Fidelius Charm/Sirius

[judyserenity]

No: HPFGUIDX 33700

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....
> > But WHY did Sirius feel the need to create a bluff in switching to
> > Pettigrew?... 

And "marinafrants" <rusalka at i...> replied:
> ... 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....


First of all, this is NOT a stupid question about the Fidelius Charm. 
It's really unclear what this charm does, and many people here have 
wondered about this before. 

And, Marina, I love your description of Sirius' "conversation" with 
Voldy!

Still, I think switching secret-keepers does add extra security (or at 
least would have, if the new secret-keeper wasn't a spy for Voldy.)  
It means that the Death Eaters have to find and "break" two people, 
instead of just one.  And, presumably getting information out of an 
unwilling informant isn't an easy task, or the Fidelius Charm would be 
pointless in the first place.  I assume there must be some defense 
against veritaserum (which Barty Crouch Jr. didn't have); otherwise, 
there would have been no need for trials, Sirius Black could have 
cleared his name, Dumbledore would have known who the spy was, etc.  
(Actually, I think veritaserum may be another example of JKR creating 
magic in her stories without thinking through the consequences, but 
I'm trying to give her the benefit of the doubt.) 

In regards to the question of whom James *should* have picked, I have 
to side with Snape.  (Of course, I pretty much always side with 
Snape!)  He said James was arrogant for trusting his friend to be the 
secret-keeper.  In retrospect, I have to agree; Dumbledore would have 
been much much much safer.  Perhaps James wanted to demonstrate his 
(misplaced) trust in his friends?  Or, perhaps being the secret-keeper 
would have hindered Dumbledore in some way, and James didn't want to 
burden him at such a crucial time?