Harry Potter Theory

Welcome to another installment of Harry Potter Theory. Today we’re going to be discussing Frank and Alice Longbottom, otherwise known as the parents of Neville Longbottom. Specifically, we’ll be taking a closer look at their history—who they were, what they were like—and then shifting to what happened to them at the hands of Bellatrix Lestrange and the other Death Eaters.

This is another one of those topics that the movies barely touch on, so if you haven’t read the books, there should be a lot of information for you here.

Topics Discussed:

The tragic history of Frank and Alice Longbottom

What happened to Neville Longbottom’s parents

Why Bellatrix Lestrange tortured the Longbottoms

Why the Death Eaters targeted Frank and Alice Longbottom

Frank and Alice Longbottom’s careers as Aurors

The Longbottoms during the First Wizarding War

Frank and Alice Longbottom in the original Order of the Phoenix

Voldemort’s disappearance after attacking Harry Potter

Bellatrix Lestrange, Rodolphus Lestrange, Rabastan Lestrange and Barty Crouch Jr.

The torture of Frank and Alice Longbottom

The Cruciatus Curse and its effects

Why the Longbottoms were tortured into insanity

What information the Death Eaters wanted from the Longbottoms

The trial of Bellatrix Lestrange and the other Death Eaters

Frank and Alice Longbottom at St Mungo’s Hospital

Neville Longbottom’s childhood and family history

Augusta Longbottom raising Neville

Neville visiting his parents at St Mungo’s

Alice Longbottom giving Neville sweet wrappers

How Neville’s parents shaped his personality and character

Neville Longbottom’s development throughout Harry Potter

Neville’s connection to the prophecy

Neville Longbottom and Harry Potter’s parallel childhoods

Harry Potter book details left out of the movies

Harry Potter lore, character history and Wizarding War explained

Questions Answered:

What happened to Neville Longbottom’s parents?

Why was Neville So BAD at Magic?

Why were Frank and Alice Longbottom tortured?

Why did Bellatrix Lestrange torture Neville’s parents?

Who tortured Frank and Alice Longbottom?

Were Neville’s parents killed?

Why did Neville’s parents go insane?

What did the Death Eaters want from Frank and Alice Longbottom?

Did Frank and Alice know where Voldemort was?

Why did Bellatrix believe the Longbottoms had information about Voldemort?

Were Frank and Alice Longbottom Aurors?

How powerful were Neville Longbottom’s parents?

Were Frank and Alice members of the Order of the Phoenix?

When were Neville’s parents tortured?

What happened after Voldemort disappeared in 1981?

Who was arrested for torturing the Longbottoms?

Why was Barty Crouch Jr. involved in the Longbottom torture?

What happened to Bellatrix Lestrange after the attack?

Where did Neville’s parents live after being tortured?

Could Frank and Alice Longbottom ever recover?

Why did Neville live with his grandmother?

Why did Neville hide what happened to his parents?

Why does Alice Longbottom give Neville sweet wrappers?

Did Neville’s classmates know what happened to his parents?

How did Neville’s parents affect his childhood?

Was Neville Longbottom also connected to Voldemort’s prophecy?

How was Neville’s childhood similar to Harry Potter’s?

Why is the Longbottom story much darker in the Harry Potter books?

What happened to Frank and Alice Longbottom after the Harry Potter series?

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Now, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that Harry was rich- filthy rich. I mean, maybe he wasn’t Malfoy rich or Lestrange rich, but he certainly had enough money- money which he was able to expertly preserve throughout the course of the films by having everything bought for him. Seriously, Harry didn’t have to buy anything. Hedwig? Hagrid. Nimbus 2000? McGonagall. Firebolt? Sirius.

But RON was the poor one.

Topics Discussed:

Harry Potter’s wealth and the Potter family fortune

Why Harry Potter was so rich

Why Harry never gave the Weasleys money

Why Harry didn’t buy Ron a new wand

Ron Weasley’s insecurity about money

The Weasley family’s financial struggles

Arthur and Molly Weasley’s attitude toward money

Why the Weasleys refused financial help

Harry Potter’s Gringotts vault and inheritance

How Harry’s parents became wealthy

Fleamont Potter and the Potter family fortune

Linfred of Stinchcombe and the Potter family history

Harry buying Ron Omnioculars at the Quidditch World Cup

Ron attempting to repay Harry with Leprechaun gold

Harry giving Fred and George his Triwizard Tournament winnings

How Harry helped start Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes

Hogwarts financial assistance for students

Harry and Ron’s friendship

Harry Potter book details left out of the movies

Harry Potter lore, theories and character analysis

**Questions Answered:**

Why didn’t Harry give the Weasleys money?

Why didn’t Harry buy Ron a new wand?

