Neville Has A Memory Charm? Not! (WAS Neville)

[cindysphynx]

No: HPFGUIDX 31823

Slon wrote:

> Yes, yes, and yes again on Neville!  (except on the part about him 
> being older than Harry et al-I think they're the same age-I have no 
> proof, it's just a feeling!)  I have speculated from the begining 
(at 
> least from the first time I read GoF) that Neville us under some 
type 
> of memory charm.  I'm certain JK showed us the effects of a memory 
> charm 'for a reason' (underlined and italicized!) not just to toss 
in 
> some extra wizarding world magic.  I think it was to help draw 
> parallels between the people we know were under memory charms and 
> Neville (forgetfulness, problems with magic, etc). I too believe 
that 
> Neville WILL be key to Voldy's downfall-he knows something I'm just 
> sure of it.  SURE OF IT!  
> 

Maybe it is time for another enthusiastic recuitment drive for 
the "Neville Does Not Have A Traditional Memory Charm" support 
group.  At present, we have one member (me) and two sickels clunking 
around in the collecting tin.  Amy Z expressed some interest in 
joining, but has not come forth with any cash, so I think she was 
just looking.  :-)

Briefly, here are the reasons I think Neville does not have a memory 
charm, and it is more likely that he has a "reverse memory charm."

1.  Giving Neville a memory charm is a little obvious, and JKR 
doesn't do the obvious.

2.  Depending on how you do the math, Neville was 1 or possibly as 
old as 2 when his parents were tortured.  Children that young can't 
remember things that happen to them.  So why would anyone put a 
memory charm on a toddler knowing that the charm will damage the 
child's memory if the child can't remember the events anyway?  And if 
Neville gets a memory charm, why does no one put a charm on Harry to 
spare him the trauma he remembers, as Neville and Harry were both 
born in 1981.  (The date calculation is complicated, so I won't 
repeat it, but it is in Message 26,847.  The thread started on 
Message 26,826).

3.  How did the Lestranges and Crouch Jr. get caught?  Neville's 
parents couldn't provide evidence, yet the perpetrators were 
apprehended, possibly fairly quickly.  Recall that we are in the days 
when Crouch Sr. was running Magical Law Enforcement, and he was quite 
willing to use harsh measures to catch DEs.  There is only one 
witness to the crime -- Neville.  So Crouch Sr. orders the aurors to 
put a "reverse memory charm" on Neville to enhance his memory and 
communication skills so that he can identify the Lestranges and 
Crouch Jr.  It is this "reverse memory charm" that has damaged 
Neville's memory.  A side effect of the charm is that Neville now 
clearly remembers the torture, even to this day, much more clearly 
than he otherwise would have remembered it.  That is why he has never 
talked about his parents; it is just too painful.

4.  OK.  If a benevolent relative didn't put a memory charm on 
Neville, perhaps the Lestranges did it to evade capture.  Nope, I 
don't think so.  The Lestranges wouldn't fear identification by a 
toddler enough to bother.  (Also, Fearless Leader Mrs. Lestrange 
seems sufficiently bent that she might not be troubled by the 
possibility of being captured).  If they did bother, they should know 
that memory charms can be broken, so they should know the only 
reliable way to silence toddler Neville is to kill him.  I think they 
committed the crime and ran.

5.  Just for fun, I'll toss in that I think Real Moody was the one 
who placed the Reverse Memory Charm on Neville on Crouch Sr.'s 
orders.  Moody then goes off to capture Mrs. Lestrange, finding her 
to be a real wildcat.  He loses his eye, leg and picks up some 
scars.  This is why he is not present for her trial.  This makes 
Crouch Jr.'s behavior (as Fake Moody) toward Neville very intesting.  
On the one hand, Crouch Jr. would know of Neville's role in his 
capture and might harbor a grudge.  On the other hand, Crouch Jr. 
would know he has to be nice toward Neville because Real Moody would 
feel guilty about having damaged Neville's memory.  So we have some 
internal conflict for Crouch Jr. -- always a nice touch.

Anyway, I'll just sit here in my chilly cubicle, waiting to see if 
anyone would like to join the Neville-Reverse-Memory-Charm camp.  I 
won't even ask Tabouli for an acronym until we have some actual 
members.

Cindy