0:00
they said the prophecy could have meant
0:02
either of these that insufferable old
0:07
bat Trrelone in a rare moment of clarity
0:11
had finally spewed something of worth a
0:15
child born in the seventh month dies one
0:20
with the power to vanquish the dark lord
0:23
they were unsure potter or the dark lord
0:27
chose Potter foolish as he was he sealed
0:32
his own fate the moment he marked the
0:35
boy but what if he had chosen
0:37
differently what if that fateful night
0:40
he stepped into the house of the Long
0:42
Bottoms instead what if it was Neville
0:46
who became the chosen one i have
0:49
imagined it more times than I'd care to
0:52
admit not because I wished it though
0:56
some part of me might have but because
0:59
the weight of it crushes history under a
1:02
different boot a boot not polished by
1:06
fame but trampled by silence frank and
1:10
Alice Longbottom were no fools or as
1:14
fighters strong unbending even when
1:18
tortured to the edge of madness and they
1:21
would have fought unlike Lily and James
1:25
who had trusted Petigru who died for
1:28
their belief in love and friendship
1:31
frank and Alice had war in their bones
1:35
the dark lord would have found them at
1:37
home perhaps young never listen in his
1:40
crib perhaps Alice would have duled and
1:45
Frank would have gone for his wand first
1:48
but in the end the dark lord always got
1:52
what he came for he would have raised
1:55
the wand and the killing curse would
1:59
have flown but it wouldn't have worked
2:02
not as he intended the protection the
2:06
ancient magic would have twisted it
2:09
neville would have lived marked chosen
2:13
and Voldemort would have vanished they
2:16
might have still lost their minds or
2:19
perhaps not perhaps had he gone after
2:22
the Long Bottoms they would have died
2:25
protecting their son not been tortured
2:28
into insanity afterward Bellatrix never
2:32
would have had her fun but this story as
2:35
all stories are is not about with a pand
2:40
it is about what could have been neville
2:42
Longbottom was no Harry Potter he was
2:46
not brash he was not proud he did not
2:50
saunter into my classroom with fame
2:53
dripping off his robes he was awkward
2:58
forgetful pathetic in the beginning i
3:02
admit that Yanarigid's fear mocked him
3:06
ridiculed him but not because he was
3:09
weak because I saw what the world
3:12
demanded he become and he was not ready
3:15
but he would have been imagine Hogwarts
3:20
year 1 the whispers are not about the
3:24
boy who lived Harry Potter but the quiet
3:28
boy with the round face the one whose
3:31
parents were murdered by the dark lord
3:35
imagine Manurva fussing over him
3:38
dumbledore was swatting from his tower
3:40
with that infernal twinkle hagrid
3:43
bumbling into his life with a birthday
3:46
cake would he still have found his
3:49
friends perhaps not Weasley and Granger
3:54
perhaps someone gentler perhaps Luna or
3:58
no one at all perhaps he would have
4:01
grown in isolation a chosen one with no
4:06
friends only expectations
4:09
but fate cruel and consistent would
4:12
still have played its hand quirrel still
4:16
would have tried to steal the stone the
4:19
chamber of secrets would have opened
4:22
sirius Black would have escaped Asaban
4:25
the goblet would still have spat out a
4:28
name would Voldemort still have chosen
4:31
the tri- wizard tournament as his return
4:35
or would he have acted earlier more
4:38
desperate with his enemy being Neville
4:42
that's where it all changes neville
4:45
would not have challenged me in class he
4:49
would have cowed but in time he would
4:52
have found something more potent than
4:55
courage conviction there is strength in
4:58
those who are underestimated
5:01
in the boy whose wand trembled in his
5:04
grip in the child who kept going despite
5:07
being told he would never be enough i
5:11
saw it you know I saw it in fifth year
5:15
when he defied the cars when he took up
5:18
the sword when he led children through
5:22
tunnels and shadows when Hogwarts became
5:26
a war camp and heavily
5:29
became a general if he had been chosen
5:33
one from the start he would have grown
5:36
differently hardened by grief molded by
5:40
pressure but it is the same metal forged
5:44
under fire would he have survived the
5:47
Department of Mysteries would he have
5:50
been fast enough to dodge the killing
5:53
curse would he have thrown himself
5:56
between Bellatrix and Sirius i do not
6:00
know but I do know that when the time
6:03
came when all seemed lost Neville
6:08
Longbottom stood tall and Isaveris
6:12
Snapewent called him hopeless he killed
6:16
Neagini you remember that don't you
6:19
potter was playing his part as always
6:23
running through the castle the cloak and
6:27
the prophecy but it was Long Bottom who
6:30
drew the blade who struck the final blow
6:33
against the dark lord's soul who took
6:36
the venom and spat it back even if he
6:40
was not the chosen one he became
6:44
something greater hero without prophecy
6:48
a soldier without a spotlight he bled in
6:52
silence he rose without fame and he
6:56
fought for the right reasons but had
6:59
Voldemort chosen him would he have fared
7:02
as well the scar would have marred his
7:06
forehead the whispers would have
7:08
followed him he would have grown beneath
7:11
the shadow of expectation as Potter did
7:15
perhaps he would have broken or perhaps
7:18
he would have become dangerous quiet not
7:21
out of shyness but calculation
7:25
imagine him trained by the order from
7:28
the age of 11 imagine Moody teaching him
7:32
the unforgivable curses imagine
7:35
McGonogal pushing him past the edge
7:39
imagine me required to protect him would
7:43
I have still loathed him that's the
7:47
question isn't it i who protected Lily's
7:51
son out of guilt and love would I have
7:54
extended the same loyalty to the son of
7:57
Auras i barely knew i doubt it i doubt
8:01
Dumbledore would have entrusted me so
8:04
which means the role I played the spy
8:08
the protector the traitor would have
8:11
fallen to someone else perhaps Lupin or
8:15
Shakabolt or no one which means Neville
8:20
might have died in the end he would have
8:24
faced the dark lord wand trembling knees
8:29
locked the world is holding its breath
8:33
no Elder wand no connection of shared
8:37
magic just Neville and the prophecy the
8:41
last piece would he have won i believe
8:46
yes unlike Potter who survived because
8:50
he had to neville would have fought
8:53
because he chose to and that in the end
8:57
is what makes a true hero now go let me
9:02
be your curiosity is sated your what if
9:06
entertained but remember this sometimes
9:10
the world doesn't give you greatness
9:13
sometimes greatness is grown in silence
9:18
and when it blooms it roars like
9:21
wildfire neville Longbottom was not the
9:25
chosen one but he could have been and
9:28
the dark lord would still have fallen l
