Why it was necessary: the HP/N,F,AL/SB/BL connection

[quigonginger]

No: HPFGUIDX 89548

The initials in the subject line are Harry Potter (but you knew 
that), Neville, Frank, Alice Longbottom, Sirius Black, and Bellatrix 
Lestrange.  Couldn't exactly fit that all in that short space, now 
could I?

On to the theory!

Why is it necessary?  That question has pervaded many threads on this 
list, most recently the "is too"/"is not" Snape is (not) a vampire 
thread.  The request for "why it was necessary" got me thinking about 
why other things in the book were necessary.  

I went mentally back to TBAY, pre-OoP, to the 4th man theories.  All 
the theories had it as a given that BC,Jr. was one of the Penveive 
Four (canon) and that Mr and Mrs Lestrange (first names still 
unknown) were the 2nd and 3rd (speculation at that point).  
Fortunately, no one asked us *why* it had to be the Lestranges.  Our 
only evidence, and I use that word loosely, was that Mrs Lestrange 
was the only mentioned female DE, that the Lestranges were in 
Azkaban, and that if Mrs was there, Mr must be too.  Ah, how sexist 
we were in our innocence.

Of course, in OoP, we were proven right about the married couple, 
although beyond left field on the fourth man.  

So why was it necessary that we know their identities?  Why, as many 
have asked, did Sirius have to die?  

Here's my theory:  Harry and Neville need to become closer than 
before.  For some reason, perhaps the Prophecy, they will need to be 
at each other's side more than ever.  The connection is Bellatrix.  
She tortured Frank and Alice.  She killed Sirius.  She has cost both 
boys the love of the people closest to them.  She has caused them 
great pain.

Notice how this has already effected their relationship.  In GoF, 
Harry feels sorry for Neville, and starts to see him in a different 
light after he sees the penseive, and again in OoP when they meet at 
St. Mungo's.  Neville shows genuine concern for Harry after Sirius 
dies, crawling down the bleachers despite his cursed legs to offer 
condolences.  

Now that they have this common bond, and are free to talk about it, I 
feel that they will become closer and better unified to fight not 
only Bellatrix, but her master as well.  Bellatrix is the catalyst.

And that's why I think it was all necessary.

Fire away! Ginger