Neville

I am, if you have not guessed, an HP junkie. It's my life. K is watching Goblet of Fire for, I don't know, the nine millionth time. And I was thinking about Neville. Oh, poor, poor Neville Longbottom. The Boy-It-Could-Have-Been. But Neville Longbottom and the Philosopher's Stone isn't half so catchy, is it? And, like Harry was wondering in the sixth book, it would have changed everything. If Alice Longbottom hadn't died for her son, if Lily hadn't died for Harry, would it have deferred to the other? Or would Voldemort still be going strong?
There are so many people at school who hate Harry Potter. My friend Lauren was saying that she doesn't like magic stories, so she doesn't read it.
As I've said-repeatedly-it's not a series of funny words and wand-waving. It's very, very principle-centered. It's about love, courage, good/evil. Besides, it's funny.
And before any sarcastic person asks me how much I'm getting paid to give a sales-pitch for these books, I'm not. I love them, the characters, how human they are. I'm doing this out of my own free will. But my wallet is running on empty. If anyone feels obliged to throw a few dollars my way, I'm not one to object.
But Neville. The name of this post. He's not my favorite, never has been, never will be. Ginny and Ron Weasley are much cooler. But Neville has always been pitiful, a bit pathetic, really. And as the series goes on, he gets stronger, cooler, actually. I can see him as the Chosen One, if it came to that. He slayed Nagini, after all. So I do like him, I suppose. But frankly, I would choose a Weasley over anyone else in the series any day.