Neville Longbottom: Why Can't He Kill Bellatrix in the End

There are a million different places I could start this blog, but this needs to be the first post because it is the question that has been burning in my head for ages -- it is the one who inspired me to create this crazed-fan endeavor.

So there.

In Order of the Phoenix, The golden trio (Harry, Ron, and Hermione) and the outer trio (Neville, Ginny, and Luna) find themselves in the Ministry of Magic's Department of Mystery. Neville and Bellatrix recognize each other and immediately cross hairs.

Bellatrix: "Neville Longbottom is it? How's mom and dad?" 

Neville: "Better now that they're about to be avenged."

In that moment, it is clear that Neville feels blood-lust filled sense of duty to make Bellatrix suffer as much as his parents have since she attacked them. And, if only Neville and Bellatrix were there, I believe he would have confronted her and engaged in a duel that more than likely would have killed him. As it is, however, there are far more Death Eaters that he must help his friends defeat / escape from. And thus, Frank and Alice Longbottom's revenge is put on-hold.

During Deathly Hallows, Neville and Bellatrix could have easily crossed paths and dueled to the death. Neville, however, does not seek Bellatrix out. 

Why?

He wanted to avenge his parents 2 years ago, so why not do what he had originally planned in the Hall of Prophecies? 

The answer? Because he's grown up a lot in that time, especially when Harry doesn't show up to finish his 7th year at Hogwarts. Neville remembers what it was like when Harry was brave and stood up to people -- he inspired others to find their courage and fight back. Neville, then, becomes the new Harry out of necessity because the Hogwarts students, especially those who trained with him as a part of Dumbledore's Army, needed a leader.

That forced Neville to grow up and see the big picture, pasded the fact that his parents were tortured into insanity by Bellartrix. On the one hand, he knows that he is leading the students and that he can't leave them on their own to take care of a private battle. On the other hand, Harry gives Neville an important job to do as he is heading to meet his death in the Forbidden Forest. 

     In the movie, Harry tells Neville to "hold down the fort."

     In the book, Harry tells Neville to kill the snake, no matter what. 

That job becomes Neville's priority. 

I'm certain that Neville would have sought out Bellatrix if Harry stayed at Hogwarts, but with Harry missing, Neville knew he needed to step-up. Even though his parents were permanently hospitalized at St. Mungo's and were in need of vengeance, Neville has grown up enough to see that avenging his parents was not as important as helping his friends and classmates fight back against Voldemort, the true enemy.  

And when everyone thinks Harry is dead, Neville still fights back, standing up as a leader inspiring everyone to keep fighting.

"Doesn't matter that Harry's gone. People die everyday. Friends, family. Yeah, we lost Harry tonight, but he's still with us. In here. [points to chest] Sort of spread. Remus, Tonks, all of them. They didn't die in vain. . . . But you will 'cause you're wrong.Harry's heart did beat for us. For all of us." (movie)

Neville is able to see that Harry and everyone else died for a cause that still needed to be fought for.But he could also see that his parents, insane or not, avenged or not, still lived in his heart and that is why he (and everyone else) were fighting.

Furthermore, Neville was chosen to do this task. 

Sure, Voldemort chose to attack Harry when he knew that he could have also chosen Neville. Also, Harry chose Neville to take over his position as leader.

It's almost like Harry spent 6 years subtly, unknowlingly training Neville for this job. Harry may not have known it, but Neville was observing Harry from the moment they started at Hogwarts as  first years. Neville saw Harry move on even though his parents were dead and not seek out Voldemort to avenge his parents, but instead to save the world. Thus, Harry showed Neville that there are more important things than revenge, allowing him to attack the snake and leave Bellatrix as someone else's problem. 

Neville's fight, then, was no longer about avenging his parents, but about saving the world instead. Sometime between his 5th and 7th year, Neville realized that killing Bellatrix would not bring his parents back to full heath and also that while he couldn't change the fate of his parents, he could change the fate of the world by shifting his focus towards Voldemort instead.

It is only through becoming Harry's chosen one that Neville was able to become the strong-willed, inspiring, leader he was during the Battle at Hogwarts -- a feat no one would have thought possible in their 1st or even 5th year at Hogwarts.

All this to say that Neville achieves self-actualization through watching Harry and becoming Harry's chosen leader (should he die) to continue fighting Voldemort, not seeking revenge for his parent's insanity.

A Few Words Before Our Lesson Begins . . .

Welcome to another Harry Potter blog. May this blog offer a scholarly exploration for all of us to enjoy as we immerse ourselves into Ms. Rowling's exceptionally written series about a boy wizard who enchanted us with his story. 

I am Britt, a Hufflepuff who has just completed her seventh of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and your guide through the deep and often subtle insights within the series. I know. This sounds like the job of a Ravenclaw student, but they are not the only students smart -- otherwise I would not have been given this task by Headmistress McGonagall. It doesn't hurt, however, that the Sorting Hat spent a long time deciding where to place me and I was almost a Ravenclaw. My determination and perseverance ended up winning over my brain power; a decision I am completely okay with. 
     I guess the point I'm trying to make is that you shouldn't judge my blog by my House. 
     After all, McGonagall trusts me, so you should as well.

Before we begin, however, there are a few matters that must be addressed.

First and foremost, this blog will be especially dangerous for those young wizards and witches who have just received their Hogwarts letters as well as those who have yet to finish their seventh year and pass their N.E.W.T.s because of the spoilers. 
     Readers beware.

Second, there will be some topics that might be . . . misunderstood by most professors seeing as they address themes and  questions that can only be answered by venturing into the Restricted section of the library or perhaps even the Forbidden Forest.
     Again, readers beware because once you begin   one of these "restricted" posts, you stand alone in your attempt to find your way out of the words. 

Third, this blog is intended to bring up ideas that will inspire some of your own as well as open up a floor for discussion that everyone can take part of. 
     Harry means so much to all of us and always will, so why not talk about him?

Fourth, and most important, have fun with this . . . whether through reading or commenting.

All that's left to do is tuck-in and begin.