How did Neville get the sword?

i agree with this. it makes more sense. Dumbledore would have know that he can't leave the sword to Hp. Mor importantly, I do think that Neville got the sword not to prove that he is a true Gryffindor, but to defend the house. The sorting hat has in the past givin Harry the sword for hte same reason.
It would seem that the sword is not subject to the normal rules of possession and maybe Griphook should have thought about that before claiming the sword in payment. HP had no right to give the sword away and if Griphook was not so proud and arrogant he would have thought about it. It's not like the sword was lost from sight. Everyone knows it's been hanging in the headmasters office at Hogwarts and if it was possible for someone to lay claim to it, it would have been done already by some other Goblin! The sword may have travelled a bit but never became anyone's property and when needed it returned to it's rightful place.

But this is all speculation and it would have been great if this was alll in thte book. I's nice that JK cleared some things up in her interviews, but i for one, wanted to read it in the book.

Hi guys ! I have a theory about the sword but it's posted back in the room of requirement under The Sword of Gryffindor. If you have time... take a look. Cheers

i say the sword returns to the when needed whethe because as stated above it has no rightful owner

lol that's great!!!!! very funny!!!
KIA101

(Please excuse me avid HPC readers.This is an old post I resurrected.There have been over 2,000 hits to this question so I thought I'd post this reply again)

Hi there.

My theory about the sword of Gryffindor is that it can be claimed by any Gryffindor under circumstances of Need and Valour. I think Dumbledore , knowing , the sword rightfully belonged at Hogwarts and that Hogwarts would probably be the final battle ground where Nagini would be an obstacle would have caused him to find some way of ensuring the sword would be in the right place at the right time, so that anyone who was not a Gryffindor (e.g Griphook) would loose possession should the need for it's use be required. The sorting hat would then be a sort of portkey, a passage for the swords safe return to Gryffindor hands.

The fact that Neville had the sorting hat on his head and was being tortured would have been the key for the swords return as Neville's thoughts would have been heard by the hat. Neville seeing the snake and having been specifically informed by Harry that it must be killed must have been thinking " I have to kill the snake" and "presto" the hat provided the solution (just like in book 2).

Also, the sword is a highly powerful magical object with the ability to slay ancient magical beasts (Basilisk Book 2).

I am a little spaced out today but didnt snape bring the sword to harry?

well nevill was a true gryffindor and so i think he fulfilled all the needs for being a gryffindor at that moment. so he got the sword. like harry did in the chamber