Still-Life With Memory Charm

[finwitch]

No: HPFGUIDX 36786

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "dicentra_spectabilis_alba" <bonnie at n...> 
wrote:


> It occurs to me that Neville is emblematic of the whole of the 
> Wizarding World. If the Memory Charm theory is correct, the charm is 
> an attempt to erase the horror he experienced while watching his 
> parents be tortured (symbolizing the whole war), and possibly it's 
to 
> erase one or more dirty little secrets. 
> 
> Someone might have hoped that if these things are forgotten, maybe 
> they didn't happen. Maybe they'll go away.  Maybe then everything 
> will be OK. But Neville isn't OK. He isn't functioning well. The 
> filth swept under his rug keeps surfacing. It keeps interfering with 
> his attempts to be a good wizard. It erupts in his face 
> uncontrollably. And there's every reason to believe his Memory Charm 
> will fracture and all hell will break loose.
> 
> The thematic importance of Neville's Memory Charm, therefore, is to 
> be a microcosm of the larger theme of memory and secrets in the 
post-
> Voldemort years. That "forgetting" or hiding  the evil done during 
> that time doesn't make it go away. That the world ISN'T functioning 
> normally. That it will eventually come back to bite you hard in the 
> anatomy. I can picture Neville going postal when he regains his 
> memory. I can see him as an angel of wrath wreaking vengeance on all 
> those who messed with him (or with anyone). And I can see that 
> running parallel to what happens in the Wizarding World when the 
> Truth comes out.

Yes... Neville's mind is a mess! Look at the Ministry... They have Law 
Enforcement, Improper Use of Magic Office and Abuse of Muggle 
Artifacts Office, separated. Could be rationalised into one office, 
right? Just look at the amount of ministries... It's a mess 
consisting lots of byrocrathy.
 
> Elkins had said earlier:
> 
> So tell me something here. Am I the only person so deeply and 
> profoundly mistrustful of the Ministry that my immediate thought 
upon 
> reading Finwitch's above suggestion was that if a memory charm had 
> indeed been placed on Neville to suppress this particular piece of 
> knowledge, then the culprit probably wasn't a _Death Eater_ at all?

The little 2-year-old Neville may well have Memory-Charmed himself 
with that strong magic of his, without even knowing it - to stun the 
painful memory. He's not ready, not able to deal with the memory of 
his parents' being tortured. Can't blame him -- Harry *fainted* when 
that memory was brought to him all at once, but he had remembered the 
Green Light all his life. Neville didn't *faint* so I suppose he's 
dealing with his tragedy a bit better. Then again, Neville knew what 
it was, unlike Harry.

> I'm not ready to claim that Fudge tortured the Longbottoms, but I'll 
> always vote for him covering up something evil.

Naturally - hiding facts is his response. Pretty much like Neville's 
saying he's not much magic... We'll see what comes of our little 
Neville once he gets his head cleaned up. Did he get that 
Maple-phoenix?