20 Random Facts About Neville Longbottom
Title: 20 Random Facts About Neville Longbottom
Author: Inspire inspired_ideas
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: References to torture and killing (nothing graphic)
Word Count: ~ 1,800
Disclaimer: I’m not JKR, nor do I play her on TV.
Written For: The Harry Potter Random Facts Fest on InsaneJournal
1. Neville adores his new cherry wood and unicorn hair wand. Not only because it is a wand that chose him, unlike his father's that he used before, but because it feels right in his hand. That it was one of the last that Mr. Ollivander sold before he disappeared only makes him cherish it more.
2. Neville understands plants. He always has. He was quite sure he was magical, even when other members of his family weren't too sure, because he could coax anything to grow. He has a sense for what a plant needs that Professor Sprout thinks is quite remarkable.
3. Like he understands plants, Professor Sprout understands him. Neville can spend hours working in the greenhouses with his favorite professor, reading the books she recommends, and asking her questions. He likes that she understands that he learns better when he is shown, then allowed to try while being guided, then watched while he does it on his own.
4. Neville is better at casting spells these days. His new wand helps, but so does being more confident. He is, however, intelligent enough to realize that it was best to continue to appear much the same duffer as always around the Slytherins. Not being seen as a threat, keeps him healthy... healthier. There was still the little problem of his mouth getting in the way during Muggle Studies and Dark Arts, but a man has to do what a man has to do.
5. Neville enjoys Charms class nearly as much as he enjoys Herbology, especially now that he has a wand that feels natural in his hand. He is extremely grateful to Professor McGonagall for suggesting he try for a NEWT in Charms and cleared the way with his Gran.
6. Neville loves his Gran, he always has, even if she used to scare him almost as much as Professor Snape. As he's grown up, though, he's learned that being firm and critical is simply her way of dealing with things. Knowing she failed her Charms OWL, when he received an Exceeds Expectations, doesn't hurt either.
7. He has hope that someday his parents might be healed. Oh, he knows it isn't likely, he doesn't live in a fantasy world, despite it being magical. However, there are occasionally signs that they recognize him and Neville cherishes every one. No matter how dismal the chances, Neville never gives up hope.
8. He has hope that Harry will defeat Voldemort. He thinks this is likely, despite how powerful He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Given-In-To is, because somehow, Harry always finds a way. Neville hopes that Harry has kept Ron and Hermione with him, because Neville's seen Ron play chess and Hermione is dead clever. Neville hopes that his three friends will succeed as a team, because he knows there is hope for a better future with an example of how a muggleborn, pureblood and half-blood can work together to do great things. Just like there is hope in the cigar box full of tightly packed, shiny gum wrappers he keeps stashed in the bottom of his school trunk.
9. Neville wishes he was better on a broom. He can at least make one respond now, but he has never really gotten the hang of flying. He keeps trying though, practicing whenever he gets the chance, staying low to the ground, working on balance, hovering, and trying to stay seated. He isn't good at it, but he thinks he might be getting better. He certainly has no plans to give up trying.
10. Neville remembers things much better these days. His memory is still far from perfect, but he has worked hard to improve. Ironically, he owes the improvement to Professor Snape, who set him the boring task of copying lines from a book during detention one evening early in Neville's 6th year. The book was apparently chosen at random off Snape's bookshelf. The Professor told Neville he would serve detention every evening until he finished copying the thin book out by hand. Snape added in a sneering, condescending tone, that he was, however, willing to allow Neville to take the book with him and continue copying during his own time, so he would not be saddled with Neville's presence any more evenings than strictly necessary. The book had been on techniques for improving memory and recall.
11. Neville is a keen observer. He sees all kinds of things. He always has, but it has only been since 6th year when he started working on improving his memory that he's been able to put things together from his many observations. He knows he isn't as clever as Hermione, but he had years to observe her, Harry and Ron, as well as the Weasley Twins, and others in action to have picked up a few tricks.
12. Hermione was Neville's first friend, first fancy and first love. She talked to him and helped him find Trevor that very first train trip to Hogwarts. He had been so afraid he'd never make friends and everyone would make fun of him because he couldn't remember things and was absolute rubbish at magic. She set him down so kindly and so easily when he asked her to the Yule Ball in their 4th year, that he really did believe that if she hadn't already had a date, she would have gone with him. He had been crushed in 6th year when Hermione needed a date for Slughorn's Christmas party and asked McLaggen. Neville spent the evening depressed, squeezing Trevor a bit too tightly.
