Neville's Development

In the Harry Potter series, we are initially introduced to a group of young kids, only eleven years old. Throughout the seven novels we witness them come of age. They face many challenges and are forced to grow up and develop quicker than normal children. Neville Longbottom is a fantastic example of a Hogwarts student developing over the course of the series.

In the first four novels, Neville Longbottom is not seen as a main character. He doesn’t seem to serve much of a purpose in the novels. He becomes friends with Hermione, Ron, and Harry, but he never plays a major role until later in the series. He is a supporter of Harry and he is a good friend. It is not until Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, that we as the reader begin to see Neville in a different light. Neville works tirelessly to improve his skill along with the other students in Dumbledore's Army. Neville plays an important role in the battle at the Ministry and we learn that the prophecy could be about either Harry or Neville. Again, in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Neville fights the Death Eaters alongside Harry.

In the series, Neville changes drastically. He starts out as somewhat of a dunce, constantly making mistakes and performing spells incorrectly. However, later in the series we start to see him as a talented wizard and a loyal friend. The development of Neville truly depicts the theme of coming of age in the series. I believe that Neville is one of the best examples of this theme. We see him start the series as a mediocre student. He attempts to stand up for himself in the Sorcerer’s Stone, but fails. Later on, we witness Neville as a key component of Dumbledore’s Army and we see him as a young adult who can hold his own in a traumatic environment.