Think about Neville

[Eustace_Scrubb]

>  > Eustace_Scrubb:
>  > Ah, now this is very much to the point.  The "why" of the DEs 
>  > visit to Frank and Alice seems very likely to be Neville.  
>  > Someone else on HPfGU has named this the "King Herod strategy" 
>  > and I think it makes alot of sense.
> 
> Kneasy:
> Interesting. Is this recent? I  haven't been reading the HPfGU
> board since the New Year and I can't recall it from the 18 months  
> before then. A post number for the start of the thread would be 
> appreciated.

Eustace_Scrubb:
Well, you're in luck...I kept some off-list emails in connection with
that thread so was able to figure out the general dates and...I
started the thread with Message#99011 on 21 May 2004, titled "LV's
Choice: Potters or Longbottoms or Both?".

The "someone else" was Jim Ferer in #99032, who used the term "King
Herod" solution, _not_ strategy, my bad.


>  > Eustace_Scrubb:  We don't even have to postulate that Bella and 
>  > company knew anything about a prophecy...Voldy knew _why_ he was 
>  > going afterthe Potters and the Longbottoms.  His minions
>  > probably only knew _that_ he was doing so.  But when he  
>  > disappeared they went after the second target--possibly because  
>  > with the Potters dead they assumed that the Longbottoms _must_ 
>  > have been the ones who stymied their boss.
> 
> Kneasy;
> Or: they came to the reasonable assumption that any protection
> Harry had, Neville had too. And by finding out what it was, they'd 
 
> find out what had happened to Voldy.

Eustace_Scrubb:
Yeah, that's a good thought, too.  I'll take that and add it to my
notion that Frank and Alice may _not_ have been in hiding, but that
Neville _was_.  So perhaps Bella's group tortured Frank and Alice not
merely to discover where Voldemort had gone to, but where Neville was
being kept.

Kneasy:  
> Arrgh!
> I think I'll invent a new syndrome just for Harry - IHAND.
> Impulsive Half-Assed Numpty  Disorder.
> 
> (Note to non-Brits - a numpty can be defined as a non-thinking 
> pillock.)

Eustace_Scrubb:
Alas, this non-Brit didn't know what a pillock is, either,until I
googled it.   Now I suppose by admitting this I could be suggesting
that _I_ may be a pillock,or a numpty.  Oh well.

Kneasy:  
> There are supposedly two possible targets for Voldy -  Harry and 
> Neville.
> It would be reasonable to assume that they both had protection 
<SNIP> 
> Voldy has now negated Harry's anti-Voldy protection, he can touch  
> him -  but what  about Neville? And if it wasn't then Neville  is   
> still Voldy-proof while Harry isn't. This could set things up
> nicely  for death-of-Harry-revenged-by-Neville or 
> Harry-at-Voldy's-mercy-saved-by-Neville depending on your tastes.

Eustace_Scrubb:
Yup.  I don't think we fans are the only ones who will turn out to
have read that prophecy wrong.  

Cheers,

Eustace_Scrubb