Dementors' Kiss

[mmgardin]

No: HPFGUIDX 47296

I have a small theory I'd like to put forth regarding
Neville's 
parents.  I've felt since first reading the HP books, that we had 
already met someone who had been given the Dementors' Kiss.  I
know 
that JKR loves to foreshadow things and the way she kept mentioning 
how the Kiss doesn't actually kill someone – just robs them
of their 
soul, screamed foreshadowing to me.  For the longest time, I thought 
it was Snape who had been Kissed but his sense of self is in no 
danger of being forgotten and his memory is as good as ever.  

I've also always liked the idea that Neville's memory is so
shoddy 
because of the requisite memory charms placed on him so he
doesn't 
relive the Cruciatus curse/torture session of his parents.  If these 
alleged memory charms to erase the Cruciatus memories were placed by 
an experienced wizard they have been largely ineffectual.  Neville is 
still bothered by events that remind him of the torture which, I 
believe he probably witnessed.
GOF c14, p.190
`Stop it!' Hermione said shrilly.
Harry looked around at her.  She was looking, not at the spider, but 
at Neville, and Harry, following her gaze, saw that Neville's
hands 
were clenched upon the desk in front of him, his knuckles white, his 
eyes wide and horrified.
GOF c21, p.319
`It was the someone being tortured!' said Neville, who had
gone very 
white, and spilled sausage rolls over the floor.  `You're
going to 
have to fight the Cruciatus curse!'

In modification then, of Neville's poor memory due to memory
charms, 
I think the memory that was blocked was of his parents receiving the 
Dementors' Kiss.
POA The Patronus c. 12, p.183
`They call it the Dementors' Kiss,' said Lupin, with a
slightly 
twisted smile.  `It's what Dementors do to those they wish to
destroy 
utterly.  I suppose there must be some kind of mouth under there, 
because they clamp their jaws upon the mouth of the victim and –
and 
suck out his soul.'
Harry accidentally spat out a bit of Butterbeer.
`What – they kill -?'
`Oh, no,' said Lupin.  `Much worse than that.  You can
exist without 
your soul, you know, as long as your brain and heart are still 
working.  But you'll have no sense of self any more, no memory,
no 
 
anything.  There's no chance at all of recovery.  You'll just
– 
exist.  As an empty shell.  And your soul is gone for ever 

lost.'
GOF The Pensieve c. 30, p.523
`Yes, they were talking about Neville's parents,' said  
Dumbledore.  `His father, Frank, was an auror just like Professor 
Moody.  He and his wife were tortured for information about 
Voldemort's whereabouts after he lost his powers, as you
heard.'
`So they're dead?' said Harry quietly.
`No,' said Dumbledore, his voice full of a bitterness Harry
had never 
heard there before, `they are insane.  They are both in St
Mungo's 
Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.  I believe Neville visits 
them, with his grandmother, during the holidays.  They do not 
recognize him.'

We know that the Dementors' Kiss robs a person of their soul and
it 
seems by Dumbledore's comment on the mental state of
Neville's 
parents that Frank and his wife do in fact match up with what I 
believe someone who has received the Kiss would be like.  Also, we 
know that the Dementors are/were Voldemort's close allies and
surely 
Barty Crouch Jr. would be able to persuade them to deliver the Kiss, 
maybe to be cruel or maybe to cover up the torture session.   

I realize that for this to actually be a theory, it should be 
relevant but I haven't quite worked out how this will fit into the 
grander scheme of the story.  Speculating, I'm guessing that the 
Death Eaters use the Dementors as a way to quiet their victims.  
Maybe the Longbottoms had crucial information that the DE's couldn't 
risk coming to light.  If you believe that Fudge is evil, his actions 
in quickly summoning the nearest Dementor to Kiss Crouch Jr are 
congruent with someone not wanting Crouch Jr telling too much about 
the Dark Lord.  Or perhaps it could be as simple as whenever a DE is 
responsible for arranging a Kiss, they get some sort of bonus from 
Voldemort (after all, we have been introduced to other ways to 
silence your enemies).  
 
One last thought that has also bothered me from the beginning –
JKR 
loves to give her characters interesting and telling names.  Why 
then, has she used the name Frank twice (Frank Longbottom and Frank 
Bryce)?  I've racked my brain trying to elucidate a connection 
between those 2 characters and come up with nothing.  I'd love to 
hear any ideas anyone has on this.

Cheers,
Marcia