Fidelius curse/What went on in Godric's Hollow ?

[a_reader2003]

No: HPFGUIDX 77954

CW writes:

Kelly and Alec came back with some very interesting responses to my 
post (77848) about (a)how the Fidelius charm worked, (b)what really 
went on in Godric's Hollow - see snipped bits from their posts below.

My further thoughts are:

(a)Perhaps the Fidelius charm was only destroyed for James and Lily 
when they were killed, but not for Harry, who still lived ? 
Therefore, concerned neighbours would be able to see their bodies, 
but not know that Harry was there too. Harry could only be found by 
someone who knew the secret, and theories abound as to who knew, and 
how they found out. I still think Dumbledore was alerted to the 
catastrophe by someone at Godric's Hollow who sent him an owl almost 
as soon as it happened. Although that person would not know about 
James and his family being there, a blown-up house is an unusual-
enough event for someone on the look out in nervous times to report 
it anyway. Dumbledore would twig instantly it was James & Lily 
because of the associations of Godric's Hollow with James' family 
(see below).

An aside - I still can't work out why Dumbledore wasn't the secret 
keeper in the first place. I thought he was supposed to be the one 
person Voldie was afraid of. Given what DD knew of the prophecy, it 
seems almost criminally incompetent of them all.........

(b)I think Alec is very possibly right that Peter blew up the house 
in an effort to kill Harry by more normal means. What I cannot 
understand is why Peter returned the next day to face Sirius. He may 
well have learned somehow that he had not killed Harry (perhaps he 
could hear the baby crying under the rubble when none of the 
neighbours could, since they didn't know the secret ?). But Peter is 
supposed to be a weak, frightened individual - why on earth return to 
face an unknown number of muggles and wizards swarming about the 
place, including potentially DEs, and in particular, a terrifyingly 
angry Sirius, intent on vengeance ? 

Ok, I understand it is necessary for the plot for Sirius to be 
misunderstood, go to Azkaban etc, but the action seems very out of 
character for Peter. Why didn't he just run for it ? After all, there 
was no point in fighting for Voldemort anymore.

I can only think that, in the classic murder mystery style, Peter 
left behind some terribly incriminating piece of evidence, and just 
had to retrieve it. Maybe his own wand ?

On the events of that subsequent day, is it possible that amongst the 
12 muggles that were killed, were relatives of James & Lily ? If 
Godrics Hollow was indeed the family home of the James's, then it is 
entirely possible that members of their family were around the wreck, 
trying to see what had happened. Although they were Muggles, we know 
that this could include Lily's family, and for all we know, James was 
the son of muggles, or had lots of muggles in his family too. 

It would explain why there is only Petunia left to look after Harry, 
if the whole family was wiped out that day. Also, although all the 
newspaper reports say 'muggles', this could also include 'squibs', as 
Harry's trial seemed to indicate that the WW treated squibs more or 
less the same as Muggles.

Finally, note another instance of the 13 motif in these killings - 12 
muggles and 'dead' Peter. Many people have posted on this repeated 
symbolism in the books.


CW wrote:

The killing of Lily and James perhaps instantly destroyed the effect 
of the Fidelius charm ? And as the house was apparently also reduced 
to rubble as part of the attack, presumably any number of witches and 
wizards in the Godric Hollow area would immediately be able to see 
what had happened and send owls to all and sundry ? 
	
Kelly wrote:
	
If Lily and James dying lifted the charm then why wasn't Harry 
protected as well. Harry was still alive, so the death of the 
occupants being the charm would mean baby Harry was not part of the 
spell. ..... I think that the destruction of the house shows that 
quite 
a bit more went on at Godric's Hollow that a clean and easy killing 
of James and Lily.	

Alec wrote:

Any one ever notice that Peter knew how and could blow things up 
to such a degree that mass death and destruction could occur? And 
did anyone ever notice that James and Lily's house had also blow 
up? 

My theory is this: Voldermort killed James and Lily, attempted to 
kill Harry all while Peter was outside watching and waiting. But he 
realized that his Master was defeated-- not dead, but not alive; went 
into the house to find the James and Lily dead, Harry alive, and 
Voldermorts wand. Peter took his Master's wand and hid it before 
Sirus caught up with him the next day. But before leaving he 
attempted to kill Harry by blowing up the house. He reasoned that if 
a direct curse from LV could not kill Harry, then he should try 
something different. However, the charm that saved Harry's life 
protects him not just from voldermort, but from voldermort's plans 
and mingeons-- while living at the place where "his blood lives". 
And where could his blood live, but at his parents's home?

CW wrote:

Godric's Hollow had close associations with the history 
of Quidditch (it was where the Snitch was invented), so although it 
was perhaps not an all-wizard village like Hogsmead, there may have 
been quite a few wizards settled there because of this tradition, 
many of whom may have been close neighbours of Lily and James, even 
though they couldn't see them temporarily whilst the Fidelius charm 
was protecting them. I thought it was a very appropriate place for 
James to want to live anyway.
	
Kelly wrote:
	
I think the snitch invention is right on target with "what James 
family did to make so much money." I think there are further hints 
to this in "Snapes Worst Memory" when James is doodling a snitch, 
then later is playing with one outside. People have been wondering 
why James would be playing with a snitch when he was not a seeker... 
I think the reason is that he is showing off his family's importance 
and not his Quidditch position.