He does what he can for them and does his best to keep them out of harm’s way. The very first time he does this is when he tries to prevent the trio from leaving Gryffindor Tower and says, “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 fight you!...Go on then, try and hit me..I’m ready!”(SS, ch.16, pg.339). Even though Hermione Body-Binds him and they get past, his attempt to stop them is eventually recognized during the end-of-the-year feast when Dumbledore rewards Neville ten house points, pushing Gryffindor into the lead. It started with one simple gesture to keep them and the rest of the house out of trouble, but it ended with the greatest gesture of all. Neville’s bravery and loyalty is shown in his final act of valor in The Deathly Hallows. When Harry asks him for a big favor, he agrees without hesitation. “‘Kill the snake?’ ‘Kill the snake.’ ‘All right, Harry.’”(DH, ch.43, pg.696) During the final battle, after Voldemort turned his back on Neville, Neville broke free of his Body-Bind curse, which was the same curse used in his first attempt at heroism, and “With a single stroke Neville sliced off the great Snake’s head…”(DH, ch.36, pg.733) destroying the last horcrux that stood between Harry and Lord Voldemort. This act is what creates even ground between the two for the final …show more content…
Dumbledore tells Harry that “They are insane.” and that when Neville goes to visit them, “They do not recognize him.”(GF, ch.30, pg.603) In reading this about Neville, you sort of gain a bit of respect for him in terms of how well he’s doing despite his past. This also helps us understand why he attacks Malfoy in the next book, The Order of The Phoenix, after he makes rude comments about St. Mungo’s, which is where his parents reside. Once again, we are given another reason to respect Neville as we are told he’s witnessed death in his life. Hagrid takes a class into the forest to introduce them to some creatures, one of which is called a Thestral. Hermione mentions that the only people who can see them are those who have seen death. After Umbridge makes a few remarks, she turns to Neville and says, “You can see the thestrals, Longbottom, can you?” and after asking who he’s seen, he responds by saying, “My...my grandad.”(OP, ch.21, pg.449). Later on in the book, we are given quite a shock when we find that Neville could’ve actually been chosen by Voldemort instead of Harry. This gives the reader another reason to look at Neville in a different light, realizing that he could’ve been in the positions that Harry’s been in all