Neville has never thought himself better than other wizards because of his pureblood status. He doesn't even consider himself better than Muggles, only different. But he's never once entertained the notion that animals are his equal -- that a bird might harbor a conscious soul.

He doesn't consider Asato an animal though, and now he's afraid that he might have offended his friend without even knowing it. He takes a few deep breaths, wary of saying something wrong. "I grant you that, but I cannot form a friendship with a bird."