The Spying Game and the Shrieking Shack (VERY LONG)

[jedi102580]

No: HPFGUIDX 39777

pip[squeak] wrote:
> Snape and Dumbledore know all about Pettigrew being the Secret 
> Keeper.
> Snape and Dumbledore already know Peter Pettigrew is Scabbers.

These two, and all the rest, I can buy.  Not only buy, but, given the
canon that was cited in their favor, particularly the numerous
references to Snape trying to prevent anyone from discussing "the
rat," i.e. Scabbers, a.k.a. Peter Pettigrew, I'd say it would be very
difficult to persuade me at this point that Snape, at the very least,
did know.

> They intend to let Pettigrew escape. But after Harry has saved his 
> life.

This is perhaps possible.  What I think would make this theory much
less refutable would be to say that while they do intend to let
Pettigrew escape, after his life has been saved, *at some point*, they
did not orchestrate the events of the evening in question for such a
purpose.  

The issue currently being debated, that Harry is too young for this
card to be played so soon, when it depends on Voldemort at some point
having to confront him, is a troublesome one, imo.  Voldemort has had
some way of getting access to Harry for the past two years running;
why would Dumbledore then make a move which would urge Voldemort and
Pettigrew to come after Harry as soon as possible?  

If one were to say, for example, that Snape and/or Dumbledore were
hoping to postpone anyone finding out about Pettigrew yet, but the
accident which knocks Snape out forces them into plan B: to play their
card earlier than they had wanted, but once it has been played, they
can allow Peter to escape and simply hope for the best protection for
Harry that Hogwarts can give.

> Did Dumbledore intend to let Pettigrew escape? Well, why else are 
> both Snape and Dumbledore firmly avoiding the word 'rat'? [I doubt 
> that they're both phobic :-) ]. How fast can a rat travel? If Fudge 
> had sent out a search party immediately, might Pettigrew have been 
> recaptured?

But this doesn't explain the more frequently occurring instances of
Snape trying to shut people up about it in the SS!  No one has given
any reason that I can see, if Snape wants Harry to be able to save
Pettigrew's life, that Harry should be prevented from knowing about
who he is while the crew is in the SS.  

-- 
marilyn