TBAY: ELKINS AVENGED (4 of 4)

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 130860

>Neri: 
> The sun sent its last ray of light before disappearing behind the
> clouds, and the name on the little ship's bow shone suddenly:
> 
> E.L.K.I.N.S. A.V.E.N.G.E.D.
> 
> Enthralled Longbottoms Know the INside Secret: the Ability to 
Vanquish
> the ENemy is Guarded in the Elusive Department.


Jen: Bravo, Neri! You deserve some sort of TBAY trophy (or a really 
stiff drink) for tying together pretty much all the dangling 
plotlines around the Longbottom torture, Pensieve Four, the 
Crouches, Fudge....and need I go on? (The Veil, Neville, Gran--oh 
wait--how does Trevor fit in all this?<g>). 

I need to re-read and see if there are any holes in the deck or 
leaks below <beg>, but really, the idea of Fudge's involvement and 
the Forgetfulness potion is both a very compelling plot-line and a 
fitting, yet heart-breaking, theory for Neville's forgetfulness (and 
it *is* described as "forgetfulness" when he receives the Remembrall 
in PS/SS). And you've given perhaps my favorite thematic explanation 
for the Longbottoms: Weak, pure-blood bunglers with hearts of gold 
(my addition <g>). Well, except there's a teeny-tiny hole there in 
that Gran describes them as 'highly gifted' in OOTP, but then what 
would we expect her to say? Of course she wants to remember her son 
as 'highly gifted' given his current condition.

There's still one puzzling part for me about the Droobles wrappers. 
Not only related to Neri's theory, but all wrapper theories. Why 
does Gran not know what Alice is handing Neville after all the years 
if it was always Droobles? She says: "Very well, Alice dear, very 
well---Neville, take it, whatever it is." (US, chap. 23, p. 514) 
Maybe she *doesn't* always give him wrappers, or maybe it's not 
always Droobles. Or something. Will have to ponder that.

******************************************************************
Jen totters off in search of a stiff drink herself, muttering under 
her breath about launching a ship *now* of all times, with a 
hurricane on the way and loyal TBAYers battening the hatches and 
whatnot in preparation. "But that Captain Neri, he spins a good 
yarn, doesn't he? Hehe. Crouch Sr. planning the demise of Voldemort 
in an amphitheatre; Fudge orchestrating the delivery of Droobles for 
the Ministry's 'favorite patients' at St. Mungos; Neville 
inadvertently saving his family and probably Harry when the 
Longbottom's secret is revealed....Hey, and Lupin doesn't have to be 
ESE! Yes, I like it....." Jen stumbles around the dark bay, wishing 
she'd thought to bring a jacket and some supplies for the long wait 
until Hurricane Jo.