| File:Alice.jpg | |
| Alice Longbottom | |
|---|---|
| Biographical information | |
| Blood status | |
| Title(s) |
Auror (formerly) |
| Physical information | |
| Species | |
| Gender |
Female |
| Hair colour |
Turned white[1] |
| Family information | |
| Family members |
|
| Affiliation | |
| Occupation | |
| House |
Gryffindor (possibly)[2] |
| Loyalty |
|
- Bellatrix: "Neville Longbottom, is it? How's Mum and Dad?"
- Neville: "Better now that they're about to be avenged!"
- — Bellatrix Lestrange and Neville Longbottom in 1996[src]
Alice Longbottom was a pure-blood witch and Auror who worked for the Ministry of Magic during Lord Voldemort's first rise to power. She and her husband, Frank Longbottom, were also members of the Order of the Phoenix and fought against the Death Eaters during the First Wizarding War. At the end of the war, when their son Neville was only an infant, Alice and Frank were tortured to insanity by a group of Death Eaters and subsequently placed in St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.
Biography
Early life
Little is known about Alice's early life. She may have been born to a certain wizard who would later play tricks on her mother-in-law, and attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. At some point after graduating, Alice married Frank Longbottom.
First Wizarding War
- "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies...and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not...and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives...The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies."
- —Sybill Trelawney's prophecy[src]
After graduating from Hogwarts, Alice became a well-respected Auror, as did her husband. At the time, Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters were growing increasingly powerful, and Alice and Frank joined the Order of the Phoenix to oppose them.[3]
As Aurors and Order members, Alice and Frank defied Lord Voldemort himself three times. This made their son, Neville, one of the two young infants who was the possible subject of a prophecy made by Sybill Trelawney about the person who could defeat the Dark Lord. The other infant was Harry Potter, son of Order members James and Lily Potter. Trelawney's prediction was overheard by Death Eater Severus Snape, who informed Voldemort. The Dark Lord targeted Harry, perhaps because he was also a half-blood, and was defeated for the first time on 31 October, 1981.[4]
Permanent incapacitation
Shortly afterward, Alice and Frank were attacked by Death Eaters Bellatrix, Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange, and Bartemius Crouch Jr.. They were captured[5] and tortured extensively with the Cruciatus Curse, and although the Death Eaters were caught and sentenced to life imprisonment in Azkaban for their crimes, their victims would never recover. Alice was deemed insane, and lost her capability to function in society. She and Frank were placed in the permanent ward of St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries,[3] where they would reside for the rest of their lives not being able to recognise their son.[6]
- ""Again?" said Mrs. Longbottom, sounding slightly weary. "Very well, Alice dear, very well – Neville, take it, whatever it is…" But Neville had already stretched out his hand, into which his mother dropped an empty Drooble's Best Blowing Gum wrapper. "Very nice, dear," said Neville's grandmother in a falsely cheery voice, patting his mother on the shoulder. But Neville said quietly, "Thanks, Mum.""
- —Alice and her son in 1995[src]
Because of Alice's inability to care for her son, Neville was raised in the care of his grandmother, Augusta Longbottom, Frank's mother. Neville regularly visits his parents for Christmas and other holidays. Though his parents do not overtly recognise Neville on these visits, Alice customarily gives her son chewing gum wrappers, which he keeps. Neville was taunted about his parents' state by one of their attackers, Bellatrix Lestrange, during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries.[4] Neville witnessed the death of Bellatrix at Molly Weasley's hands during the Battle of Hogwarts.[7]
Physical appearance
Alice is a round-faced woman with short hair, and her son Neville resembles her quite strongly. By the mid-1990s, her hair had become white, wispy and dead-looking,[1] however it is unknown as to whether this was from age or due to the Cruciatus Curse.
Personality and traits
Alice was a well-respected Auror and member of the original Order of the Phoenix. It is said that she and her husband were much beloved among the wizarding community. After they were tortured into insanity, Alice was not able to specifically recognise her son, although she relates to Neville as someone she is fond of.
Magical Abilities and skills
- Auror skills: Alice was a highly respected Auror, along with her husband and Alastor Moody. Alice and her husband were able to defy Lord Voldemort on three separate occasions. They were eventually tortured into insanity by a group of Death Eaters, including Bellatrix Lestrange, her husband and brother-in-law, and Barty Crouch Jr., seeking information about their master's downfall.
Relationships
Family
- "Well, we'd better get back. Very nice to have met you all. Neville, put that wrapper in the bin, she must have given you enough of them to paper your bedroom by now."
- —Neville's grandmother instructing Neville to throw away the wrapper his mother had given him.[src]
Alice with her husband.
Neville, her son.
Alice and her husband were Aurors and members of the first Order of the Phoenix. They had a son named Neville together. When Neville was only a year old, Alice and Frank were tortured to insanity by four Death Eaters. The Death Eaters were imprisoned for life in Azkaban, but Frank and Alice required permanent care at St. Mungo's. Neville was very sad about his parents, and visited them in the hospital, although they could not recognise him. Augusta Longbottom, Alice's mother-in-law, was also very sad, she had a high opinion of them, and was very proud when her grandson fought in several battles, like his parents.
The original Order of the Phoenix.
Order of the Phoenix members
Other members of the Order of the Phoenix appeared to have had a good relationship with Frank and Alice during the First Wizarding War. Some of them, such as Alastor Moody, were very sad that the Longbottoms were tortured into insanity. Moody also stated that the Longbottoms would rather die, instead of what had happened to them. Most members of the order had been slaughtered by the end of the First Wizarding War, and only a few survived.
Etymology
The name Alice is derived from the French name Adelais, which is in turn derived from the Germanic name Adalheidis, from the Germanic word elements adal, meaning "noble", and heid, meaning "type". Alice was the name of the protagonist of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
Behind the scenes
- J. K. Rowling stated in interview the significance of the candy wrappers: "That idea was one of the very few that was inspired by a real event. I was told what, to me, was a very sad story by someone I know about their elderly mother who had Alzheimer's, and the elderly mother was in a closed ward. She was very severely demented and no longer recognized her son, but he went faithfully to visit her twice a week, and he used to take her sweets. That was their point of connection; she had a sweet tooth, she recognized him as the sweet-giver. That was very poignant to me. So I embroidered the story. Neville gives his mother what she wants, and (it makes me sad to think of it) she wants to give something back to him, but what she gives back to him is essentially worthless. But he still takes it as worth something because she's trying to give, so it does mean something, in emotional terms."[8]
- Alice Longbottom was portrayed by Lisa Wood in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.[9]
Appearances
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film) (Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (First appearance)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film) (Appears in flashback(s))
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Mentioned only)
- LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 (Appears in photographs)
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Chapter 23 (Christmas on the Closed Ward)
- ↑ In Ch. 4 of Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince, Horace Slughorn states that family members are often Sorted into the same House. This may indicate that Alice was Sorted into Gryffindor, as Neville was Sorted into Gryffindor. However, there are exceptions.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
- ↑ In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film) Igor Karkaroff says: "I know for a fact that this person took part in the capture, and by means of the Criuciatus Curse, torture of the Auror Frank Longbottom and his Wife!" thus confirming that Alice and and Frank were capture and then tortured.
- ↑ NBC Interview with J.K. Rowling: Beyond the Epilogue
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
- ↑ 16 July 2005 Interview with J.K. Rowling
- ↑ http://www.starwarsautographcollecting.com/Autographs/HarryPotter/LisaWood.htm
