He’s one of the most beloved characters in the Harry Potter franchise. From the shy boy with the Remembrall to the brazen hero who chopped off Nagini’s head, there’s quite possibly no other character more deserving of a happily-ever-after than Neville Longbottom.
Considered to be one of J.K. Rowling’s “big seven” — joined by Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Luna, and Draco — our favorite Herbology nerd well earned a happy ending after everything he went through.
Let’s not forget, per Professor Trelawny’s prophecy, that Neville very well could’ve been The Boy Who Lived, if Voldemort had simply decided to show up on his doorstep instead of Harry’s. While he wasn’t ultimately chosen by the Dark Lord, it’s not like Neville was spared a difficult life. The torture of his parents at the hands of Voldemort’s Death Eaters (we’re glaring at you, Bellatrix) is still considered the most horrible crime ever committed in Wizarding history.
“As Harry took off his glasses and climbed into his four-poster, he imagined how it must feel to have parents still living, but unable to recognise you. He often got sympathy from strangers for being an orphan, but as he listened to Neville’s snores, he thought that Neville deserved it more than he did.”
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
On top of that, shall we recall the bullying and harassment Neville endured at Hogwarts? If Malfoy and his cronies weren’t pointing and snickering at him, Snape was blatantly spouting insults from across the classroom for everyone to hear.
Not until Order of the Pheonix did Neville really begin to gain a bit of confidence. Those training sessions for Dumbledore’s Army really did him good. We’re all thankful for it, because that confidence was vital in helping Neville lead the other members of Dumbledore’s Army into rebellion while Harry, Ron, and Hermione were off finding and destroying Horcruxes. It also helped position him as a key player in the Battle of Hogwarts.
If you watched the movies and read the series, you know that following The Deathly Hallows Harry married Ginny and Ron married Hermione. You also know that the former went on to have three kids and the latter had two. But you might not know that after the Battle of Hogwarts, in which Neville singlehandedly destroyed the last Horcrux, he went on to marry a fellow member of Dumbledore’s Army as well.
And no, it’s not Luna Lovegood.
While Luna and Neville definitely shared some on-screen chemistry, a romance never blossomed between the two. Instead, after landing a teaching position at Hogwarts as the Herbology professor, Neville married Hannah Abbott. In case you can’t quite place the name, Hannah is a Hufflepuff fans came to know and love for her constant presence throughout the series. No doubt it was their shared interest in Herbology that connected the two, much like Luna and her eventual match.
Of the “big seven,” Neville is the only one who doesn’t have kids. He’s probably not bothered by this, as Harry and Ginny named him the Godfather of their youngest son, Albus. It’s a suitable title for this formerly shy kid who was once merely known as the guy with the Remembrall.
In our opinion, there’s nobody more qualified to teach the importance of bravery than one Neville Longbottom.