Fidelius Charm/Sirius

[marinafrants]

No: HPFGUIDX 33678

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Edblanning at a... wrote:
> I'm going to ask a relly dumb question, but I have realised that I
just don't 
> understand the Fidelius Charm.
<snip>
> But WHY did Sirius feel the need to create a bluff in switching to
Pettigrew? 
> If he was willing to die rather than give them away, what was the 
> problem?(other than the minor one of wishing to avoid death/
torture). 

Newbie delurking here.

I wondered about that myself.  The only theory I could come up with is
that Sirius a)didn't feel entirely confident in his own ability to
withstand torture; or b)was afraid that Voldemort would use some
magical means (Imperio curse or Veritaseum, for example) to get him to
talk.

The problem with that is, switching secret-keepers wouldn't keep the
Potters safe in this scenario, it would only introduce an extra step
in the questioning.

Voldemort: Here, drink this Veritaseum.

Sirius: glug-glug-glug

V: Where are the Potters?

S: I don't know.

V: What do you mean you don't know, aren't you the secret-keeper?

S: No, I switched with Peter.

V: Oh.  Okay, I'll ask Peter, then.

Not much of a plan, is it?  Admittedly, Sirius isn't exactly a
brillian planner.  But you'd think James and Lily would think it
through more carefully.

Marina
rusalka at ix.netcom.com