You'll have to tell me what you come up with! I am reading the unofficial guide to HP (per suggestion! THX!) and one thing mentioned was that while being clumsy isn't unusual, what IS unusual is that both Neville and Tonks are UNUSUALLY clumsy. It was suggested that possible Neville is under a memory charm (like Bertha Jorkins). I found that interesting. We know Neville is going to play a big part in the next two books, and I for one think he'll improve significantly with his own wand (he had his dad's wand and it broke in OoP) and possibly if he doesn't have to take Potions with Snape next term! LOL! ;) It will be interesting to learn more about Neville and his parents.

Anyway...I'm bummed I won't miss the chat, but I'm going to be out of town until Monday. I do plan on being at a midnight party and getting started on my book. If my sister has her computer up and running, I'll post. :D Have fun!!!

Christine

I hadn't thought about the clumsiness thing, but I had the same thought about Neville and his wand. In the first book Olivander tells Harry that a wizard is never as good with another wizard's wand. It was the first thing I thought of when N's dad's wand broke.

the memory charm is an interesting idea - and how will it tie into the pieces of paper that N's mother keeps giving him?

I really like Neville. I can't wait to see what happens with him. It's occurred to me that he might take Harry's place in the big showdown with Voldemort, and that he might be the one who dies.

I had forgotten about the wand breaking. That makes me even more eager to see what happens with him! The bubble gum wrappers have GOT to have some significance, but I just can't figure out WHAT!

While rereading the books, I found one sentence that disturbed me. While Harry is watching a scene from the past (I'm not sure if this is in the Prisoner of Azkaban or in the Goblet of Fire), he thinks to himself that Peter Pettigrew reminds him of Neville. JKR usually drops us hints along the way, but I sure hope she's not hinting that Neville will betray Harry the way Peter betrayed his friends. Like I said, I LIKE Neville.

in the unofficial guide they make mention of all times that switching spells are talked about - maybe in relation to neville and harry?

You know i too found it hard to believe that neville would use someone else's wand. To me a wand to them is not something that can be a hand me down.
Honestly i believe Neville IS just clumsy. And lovable. But he'll be coming into his own soon enough. he was doing really well in the D.A. ;)

but Ron used his older brother's hand me down wand before he broke it in chamber of secrets. a wizard can use any wand, but never as well as when he uses his/her own wand - there is a connection between the wizard and the wand - the way harry's wand reacted the moment he touched it, while no other wand that he tried did anything.