Why didn’t Harry financially help Ron Weasley?

Would Ron have accepted money from Harry?

Why were the Weasleys so poor?

Was Arthur Weasley actually poor?

Why didn’t Molly Weasley work?

Why didn’t the Weasleys use Hogwarts financial aid?

How rich was Harry Potter?

Where did Harry Potter’s money come from?

How did the Potter family become rich?

Was Harry richer than Draco Malfoy?

Did Harry ever spend money on Ron?

Why did Ron dislike Harry paying for things?

What happened with the Omnioculars and Leprechaun gold?

Why did Harry give Fred and George 1,000 Galleons?

Did Harry invest in Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes?

Why did Fred and George initially refuse Harry’s money?

Was Harry’s Gringotts fortune unlimited?

Why was Harry uncomfortable about being wealthy?

Did Harry understand how much money he actually had?

Why was Ron so sensitive about being poor?

Did Harry ever help the Weasley family financially?

What happened to Harry Potter’s inheritance?

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Well guys, looks like we’ve got some more Harry Potter news.

As of yesterday we were 100 days from Christmas and perhaps more importantly: 100 days from the release of HBO’s new Harry Potter series. I still don’t know if it’s actually christmas DAY that it’s coming out or just NEAR christmas, but if it’s the latter it’s certainly EXCITING but also probably slightly inconvenient.

Anyway, with the clock counting down, the updates are continuing to roll in. I’ve got two major bits of news to get into today—one a little more scandalous, and one a bit more straightforward. Starting with the latter, we’ve got some brand-new casting announcements.

Topics Covered In This Video:

New Harry Potter HBO casting announcements for Season 2

Rafe Spall cast as Arthur Weasley

Molly Hewitt-Richards cast as Moaning Myrtle

Jasper Ambrose cast as Colin Creevey

How the new castings compare to the Harry Potter books

What the HBO series could do differently with Arthur Weasley, Moaning Myrtle and Colin Creevey

Johnny Flynn’s comments about playing Lucius Malfoy

Johnny Flynn’s idea that Lucius Malfoy may have been bullied as a child

Whether HBO is giving Lucius Malfoy a new backstory

How Flynn’s interpretation compares to Jason Isaacs’ Lucius Malfoy

What we know about Lucius Malfoy’s childhood and Hogwarts years

The Malfoy family’s wealth, blood status and influence

Lucius Malfoy and Arthur Weasley’s rivalry

How HBO could expand the Malfoy family in the new Harry Potter series

Questions Answered:

Who has been cast as Arthur Weasley in the Harry Potter HBO series?

Who is playing Moaning Myrtle in Harry Potter Season 2?

Who is playing Colin Creevey in Harry Potter Season 2?

Is Rafe Spall the new Arthur Weasley?

Is HBO changing Lucius Malfoy’s character?

Is Lucius Malfoy getting a new backstory in the HBO series?

What did Johnny Flynn say about Lucius Malfoy?

Was Lucius Malfoy bullied at Hogwarts?

Is Lucius Malfoy’s bullying backstory canon?

How will Johnny Flynn’s Lucius Malfoy differ from Jason Isaacs?

What was Lucius Malfoy like when he was younger?

Why does Lucius Malfoy hate Arthur Weasley?

How accurate are the new Harry Potter HBO castings?

What new characters have been cast for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets?

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For most of Harry’s first four years at Hogwarts, Dumbledore is distant without ever really feeling absent. And while he isn’t necessarily always directly accessible, he does basically always appear when Harry needs him. However, as we know, all of that changes rather dramatically in Order of the Phoenix.

But where on earth did Dumbledore go? And why did he abandon Harry for an entire school year?

Topics Covered In This Video:

Why Dumbledore avoided Harry in Order of the Phoenix

Why Dumbledore barely spoke to Harry during his fifth year

Why Dumbledore refused to look Harry in the eye

Why Dumbledore became distant after Voldemort returned

Why Harry thought Dumbledore was angry with him

How Harry and Voldemort’s mental connection became stronger

How Voldemort was able to see into and influence Harry’s mind

Why Dumbledore feared Voldemort could use Harry against him

How Harry experienced Arthur Weasley’s attack through Nagini

Why Dumbledore was worried Voldemort could possess Harry

How Legilimency influenced Dumbledore’s behaviour toward Harry

Why Dumbledore arranged Occlumency lessons with Snape

Why Harry’s Occlumency lessons ultimately failed

How Voldemort used Harry’s visions to manipulate him

Why Harry believed the false vision of Sirius being tortured

How Voldemort lured Harry to the Department of Mysteries

Why Dumbledore’s plan to protect Harry ultimately backfired

How Dumbledore’s absence made Harry easier for Voldemort to manipulate

Why Dumbledore was removed from Hogwarts

How Cornelius Fudge and the Ministry turned against Dumbledore

How Dolores Umbridge took control of Hogwarts

Why Dumbledore kept the prophecy from Harry

Why Dumbledore admitted that he cared about Harry too much

Dumbledore’s biggest mistakes in Order of the Phoenix explained

Why Voldemort was eventually able to possess Harry

How Harry’s love for Sirius forced Voldemort out of his mind

Questions Answered:

Why did Dumbledore avoid Harry in Order of the Phoenix?