13. Neville misses his toad, Trevor. He knew he was doing the right thing telling his House mates that he had grown tired of it. He wasn't happy about having to lie to Hagrid about being tired of taking care of Trevor and that with NEWTs this year, he simply didn't have the time to take care of his familiar, especially considering how hard Hagrid had tried to convince him that Trevor wouldn't be much trouble. He felt guilty every time Hagrid stopped him and tried to convince him to take Trevor back. He knew Hagrid was disappointed in him for abandoning his pet for such selfish reasons. After the first familiar was strung up in the Great Hall during dinner and flayed alive as an example to a student who had crossed the Carrows earlier that day, Hagrid never looked disappointed or tried to convince Neville to take Trevor back again.
14. Dobby the house elf fascinates Neville. He had never seen one who relished freedom before or wore such outrageous costumes. Dobby is different and Neville respects differences.
15. Neville missed Luna Lovegood when she failed to return after the Christmas break. He worried about her being sent to Azkaban or injured for her participation in the resistance movement in the school. Neville knows his friend Luna is a lot tougher than she looks, but she has such an honest, open, accepting quality about her that he worries could be crushed. Missing Luna was nothing to how much he missed Ginny, though. And nothing to how relieved he was to have her safely tucked away those last weeks before the battle.
16. Neville disapproved of Albus Dumbledore's methods. Oh, he knew he was a great man and a talented wizard, but Neville wasn't blind to how unfairly the Headmaster treated the Slytherins. After the initial joy of having been awarded the 10 points at the end of his 1st year that stole the House Cup away from the Slytherins, Neville started to think about how he would have felt had he been a Slytherin and had to sit there and watch points being given to Harry, Ron and Hermione for things that wouldn't have happened if they hadn't broken the rules. He'd be angry, possibly even furious. But Professor Dumbledore couldn't just leave it as a tie. He had to award Neville those extra 10 points, giving Gryffindor the win. Neville was ashamed of himself for being proud of those points, and of winning, when he sees now how those 10 points set the two houses against each other even more than they were before, cementing the place of the members of Slytherin House as the adversaries of Gryffindor.
17. He wanted to be the one to kill Bellatrix. He isn't sorry that Molly Weasley did it, but he would rather it had been him. Killing that snake and helping bring down Fenrir Greyback had been satisfying though.
18. Neville's biggest strength is his ability to take what comes at him. He simply does not give up, not on his House, not on his friends, not on his parents, and certainly not on himself. Neville knows he isn't the best or the brightest, but he recognizes that sometimes it is the "little guy" that carries it home. He isn't fearless, but he refuses to let fear rule his life. Neville discovered more inner strength than he ever knew he had this past year. He also saw how damaging living in fear can be, and how difficult times bring out the best and worst in people. Surprisingly, Neville is grateful to Professor Snape for his rough treatment over the years. He knows that dealing with that man helped more than anything else to strengthen him for dealing with both Carrows, whom he refuses to honor with the titles of Professor. Neville learned to shut up, suck it up and do what needed doing as much from Severus Snape as he did from Harry Potter.
19. Neville respected Professor Snape. Even as Headmaster of the nightmare that Hogwarts had become, Neville respected him. He knew what was going on outside the school with the muggleborns and he could see how, in the hands of someone else, the nightmare inside the school could have been much worse. If he hadn't exactly convinced himself that he had the right end of it before, he was positive after Snape set detention for Luna, Ginny and himself with Hagrid in the Forbidden Forest instead of with the Carrows. Oh, the Carrows were gleeful about how exceptionally cruel an idea it was, especially when Snape rounded on Neville and spent a good ten minutes berating him and his stupidity, getting right up in his face with spittle flying. Neville heard the Carrows cast silencing spells on Ginny and Luna when they started yelling for Snape to leave him alone, but he stood there and took it all, trembling, but looking Snape in the eye until finally they were all told to get out of the Headmaster's sight and sarcastically entreated to enjoy their little foray into the forest with Hagrid and to not get themselves eaten up.
20. Neville Longbottom earned Severus Snape's respect. Neville never told a soul what he saw flash in Professor Snape's eyes when the man was right up in his face. It was not anger, but pride. And that, more than even the approval of his Gran, made Neville determined to never give up. It also gave Neville Longbottom hope.
