FF: Harry and Neville and Hermione

[Cindy C. <cindysphynx@comcast.net>]

No: HPFGUIDX 48733

"Hey, Hermione," Harry said.  "Got a minute?"

Hermione looked up from her Divination Self-Study manual, irritated 
at the interruption.  "What is it Harry?  I'm very busy here."

Harry pulled up a chair with upholstery that was very similar to the 
chair in which Hermione was perched.  "It's Neville, Hermione.  See, 
Dumbledore just told me that Neville's parents were tortured until 
they were insane, and he goes to visit them over break.  They don't 
recognize him or anything.  And, uh, I wasn't supposed to tell you 
any of that.  Uh-oh."

Harry shrugged and plowed ahead recklessly.  "Anyway, do you know 
anything about that?"

Hermione sighed in exasperation.  "Oh *course* I know about that!  
Harry, where have you *been* for the last 14 years?"

Harry gaped at her.

Hermione reached into her bag and pulled out a shiny new book 
entitled, _Getting Away With Murder:  Wicked Wizarding Crimes._  She 
hurriedly flipped to a page in the middle and ripped it out, 
brandishing it in front of Harry.

"Harry, it's all in here, see.  Neville was a very small boy when 
his parents were attacked.  He was right there to witness it.  When 
the authorities arrived, they realized that they had no real way to 
solve the crime because their only witness couldn't talk.  So they 
put a Reverse Memory Charm -– to enhance his memory -- on Neville so 
that Neville could identify the perpetrators.  That's how Mrs. 
Lestrange and her gang were caught -- Neville fingered them.  
Neville remembers his parents' torture very clearly, Harry."

"Why didn't he say anything to me about it?" Harry asked, 
incredulous.

"Oh, Neville can't possibly *talk* about what happened, don't you 
see?  That would turn up the dial on his parents' torture way, way 
up, get it?  He'd be living the whole thing all over again.  That's 
why Neville reacted so badly to the egg's wailing and the dementor 
on the train.  No, I think Neville would just prefer that this be 
his little secret, if at all possible.  That's why I've kept quiet, 
myself."  

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

One of the most perplexing things about the torture on the 
Longbottoms is that Neville has kept quiet about it all these 
years.  Oh, sure, some people think this is because Neville has a 
Memory Charm.  But I think it far more likely that Neville has a 
Reverse Memory Charm and recalls his parents' torture quite well, 
thank-you-very-much.

Also strange is the idea that the popular Frank Longbottom was 
tortured to insanity, yet this fact seems not to be common knowledge 
in the wizarding world.  I think bookish Hermione does know about 
Neville's parents and has just decided to keep quiet to preserve 
Neville's privacy.

Cindy -- hoping we can all agree that Neville was way too young to 
need a memory charm to forget his parents' torture

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

For the best in fanfic, check out: 
http://www.fictionalley.org//fictionalleypark/forums/showthread.php?
&threadid=312
 
For lots more on Memory Charmed Neville, check out Messages 36772 and
38398 ("Still Life With Memory Charm") and 38812, 38813 and 38848
("Memory Charm Symposium").  

For more on Reverse Memory Charms, have a look at Messages 38830, 
38898, 38921, 39033, 39038, 38890, 38981, 38994, 39014, 39042, 
39044, 39076, 39143, 39149, 39150, 39179, 39247.