LV's Choice: Potters or Longbottoms or Both?

[Eustace_Scrubb]

No: HPFGUIDX 99044

Eustace_Scrubb:
I agree with you that most of this can be explained in multiple ways;
way back at the top of the thread I mentioned that it's unclear how
long after Godric's Hollow the Longbottoms were attacked, and that
could affect the theory a great deal.

Mandy:
> But perhaps the Longbottoms were in hiding and, foolishly, came out 
> after they heard that Voldemort had been vanquished by little baby 
> Harry? 

Eustace_Scrubb:
Yes, this is certainly possible, as is the possibility they refused
advice to go into hiding in the first place.  If we think we know
relatively little about the Potters, we know less about the
Longbottoms.
 
Mandy:
> Perhaps Voldemort had intended to kill both boys that night, had 
> gotten the Secret Keeper/s of both families, and just happened to 
> pick the Potters first? 

Eustace_Scrubb:
Well, we know he picked the Potters first.  The part of this I don't
buy is Voldemort having both Secret Keepers fall into his lap at the
same time.

Mandy:
> Perhaps Voldemort was accompanied by his DE's, who after witnessing 
> the disintegration of Voldemort fled.  

Eustace_Scrubb:
I am still a skeptic on the matter of whether there was anyone else
around Godric's Hollow on that Halloween, particularly Death Eaters. 
I have a sense that Voldemort would have wanted to take care of these
particular killings on his own.  Just my own sense, though...

Mandy:
> Bellatrix, who to me seems to be Voldemort right hand, may have
known 
> about his intention to kill both boys, 

Eustace_Scrubb:
My take on Bellatrix is a bit different.  I believe she thinks of
herself as Voldemort's right hand.  I'm not sure her boss thinks of
anyone as his right hand.  (All this talk of right hands is going to
get me back to the Prophecy again...must resist Prophecy analysis...)

Mandy:

> ...went after the Longbottoms 
> later, because knowing that they were also on Voldemort hit list
that 
> night, the Longbottoms might know something about what actually 
> happened to her Master.  

Eustace_Scrubb:
Yup, that fits my scenario, too.  But if any of this group knew that
Voldemort went into the Potters' house but didn't come out, this
wouldn't make as much sense, would it?  Why would they think the
Longbottoms knew anything in that case?

Mandy:
> Bellatrix, the Lestranges and Crouch could 
> have also been torturing the Longbottoms not just for information
on 
> Voldemort's whereabouts, but also the whereabouts of baby Neville
to 
> finish the job. 

Eustace_Scrubb:
Or for fun, knowing what we do about Bellatrix...I don't have the
books available right now, but doesn't someone describe the group that
tortured the Longbottoms as "frantic" or in panic mode over the
whereabouts of their master?  If so, I doubt that they cared at that
point about Neville or Harry, just what happened to Voldemort.  And I
think the more the Death Eaters knew in advance about the significance
of the children _or_ exactly when/where Voldemort disappeared, the
less reason they would have had to seek out the Longbottoms and
"interrogate" them.
 
Mandy:
> I think we are going to have to wait for more canon on this one. 

Eustace_Scrubb:
Agreed!  But working from canon and filling in the gaps plausibly is
fun, even though most of the resulting theories won't wash in the
end!   

Cheers,

Eustace_Scrubb