Memory Charms and why they bother me

[maria_kirilenko]

No: HPFGUIDX 57245

"Tom Wall" wrote:
> Memory Charms, and their frequent use in the WW, bother me, I 
think, more than just about anything else that we've seen to  date.
>
 
Edis wrote:
Yes it is a thought, all that wiping clean. A big dramatic point in 
Orwell's 1984 is the way the Ministry of Truth alters historic 
records... some similar threads here?

There are also, come to think of it, some instances where memory 
charms are NOT used. Aunt Marge has her memory modified so she 
doesn't remember getting blown up - but nothing in Canon about the 
Dursleys being charmed to forget seeing that incident. Nothing about 
the Dursleys being charmed to forget their collison with wizarding in 
their own sitting room in GoF. Harry has to return to a Dursley 
hosuehold with full memory of a number of things...

Just wondering if this memory-charm free zone is significant in plot 
terms... maybe the Old Magic depends on memories not being 
obliviated...

Maria (me):
They don't need to Obliviate the Dursleys. The whole point of Memory 
Charms is to prevent those not in the know about the WW from finding 
out about it. The Dursleys, OTOH, know about the WW already, so 
what's the point of wiping out their memories? 

But I agree with everyone who thinks that we're going to have a major 
Memory-Charm plotline. I mean, they've been in every book by now, and 
haven't Banged even once! All those hints pointing to Memory Charm'd 
Neville just can't be one giant red herring.

Maria
   -- is there a Memory Charm'd Neville filk?