This Dark Harry Potter Theory Might Explain Why Neville Is So Forgetful

Redditors on the thread had some quibbles with the theory, but some clearly felt it had a little validity. As u/mallob- wrote, «I would guess that losing his parents made Neville a lot more anxious as a child which turned him into who he was in the books/movies. Obviously, we see some of the courage his parents had show through more and more as time goes on. I think it’s possible that he didn’t have a memory charm because I believe if he wouldn’t have remembered seeing his parents like that or being parent-less, he would have been a much more confident person. The forgetting things might also be a trauma response.»

The childhood anxiety they’re referring to is a feature — not a bug — when it comes to Neville’s portrayal. Bullied by classmates and even a few teachers (Alan Rickman’s Severus Snape in particular), Neville comes across as pretty incapable a lot of the time. Whether he’s messing up in Potions class or stranded outside of the Gryffindor common room because he forgot the password again, Neville definitely doesn’t seem like he’ll end up growing into his power. You’d be surprised, though — by the time the franchise ends, Neville is one of its toughest fighters.