shamelessly stolen from r_moony.
What are five ideas/concepts/etc you keep in mind while writing your character that you believe are essential to accurately depicting them? Why did you choose them? How do they relate to the character’s over all persona?
1. Neville was just as much an orphan of the first war as Harry was.
It's true his mum and dad 'lived' but as a small child growing up and going to visit them regularly in St. Mungos I'm not entirely sure he would have thought of that as a blessing.
Neville had his Gran while he was growing up and he loved her tremendously but he never felt as though he lived up to Frank's image in her eyes. McGonagall hit the nail on the head that Augusta needed to be proud of the grandson she had and she wasn't--not that Neville could see or believe until the second war.
One difference between Nev and Harry is that when Harry came into the wizarding world people couldn't wait to tell him all about his parents. Everything about what they were like, what they were good at, etc. The only person who really talked to Neville about his parents in that respect was Barty Crouch Jr. when he was posing as Moody.
I know that in that instant when Neville found out who Moody really was--some part of Neville was broken for good.
There are no Godfathers or Marauders for Neville. No one to keep the real Frank or Alice alive for him. Just a litany of how Neville ought to behave in order to live up to parents he never knew.
This is important to me in writing him because Neville's first instinct isn't to go to a parental figure if something is wrong. When something is troubling him. He doesn't know how to reach out and make that connection. Instead Neville's sense of family and security comes almost entirely from his peers. It's always Luna, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny.
There's one notable exception in the form of a certain former Head of House.
2. Neville takes his hits and just keeps on going.
Neville doesn't stop or just quit. Even during his most embarassing or difficult times if he gets knocked on his ass Neville stands up ready to go again. He's not the quickest but he'll be one of the last ones standing every time.
That kind of determination is sort of scary to watch from the inside of his head even when he doesn't mean it to be there's a force of will behind Neville's actions, his way of interacting with his world where I almost want to put up a brick wall in front of him just to see how long it would take him to hammer through it.
But just because he keeps going doesn't mean there isn't a price. He feels the pain eventually and grieves the losses later - and sometimes not at all because He. Has. To. Keep. Going.
3. Neville loves Harry long time.
Minds out of the gutter boys and girls. Really!
What I mean is that Harry Potter has been a huge influence on Nev's life. Neville began to improve exponentially at magic during the D.A meetings. His confidence continued to grow. And in the 7th year Neville led by example only his example wasn't Dumbledore, it wasn't any of the professors--it was Harry. They may have been called 'Dumbledore's Army' but it was Harry Neville faced down Voldemort for and it was because Harry asked him to that he chopped off Nagini's head.
4. The DA formed who Neville was going to be the for rest of his life.
There's a reason why 19 years later Nev's still got his galleon. Clearly it's a piece of them he keeps with him.
You just don't go from average kid to leading a rebellion to go back again. It's an idelible mark on him for better or for worse.
5. The Carrows broke Neville.
It was just the once. He screamed one time.
He wasn't able to forgive himself for it for years after.
Even though he doesn't dwell on it--Neville's not the same person he would have been if he hadn't screamed.
1. Neville was just as much an orphan of the first war as Harry was.
It's true his mum and dad 'lived' but as a small child growing up and going to visit them regularly in St. Mungos I'm not entirely sure he would have thought of that as a blessing.
Neville had his Gran while he was growing up and he loved her tremendously but he never felt as though he lived up to Frank's image in her eyes. McGonagall hit the nail on the head that Augusta needed to be proud of the grandson she had and she wasn't--not that Neville could see or believe until the second war.
One difference between Nev and Harry is that when Harry came into the wizarding world people couldn't wait to tell him all about his parents. Everything about what they were like, what they were good at, etc. The only person who really talked to Neville about his parents in that respect was Barty Crouch Jr. when he was posing as Moody.
I know that in that instant when Neville found out who Moody really was--some part of Neville was broken for good.
There are no Godfathers or Marauders for Neville. No one to keep the real Frank or Alice alive for him. Just a litany of how Neville ought to behave in order to live up to parents he never knew.
This is important to me in writing him because Neville's first instinct isn't to go to a parental figure if something is wrong. When something is troubling him. He doesn't know how to reach out and make that connection. Instead Neville's sense of family and security comes almost entirely from his peers. It's always Luna, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny.
There's one notable exception in the form of a certain former Head of House.
2. Neville takes his hits and just keeps on going.
Neville doesn't stop or just quit. Even during his most embarassing or difficult times if he gets knocked on his ass Neville stands up ready to go again. He's not the quickest but he'll be one of the last ones standing every time.
That kind of determination is sort of scary to watch from the inside of his head even when he doesn't mean it to be there's a force of will behind Neville's actions, his way of interacting with his world where I almost want to put up a brick wall in front of him just to see how long it would take him to hammer through it.
But just because he keeps going doesn't mean there isn't a price. He feels the pain eventually and grieves the losses later - and sometimes not at all because He. Has. To. Keep. Going.
3. Neville loves Harry long time.
Minds out of the gutter boys and girls. Really!
What I mean is that Harry Potter has been a huge influence on Nev's life. Neville began to improve exponentially at magic during the D.A meetings. His confidence continued to grow. And in the 7th year Neville led by example only his example wasn't Dumbledore, it wasn't any of the professors--it was Harry. They may have been called 'Dumbledore's Army' but it was Harry Neville faced down Voldemort for and it was because Harry asked him to that he chopped off Nagini's head.
4. The DA formed who Neville was going to be the for rest of his life.
There's a reason why 19 years later Nev's still got his galleon. Clearly it's a piece of them he keeps with him.
You just don't go from average kid to leading a rebellion to go back again. It's an idelible mark on him for better or for worse.
5. The Carrows broke Neville.
It was just the once. He screamed one time.
He wasn't able to forgive himself for it for years after.
Even though he doesn't dwell on it--Neville's not the same person he would have been if he hadn't screamed.