My mind keeps lingering on the final battle at the DOM in Order of the Phoenix, and on the courageous actions of Harry, Neville, Luna, Hermione, Ginny and Ron. And as I indicated in my last posting, I keep thinking especially about Harry and Neville as the final two left standing.
I find it really interesting that Rowling chose those two in particular to be together in that scene, instead of choosing someone else to pair with Harry. I think a lot of it comes down to Neville's own connection to the prophecy, a connection that neither he nor Harry knows about at the time (and as far as we know, Neville still doesn't have a clue).
Neville is the only other person who touches the glass sphere containing the prophecy that may just as easily have been about him (originally anyway) as about Harry. I know that doesn't necessarily mean anything. I don't think Neville could have taken the prophecy off the shelf since only the people directly concerned (Harry and Voldemort) could do that. At the time the prophecy was made, apparently "who it was about" was still open-ended and even perhaps up for grabs, but by the time the orb is sitting on that shelf collecting dust, it's long been ascertained that it's about Harry. His name is on it, and Voldemort, by "marking him as his equal" has actually already fulfilled part of it, unbeknownst to anyone but Albus.
So no, I don't think Neville could have taken that prophecy off the shelf. But isn't it interesting that he's the only other one who handles it in this scene? That he and Harry together are the ones actively involved in trying to safeguard it from Voldemort's clutches? Bellatrix wants it desperately and tries over and over again to get it; Malfoy's not beyond ordering the killing of innocent children to lay hands on it and deliver it to his boss. Voldemort spent a year trying to get it. It all seems like such a huge, exhausting, futile effort for something so small and fragile and easily broken.
Only Harry and Neville touch it. I can't help but think that's important, at least in some sense. Maybe it's something as simple as Rowling deciding that Neville deserved his fair share in the fight, considering his proximity to the whole story, and considering he too has been marked and wounded by this more-than-a-generation long fight with evil. Could there be something of more significance to it than that? I don't know. Should Harry tell Neville about his almost-role as the "chosen one"? If you were Neville, would you want to know?
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Should Harry tell Neville? That's a good question... I'm not sure what to think. My inclination is to lean towards no, though I sort of feel like Neville will find out anyway. But it seems like it would be too awkward for Harry to let that info drop on him, to say, "Hey, all that stuff that's happened to me? It could've been you." Rather how Harry had to keep from Neville the fact that he knew about what had happened to his parents. But if Harry doesn't tell Neville, how else could he find out? Hmm...
Oooh, yes. I thought of that connection too -- once again, here's Harry having to safeguard (in a way) something deeply connected to Neville's life story. I'm fascinated with that whole element in Rowling's work, and how Dumbledore in particular is very, very good at guarding the sacredness of each person's unique story, and not sharing what isn't his to share (which includes Snape's story). I think Harry has learned/absorbed this lesson from Dumbledore as he has so much else.
Still, in this case it's a little different, isn't it, because Harry is safeguarding knowledge that Neville himself doesn't have. Maybe we have to ask ourselves, "does Neville need it?" or would it be too much for him to bear? I have a feeling Harry will only tell him either a) if it becomes evident that Neville needs to know or b) once everything is all over and the two of them are (I hope, I hope) kicking back with some well-deserved butterbeers as they share their war stories.
Is there any plausible reason you can think of that Neville would ever *need* to know? The only one I can think of, off the top of my head, is that he might be having a confidence crisis at a crucial moment. You know, along the lines of "I can't do this, Harry...I'm not you!" to which Harry might grimly reply, "No, but you very easily might've been!" thus opening up a fascinating avenue for discussion.
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