Some Thoughts On Some Stuff, etc.

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 45898

> In a message dated 28/10/2002, foxmoth at q... (Pippin) writes:
> > I think, from Snape's reaction to the Marauder's Map, that 
Snape knew  and had reported to Dumbledore that Voldemort 
had an  agent he called "Wormtail" as he does in the graveyard 
scene.  If  Dumbledore shared this information with James, it 
could  account for James' certainty that one of his close friends 
was  the spy.
> >  
Audra:
> I'm not sure what you mean by this information being shared 
with James.  If  Snape knew of a DE called "Wormtail" back when 
he was spying for Dumbledore and reported it, that information 
was never passed on to James.  If it had  been, James would 
have known for sure that Pettigrew was the spy, and might 
> still be alive.  If Dumbledore was aware of a DE called 
"Wormtail" he must  not have known this was Pettigrew's 
nickname.  However, if Snape recognized 
> the name "Wormtail" when the Marauders' Map insulted him in 
PoA, that could  have accounted for Snape telling Lupin the 
parchment was "plainly full of  Dark Magic." 
> 

Me (Pippin) again:
I agree that James did not tell Dumbledore  the significance of 
the "Wormtail" name. James was still guarding the secret of the 
animagi, and could not share it with Dumbledore unless he was 
willing to implicate himself and his friends in some very serious 
crimes: not only illegal animagery but allowing a werewolf to 
roam free. 

But James could not be sure that the person using the name 
"Wormtail" was Peter Pettigrew, since at least two others knew 
that name. In fact, it seems that both he and Sirius dismissed 
the possibility out of hand, even after they knew that someone 
close to them was passing information to the Dark Lord. 

Perhaps letting on that the Fidelius Charm would be used was 
also a double-bluff. Voldemort was to assume that he had been 
allowed to discover that Fidelius would be used to conceal the 
Potters. Therefore he would suspect that it wasn't going to be 
used at all, and wouldn't hunt  for the Secret Keeper.

James and Sirius, for their part, probably regarded the 
"Wormtail" name as disinformation also: a bluff designed to 
make them suspect "weak, talentless" Peter Pettigrew instead of 
the real spy. Choosing Peter to be secret keeper must have 
seemed a stroke of genius: they picked the one person they 
knew Voldemort would think they couldn't trust. 

After the arrest of Sirius, Snape must have concluded that 
"Wormtail" was Sirius Black, which, as you say, explains his 
reaction to the map.

Pippin
who realizes this spy stuff gets awfully complicated