Question: Is there any other way that Hermione could have possibly protected her Muggle parents from Voldemort and his followers besides erasing their memories, like casting a protection spell over them similar to what was done with Harry for the past 17 years or taken them to the Burrow to be protected, or even Grimmauld Place?
Tailkinker
29th Jul 2014
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)
13th Dec 2012
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)
Question: At the end when Dobby is stabbed, Harry says he wants Hermione to get something from her bag and she doesn't do anything. Why would she not get anything from her bag. It's unlikely she wouldn't have her bag since she had it at the beginning of Part 2?
Chosen answer: Because she knows that she hasn't got anything in there that'll do any good. Harry's clutching at straws, begging her to pull out something that'll fix Dobby and save his life. She hasn't got anything that'll work, so she doesn't do it.
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Chosen answer: Any of those options would provide some degree of protection, but, should Voldemort ultimately triumph, it's extremely likely that those measures would eventually be circumvented by his forces, leaving her parents entirely at his mercy. By erasing herself entirely from their memories, they cannot be used against her, as they cannot be linked to her (it's reasonable to assume that Hermione would also have arranged for any files linking her to them or that address to be destroyed or altered as well). Erasing their memories also has the side effect of sparing her parents from grief should she fall in the ensuing conflict.
Tailkinker ★
In the book, in addition to erasing their memories, Hermione also sent her parents to live in Australia, further removing them from danger. She not only erased their memories to prevent them from being tortured and divulging any information, but if she was killed, they would not grieve the loss of their only child for the rest of their lives.
raywest ★