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retro_eidasAccording to JKR's site update, this is what she had to say in regards to Neville getting targetted by the Lestranges...
This only makes me think more strongly that Neville's parents WERE told the prophecy... and this is why they've been kept as they are (catatonic) for the past 15 years. Alive, but non-threatening and seemingly useless to the DEs. It's to protect them. Gran Longbottom (likely with Dumbledore and/or Snape's help) has been drugging them with the bubblegum.
You're saying, "But why didn't Voldemort target them first thing in OOTP if he even vaguely suspects they know the prophecy?".... Probably because Voldemort, beyond any other person in the WW, knows his Unforgivables and what happens when you over-Cruciatus someone. He believes, just as all the rest of the DEs, the Longbottoms are vegetables with no hope of recovery. Hence, totally useless and a waste of time to target (Voldemort has shown a propensity in the past to underestimate the "weak"... "Stand aside you silly girl" to Lily, underestimating Harry numerous times. Wouldn't be shocked he let the Longbottoms slip right past him too). They certainly haven't seemed to show even a slight amount of recovery in 15 years. I certainly wouldn't blame Voldemort, the DEs and the rest of the WW in believing the Longbottoms are total vegetables.
Are they? I'm not convinced. I always read the chapter when Harry & friends run into Neville and Gran at the Mungo's "Spell Damage" ward... how Frank and Alice (rather anviliciously IMO) seemed to be the only patients there who've never shown an ounce of recovery? Seemed really foreshadowy. Like we're supposed to notice how they everso unfortunately just can't / couldn't recover? Was/is this simply due to Bellatrix's overuse of the Cruciatus... or are they being prevented from recovering (or awaking, as I also suspect the Cruciatus may not have effected them as badly as currently believed. I think they may have even prepared themselves for the eventuality, possibly via Dumbledore's insistence).
The above leads me to another spec in regards to another JKR update....
The Lestranges were sent after Neville to kill him
No, they weren’t, they were very definitely sent after Neville’s parents. I can’t say too much about this because it touches too closely on the prophecy and how many people knew about it, but the Lestranges were not in on the secret.
This only makes me think more strongly that Neville's parents WERE told the prophecy... and this is why they've been kept as they are (catatonic) for the past 15 years. Alive, but non-threatening and seemingly useless to the DEs. It's to protect them. Gran Longbottom (likely with Dumbledore and/or Snape's help) has been drugging them with the bubblegum.
You're saying, "But why didn't Voldemort target them first thing in OOTP if he even vaguely suspects they know the prophecy?".... Probably because Voldemort, beyond any other person in the WW, knows his Unforgivables and what happens when you over-Cruciatus someone. He believes, just as all the rest of the DEs, the Longbottoms are vegetables with no hope of recovery. Hence, totally useless and a waste of time to target (Voldemort has shown a propensity in the past to underestimate the "weak"... "Stand aside you silly girl" to Lily, underestimating Harry numerous times. Wouldn't be shocked he let the Longbottoms slip right past him too). They certainly haven't seemed to show even a slight amount of recovery in 15 years. I certainly wouldn't blame Voldemort, the DEs and the rest of the WW in believing the Longbottoms are total vegetables.
Are they? I'm not convinced. I always read the chapter when Harry & friends run into Neville and Gran at the Mungo's "Spell Damage" ward... how Frank and Alice (rather anviliciously IMO) seemed to be the only patients there who've never shown an ounce of recovery? Seemed really foreshadowy. Like we're supposed to notice how they everso unfortunately just can't / couldn't recover? Was/is this simply due to Bellatrix's overuse of the Cruciatus... or are they being prevented from recovering (or awaking, as I also suspect the Cruciatus may not have effected them as badly as currently believed. I think they may have even prepared themselves for the eventuality, possibly via Dumbledore's insistence).
The above leads me to another spec in regards to another JKR update....
Harry stands trial again in HP&THBPWill Frank and Alice miraculously wake-up from their 15 year catatonia? Thus Harry joins in on a small, private, "pleasant" reunion with Neville and his family? Perhaps they'll be hidden away at Fidelius-ed 12 Grimmauld Place (which explains Harry's presence... since I strongly suspect he will be the new owner of 12 Grimmauld Place in HBP thanks to any sort of will Sirius left behind, it would be Harry who ultimately decides if the Longbottoms can hide out there. Of course, he'd agree. I also wouldn't be surprised Dumbledore arranges it so Harry and the Longbottoms can really get to know one another)? I have suspected that Harry will grow much closer to Neville in HBP. Harry introduced to F&A could be that means. They could even start replacing the Weasleys as Harry's sort of surrogate family (as Neville may start getting as closer or closer to Harry as Ron is ... or once had been, depending on what happens in HBP, then again, I'm fatalistic like that). Harry and the Longbottoms certainly have quite a lot in common.
This theory has been put forward to explain why Harry does not spend as long in Privet Drive during this book as previous ones, but I am happy to say that he leaves the Dursleys early for a much pleasanter reason than a court case.
