Potter's choice of a secret keeper

[bboy_mn]

No: HPFGUIDX 43494

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Richelle Votaw" <rvotaw at i...> wrote:
> I was rereading the Three Broomsticks scene in PoA, and noticed
something I hadn't thought about before.  McGonagall says that
Dumbledore himself offered to be the Potter's secret keeper.  Why not
accept such an offer?  He was the only one Voldemort feared, it seems
logical.  Why choose someone like Peter Pettigrew instead?  Surely if
Voldemort had gone after him (even if he hadn't already been feeding
him information) he would have been easier to pry the information out
of.  Compared to Dumbledore certainly.  I also think poor Lupin got a
bad rap in the whole thing.  His supposed best friends suspected him
on what basis?  Being a werewolf?  How prejudiced.  Anyway, my main
concerns here are *why* James and Lily didn't agree to let Dumbledore
be their secret keeper.  Anyone have an answer for me?  Or two or
three? :)
> 
> Richelle
> 
> ------------------------------------
> Richelle R. Votaw
> 1st grade teacher
> Kentwood Elementary
> ------------------------------------
> 

bboy_mn adds some thoughts:

First, do we have any direct statement that Dumbledore made this offer
from anyone who was personally involved? McGonnagal says it, but is
that an opinion or did she witness that or hear it directly from
Dumbledore or James? I guess we can never know, but the point is, is
she relaying rumor or is she stating a fact?

Next, if I remember correctly, when Sirius was thinking about it
(being the secert keeper), he was planning to leave the country or at
least get seriously lost. Pettigrew, when he became the Secret Keeper
went into hiding at a Safe House. So not only was it important for the
secret to stay hidden, but for the secret keeper to stay hidden.
Logically, the first step to finding the secret is finding the secret
keeper. Dumbledore may have been too much in demand, too important to
the fight to suddenly have to get lost. Plus, it would seem a very
obvious choice. I think, their thought process at the time was to find
the person who was least likely  to be suspected as the secret keeper.

Next, Dumbledore may have been the kindly father figure to James in
the same way he is to Harry, but there is a big difference in the
relationship between Harry and Ron, or James and Sirius, and Harry or
James relationship with Dumbledore. They may not have been comfortable
allowing Dumbledore to do something so intimate and personal.

Just some thoughts.

bboy_mn