The Deaths of Beloved Characters, and related subjects

[Eric Oppen]

No: HPFGUIDX 23621

One thing that kind of bothered me about the death of Cedric Diggory in GoF
was that it didn't have the impact on me that the death of a character we'd
gotten to know well through the first three books would have had.  Although
Cedric seemed to be a decent sort, we only got to see much of him in GoF,
and even then, we never got to really know him---there'd have been a lot
more impact if LV had killed poor, harmless, hapless Neville Longbottom.

We've seen Neville since the first book, bumbling his way along, often
clearly out of his depth, and a target for Snape's mistreatment since his
first day in Potions, and I don't think there's a single HP reader that
wouldn't say that they feel sorry for the poor kid.  I feel like I know
Neville far better than any of us got to know Cedric Diggory, and his death
would have not only had more of an impact, but underscored, if it needed
underscoring, just how casual and ruthless a killer Voldemort is.  Even in
the graveyard before Voldemort's got his body back, Neville'd be absolutely
no threat to him.

(BTW, if I were Snapey-poo, I'd be worried that Neville's grandmother might
get wind of my treatment of Neville.  His grandmother sounds to me like a
lot of my own kin---we can happily tear each other to bleeding chunks for
something to do, but if someone outside the family does _anything_ bad to
any of us, we turn on him like sharks in a feeding frenzy.  Forget Howlers;
think of "All _right,_ Mrs. *gasp* Longbottom...I'll stop *wheeze* picking
on Neville.  Now will you get your *glug* fingers out of my throat so
*choke*  I can  breathe?"  That's a scene I would relish!)

The "farewell to Cedric" scene was sad, but if it had been a character we'd
seen and known since the beginning, it would have been even sadder.  By the
bye---does anybody know how wizards and witches conduct funerals in the
Potterverse?  I doubt they would use Muggle funeral directors/undertakers,
but they'd have to do _something._