[HPforGrownups] Longbottom's Torture to Insanity (Re: candy)

[manawydan]

No: HPFGUIDX 109987

Eustace wrote:
>I think that Bellatrix knew that Voldemort intended to attack both the
>Longbottoms and the Potters but not necessarily why (i.e., they didn't
> know about the prophecy and the importance of a baby).  When it
>became evident that Voldemort had vanished and the Potters were dead,
>Bellatrix and the others drew the conclusion that the Longbottoms had
>somehow defeated or captured their master; in other words, his plans
>had gone awry not at Godric's Hollow but at his next stop.  That's why
>the Longbottoms were tortured.

I've surmised elsewhere that Hagrid wasn't sent alone to Godric's Hollow
that night, and that possibly the Longbottoms went with him.

Why? Because by the time the hue and cry arrived, Hagrid was away and gone
with Harry on Sirius's motorcycle. But _someone_ had to bear witness as to
what had happened, otherwise how would the WW have known that Voldemort was
dispersed by Harry rather than having just walked away after killing James
and Lily. I'd go even further and say that that someone actually had to have
witnessed what happened. If they were there at the time, then Dumbledore
wouldn't have had to send someone to rescue Harry, so they had to have been
part of the rescue party.

I surmise that Hagrid and the Longbottoms arrived just as Voldemort
confronted Lily in the bedroom, too late to do anything to help, but in time
to see (and possibly hear) what was happening through the window.

Hagrid rescues Harry and disappears, but the Longbottoms stay around to
report what happened (a) to Dumbledore, (b) to the Ministry, and (c) to the
media in time for the WW to be out and partying by the time Vernon goes off
to work the following morning.

Now if the Longbottoms were on the front page of the Prophet or interviewed
on the Wireless, then they'd be an obvious target for the DEs still at
large.

But JKR alone knows all

Ffred

O Benryn wleth hyd Luch Reon
Cymru yn unfryd gerhyd Wrion
Gwret dy Cymry yghymeiri