At first, many people would scratch their heads in confusion as to why Neville Longbottom was placed in the house of Gryffindor. Gryffindors are known for their bravery, yet at the beginning of the series, Neville appears as brave as a baby mouse. As the books and films progress and evolve, so does Neville's character, until he becomes almost unrecognizable when it comes to his sheer amount of courage. He is one of our favorite Harry Potter characters of all time, so we decided to celebrate Longbottom by listing his 10 greatest quotes of all time.
"WHY IS IT ALWAYS ME?"
At the beginning of the Potter series, Neville is one of those unfortunate characters who is always receiving the short end up the stick. While Harry Potter is praised for being "the boy who lived" and Hermione Granger is cherished for her intellect, Neville, on the contrary, comes across as a total underdog.
This makes us love his character even more because most of us can relate to not being the most sought-after person in the room. As it turns out with Neville, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger and all of his run-ins with bad luck in the past only made him out to be a braver and more appreciative person.
"OH MY GOD! I'VE KILLED HARRY POTTER!"
This line Neville Longbottom is especially memorable because it reveals the comical side of the Harry Potter series. In Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire, Neville gives Harry a magical plant called gillyweed so he can succeed in the Triwizard Tournament. When the boy who lived fails to rise up from the water, Neville believes he has killed the most famous wizard in the world. Not even Voldemort could kill him! The sheer look of relief on Neville's face when he realizes he didn't kill his good friend is priceless, and we laugh every time he utters this line.
"YOU AND WHAT ARMY?"
Remember in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone when Neville was just a stuttering kid in his pajamas meekly telling the golden trio that he'd fight them? Well now, seven years later, Neville is a completely different person. In this scene, Neville is face to face with a massive group of death eaters.
Is there a single stutter in his voice when he says this? Not one bit. Neville started off as the weakest link in the Potter series, and now he is without a doubt the bravest out of the bunch. His journey is truly inspiring and one of the best in the whole series.
"I'M QUITE PROUD TO BE THEIR SON."
In this beautiful scene, Neville tells Harry about his parents. Both Alice and Frank Longbottom were extremely brave and selfless individuals who had been tortured by Bellatrix Lestrange to the point of utter insanity. This is why Neville lives with his grandmother. This quote reveals so much about Neville's character because he loves his parents so much regardless of their condition and he sees a great deal of bravery in them. Now we know where Neville gets his strength, and we love him all the more because of it.
"HE'S STILL WITH US- IN HERE. SO'S FRED. REMUS. TONKS. ALL OF THEM."
In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, everyone believes at this point that Harry Potter has been killed. Afterward, Neville gives a heartwarming speech about how Harry, Fred, Remus, Tonks and all the others will always be with them even if they are no longer alive.
As Sirius Black says in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the ones who love us never really leave us, and you can always find them if you look inside your heart. Neville essentially says the same thing here, and this is a continuous message that JK Rowling successfully conveys throughout the entire series.
"I'LL JOIN YOU WHEN HELL FREEZES OVER! DUMBLEDORE'S ARMY!"
Dumbledore's Army forever! In this scene, Voldemort has just told Neville that he would make a great Death Eater and that he should join The Dark Lord's army. His response is just too heroic and epic for words, and he has evolved so much from his first handful of appearances in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Have we ever heard anyone stand up to Voldemort like this? Probably not. Most people genuinely fear to say his name alone, yet this kid is willing to straight-up diss The Dark Lord. Not bad, eh?
"I'M WORTH TWELVE OF YOU, MALFOY."
Malfoy is just the worst, isn't he? He always gets a kick out of making Neville Longbottom's life miserable just for the fun of it. Yet for the very first time, Neville is able to stand up to the school bully by telling him that he is worth twelve of what Malfoy is worth. It's true - even though Draco gets his way more often, Neville is twelve times more powerful because unlike the Slytherin, Neville has a heart of gold. It would be the first time out of many that Neville would be able to stick up for himself and every time he does, our hearts melt just the tiniest bit.
"THE THING IS, IT HELPS WHEN PEOPLE STAND UP TO THEM. IT GIVES EVERYONE HOPE."
Ron, shocked by Neville's ability to stand up to Voldemort in such a care-free way, tells his friend that there is a time and place for that kind of behavior. Neville couldn't agree less with Ron's statement, because if he lets The Dark Lord walk all over them, then Voldemort holds more power over the crew than he should. Neville is trying to prove that the destructive villain has no power over him and he can say whatever he wants to Voldemort along with his giant posse of Death Eaters. Why should the death eaters get the upper hand when Neville can?
"I FEEL LIKE I CAN SPIT FIRE!"
You tell 'em, Neville! This kid is on a roll! He has the strength of a dragon and we are totally loving it. Neville went from the clumsy boy who was always getting tangled into a web of bad luck, to the most fearless student at Hogwarts. After slaying Nagini and standing up to Lord Voldemort, who would feel like they could spit fire? His parents would be so proud of him... 10 points to Gryffindor!
"YOU HAVEN'T SEEN LUNA, HAVE YOU? I'M MAD FOR HER. I THINK IT'S ABOUT TIME I'VE TOLD HER SINCE WE'LL PROBABLY BOTH BE DEAD BY DAWN."
And last but not least, we are obsessed with this line because it is both hilarious and beautiful all at once. In the end, Neville and Luna are absolutely perfect for each other because they are both originally outcasts who prove to be some of the bravest characters in the entire series. Both are slightly strange and unconventional, but this is what makes them all the more charming. We are so glad that these two have found each other and they deserve the perfect fairy tale ending without a single nargle in sight.