TBAY: ELKINS AVENGED (3 of 4)

[nkafkafi]

No: HPFGUIDX 130840

><((">      ><((">       ><((">       ><((">       ><((">       ><((">

(continued from post #130839) 



"Even before OotP, before we have encountered the Longbottoms in the
same ward with Memory Charmed Lockhart," said Captain Neri, "Debbie
had a very intriguing idea: the Longbottoms are *not* insane and
traumatized for years because of the torture. No, in fact they are
both Memory Charmed. Elkins discussed this possibility in the Memory
Charm symposium."

Neri tapped the Pensieve and the image of Elkins appeared again:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/38848

> Mainly, though, what impresses me here is the extremely compelling 
> canonical defense that Debbie provided for the notion that what 
> afflicts Neville's parents may not be trauma at all, but a Memory 
> Charm.  Having first brought up all of the usual objections to the 
> Longbottom subplot -- that the Longbottoms' amnesiac state is simply 
> not in the least bit believable as a normal human response to 
> extended abuse, that it seems even more unlikely that *two* people 
> should have responded in precisely the same idiosyncratic way to 
> trauma, and so forth -- Debbie then wrote:


The small, slowly revolving Elkins-in-the-Pensieve produced her own
little Pensieve and tapped it with a wand. From this Pensive rose a
second figure, even smaller and revolving twice as fast, of an elf
with a feather boa over her shoulders, which said: 


> > On the other hand, the description of the Longbottom's condition is 
> > completely consistent with a Memory Charm. For support, I compare 
> > the description of the Longbottoms (about whom Dumbledore 
> > says "They are insane. . . . They do not recognize [Neville]") with 
> > Prof. Lockhart (about whom Ron reports "Hasn't got a clue who he 
> > is, or where he is, or who we are.") I think the descriptions sound 
> > very similar.


Elkins-in-the-Pensieve eliminated the elf image with her wand,
vanished her small Pensieve, and said:


> Wow, Debbie!
> 
> Yeah, so do I.  I think that you may just have sold me on this idea.  
> Memory Charm'd Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom really does makes perfect 
> sense to me, and it also provides for quite the opportunity for 
> Banginess later on.  Just think of all the dirt that Frank Longbottom 
> might be able to spill, if only he could, well, you know.  Stop 
> drooling for just a little while.


Neri eliminated the Elkins figure and said: "I also like Debbie's idea
that the Longbottoms are Memory Charmed, and I think it looks even
more attractive today, after Lockhart appeared in OotP in the same
ward with them. However, note that Lockhart is in better shape, while
the Longbottoms apparently can't even talk. This suggests that if the
Longbottoms are indeed Memory Charmed, then unlike Lockhart they are
repeatedly dosed with fresh anti-memory blasts to prevent any
recovery. OTOH Lockhart's state also shows that, while certain
recovery from a Memory Charm *is* possible, it's very slow and
gradual, and the older and really important memories might not be
regained even after years. This means that even if in Book 6 the
reason for the Longbottoms' condition will indeed be found to be a
Memory Charm, it would still be many years before, ahem, Frank
Longbottom can stop drooling long enough to tell us anything of
importance. This of course would be unacceptable from plot
considerations: we need the Longbottoms to recover immediately, at
least enough to tell us the secret they've been keeping."

"Therefore I'm going to further improve Debbie's idea by suggesting
that the Longbottoms *weren't* blasted with the usual Memory Charm.
Instead, Fudge have been sending them, during all these years,
bubblegum that was treated with Forgetfulness Potion."

"Forgetfulness Potion???" repeated Faith ominously, her hand sneaking
into a long cylindrical black package that somehow appeared by her
side. "I don't remember such a thing. Where's the canon?"

"Right behind you," said Captain Neri.

Faith turned around in her chair and noticed, for the first time, the
little can(n)on stationed on the deck. On it were engraved the words:   


*********************************************************************
SS/PS, Ch. 16, p.262 US:
They had practical exams as well. Professor Flitwick called them one
by one into his class to see if they could make a pineapple tap-dance
across a desk. Professor McGonagall watched them turn a mouse into a
snuff-box – points were given for how pretty the snuff-box was, but
taken away if it had whiskers. Snape made them all nervous, breathing
down their necks while they tried to remember how to make a
Forgetfulness Potion.
*********************************************************************

"First Year exam material at Hogwarts, sounds to me like Fudge might
be able to handle it," said Captain Neri, noticing with relief that
the long black package had vanished. "Now I'm going to borrow one of
the many ideas suggested by the crew of the SILK GOWNS:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/80592
although I think they have blamed it on all the wrong people: Lucius
Malfoy or Gran or Uncle Algie or the Healer – practically everybody
around *but* the real villain here. I mean, isn't it *obvious* it's
Fudge? The DEs would have no scruples offing the Longbottoms, had they
had any reason to, the way they did Bode. But Fudge isn't as evil as
the DEs. He's only corrupted and fearing for his job. The Longbottoms
were probably indeed traumatized by the torture in the beginning, but
after a year or two they had started to come out of it, and Fudge, who
by that time had already got used to his cushy new post, panicked
about what they might reveal. Better let sleeping dogs lie. Fudge
could have easily sent the Forgetfulness Potion treated bubblegum as
gifts to the Longbottoms, every holiday or so, directly from the
Ministry as an appreciation to aurors that were injured on the line of
duty. The Healer probably wouldn't object. She would think that it's
nice of the Ministry to show that they still care, and that the
chewing could be a good motor exercise for the patients. So the
Longbottoms got fresh doses of Forgetfulness Potion all the time."

"Interesting," said Faith doubtfully. "I guess Forgetfulness Potion
might be able to work at least as well as the usual Memory Charm. But
what about Neville's memory problems?"

