The 2 reasons we still need Harry and Neville today.

Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom. July-born wizards destined to defeat the Dark Lord, Voldemort.
The 2 souls whose paths were almost swapped with each other. Whilst Harry had to endure great tragedy and loss whilst growing up, Neville unfortunately wasn't spared his pain. His parents being tortured into insanity by Bellatrix Lestrange broke something inside him, something he only could start fixing after the Battle of the Department of Mysteries. Even today, they both stand out as examples of good, decent people in an indecent world.

Neville Longbottom

The unsung hero of the original saga. Neville's journey from a timid, scared boy to a confident fighter and hero was one of the most important character arcs of the stories, eclipsed only by Severus Snape. Neville's arc is a reminder to all that, despite our beginnings and where we come from, where we go is in our hands. It is our responsibility to to take control of our life and make something out of nothing.

Neville spent years living with the trauma of what happened to his parents. However, by facing it and Bellatrix Lestrange head-on, he was able to start the healing process, which led to his growing confidence in his abilities. This confidence culminated in him slaying the last Horcrux, Nagini, and allowed Harry to kill Voldemort once and for all. He showed us that true heroism are not the acts done in the spotlight, but those done in the shadows, away from the glory and accolades.

Harry Potter

So much has been spoken about the Boy Who Lived. The hero of the story. The boy who became a man and faced down the greatest threat to his world and his loved ones. The man who lost nearly everyone along the way yet never stopped fighting. However, Harry was always more than just the Boy Who Lived. He was a kind and empathetic person, even when he thought he was just an ordinary boy. His innate goodness and kindness showed us that we can choose what we want to be and how we wish to be remembered. Not as a warrior or a hero, but as a good person.

Perseverance and Harry Potter also go hand-in-hand. Despite all the setbacks he faced in his life, he never stopped. He never backed down from doing what was right and he never hesitated to throw himself into danger to protect his loved ones. He did the right thing, even when it was the hard thing to do. And even though he went through unimaginable pain, he emerged from it as a wiser, mature and stronger person. We too can do the same by facing our problems and demons head on. It is the only path to peace for us all.

As we approach Halloween, let's all pop open our bottles of Butterbeer and toast to Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom, the two souls who saved their worlds and taught us how to save ours.