The Big Bangers and Neville

[moongirlk]

No: HPFGUIDX 35838

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "cindysphynx" <cindysphynx at h...> wrote:
> > > So I issue a challenge. Something Big must be going on with 
> > > Neville. Surely he isn't going to spend seven books as a timid, 
> > > forgetful boy chasing after a useless toad. What is Neville's 
> > > backstory, then? Any takers?
> 
> I'd like to think my Neville Reverse Memory Charm Rope-A-Dope has 
> fended off Elkins' rather vigorous assault. But I must point out 
> that I *still* haven't heard an alternative backstory explanation 
of 
> what is going on with Neville and Trevor.  
> 
> The challenge still stands.  ::looks around the room hopefully::

::Kimberly scratches her head and ponders for a moment...::

How about this for a Neville back story:

Neville was born to Frank and Somebody (Florence?) Longbottom, 
shortly before the fall of a Very Evil Wizard.  His father, and 
possibly his mother, were actively involved in fighting said evil 
wizard, but had nothing to do with his actual defeat or 
disappearance.  Some of the followers of the evil wizard, however, 
were not convinced of this fact, and believed they might have 
information as to his wearabouts.  They came to the Longbottom home 
(here I'll give the bangers the benefit of the doubt that Neville was 
not off on an outing with Gran at the time, but witnessed the 
attacks, whatever his age) and tortured Frank and Mrs. Longbottom, 
never arriving at the desired result, but probably enjoying it 
anyway, until they went completely and irrevocably mad.

Little Neville's parents were destroyed mentally and emotionally and 
carted off to St. Mungo's, and Neville spent the rest of his 
childhood with a stern, if loving, elderly woman and a crazy uncle 
who occasionally tossed him into the ocean and out windows in hopes 
of squeezing a little magic out of him, as he was feared to be (oh 
the shame!) a squib.

Finally one of these desperate attempts succeeded in proving that 
Neville does, in fact, have enough magic in him to keep from dying 
when tossed out of a window, only slightly encouraging his family, 
who were still a little disappointed that he wasn't more powerful.

Enter the Hogwarts letter, which apparently garners a sigh of relief 
from his family, enough that Uncle Child Endangerment (can't remember 
his real name at the moment) buys him a toad, the lowliest of all 
possible pets according to Ron, who should know whereof he speaks, 
considering Scabbers and Errol.  Nevertheless, this is the first time 
Neville has been entrusted with such a responsibility, and he is 
proud and determined to take good care of Trevor, in order to prove 
that he's capable (as he has the impression nobody thinks he is).  
Once at Hogwarts, Neville proves to have nearly as little talent as 
his family feared, although he excels to some extent at Herbology.  
He is still forgetful and clumsy, but begins to gain some specks of 
self-esteem as time goes by.  

::Kimberly smiles, completely satisfied with her back-story, until 
she notices the disappointed faces of her audience, and her smile 
fades::

What?  What's wrong with that?  Surely being the worse-than-orphaned 
child of madpersons who were tortured needlessly by evil dark wizards 
and spending the rest of his childhood trying not to die when his 
uncle tries to force magic out of him is a pretty good Bang.  I think 
it's as good of a bang as Harry's story.  Why is he forgetful and 
clumsy?  Well, he's traumatized by the situation of his parents, he 
(depending on the timeline) may actually have some memory of the 
incident that put them in an institution and, quite frankly, he may 
well have been dropped on his head a few times.  He's been 
overprotected and a bit dominated by his grandmother because of his 
situation and has the added pressure of knowing that it's a Big Deal 
to his family that he's not much of a wizard (really terribly 
embarrassing, after all).  He tends to criticize himself quite 
openly, leading me to believe that he's heard himself talked of in 
the same terms regularly growing up.  He has little confidence, and a 
great fear of dark wizards, percieved and real.  Seems like a 
reasonable result of his life thus far.  He's also begun, slowly, to 
improve, and I think he will continue to do so.  I don't see any need 
for a memory charm or a reverse memory charm or any kind of charm at 
all to explain his forgetfulness, his attachment to his toad, or 
anything else about him.  I'm not saying it's impossible, just that I 
don't see any reason for it, and it wouldn't add anything to the 
story for me.  As for Toadkeeper... I can't work up the energy to 
oppose it, per se, but let's just say I doubt it.

Very few theories so far appeal to me, so maybe it's just me.  I was 
ready to go with the one about Snape showing up in the foe glass 
because he is his own worst enemy until somebody pointed out that it 
shows the enemies of the owner, not whoever's looking into it.
I am still totally behind those who insist that Snape is not a 
vampire, but that's an anti-theory, not a theory.  I'm not sure what 
that means about me.  I examine and pass by theories left and right, 
and can't seem to pick any that I *really* like.  I guess so far I 
mostly go with A.N.T.I.T.H.E.S.I.S. (All Nice Theories, I Think. 
However Each Supposition Is Strained).  So far George and Diana are 
the only theories I can really get excited about, and even then I'm 
divided, since I'd like a *little* bang to go with it.

kimberly
apparently still afraid of commitment