[the_old_crowd] Re: FAQ poll answered... (with spoilers for said FAQ poll)

[elfundeb]

De-lurking because Neri mentioned memory charms, my favorite theories of all.

Neri:
> It is fascinaing, isn't it? But I can't say I'm surprised. More than a
> month ago I wrote here in:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/the_old_crowd/message/1539
> 
> > What if JKR is going to answer something like: "Neville was a
> > possibility, but he is not anymore. I only included him in the
> > prophecy in order to show that it was Voldemort, not blind fate, who
> > determined by his own actions which would be the One".
> 
> Now that this is out of the way, I think it's high time to come up
> with an updated Neville theory. You know, something with both Bang and
> Edge, and maybe even Faith's grudging approval (not active support,
> I'm not THAT ambitious). It might even have a memory charm in it.

Did you say memory charm?  The first thing that occurred to me was
that Dumbledore's belief that Neville could not have done what Harry
did if he had been appointed to Harry's destiny is wrong, and that the
reason Dumbledore (and the reader) can't see Neville's comparable
abilities is that they've been obscured, if not obliterated
altogether, by a memory charm.

And for those of us who like our speculation very dark, there are many
variants of memory charm theories, and a very large cast of suspects. 
Everyone from Bellatrix (to keep toddler Neville from pointing her out
in a lineup) to Fudge (to cover up whatever he did to elicit testimony
from Frank and Alice (i) to enable them to round up the right
suspects, or (ii) against the suspects the MoM had already rounded up
in a desperate attempt to reassure the public that they had found
whoever was responsible), to his own Gran (to prevent Neville from
going down the same path as his father).

Truthfully, I like every one of those theories and there's canon to
support them all.  And at least one of them (the Gran theory) explains
something puzzling about her behavior; you'd think she would be more
sympathetic in her treatment of a grandchild whose parents were
tortured into insanity.  But, most significantly for the current
story, any memory charm theory leaves Neville shrouded in insecurities
that obscure his true abilities.

And it would more aptly demonstrate JKR's point that "Destiny is a
name often given in retrospect to choices that had dramatic
consequences" because it would mean that Neville really could have
been the one but for the effect of others' choices.  He's got the
bravery when it counts.  He was ready to take the Crucio hit in OOP
even though he knew that he could end up like his parents.  He's
willing to fight against impossible odds.  And he has plenty of
magical power, if only he could concentrate enough to remember the
spells, or the ingredients, when he needs them.

Debbie