OOP: Neville Questions/Thoughts (Spoilers) WAS Re: re:oop questions and...

[jmgarciaiii]

No: HPFGUIDX 64796

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--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "zebco606" <zebco606 at y...> 
wrote:
[snip]
> I wondered about Neville's mother 
> recognizing him too, are his parents getting better? What is 
driving 
> me crazy is what is the significance of the bubble gum wrapppers. 
> Any thought?

Well, here are mine, and worth every knut you paid for them:

1- Neville's parents are probably NOT being given the treatment they 
need to get better at St. Mungo's (Isn't St. M's Lucius Malfoy's 
favorite charity?) but rather are being warehoused there and KEPT 
from getting better.

2- Mrs. Longbottom (and THAT scene was a zillion times more moving 
to me than Sirius' demise) handing Neville those gum wrappers is of 
HUGE significance. These mean something, and something quite 
important at that.

3- What about Mr. Longbottom?

4- Is "Gran" just mean, insensitive or perhaps something more 
towards Neville?

5- Just WHY is Neville's memory so bad? ([Semi]Permanent damage from 
a Memory Charm??)

It strikes me that Neville's "lack of ability" is merely the result 
of the unfortunate combination of factors, i.e., poor memory and low 
self-confidence. However, in OotP, we see him progress and we rarely 
(ever?) hear of his forgetfulness. We see him become almost as quick 
a study at DA as Hermione, and we see him become *resourceful* (that 
wand-in-the-eye thing was MARVELOUS!) Lastly, we see (again) his 
courage, which has never been played up as it has always been 
counterbalanced by his lack of ability. Anyone willing to stand up 
to his friends and all...

-Joe in SoFla