He was timid and clumsy, but he developed the very useful habit of showing enormous courage at crucial moments. Here are some of our favourite moments of Longbottom bravery.

Standing up to Harry, Hermione and Ron when they tried to sneak out of the Gryffindor common room

‘You can’t go out,’ said Neville, ‘you’ll be caught again. Gryffindor will be in even more trouble.’
‘You don’t understand,’ said Harry, ‘this is important.’
But Neville was clearly steeling himself to do something desperate.
‘I won’t let you do it,’ he said, hurrying to stand in front of the portrait hole. ‘I’ll – I’ll fight you!’
‘Neville,’ Ron exploded, ‘get away from that hole and don’t be an idiot –’
‘Don’t you call me an idiot!’ said Neville. ‘I don’t think you should be breaking any more rules! And you were the one who told me to stand up to people!’
‘Yes, but not to us,’ said Ron in exasperation. ‘Neville, you don’t know what you’re doing.’
He took a step forward and Neville dropped Trevor the toad, who leapt out of sight.
‘Go on then, try and hit me!’ said Neville, raising his fists. ‘I'm ready!’
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

Refusing to obey the Carrows

‘Amycus, the bloke, he teaches what used to be Defence Against the Dark Arts, except now it’s just the Dark Arts. We’re supposed to practise the Cruciatus Curse on people who’ve earned detentions –’
‘What?’ Harry, Ron and Hermione’s united voices echoed up and down the passage.
‘Yeah,’ said Neville. ‘That’s how I got this one,’ he pointed at a particularly deep gash in his cheek, ‘I refused to do it. Some people are into it, though; Crabbe and Goyle love it. First time they’ve ever been top in anything, I expect.
‘Alecto, Amycus’s sister, teaches Muggle Studies, which is compulsory for everyone. We’ve all got to listen to her explain how Muggles are like animals, stupid and dirty, and how they drove wizards into hiding by being vicious towards them, and how the natural order is being re-established. I got this one,’ he indicated another slash to his face, ‘for asking her how much Muggle blood she and her brother have got.’
‘Blimey, Neville,’ said Ron, ‘there’s a time and a place for getting a smart mouth.’
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

When he reminded Harry, Hermione and Ron that they had back-up

‘We were all in the DA together,’ said Neville quietly. ‘It was all supposed to be about fighting You-Know-Who, wasn’t it? And this is the first chance we’ve had to do something real – or was that all just a game or something?’
‘No – of course it wasn’t –’ said Harry impatiently.
‘Then we should come too,’ said Neville simply. ‘We want to help.’
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Bringing down the fearsome Fenrir Greyback

Harry saw Yaxley slammed to the floor by George and Lee Jordan, saw Dolohov fall with a scream at Flitwick’s hands, saw Walden Macnair thrown across the room by Hagrid, hit the stone wall opposite and slide unconscious to the ground.
He saw Ron and Neville bringing down Fenrir Greyback, Aberforth Stunning Rookwood, Arthur and Percy flooring Thicknesse, and Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy running through the crowd, not even attempting to fight, screaming for their son.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Facing down Bellatrix Lestrange (who tortured his parents to insanity)

‘Longbottom?’ repeated Bellatrix, and a truly evil smile lit her gaunt face. ‘Why, I have had the pleasure of meeting your parents, boy.’
‘I DOE YOU HAB!’ roared Neville, and he fought so hard against his captor’s encircling grip that the Death Eater shouted, ‘Someone Stun him!’
‘No, no, no,’ said Bellatrix. She looked transported, alive with excitement as she glanced at Harry, then back at Neville. ‘No, let’s see how long Longbottom lasts before he cracks like his parents... unless Potter wants to give us the prophecy.’

‘DON’D GIB ID DO DEM!’ roared Neville, who seemed beside himself, kicking and writhing as Bellatrix drew nearer to him and his captor, her wand raised. ‘DON’D GIB ID DO DEM, HARRY!’

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Destroying Nagini, the final Horcrux

In one swift, fluid motion Neville broke free of the Body-Bind Curse upon him; the flaming Hat fell off him and he drew from its depths something silver, with a glittering, rubied handle –
The slash of the silver blade could not be heard over the roar of the oncoming crowd, or the sounds of the clashing giants, or of the stampeding centaurs, and yet it seemed to draw every eye. With a single stroke, Neville sliced off the great snake’s head, which spun high into the air, gleaming in the light flooding from the Entrance Hall, and Voldemort’s mouth was open in a scream of fury that nobody could hear, and the snake’s body thudded to the ground at his feet –
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows