Oh, Neville...

Neville Longbottom never really ranked on my list of favorite secondary characters from the Harry Potter series, but after having finished the entire series and seeing this character poster I realized that I'm really a fan. 

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A fan?  A supporter?  I like him a lot more now.  He was forever the hapless Gryffindor, constantly berated by many of his professors; someone who did better with plants than with people.  Neville was a side character that elicited an "aww, poor kid" reaction, but never stirred up any stronger reactions from me.  Even when, in the fifth book, we got a chance to see him with his permanently brain-damaged mother I felt only slightly more sympathetic. 

But now that I look back on his character development I can really appreciate how he's grown-- especially in the last book, my goodness!  He's rebellious, a leader, an adult.