[HPforGrownups] Neville and thestrals.

[Iggy McSnurd]

No: HPFGUIDX 89373

> Rachel
>    I might be making something out of nothing here but even on first
> reading of the book I had some doubt as to the reason Neville gave
> for being able to see the thestrals. When Umbridge asks Neville
> "Whom did you see die?", he replies, "My...my grandad." (Chapter 21,
> US version pg 449).
>    We all know from OotP that Neville still has a crucial role to
> play in the series and I have discussed before my support for the
> theory that he is a victim of a heavy dose of memory charms (an
> explanation for his extreme forgetfulness and clumsiness). I think
> he knows (or at least prior to the memory charms, knew) quite a bit
> of information that someone needed to cover up. Maybe about
> Voldemort or the Death Eaters or the death of Harry's parents.
>    I think there's a chance that the death that Neville experienced
> in order to make him capable of seeing the thestrals may not really
> be his grandad. A memory charm is capabe of wiping someone's memory
> but it can't wipe away the fact that the experience itself occurred
> which would explain why Neville is still able to see the thestrals.
> I'm not sure if there's more canon to support this but if anyone
> knows of any, I'd like to know. Thanks, Rachel.
> 

Iggy here:

Kinda makes me wonder if Neville and Harry are really twins, but Neville
happened to be hiding under the bed or something... then Dumbledore
modified his memory and the Longbottoms adopted him.

This would explain why Voldemort might not have known about Neville's
real relationship to Harry...

It might also explain Neville's bad memory. After all, who knows the
effect of the charm in an infant's mind.  Harry might not have needed
his memory revised because he was taken in by true family, where Neville
wasn't.

Voldemort and the DEs may have been tortured because he knew there was
someone else out there, but not who...and he knew that the Longbottoms
knew who...

Petunia and Vernon either might not remember Neville because of a memory
charm, or simply because they didn't care enough to remember him.

If you look at the resemblance between Harry and Neville (especially in
the movies, and JKR may have made sure that they looked just enough
alike) then they *could* be separated twins.

There's also the possibility that they were deliberately separated
shortly after birth to make sure at least one of them survived, this may
have still required a memory charm...


Just a thought...

Iggy McSnurd