Why didn’t Dumbledore talk to Harry during his fifth year?

Why wouldn’t Dumbledore look Harry in the eye?

Was Dumbledore angry with Harry in Order of the Phoenix?

Why did Dumbledore suddenly become so distant from Harry?

What was Dumbledore afraid Voldemort would do to Harry?

Could Voldemort see through Harry’s mind?

Could Voldemort use Harry to spy on Dumbledore?

Why did Harry see Arthur Weasley being attacked?

Why did Dumbledore make Harry learn Occlumency?

Why did Snape teach Harry Occlumency instead of Dumbledore?

Why did Harry fail at Occlumency?

How did Voldemort trick Harry into going to the Department of Mysteries?

Why did Harry believe Sirius was being tortured?

Why didn’t Dumbledore warn Harry that Voldemort could send false visions?

Why was Dumbledore forced to leave Hogwarts?

Why did the Ministry turn against Dumbledore?

Why did Dumbledore keep the prophecy secret from Harry?

What did Dumbledore mean when he said “I cared about you too much”?

Did Dumbledore admit he made a mistake with Harry?

Could Voldemort possess Harry?

Why was Voldemort unable to stay inside Harry’s mind?

Was Dumbledore right to distance himself from Harry?

What was Dumbledore’s biggest mistake in Order of the Phoenix?

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Imagine for a second that Voldemort won...Harry dies, the Ministry falls, nobody destroys Voldemort’s Horcruxes and he basically gets exactly what he wanted. He becomes immortal.

Or…does he? Because here’s the thing: while Horcruxes are repeatedly described as a means of achieving immortality, there’s one surprisingly important question the books don’t answer, and that’s what happens when Voldemort gets OLD?

Topics Covered In This Video:

Would Voldemort still die of old age even with Horcruxes

What Horcruxes actually do in Harry Potter canon

The difference between being killed and dying naturally

Why destroying the body is not the same as dying of old age

How old Voldemort was during the First and Second Wizarding Wars

Whether wizards age more slowly than Muggles

Dumbledore, Grindelwald, Nicolas Flamel, and magical lifespan

Why Flamel needed the Philosopher’s Stone if Horcruxes already existed

Why Voldemort feared death more than anyone in the Wizarding World

Why Voldemort made Horcruxes instead of seeking the Philosopher’s Stone

Why Voldemort didn’t make more than seven Horcruxes

Why seven was the number he chose

Whether making more Horcruxes would have made him safer

How splitting the soul damaged Voldemort’s body and mind

Why his appearance became less human over time

Whether a Horcrux stops aging, illness, or physical decay

What happens to Voldemort if his body dies of old age but a Horcrux remains

Why he came back as a spectral parasite after Godric’s Hollow

Why Horcruxes tether the soul but do not create a healthy living body

Whether Voldemort could have lived for centuries in one body

Why he still needed Wormtail, the ritual, and a new body

Harry Potter immortality theory explained

Lord Voldemort Horcrux theory explained

Questions Answered:

Would Voldemort still die of old age with Horcruxes?

Can Horcruxes stop you from dying of old age?

Do Horcruxes make a wizard truly immortal?

What do Horcruxes actually protect Voldemort from?

If Voldemort’s body died of old age, would he stay dead?

Could Voldemort have lived to 200, 230, or 500 years old?

How old was Voldemort when he died?

Do wizards in Harry Potter die of old age?

Why did Nicolas Flamel still need the Philosopher’s Stone?

Why didn’t Voldemort steal or recreate the Philosopher’s Stone?

Why didn’t Voldemort make more Horcruxes?

Why did Voldemort stop at seven Horcruxes?

Would eight or nine Horcruxes have made him impossible to kill?

Why is seven the most powerfully magical number?

Did making Horcruxes shorten Voldemort’s life instead of extending it?

Why did Voldemort’s body become weaker and more snake-like?

Can a Horcrux prevent aging, disease, or natural death?

What is the difference between immortality and being unable to stay dead?

Why was Voldemort so afraid of death if he already had Horcruxes?

Could Voldemort have survived forever if no one found the Horcruxes?

Was Voldemort ever actually immortal?

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