--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That’s when they decided there was only…" description: "\"“That’s when they decided there was only one way to stop me, I suppose, and they went for Gran.” “They what ?” said Harry, Ron, and Hermione together. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d82/j-k-rowling-86_harry_that-s-when-they-decided-there-was-only_849177.png" --- # That’s when they decided there was only one way to stop… ![“That’s when they decided there was only one way to stop me, I suppose, and they went for Gran.” “They what ?” said Harry, Ron, and Hermione together. “Yeah,” said Neville, panting a little now, because the passage was climbing so steeply, “well, you can see their thinking. It had worked really…” quote by J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d82/j-k-rowling-86_harry_that-s-when-they-decided-there-was-only_849177.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d82/j-k-rowling-86_harry_that-s-when-they-decided-there-was-only_849177.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d82/j-k-rowling-86_harry_that-s-when-they-decided-there-was-only_849177.png) > ““That’s when they decided there was only one way to stop me, I suppose, and they went for Gran.” “They what ?” said Harry, Ron, and Hermione together. “Yeah,” said Neville, panting a little now, because the passage was climbing so steeply, “well, you can see their thinking. It had worked really well, kidnapping kids to force their relatives to behave, I s’pose it was only a matter of time before they did it the other way around. Thing was,” he faced them, and Harry was astonished to see that he was grinning, “they bit off a bit more than they could chew with Gran. Little old witch living alone, they probably thought they didn’t need to send anyone particularly powerful. Anyway,” Neville laughed, “Dawlish is still in St. Mungo’s and Gran’s on the run. She sent me a letter,” he clapped a hand to the breast pocket of his robes, “telling me she was proud of me, that I’m my parents’ son, and to keep it up.” “Cool,” said Ron. “Yeah,” said Neville happily. “Only thing was, once they realized they had no hold over me, they decided Hogwarts could do without me after all. I don’t know whether they were planning to kill me or send me to Azkaban; either way, I knew it was time to disappear.” “But,” said Ron, looking thoroughly confused, “aren’t--aren’t we heading straight back into Hogwarts?”” [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Neville reveals that the enemy tried to eliminate him by targeting his grandmother, showing how threats can backfire and empower the vulnerable. **In simple terms:** The enemy’s plan to kill him failed, making him stronger. Key Takeaway Even when targeted, resilience can turn danger into advantage. Themes resilience family strategy danger empowerment Mood tense hopeful defiant Type narrative dialogue character development When to use this quote - school conflict - family loyalty - personal safety - strategic retreat - enemy underestimation Key Concepts psychology of threat heroic sacrifice enemy miscalculation Questions to Reflect On - How can perceived weakness become a strategic advantage? - What role does family support play in confronting danger? A Different Perspective The passage assumes the enemy’s motives without evidence; real threats may be more complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Decided Hogwarts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decided-hogwarts-729867/) [Gran Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gran-said-729868/) [Harry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harry/) [Hermione Yeah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hermione-yeah-729870/) [Living alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living-alone/) [Matter of time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter-of-time/) [Said Harry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-harry/) [Straight Hogwarts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/straight-hogwarts-729869/) [Time To Disappear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-to-disappear-223673/) ## Related quotes > [A word hurts more than a punch, because the word left a mark that will take more time to disappear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lockedupoet/a-word-hurts-more-than-a-punch-because-the-word-left-a-mark-that-will/) [Lockedupoet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lockedupoet/) > [My gran always said I was half clever, half stupid, and half crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-higson/my-gran-always-said-i-was-half-clever-half-stupid-and-half-crazy/) [Charlie Higson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-higson/) > [“Gran always said our West Virginia mountains is like the bosom of the Almighty, keeping us protected and still in Him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-sue-shank/gran-always-said-our-west-virginia-mountains-is-like-the-bosom-of-the/) [Marilyn Sue Shank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-sue-shank/) > [“I'm hideous" "You could never be hideous" "Forget it" I wanted this conversation over. 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Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) > [“LOOK AT THIS SNAKE!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/look-at-this-snake/) [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) > [“Potter! Weasley! What are you doing?” It was Professor McGonagall, and her mouth was the thinnest of thin lines. “We were — we were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/potter-weasley-what-are-you-doing-it-was-professor-mcgonagall-and-her/) [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) > [“Psst!” said a voice, and he looked around to see a wispy little witch and the ferrety wizard from Magical Maintenance gesturing to him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/psst-said-a-voice-and-he-looked-around-to-see-a-wispy-little-witch/) [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) [Explore all 1,347 J.K. Rowling quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) ## More Harry quotes > [Hats off to starting a franchise younger than we all did in 'Twilight' and keeping your cool. The 'Harry Potter' men and women had,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellan-lutz/hats-off-to-starting-a-franchise-younger-than-we-all-did-in-twilight/) [Kellan Lutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellan-lutz/) > [“Snape pointed at the parchment, on which the words of Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs were still shining.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/snape-pointed-at-the-parchment-on-which-the-words-of-messrs-moony/) [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) > [“But I really am Ravenclaw, you know, not Slytherin. I don't want to rule the universe. 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Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) [Browse all 1,108 Harry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harry/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“That’s when they decided there was only one way to stop me, I suppose, and they went for Gran.” “They what ?” said Harry, Ron, and Hermione together. “Yeah,” said Neville, panting a little now, because the passage was climbing so steeply, “well, you can see their thinking. It had worked really well, kidnapping kids to force their relatives to behave, I s’pose it was only a matter of time before they did it the other way around. Thing was,” he faced them, and Harry was astonished to see that he was grinning, “they bit off a bit more than they could chew with Gran. Little old witch living alone, they probably thought they didn’t need to send anyone particularly powerful. Anyway,” Neville laughed, “Dawlish is still in St. Mungo’s and Gran’s on the run. She sent me a letter,” he clapped a hand to the breast pocket of his robes, “telling me she was proud of me, that I’m my parents’ son, and to keep it up.” “Cool,” said Ron. “Yeah,” said Neville happily. “Only thing was, once they realized they had no hold over me, they decided Hogwarts could do without me after all. I don’t know whether they were planning to kill me or send me to Azkaban; either way, I knew it was time to disappear.” “But,” said Ron, looking thoroughly confused, “aren’t--aren’t we heading straight back into Hogwarts?”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J.K. 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