Neville Has A Memory Charm? Not! Yes he does!

[oz_widgeon]

No: HPFGUIDX 31836

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "cindysphynx" <cindysphynx at h...> wrote:

> 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.

I don't think it's obvious at all.  Besides, who, until the 4th book, 
even gave Neville a second thought?  We had 3 books with him and 
nothing.
> 
> 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).


I don't necessarily think the spell was put on him as a toddler.  
Who's to say that Neville's parents didn't utter something  about 
Voldy or the DE's at St Mungo's in perhaps a 'lucid' moment that 
horrified everyone and caused his grandmother to put the charm on him 
to make him forget?  Maybe he was a 5 or 6?  Kids that age remember 
things.  Now, why then would his family not think he had in magic in 
him if he didn't get a memory charm on him until he was 5 or 6?  
Er...maybe he just wasn't good at it.  Maybe it takes a while for
some wizards to develop their skills. 


> 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.

Hmmmm....I don't think I buy the reverse memory charm bit, though I 
give you thumbs up for having a good theory to back yourself up. :)  
Besides, I don't think it states in cannon (please correct me if I'm 
wrong-not that I need to ask with this group!) that Neville is the 
only person to witness the crime.  Perhaps someone else came over to 
their house while the curses were being performed and managed to get 
away and contact the correct MoM dept to get the wizard pleese-men 
over and catch them in the act.  Or perhaps said mystery person gave
a statement, but for their own security, did not appear at the trial 
we saw.
> 
> 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.

Please see above comment.

> 
> 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.

Again, can't go with you here, but still, thumbs up on thinking 
things through!


> 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

I will certainly not be joining your little group, but I wish you 
success (in finding members, not in being right), and hope we in the 
Neville IS under a memory charm camp (Tabouli can WE get an acronym?  
I think we're almost a bonafide group-no 2 sickles required to join, 
just wear your Neville badge with pride) will get to prove you wrong. 
:-D

Cheers!
Slon-Still cheering Neville (who really is worth 12 of Malfoy and a 
Crabbe and Goyle thrown in)