Is Snape's Former DE Status Public Knowledge? (WAS: Dumbledore including Fudge)

[erisedstraeh2002]

No: HPFGUIDX 55430

Brangwyn wrote:

> This is my first post to the list, so please be kind ;)

Now me:

Welcome!

Brangwyn again:

> It seems Fudge didn't know Snape was a Death Eater. But why not?  
> If Snape's trial was as public as Barty Crouch's and Karkaroff's, 
> and if Dumbledore stood and pronounced that Snape had been a DE and 
> then became a spy against LV (as he did in the memory in the
> Pensieve), why doesn't Fudge know what seems to be common 
> knowledge? 

Me again:

This particular question stumps me.  At Karkaroff's trial, Dumbledore 
publicly states: "Severus Snape was indeed a Death Eater.  However, 
he rejoined our side before Lord Voldemort's downfall and turned spy 
for us, at great personal risk.  He is now no more a Death Eater than 
I am" (GoF, Ch. 30).  And while there's no mention of Rita Skeeter at 
this trial, Harry does notice "at least two hundred" witches and 
wizards in the audience.  Which suggests the possibility that Snape's 
Death Eater status is public knowledge.  But Sirius doesn't know 
about it - in Ch. 27, he tells HRH: "But as far as I know, Snape was 
never even accused of being a Death Eater..."  And Fudge doesn't 
appear to know, either, judging from his reaction when Snape shows 
him the Dark Mark on his arm.  So we either have to believe that the 
two hundred witches and wizards in attendance at Karkaroff's trial 
kept this information to themselves, or that it's public knowledge 
but individuals who one would think would know about it (Sirius and 
Fudge) don't know for some unexplained reason.

While I would think Sirius would know since he was part of the "old 
crowd" that presumably fought Voldemort during his firt reign of 
terror, it's more perplexing that Fudge doesn't know, since his 
fellow Ministry colleague Crouch Sr. knows, as he states at 
Karkaroff's trial: "Snape has been cleared by this council...He has 
been vouched for by Albus Dumbledore."  

I also note that while Crouch Sr. refers to Snape being "cleared," 
it's unclear whether or not Snape actually had a trial.

~Phyllis