To The Extreme (Neville's parentange)

[va32h]

No: HPFGUIDX 165137

Snow wrote:
On to the subject matter, Neville has a background where he was
suspected, very early, of being a muggleborn. Not a squib, since at
least one of his parents was magical, but "all-muggle" (is written in
my book), which would mean that...?

va32h here:

Both of Neville's parents were Aurors, so I think we can safely 
assume they are both wizards. A Muggle would make a very bad Auror, 
don't you think?

Also, in CoS, when discussing the merits of magical ability of 
Muggleborns and purebloods, Ron identifies Neville as a pureblood 
(although alas, barely able to stand a cauldron the right way up).

So why did Neville call himself "nearly all-Muggle in PS" 
and "practically a Squib" in CoS? Either JKR didn't come up with 
term "Squib" until she wrote CoS, or didn't want to explain the whole 
pureblood/mudblood business until CoS. I'd go with the second 
explanation myself, since Draco Malfoy also conveniently waits until 
CoS to unleash the "mudblood" slur that sets this whole blood-purity 
discussion in motion. 

As for Perkins and the tents smelling like Mrs Figg...I agree that a 
Squib could be useful in Muggle-Wizard relations, as would the Muggle 
spouses of wizards, just as an aside. But since we are told Perkins 
is a warlock...I mean at some point we do have to accept what the 
author tells us, and not go assuming she means the opposite of 
everything she says. 

The tents may smell the same because Mrs. Figg's house, like the 
magical tents, is a temporary magical dwelling. If Mrs. Figg 
was "stationed" near Privet Drive when Harry arrived there, I can see 
Dumbledore or the Ministry putting up a quick home for her. Or maybe 
Perkins and Figg are cousins. 

I can't even begin to speak to the Fred-and-George-are-really-Fabian-
and-Gideon's sons. My first question would be what it usually is when 
I read a wild theory  For what purpose? How are the themes and motifs 
of the series enhanced by having Fred and George be Molly's nephews, 
rather than her sons? Whatever their purpose is in the story - how is 
it enhanced by having them be revealed as *not* being Weasleys? And 
how is this going to be suitably explained in a small amount of time 
in a book that has to encompass the horcrux hunt, destruction of the 
embodiment of all evil, resolution with Snape, etc and so forth. 

Many readers insist that enormous plot and character revelations can 
be credibly revealed in a paragraph or two, but I don't agree. I 
found the end of GoF, when Crouch Jr. revealed the entire story under 
Veritaserum, to be most unsatisfying...very cheesy tv detective show  
in which the crime is explained in the last two minutes before the 
credits. 

We have had a six page buildup to whatever secrets Snape has to 
reveal - and I think that secret (or secrets) will be the only 
real "revelation" in Deathly Hallows. 

va32h, who is also a fuddy-duddy, so don't feel badly about it, 
Carol.