I put all the Swithins quotes together, and they fit perfectly with your interpretation.
Lucius (http://alt-lucius.livejournal.com/2375.html): "There was some unpleasant business in one of the camps. Two Muggles thought to hide their Mudblood brat in an attempt to keep her being placed per the State's instructions. Sent Ari and Gaude to remove the obstacles ... and the spawn."
Minerva (http://alt-mcgonagall.livejournal.com/1242.html): "The family that Malfoy spoke of in his recent entry was the Swithins. They were almost the first family Frank and Alice approached, eight years ago, and they turned the offer of sanctuary for their daughter down."
Minerva again (http://alt-mcgonagall.livejournal.com/1242.html?thread=4570#t4570): "And I think of Divyesh Shah - it was Shah, wasn't it, who took the Swithin girl's place? - and I know that in the grand scheme of things it's all one, but it's difficult nevertheless."
So, if we add in what you said, here's what happened.
1. 8 years ago, a Muggleborn girl was born to the Swithins. Someone (Minerva?) saw the name in the magical book, and sent Alice Longbottom to offer help hiding the girl. Since this would have meant taking her away from her parents forever and having strangers raise her, the parents refused.
2. The family that would have raised the Swithin girl was instead matched with another Muggleborn child named Divyesh Shah.
3. Now, the Swithin girl has been discovered. The girl has been removed and will be a slave like Hermione, and the parents are either dead or have lost their child forever anyway. Minerva knows that, if they *had* been able to save the child, that would have meant that another child—Shah—wouldn't have been able to be saved, so it's "all one," but it is painful anyway.
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I think you're right!
Date: 2008-09-20 07:53 pm (UTC)Lucius (http://alt-lucius.livejournal.com/2375.html): "There was some unpleasant business in one of the camps. Two Muggles thought to hide their Mudblood brat in an attempt to keep her being placed per the State's instructions. Sent Ari and Gaude to remove the obstacles ... and the spawn."
Minerva (http://alt-mcgonagall.livejournal.com/1242.html): "The family that Malfoy spoke of in his recent entry was the Swithins. They were almost the first family Frank and Alice approached, eight years ago, and they turned the offer of sanctuary for their daughter down."
Minerva again (http://alt-mcgonagall.livejournal.com/1242.html?thread=4570#t4570): "And I think of Divyesh Shah - it was Shah, wasn't it, who took the Swithin girl's place? - and I know that in the grand scheme of things it's all one, but it's difficult nevertheless."
So, if we add in what you said, here's what happened.
1. 8 years ago, a Muggleborn girl was born to the Swithins. Someone (Minerva?) saw the name in the magical book, and sent Alice Longbottom to offer help hiding the girl. Since this would have meant taking her away from her parents forever and having strangers raise her, the parents refused.
2. The family that would have raised the Swithin girl was instead matched with another Muggleborn child named Divyesh Shah.
3. Now, the Swithin girl has been discovered. The girl has been removed and will be a slave like Hermione, and the parents are either dead or have lost their child forever anyway. Minerva knows that, if they *had* been able to save the child, that would have meant that another child—Shah—wouldn't have been able to be saved, so it's "all one," but it is painful anyway.