Author: Inspire inspired_ideas
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: References to torture and killing (nothing graphic)
Word Count: ~ 1,800
Disclaimer: I’m not JKR, nor do I play her on TV.
Written For: The Harry Potter Random Facts Fest on InsaneJournal
1. Neville adores his new cherry wood and unicorn hair wand. Not only because it is a wand that chose him, unlike his father's that he used before, but because it feels right in his hand. That it was one of the last that Mr. Ollivander sold before he disappeared only makes him cherish it more.
2. Neville understands plants. He always has. He was quite sure he was magical, even when other members of his family weren't too sure, because he could coax anything to grow. He has a sense for what a plant needs that Professor Sprout thinks is quite remarkable.
3. Like he understands plants, Professor Sprout understands him. Neville can spend hours working in the greenhouses with his favorite professor, reading the books she recommends, and asking her questions. He likes that she understands that he learns better when he is shown, then allowed to try while being guided, then watched while he does it on his own.
4. Neville is better at casting spells these days. His new wand helps, but so does being more confident. He is, however, intelligent enough to realize that it was best to continue to appear much the same duffer as always around the Slytherins. Not being seen as a threat, keeps him healthy... healthier. There was still the little problem of his mouth getting in the way during Muggle Studies and Dark Arts, but a man has to do what a man has to do.
5. Neville enjoys Charms class nearly as much as he enjoys Herbology, especially now that he has a wand that feels natural in his hand. He is extremely grateful to Professor McGonagall for suggesting he try for a NEWT in Charms and cleared the way with his Gran.
6. Neville loves his Gran, he always has, even if she used to scare him almost as much as Professor Snape. As he's grown up, though, he's learned that being firm and critical is simply her way of dealing with things. Knowing she failed her Charms OWL, when he received an Exceeds Expectations, doesn't hurt either.
7. He has hope that someday his parents might be healed. Oh, he knows it isn't likely, he doesn't live in a fantasy world, despite it being magical. However, there are occasionally signs that they recognize him and Neville cherishes every one. No matter how dismal the chances, Neville never gives up hope.
8. He has hope that Harry will defeat Voldemort. He thinks this is likely, despite how powerful He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Given-In-To is, because somehow, Harry always finds a way. Neville hopes that Harry has kept Ron and Hermione with him, because Neville's seen Ron play chess and Hermione is dead clever. Neville hopes that his three friends will succeed as a team, because he knows there is hope for a better future with an example of how a muggleborn, pureblood and half-blood can work together to do great things. Just like there is hope in the cigar box full of tightly packed, shiny gum wrappers he keeps stashed in the bottom of his school trunk.
9. Neville wishes he was better on a broom. He can at least make one respond now, but he has never really gotten the hang of flying. He keeps trying though, practicing whenever he gets the chance, staying low to the ground, working on balance, hovering, and trying to stay seated. He isn't good at it, but he thinks he might be getting better. He certainly has no plans to give up trying.
10. Neville remembers things much better these days. His memory is still far from perfect, but he has worked hard to improve. Ironically, he owes the improvement to Professor Snape, who set him the boring task of copying lines from a book during detention one evening early in Neville's 6th year. The book was apparently chosen at random off Snape's bookshelf. The Professor told Neville he would serve detention every evening until he finished copying the thin book out by hand. Snape added in a sneering, condescending tone, that he was, however, willing to allow Neville to take the book with him and continue copying during his own time, so he would not be saddled with Neville's presence any more evenings than strictly necessary. The book had been on techniques for improving memory and recall.
11. Neville is a keen observer. He sees all kinds of things. He always has, but it has only been since 6th year when he started working on improving his memory that he's been able to put things together from his many observations. He knows he isn't as clever as Hermione, but he had years to observe her, Harry and Ron, as well as the Weasley Twins, and others in action to have picked up a few tricks.
12. Hermione was Neville's first friend, first fancy and first love. She talked to him and helped him find Trevor that very first train trip to Hogwarts. He had been so afraid he'd never make friends and everyone would make fun of him because he couldn't remember things and was absolute rubbish at magic. She set him down so kindly and so easily when he asked her to the Yule Ball in their 4th year, that he really did believe that if she hadn't already had a date, she would have gone with him. He had been crushed in 6th year when Hermione needed a date for Slughorn's Christmas party and asked McLaggen. Neville spent the evening depressed, squeezing Trevor a bit too tightly.
