The Heir of Gryffindor: Harry or Neville? Quiz

Answer: Harry

Before his first year at Hogwarts, Harry had never heard of Quidditch let alone played the game. In the "Philosopher's Stone" viewers see Harry become acquainted with the game for the first time. At his first flying lesson he demonstrated impressive natural talent - his father had been a Seeker as well - and Harry was chosen to be the youngest Seeker in one hundred years! In spite of the fact that he was too young to make the team, Professor McGonagall recruited him on the spot, and surreptitiously sent him the newest broomstick available, the Nimbus 2000.

The Seeker on a Quidditch team was tasked with catching the Golden Snitch, a small gold ball with silver wings that flew about the field. Catching the Golden Snitch was considered to be a great feat; there was one legendary match in 1884 when the Snitch avoided capture for six months! The capture was worth 150 points, and pretty much guaranteed victory for the team whose Seeker caught it. At his first Quidditch match, Harry caught the Golden Snitch in his mouth. The Snitch would prove extremely valuable in Harry's quest to defeat Lord Voldemort.

Answer: Harry

Harry's parents, James and Lily Potter, were killed by Lord Voldemort after they had risen up against him three times during the First Wizarding War. Both died protecting their son; Lily's love and Sacrificial Protection charm was so powerful that it caused Voldemort's Killing Curse to rebound. Harry received his famous scar and Voldemort's body was destroyed.

Harry had no knowledge of this event until Hagrid explained to him what had happened to his parents in "The Sorcerer's Stone". Before that, his uncle and aunt had always told him that his parents were killed in a car accident. The scene was shown in flashbacks in two movies, "The Prisoner of Azkaban" and the "Deathly Hallows Part 2" after Harry is able to retrieve Professor Snape's memories before his death.

Answer: Harry

The events that took place in the "Chamber of Secrets" led to the destruction of Tom Riddle's diary, which was later revealed as one of Lord Voldemort's horcruxes. At the time, Harry just knew that he had to find the way to the chamber to rescue Ginny Weasley, who had been taken there.

As it turned out, Harry ended up battling the Basilisk, which had been awakened by Tom Riddle in his quest to rid Hogwarts of students who were not pure blood witches and wizards. Harry pulled the Sword of Gryffindor out of the Sorting Hat that Dumbledore's phoenix, Fawkes, brought just in time to kill the monster, although he suffered a terrible wound when the Basilisk bit him. No problem! Fawkes was still nearby, and was able to heal the wound with his tears. Harry then used the Basilisk tooth that he pulled from his arm to puncture the diary and destroy it.

Answer: Harry

Remus Lupin was introduced as the new Defence of the Dark Arts teacher during Harry's third year in the "Prisoner of Azkaban". On his way to school, Harry had his first experience with Dementors, creatures that could drain all happiness from a person, as they were searching the Hogwarts Express for the newly escaped prisoner, Sirius Black. Lupin drove the Dementors away before they could "kiss" Harry and suck out his soul, but their presence made him relive his mother's death and he was left rather shaken.

A Boggart was a magical creature that could change forms; it was able to sense a person's greatest fear and take its appearance. One of the sessions in Lupin's class involved teaching his students how to use the Riddikulus charm that would change a Boggart into something funny. When released from the cabinet, Harry's Boggart took the shape of a Dementor, but when Lupin realized the danger that the exercise posed for Harry, especially if his Boggart turned out to be Voldemort, he turned it into a deflated balloon.

Answer: Harry

Harry's father, James, was a pure blood wizard, who came from a very long, prestigious family line. That was why Harry received the famous Cloak of Invisibility , which traditionally was passed down to wizards from the prestigious Ignotus Peverell family of the Deathly Hallows myth.

His mother, Lily, was Muggle-born. In the "Harry Potter" world, a Muggle was a person who had no magical ability whatsoever and had no knowledge of the wizard world. In all probability, Lily had a magical gene that had been passed down through a Squib, a non-magical offspring of a witch or wizard, in her family line. Her Muggle-born sister, Petunia, had no such powers.

Answer: Harry

It's important to remember that Voldemort was the one who chose Harry. When he killed James and Lily Potter, the Sacrificial Protection charm that Lily had created, which meant that she was willing to die in Harry's place, kept him safe. He was left with just a scar - which ultimately turned out to be more than just a scar - but all the same, Voldemort chose Harry and marked him as his equal as the prophecy had said.

