James, Peter, Dumbledore, Secret-Keeper

[mjollner]

No: HPFGUIDX 34168

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Mary Shearer <marybear82 at y...> wrote:

Mary wrote in response to Katze:

> In SS/PS, Dumbledore gives Harry his cloak along with
> a note stating that "Your father left this in my
> possession before he died. It is time it was returned
> to you. Use it well." Is it possible that James left
> it with Dumbledore not only because his life was in
> danger, but because he needed to keep it from those
> who knew of its existence?  In PoA, both Sirius and
> Lupin admit that each thought the other was the spy.
> Sirius talks James into switching the identity of the
> secret keeper, probably telling James that he believes
> Lupin to be the spy. Yet James leaves everything,
> including provisions for Harry's care, with D, even
> though that role had already been given to Sirius. If
> James already suspected Pettigrew, and Serius has
> raised doubts about Lupin, sadly, this points to the
> possibility that James and Lily suspected Sirius as
> well. They cannot trust any of their closest friends,
> and are now utterly alone. Wow - dark days for the
> Potters!

[Mod Note: Quoted material snipped.]

Ooh, Mary, you gave me goosebumps!  And I think that your 
interpretation of events is spot on...I can see James starting to be 
uncertain of Sirius - if the latter was so insistent on James' 
changing the Secret Keeper to Pettigrew, James might well have 
wondered why Sirius didn't think he was trustworthy. Add that to 
Sirius' and Remus' possible suspicions of one another, and I can see 
why James would start handing over treasured possessions to 
Dumbledore for safekeeping. It makes me wonder what made James suffer 
more: being killed by Voldemort or not knowing who his friends really 
were.

Mjollner