Snape mentioning Peter

[marinafrants]

No: HPFGUIDX 34415

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "blpurdom" <blpurdom at y...> wrote:
> Snape's attitude toward Pettigrew 
> could mean a couple of different things.
> 
> Possibility #1:  This would imply that none of the Death Eaters knew 
> anything about the identity of the real Secret Keeper, including 
> Snape, who was supposed to be spying for Dumbledore BEFORE 
> Voldemort's fall. 

I'm pretty sure Snape didn't know -- he's genuinely convinced of
Sirius' guilt, which he wouldn't be if he knew Peter was the
secret-keeper.  And we know that at least some of the other DEs knew,
since Sirius heard them in Azkaban, cursing Pettigrew's name.

> This doesn't speak very well of his spying 
> abilities, unfortunately.  (I had high hopes for his being a really 
> great and clever spy, too.)

I don't think we have enough information to say how this reflects on
Snape's spying ability.  Even the cleverest spy can't find out
*everything*, and we don't know a)what other information Snape
provided and how useful it was; and b)how much time passed between
Peter's joining the DE's and James and Lily's deaths.

It's possible that betraying his secret-keeper duty was the first
traitorous thing Peter ever did.  Maybe he was planning to sell out
for a while, but was afraid to try it until he had something of value
to offer Voldemort; and Sirius' switch gave him the opportunity.  If
so, then Snape simply wouldn't have had the time to discover what
happened.  How did the other DE's know?  Maybe they were present when
Peter showed up with the information, while Snape was off doing
something else -- reporting to Dumbledore, or burgling Malfoy Manor or
somesuch.

> 
> Possibility #2: If Snape DOES know of Pettigrew's part in Lily's and 
> James' deaths (although I think he's a very good actor if he knew) 
> it might be because he's really still loyal to Voldemort and was 
> then as well (functioning as a double-agent).  This speaks better of 
> his abilities as a spy, but not very well of his character.  Since 
> this would also mean Dumbledore being wrong about Snape and Ron 
> being right, this seems highly unlikely.

Seems unlikely to me also.  I think that if Snape turns out to be a
loyal DE all along, it will seriously damage (if not completely
destroy) most readers' respect for Dumbledore's intelligence and
judgement, and I don't think JKR wants to go there.

Marina
rusalka at ix.netcom.com