How did the Lestranges get caught? (WAS: Neville Has A Memory Charm? Not! )

[oz_widgeon]

No: HPFGUIDX 31839

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Susanne Schmid <pigwidgeon37 at y...> wrote:

> Cindy wrote:
> >> 3.  How did the Lestranges and Crouch Jr. get caught? 
> 
> Er... may I say that I've got a pet theory about that? My guess is 
that, even after V's defeat, the DE network still worked pretty well, 
more undercover than before, but it worked. So the remaining DEs (and 
among them Malfoy) knew that the Lestranges and Marty Jr. were going 
to the Longbottom's house. Devilishly cunning as he is, Malfoy tipped 
off the MoM, just in time to get the 3 DEs, but too late to save the 
Longbottoms. Why? 
> 
> 1) To prove he was a redeemed DE
> 
> 2) To prevent that Barty "Law-and-Order" Crouch Sr. became minister
> 
> 3) If he tipped off Fudge himself and not somebody from the Law 
Enforcement, he was sure of Fudge's gratitude (see 2))
> 
> Susanna/pigwidgeon37
> 

Now that is deliciously evil and just good enough to be true.  My 
theory (see previous post) is that someone else told as well, though I 
thought maybe they had seen and slipped away to tell the MoM, and 
didn't appear at the trial for their own safety, but gave a written 
account instead.  I think I'll subscribe to your Malfoy theory instead 
of the "someone saw" but I'll still hold my "written statement for 
their own safety" theory, as that would work for Malfoy as well, 
keeping the other DE's from knowing it was him, AND ingratiating 
himself to the MoM, while looking as though he had truly turned to 
their side, since he 'feared for his life.'  Oooooh, very good 
thinking on your part!

Slon