Answer: Harry and Neville

Harry and Neville were in the same grade at Hogwarts and went through the Sorting Hat ritual at the same time in their first year. Harry was still not very savvy regarding the wizard world, but Hagrid had told him that his parents had been murdered by a Slytherin, and he already did not like Draco Malfoy, so really any house but Slytherin would have been okay. He didn't specifically ask to be placed in any house, just NOT to be placed in Slytherin. Really, the story wouldn't have worked with best friends Harry, Ron, and Hermione if the three hadn't been in the same house.

Students knew that the Sorting Hat would consider their wishes before placing them in a particular house, but in Neville's case an exception was made. He was actually a bit overwhelmed by Gryffindor's reputation, and asked to be placed in Hufflepuff. The hat, sensing Neville's potential to be a brave leader, placed him in Gryffindor instead. This scene is courtesy of the book - it wasn't shown in the movie, - however, Neville was always shown wearing Gryffindor colors, cheering for the Quidditch team, and being one of Harry's roommates.

Answer: Harry and Neville

Both of the boys were born in July - Neville's birth date was July 30, 1980, and Harry's was July 31, 1980. Both sets of parents had defied Lord Voldemort three times, so technically either of them could have fulfilled that part of the prophecy.

Answer: Harry and Neville

Harry was the original leader of Dumbledore's Army, and under his guidance Neville began to gain more skill and confidence. When Harry left Hogwarts to search for the horcruxes, Neville took over the leadership of the Army, along with Ginny and Luna. In the end, the role that Neville played as leader was second only to Harry.

Answer: Harry and Neville

There was a legend that the Sword of Gryffindor would only appear when a true Gryffindor was in need. The Sword appeared twice for Harry in the movies; in "Chamber of Secrets" it appeared from the Sorting Hat when Harry was fighting the Basilisk. It also made an appearance in "Deathly Hallows Part 2", when the friends needed something that would destroy the Slytherin locket.

In the same movie, Neville needed the Sword during the Battle of Hogwarts, and, once again it appeared to him in the Sorting Hat.

Answer: Neville

Neville really seemed to struggle with every subject, but eventually he began to show real talent in Herbology class. Remember, he was the one who told Harry about using the gillyweed during the Triwizard Tournament in "Goblet of Fire". And, Neville showed up for his fifth year at Hogwarts ("Order of the Phoenix") carrying a plant that looked like a cactus!

While it wasn't explored in the movie, I have to tell you that Neville went on to become a Professor of Herbology at Hogwarts, and sources have implied that he became the Head of Gryffindor after Professor McGonagall became Headmistress of the school.

Answer: Neville

While viewers learn that Neville was raised by his grandmother in the "Sorcerer's Stone", and she sent him a gadget to help him remember things better, there isn't a lot of other information divulged until the "Order of the Phoenix". Most assumed that his parents were dead, but didn't know the details.

During a practice session for Dumbledore's Army in "Order of the Phoenix", Neville confided to Harry that his parents were not dead. They had been tortured to insanity by Bellatrix Lestrange during the First Wizarding War. While Neville was proud of them, he was not ready for the others to know his secret.

Answer: Neville

The Sword of Gryffindor appeared to Neville in one of the final scenes of the Battle of Hogwarts in "Deathly Hallows Part 2". Harry, Ron, and Hermione knew that Nagini, Voldemort's snake, was a horcrux, but could not safely get close enough to kill it with Basilisk venom. Neville used the Sword to behead Nagini without apparently realizing the important of the action.

The act made Voldemort human once again, and paved the way for his defeat.

Answer: Neville

While Neville wasn't exactly sure what was going to happen to him in Lupin's class about Boggarts, he bravely stepped up and went first. It did take a bit of consultation with his teacher, but Neville revealed that his greatest fear was Professor Snape; apparently, on Lupin's suggestion, Neville gave his Boggart Snape his grandmother's clothes; the situation provided Neville with a great confidence boost and a good laugh.

Answer: Neville

Neville was a pure blood wizard, however, what was always speculated in the movies was how can a wizard from such a fine family be such a basket case? In "Chamber of Secrets" he can't remember anything and he can't fly on a broomstick - what is the matter with this kid? Well, it always appeared that he felt his grandmother put a lot of pressure on him to be as good a wizard as his parents. It was obvious that Neville just didn't have much self-esteem.

According to Potter lore the Ancient and Noble House of Longbottom immigrated to England with 17 other Roman families, and became part of what was known as the Sacred Twenty-eight. His mother was also descended from a pure-blood wizarding family.

Answer: Neville

Obviously, Neville was not the chosen one - otherwise the movies would be named for him - but that did not prevent him from making important contributions during the Second Wizarding War. He just had a slower start than Harry, and needed more time to find his place in the wizarding world!