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Without a doubt, Neville Longbottom underwent one of the biggest transformations in the Harry Potter series. He was first introduced as a clumsy and forgetful character, but later evolved into a confident and courageous hero willing to defy Voldemort in front of everyone. One of the reasons his story remains one of the most inspiring in the wizarding world is that he overcame a great personal tragedy. He channeled his pain into becoming a better wizard to avenge his parents and prevent more people from suffering that same dreadful fate. Neville’s parents were great wizards themselves, and their heroic acts in the fight against Voldemort should not be forgotten.
Neville’s parents are some of the many unsung heroes in the Harry Potter saga. In the books, readers get a better glimpse into them, their heroic actions, the importance of their sacrifice, and Neville’s background, which is crucial to understand his character development and his own heroism. The Longbottoms suffered what many consider a fate worse than death, but their bravery and strength lives on through the silent influence they played on their son.
Who Are Neville Longbottom’s Parents?
Frank & Alice Longbottom | |
|---|---|
First introduced | Goblet of Fire (mentioned only) |
First appearance | Order of the Phoenix (appear in photographs) |
Played by | James Payton (Frank) & Lisa Wood (Alice) |
Occupation | Aurors (formerly) |
Children | Neville Longbottom |
Blood status | Pure-blood |
To better understand Neville’s heroism, it is important to know where he came from. His parents were Frank and Alice Longbottom, two wizards who attended Hogwarts. They were quite talented, skilled, and had similar goals, and their common interests led them to becoming a couple and getting married after finishing their studies. It can be assumed that they achieved the required grades in their O.W.L.S. and N.E.W.T.S., since both of them became powerful and well-respected Aurors, which earned them recognition in the community by being particularly efficient at their jobs.
Alice and Frank Longbottom both came from respected pure-blood families, and were much beloved members of the wizarding community. While not much is known about their lives, it is known that they were both highly competent wizards and possessed magical skills few others did. On July 30, 1980, Neville, their first and only son, was born.
Frank and Alice Longbottom In the First Wizarding War
As Voldemort and his Death Eaters continued to grow more powerful, both Alice and Frank Longbottom joined the original Order of the Phoenix, and they played a crucial role in the fight against the Dark Lord during the First Wizarding War. Since they were incredibly skilled wizards, they, alongside Alastor Moody, were responsible for the capture, arrest, and imprisonment of many of Voldemort’s followers, earning them the hate of the infamous Death Eater Bellatrix Lestrange, as stated by J.K. Rowling during a 2007 interview with PotterCast.
They had rounded up Death Eaters. They were very good Aurors. They knew what they were doing. They were responsible for a lot of captures and arrests and imprisonments.
During the war, due to their efficiency as Dark Wizard catchers, Voldemort grew wrathful of the Longbottoms as well. The couple had their own encounters with the Dark Lord himself, and they defied him on three separate occasions. Their defiance made their infant son, Neville, one of the two possible people who could defeat Voldemort, according to the prophecy made by Sybill Trelawney, the other one being Harry Potter. Since Neville was a pure-blood and Harry was a half-blood, Voldemort saw himself in Harry, and chose to target him and the Potters. When Lily’s sacrifice made the Dark Lord’s killing curse backfire, his body was destroyed and he escaped, leaving his Death Eaters in chaos.
What Happens to Frank and Alice Longbottom?
Tragedy struck the Longbottom family after Voldemort’s attack on Lily and James Potter. Those Death Eaters who managed to avoid getting captured by the Ministry wanted to seek vengeance and were set to find their master, quickly targeting the Longbottoms due to their reputation as Aurors and their inclusion in the prophecy. Bellatrix Lestrange, one of Voldemort’s most loyal followers, leading a group of Death Eaters consisting of herself, her husband Rodolphus, his brother Rabastan, and Barty Crouch Jr., captured Frank Longbottom and imprisoned him. With the hopes of finding information about the Dark Lord’s whereabouts, the group heavily tortured him using the Cruciatus Curse.
My son and his wife were tortured into insanity by You-Know-Who’s followers. They were Aurors, you know, and very well respected within the wizarding community. Highly gifted, the pair of them.
Frank did not provide the Death Eaters with the information they desired, but the group did not stop trying. The torture was so brutal physically and mentally that Frank spiraled into insanity. After failing to get the information out of him, the group targeted Alice, also unaware of Voldemort’s whereabouts, and tortured her in the same cruel manner, resulting in the same consequences. The attack left the couple permanently incapacitated and unable to recognize their surroundings or even their son.
The Longbottoms were very popular. The attacks on them came after Voldemort’s fall from power, just when everyone thought they were safe. Those attacks caused a wave of fury such as I have never known. The Ministry was under great pressure to catch those who had done it. Unfortunately, the Longbottoms’ evidence was - given their condition - none too reliable.
After the attack, it became evident that the continuous use of the Cruciatus curse destroyed the Longbottoms’ sanity. The couple was permanently moved to the Janus Thickey Ward for irrevocable spell damage at the St Mungo’s Hospital, and Neville, left essentially an orphan, was sent to live with Augusta, his paternal grandmother. Neville would visit his parents during holidays, and although neither of them recognized him, they knew they were fond of him.
That’s Frank and Alice Longbottom-- poor devils. Better dead than what happened to them…
The fact that both Frank and Alice survived the attack, hours of immense torture that could have easily killed other people, is heroic in itself and further proves their strength and bravery. However, the fate they suffered was worse than death, and one of the most tragic ones in the Harry Potter series. Frank and Alice’s heroism runs through their son’s blood, and Neville followed in their footsteps and defied Voldemort, destroying the final Horcrux during the Battle of Hogwarts and saving the day. Their sacrifice eventually would become one of the key reasons the Dark Lord was defeated once and for all.
Harry Potter
When Harry Potter learns that he is a wizard, he enters a world beyond belief. Aside from continuing his studies at Hogwarts with best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, Harry must also face Voldemort and his dark wizarding forces. The Harry Potter franchise is a worldwide phenomenon, spanning seven books, eight movies, three spinoff movies, a stage play, and numerous video games.
