Neville Longbottom, of the Harry Potter series, starts out as an accident prone, chubby, and altogether embarrassing boy. Even before he starts school, Neville's story is not one to be envied. Never knowing his parents, who were tortured into madness by Death Eaters, Neville was raised by his strict grandmother Augusta. She and the rest of his extended family had been afraid that Neville was a Squib (a non-magical child of a wizarding family) because he showed so little ability for magic. Things did not improve when he started school; within his first week at Hogwarts he manages to get doused in a boil-producing potion, fall off a broomstick, melt a cauldron, and come face-to-face with a massive three-headed dog. The years that follow are much the same. It wasn't until his fifth year that Neville showed any talent outside of herbology class. He joined Dumbledore's Army and after less than 10 meetings, he had improved "beyond all recognition." (Harry Potter, Book 5) But, it wasn't until later that year, when the Death Eaters responsible for the torture of his parents escaped, that Neville started to gain confidence. Neville did not say anything about his parents, but began to work harder than anyone else and he became the fastest to pick up new spells aside from Hermione. It was now that Neville started to show that he was a true Gryffindor. A Gryffindor, but with an unexpected type of bravery. Neville had the type of bravery of children who keep trying even though they have failed in the past. He had the bravery of someone who doesn't display their personal tragedies, even when it might make life easier for them. Mere months later he accompanied Harry and four others in the battle in the Department of Mysteries, coming face-to-face with the people responsible for his parents' insanity.
In the end he was the only one left standing with Harry. He also fought bravely when the same group of Death Eaters invaded Hogwarts itself a year later. Naturally, when Harry left and Hogwarts was taken over by Death Eaters, it was Neville who protected the weak and led the rebellion. He reformed, and became the leader of, Dumbledore's Army. He used the same resolute confidence that Harry had used to give the now struggling students hope. In the final battle of Hogwarts, after Harry was thought to be dead and all hope lost, it was Neville who ultimately defied Voldemort. When asked to join the Death Eaters, in exchange for his life, he shouted, "I'll join you when Hell freezes over!" drew the sword of Gryffindor, and slew Nagini- the last horcrux. Although there are many heroes in the story of Harry Potter, there are few who are as deserving as Neville Longbottom. Neville started out as a chubby, accident-prone kid whose family even doubted his magical ability. By the end of this story, Neville had defied Lord Voldemort multiple times and even taken part in a War against him. Because he loved his parents, Neville pushed himself until he felt worthy to be called their son. He fought against their torturers in the hope that he could save others from suffering the same fate, and ultimately succeeded. Neville, suffering one embarrassing catastrophe after another, maintained a quite dignity that eventually made him a great leader.