[HPforGrownups] Re: Frank Longbottom's Wife

[Kelly Grosskreutz]

No: HPFGUIDX 68575

> Rachel wrote:
> I'm particularly interested in the chewing gum wrappers that Alice
> Longbottom hands Neville - especially his grandmother's comment that
> he would have enough to paper a room with.  As silly as it sounds
> now, I think its a clue to something.

I question whether it's an actual clue, but more another testament to the
power of love.  I believe that Alice has no idea who Neville is, or what his
relationship is to her.  She can't remember because of the torture she has
endured.  I question whether she intellectually understands the concepts, or
even would recognize the words, of son or love.  On the other hand, I have
the feeling that a part of her *does* know love.  By this, I mean that she
feels something for the boy who visits her periodically.  She doesn't know
who he is, or why she feels this way, or even what this feeling is, but she
does feel it, and it drives her to want to make some sort of connection with
this boy.

I can see her watching her husband being tortured (they only started on her
when he wouldn't tell them what they wanted to know).  She is probably
thinking that neither of them would survive this.  Her thoughts would be
with her little boy, who I still believe was not at home that day and was at
his Gran's.  I can see her comforting herself with the fact that, no matter
what happened to them, at least he would be safe.  This thought may have
been her last coherent thought.  If this is the case, it should be no
surprise that the Lestranges and company could not completely destroy her
love.  By giving Neville something, she reaches out to him the only way she
seems to be able to know how.

There is very little to no canon to back this up, true.  But it feels right
to me.  This is a series whose main theme seems to be about the power of
love.  This scenario would fit right in with that theme.  I think on some
level Neville understands her gum wrapper gifts for what they are, and this
is why he saves them.  This is all he has of his parents aside from the
image of them looking wasted and vacant-eyed.

Kelly Grosskreutz
http://www.idcnet.com/~ivanova