Neville/Memory Charm

[Amy Z]

No: HPFGUIDX 26832

Cindy wrote:
 
> As a "Neville has a memory charm" believer, I have a question that 
> just occurred to me.  Assume Neville witnessed the torture of his 
mom 
> and dad.  If I'm doing the math correctly, he was about 1 year old 
> when this happened.  One year olds have almost no awareness of 
what's 
> going on around them, and I doubt that they would have any memory of 
> witnessing something traumatic at that age.  So why would anyone put 
> a memory charm on a one-year old, particularly if the side-effects 
> turn them into a klutz?

I'm not particularly an adherent of the memory-charm theory, but 
Neville could have been as old as three when his parents were 
attacked.  Here's the math:

Let's say the Sept. 1 cutoff date IS firm and so a student could turn 
12 on September 2 the year he starts at Hogwarts.  That makes it 
possible for Neville to be 11 months older than Harry, that is, 26 
months old the night Voldemort fell.

As for how long after that the Longbottoms were tortured, we don't 
know.  All we know is "The attacks on them came after Voldemort's fall 
from power, just when everyone thought they were safe."  That could 
imply several months, maybe even a couple of years, after October 
1981.

Amy Z
always willing to argue the opposite side for sheer argument's sake

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   "Ha, ha, ha," said Hermione sarcastically.  "Goblins 
 don't need protection.  Haven't you been listening to 
 what Professor Binns has been telling us about goblin 
 rebellions?"
   "No," said Harry and Ron together.
                          -HP and the Goblet of Fire 
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