Understanding (Neville Longbottom)

3

"Come along, little one!" My uncle called me from a few steps ahead "I don't want to stay more than we have to."

It was Ollivander that had distracted me: the shop was completely destroyed. I squeezed my hand around my wand in the pocket of my long cardigan, reassured it was still there; it always gave me comfort and warmth.

I remembered when Olivander had looked at me, pleasantly explaining "Heart strings and apple wood, 12 inches and 3/4, very flexible. That" he had said with a smile "is an interesting wand!"

I tried to make sense of my memory and that shell of a place together and then turned around and locked my arm with my uncle's.

"I don't understand why they would attack Olivander" I said in a voice just a little louder than a whisper "His family is of pure blood and he didn't defy them openly... even though I think maybe he might have in the future"

"Acute abservation" he commented, his voice no louder than mine, he kept looking straight ahead "And though I agree with you about Mr. Olivander's political views, I do not think this was the result of a preventive act"

"Then why do you think?" I asked, curious to hear my uncle's opinion.

"I taught you to look at the world with analytical eyes, Josie" he smiled at me "Why do you think?"

I rolled my eyes, annoyed that he chose such a sad circumstance for me to analyze as if it was another excercise. It was true that since I was very young, my uncle had tried in every way he could to give me a way of analyzing the world, a way that not only relayed on cause and effect but also the inverse.
I had to admit that training my brain in that way had served me good both in arriving at my own conclusions about stuff, and to be more elastic in my thinking.
I also had to admit this was a great example: I had the effect (the shop destroyed and Olivander gone, maybe dead) but not the cause; so now, having the conclusion and some basic information about the circumstances, I could deduct the cause.

I thought about how Olivander was an old man but they took care of coming during the night and not be seen... Why? I mean everybody knew it was them... it was Him. Maybe they wanted to take him by surprise; he must have been a good duellant, studying the wand and its capabilities as an instrument for all those years.

"Maybe they want him to be in their ranks?" I asked tentatively

My uncle nodded approvingly "That is almost certain, seeing as he is a great wizard"

"But there is something else?" I asked when he didnt go further

He smiled "There might or might not be, but I'd like to see if you can think of something else"

I kept reflecting: as I already thought wanting him as a Death Eater was probably why they took him and it was something they had already done quite a few times... There it was!

I looked at my uncle, puzzled "This is not their usual way of doing things"
He looked at me encouraging so I continued "They usually contact the wizard or witch and tell them what they want... after all it wouldn't be good to scare a potential ally"

"Very good" nodded Oberon

"Well, then" I continued "if they want they join them.. or they run"

"Let's not forget they might choose to fight" he reminded me "like Madama Bones did" I patted him on the shoulder, remembering how difficult it had been for him to hear that. They must have been good friends once.

"So if they chose to operate differently this time" he continued, walking a bit faster "what does it imply?"

"That" I answered "if Olivander had chose to not join them, as it probably would have happened, the other options weren't acceptable. So it means they need him for something."