"That was the idea of the SILK GOWNS," said the Captain. "Although
they were speculating wildly since they didn't know about the
existence of Forgetfulness Potion. You see, Neville apparently visits
his parents every holiday, and Gran's words in the close ward scene in
OotP indicate that it was not the first time his mother was giving him
`presents'. Er
 that's the next can(n)on."

Faith noticed that there was another small can(n)on stationed next to
the first. She went there and read:   


*********************************************************************
OotP, Ch. 23, p.514 US:
She did not seem to want to speak, or perhaps she was not able to, but
she made timid motions towards Neville, holding something in her
outstretched hand.
"Again?" said Mrs. Longbottom, sounding slightly weary. "Very well,
Alice dear, very well — Neville, take it, whatever it is."
*********************************************************************


"Note that `again'," said Neri. "And Gran's words further hint that
Neville keeps these presents in his bedroom." Faith continued to read
the words engraved on the second can(n)on:


*********************************************************************
OotP, Ch. 23, p.515 US:
"Well, we'd better get back," sighed Mrs Longbottom, drawing on long
green gloves. "Very nice to have met you all. Neville, put that
wrapper in the bin, she must have given you enough of them to paper
your bedroom by now."
*********************************************************************


"This means that Neville might have been exposed to traces of
Forgetfulness Potion for years," said Neri. "Not nearly as much as his
parents, since he hadn't actually chewed any of the bubblegum himself,
but he had touched the wrappers repeatedly, and so he has suffered
similar but much milder memory problems. If in Book 6 someone finally
realizes what's going on, Neville and his parents can be given the
antidote for Forgetfulness Potion and recover immediately. I'm
assuming there *is* an antidote for Forgetfulness Potion, since even
Snape won't let ickle firsties mess with something that might cause
them long-lasting harm. A quick and dramatic recovery of Frank and
Alice would produce a nice Bang *and* be much more practical plotwise,
as it will allow them to tell us their secret right away."

"That would be convenient," admitted Faith. She raised her eyes and
noticed several additional small can(n)ons stationed next to the
second. "You have more?"

"I have," said Captain Neri. "Logically, Neville wouldn't be the only
one who have been touching the wrappers. The Healer of the Janus
Thikey ward, Miriam Strout, probably has been giving the bubblegum to
the Longbottoms, and so she also should suffer from memory problems.
And indeed she admits she forgot to lock the door of the ward,
enabling Lockhart to slip out, despite knowing it's dangerous for him.
In fact, her words suggest that this was not the first time she had
let Lockhart slip out."

Faith went to the next can(n)on and read the words engraved on it:


*********************************************************************
OotP, Ch. 23, p.510 US:
"He's in a closed ward, you know, he must have slipped out while I was
bringing in the Christmas presents, the door's usually kept locked

not that he's dangerous! But," she lowered her voice to a whisper,
"he's a bit of a danger to himself, bless him
 doesn't know who he is,
you see, wanders off and can't remember how to get back"
*********************************************************************


"But somebody apparently doesn't remember to lock the door so Lockhart
can wonder off," said Neri. "And this is not the only evidence that
Hr. Strout suffers from memory problems. The next two can(n)ons are on
loan from the SILK GOWNS. Well, I didn't ask for permission, but I
doubt they'll notice the absence, having so many can(n)ons on their
ship. Anyway, the crew of the SILK GOWNS noticed that Hr. Strout
failed to recognize the Devil's Snare that the DEs had sent to Bode:"


*********************************************************************
OotP, Ch. 25, p.546 US:
St Mungo's Hospital promised a full inquiry last night after Ministry
of Magic worker Broderich Bode, 49, was discovered dead in his bed,
strangled by a pot plant. Healers called to the scene were unable to
revive Mr. Bode, who had been injured in a workplace accident some
weeks prior to his death.

Healer Miriam Strout, who was in charge of Mr. Bode's ward at the time
of the incident, has been suspended on full pay and was unavailable
for comment yesterday, but a spokeswizard for the hospital said in a
statement:

"St Mungo's deeply regrets the death of Mr. Bode, whose health was
improving steadily prior to this tragic accident.

"We have strict guidelines on the decorations permitted on our wards
but it appears that Healer Strout, busy over the Christmas period,
overlooked the dangers of the plant on Mr. Bode's bedside table. As
his speech and mobility improved, Healer Strout encouraged Mr. Bode to
look after the plant himself, unaware that it was not an innocent
Flitterbloom, but a cutting of Devil's Snare which, when touched by
the convalescent Mr. Bode, throttled him instantly.
*********************************************************************


The last can(n)on in the row was a very small one, Faith went to read it:


*********************************************************************
OotP, Ch. 29, p. 656 US:
"Well, I don't fancy Healing," said Ron on the last evening of the
holidays. He was immersed in a leaflet that carried the crossed
bone-and-wand emblem of St. Mungo's on its front. "It says here you
need at least "E" at NEWT level in Potions, Herbology,
Transfiguration, Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts. I mean

blimey
 don't want much, do they?"
*********************************************************************


"Interesting that JKR made sure to tell us in OotP that Healers *must*
be very proficient in Herbology," remarked Captain Neri. "Hr. Strout
should have recognized Devil's Snare immediately. During the very
short time we met her in OotP she had committed two grave errors out
of forgetfulness. Note also that she had committed *both* these errors
while handling the Christmas presents that the ward patients had
received. May I suggest that she was also holding the Longbottoms'
presents at the time, which perhaps included a new package of Droobles
Best Blowing Gum from the Ministry?"



(to be continued)
 
><((">      ><((">       ><((">       ><((">       ><((">       ><((">