Everyone makes comments on Harry being the Obscural in the stories. But what about Neville?
Lyrics: Willie McBride
Did They?
Neville was pink and trembling. He looked as though he was on the verge of tears.
“Please, sir,” said Hermione, “please, I could help Neville put it right —”
“I don’t remember asking you to show off, Miss Granger,” said Snape coldly, and Hermione went as pink as Neville. “Longbottom, at the end of this lesson we will feed a few drops of this potion to your toad and see what happens. Perhaps that will encourage you to do it properly.” Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (p. 50). Pottermore Publishing. Kindle Edition.
The end of the lesson in sight, Snape strode over to Neville, who was cowering by his cauldron. “Everyone gather ’round,” said Snape, his black eyes glittering, “and watch what happens to Longbottom’s toad. If he has managed to produce a Shrinking Solution, it will shrink to a tadpole. If, as I don’t doubt, he has done it wrong, his toad is likely to be poisoned.” The Gryffindors watched fearfully. The Slytherins looked excited. Snape picked up Trevor the toad in his left hand and dipped a small spoon into Neville’s potion, which was now green. He trickled a few drops down Trevor’s throat. There was a moment of hushed silence, in which Trevor gulped;
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (p. 51). Pottermore Publishing. Kindle Edition.
Then keeled over dead, much to the malicious glee of the potion’s professor and his house and the sadness of Neville’s house.
“What are you sniveling about? If you hadn’t been such a dunderhead and done what you were suppose…..” He got no further as he could feel the build-up of Obscural magics at play within the pathetic boy as he looked at his now dead pet in his grasp. The door to freedom was blocked by the classroom full of people and his own desk was in the way of the safety of his office as he desperately looked for anywhere to hide in this room of laughing children. And a simmering Caldera Obscural is about to blow.
He knew it was the end when his godson yelled the words “Baby Faced Squib” at the crying boy.
Did they beat the drums slowly,
Did they sound the fife lowly,
Did the rifles fire o’ ye as they lowered you down?
Did the bugle sing The Last Post in chorus?
Did the pipes play the Flowers of the Forest?
For the whole generation who were butchered and damned.