13. Neville misses his toad, Trevor. He knew he was doing the right thing telling his House mates that he had grown tired of it. He wasn't happy about having to lie to Hagrid about being tired of taking care of Trevor and that with NEWTs this year, he simply didn't have the time to take care of his familiar, especially considering how hard Hagrid had tried to convince him that Trevor wouldn't be much trouble. He felt guilty every time Hagrid stopped him and tried to convince him to take Trevor back. He knew Hagrid was disappointed in him for abandoning his pet for such selfish reasons. After the first familiar was strung up in the Great Hall during dinner and flayed alive as an example to a student who had crossed the Carrows earlier that day, Hagrid never looked disappointed or tried to convince Neville to take Trevor back again.
14. Dobby the house elf fascinates Neville. He had never seen one who relished freedom before or wore such outrageous costumes. Dobby is different and Neville respects differences.
15. Neville missed Luna Lovegood when she failed to return after the Christmas break. He worried about her being sent to Azkaban or injured for her participation in the resistance movement in the school. Neville knows his friend Luna is a lot tougher than she looks, but she has such an honest, open, accepting quality about her that he worries could be crushed. Missing Luna was nothing to how much he missed Ginny, though. And nothing to how relieved he was to have her safely tucked away those last weeks before the battle.
16. Neville disapproved of Albus Dumbledore's methods. Oh, he knew he was a great man and a talented wizard, but Neville wasn't blind to how unfairly the Headmaster treated the Slytherins. After the initial joy of having been awarded the 10 points at the end of his 1st year that stole the House Cup away from the Slytherins, Neville started to think about how he would have felt had he been a Slytherin and had to sit there and watch points being given to Harry, Ron and Hermione for things that wouldn't have happened if they hadn't broken the rules. He'd be angry, possibly even furious. But Professor Dumbledore couldn't just leave it as a tie. He had to award Neville those extra 10 points, giving Gryffindor the win. Neville was ashamed of himself for being proud of those points, and of winning, when he sees now how those 10 points set the two houses against each other even more than they were before, cementing the place of the members of Slytherin House as the adversaries of Gryffindor.
17. He wanted to be the one to kill Bellatrix. He isn't sorry that Molly Weasley did it, but he would rather it had been him. Killing that snake and helping bring down Fenrir Greyback had been satisfying though.
18. Neville's biggest strength is his ability to take what comes at him. He simply does not give up, not on his House, not on his friends, not on his parents, and certainly not on himself. Neville knows he isn't the best or the brightest, but he recognizes that sometimes it is the "little guy" that carries it home. He isn't fearless, but he refuses to let fear rule his life. Neville discovered more inner strength than he ever knew he had this past year. He also saw how damaging living in fear can be, and how difficult times bring out the best and worst in people. Surprisingly, Neville is grateful to Professor Snape for his rough treatment over the years. He knows that dealing with that man helped more than anything else to strengthen him for dealing with both Carrows, whom he refuses to honor with the titles of Professor. Neville learned to shut up, suck it up and do what needed doing as much from Severus Snape as he did from Harry Potter.
19. Neville respected Professor Snape. Even as Headmaster of the nightmare that Hogwarts had become, Neville respected him. He knew what was going on outside the school with the muggleborns and he could see how, in the hands of someone else, the nightmare inside the school could have been much worse. If he hadn't exactly convinced himself that he had the right end of it before, he was positive after Snape set detention for Luna, Ginny and himself with Hagrid in the Forbidden Forest instead of with the Carrows. Oh, the Carrows were gleeful about how exceptionally cruel an idea it was, especially when Snape rounded on Neville and spent a good ten minutes berating him and his stupidity, getting right up in his face with spittle flying. Neville heard the Carrows cast silencing spells on Ginny and Luna when they started yelling for Snape to leave him alone, but he stood there and took it all, trembling, but looking Snape in the eye until finally they were all told to get out of the Headmaster's sight and sarcastically entreated to enjoy their little foray into the forest with Hagrid and to not get themselves eaten up.
20. Neville Longbottom earned Severus Snape's respect. Neville never told a soul what he saw flash in Professor Snape's eyes when the man was right up in his face. It was not anger, but pride. And that, more than even the approval of his Gran, made Neville determined to never give up. It also gave Neville Longbottom hope.