from Norman French for "new town". [63] 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.

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.

Longbottom is a family name around Bristol, where JK Rowling spent part of her childhood.

Behind the scenes

Neville's initial lack of magical power could be deemed the result of his grandmother's overbearing presence as he acknowledges that she is constantly telling both him and others that he is not as talented as his parents and Dumbledore states that misery and lack of confidence can sap a wizard of his or her powers.

On 18 February, Neville Longbottom's check-out of Quidditch Through the Ages from the Hogwarts Library ends.

from the Hogwarts Library ends. Neville never took N.E.W.T. level Transfiguration, since he only earned an Acceptable. However, like Harry and Ron, he was still recruited by Kingsley Shacklebolt into the Auror department after the battle to help track down any remaining Death Eaters. [52]

It is possible Severus Snape's hatred for Neville was due to him being the second boy in the prophecy, which means if Voldemort had chosen to go after Neville rather than Harry, Lily would still be alive.

There is a Feature named "Neville Longbottom, a true Gryffindor" on Pottermore .

. Rowling has revealed that the original last name for Neville's character was "Puff."[64]

In films

Appearances

Neville Longbottom. The Harry Potter Wiki has 353 images related to

Notes and references

Preceded by:

Pomona Sprout Herbology Professor at Hogwarts

Unknown Succeeded by:

Incumbent















