I Spy....

[B Arrowsmith]

No: HPFGUIDX 74231

A long post, especially for those who have overdosed on conspiracy 
theories, short postings and instant responses.

Considering the methods available in canon for disguise, deception and 
impersonation, JKR has been remarkably restrained. Perhaps she is 
concerned that resorting too often to quick and easy plot devices would 
result in an unsatisfactory and facile tale. Other writers have 
succumbed all too often to such temptations, but I doubt she will; 
devious plots and engaging characterisation seem to matter a great deal 
to her. For this we should be thankful.

Of course, this does not mean that the fans allow themselves to be 
restricted in such matters. At least half the named characters have 
been closely scrutinised for symptoms of animagitis  and most of the 
remainder suspected of being spies, double agents or weak links that 
will do the dirty if the right pressure is applied. Such speculations 
can be fun, but we're all aware that we, individually, may well be 
wrong and also that we, as a group, may well be  baying at the moon.

Remember the dear, dead, quondam days before OoP was published? The 
poll on which major character would die? Only 5% got it right, after 
three years of speculation - and I have a sneaky feeling most of those 
were guessing. Even the sainted bluesqueak (may her critical faculties 
burgeon), was offering 50:1 against Sirius - which, considering that 
there were only about 20 characters that could be considered major, 
meant that the expert readers of entrails and fine print were on the 
receiving end of a custard pie too. And no, I didn't get it right, 
either.

But for the would-be spy or impostor, what can we offer? If sir or  
madam would care to step into the  changing room, I'm sure we'll find 
something eminently suitable.

At the convenience end of the range, we have, of course, the basic 
invisibility cloak. Wears well and doesn't show dirt or stains. Quickly 
donned or doffed, easily stored, no spells or incantations to go wrong, 
not time limited in use. But they're rare. Only three available in 
canon - Harry  has one, Moody another. He used to have the third, but 
it was lost on operations. Who has it now, I wonder?  Will it make a 
glorious come-back at a critical moment in the future? Hmm... since it 
is already in canon, my bet is - yes.

Harry used his for forays about Hogwarts, a little light shopping in 
Hogsmeade, some Time Turning, managing to drop it for Snape to 
spectacularly chew the carpet in the Shrieking Shack. The other two 
seem to have been used by the Orders watchers at the Ministry. Sadly, 
it is not always problem free. Unreliable in the slipstream of a 
broomstick, penetrated by the magic eye of Moody and Dumbledore also 
seems to have a means of detection and disclosure. How many others have 
magical vision? But for whatever reason, it rates low in the spy kit 
catalogue.

OK then, how about a drop of Polyjuice Potion? As successfully used by 
Harry  and Ron in CoS (sorry Hermione), and just as successfully by 
Crouch!Moody in GoF. Yes, he was caught, but his mission was 
accomplished (remember, all baddies are expendable) and if Voldy cocked 
it up later, that wasn't his fault.

Pretty good for impersonating, though it does have drawbacks. Difficult 
  and time consuming to brew and of short duration, needing constant 
top-ups. You also need to be sure that the template body is not likely 
to appear and cause you severe embarrassment.

Accepting that Crouch!Moody was a unique circumstance (Moody paranoiac 
- known to drink only from his personal hip-flask, thus allowing 
top-ups without arousing suspicion), PjP offers limited opportunities. 
The time constraints seem to rule out all except quick raids or maybe a 
chance to sow  confusion or black propaganda. So sorry, it may not be 
what you're looking for.

Actually, I think Lord Thingy missed a trick here. He knows Harry is 
coming to the graveyard. Why not  brew up a batch of PjP, add hair, 
blood, other body parts from Harry, get a DE to drink it, go back and 
zap DD. Just the sort of mayhem I relish.

Some seem to have an unhealthy fascination for Switching Spells. No 
evidence in canon that they have much significance. Many like to think 
that Lily used one with Harry, but I think that Voldy would have 
noticed any hanky-panky like that, don't you? And if she had time to 
cast a spell, why not cast it  against V where it might do some good? 
Not enamoured of Switching Spells - maybe OK for replacing the cats 
whiskers with a TV aerial, but as disguise, pretty much a frost.

Metamorphagi? Ah, I'm afraid you have to be genetically pre-disposed 
for that sort of thing. Admittedly, it's possible to change your 
appearance entirely. But there's no guarantee that you will become an 
exact copy of a known individual, especially if you don't have a mirror 
to check that the eyebrows are right and that the ears don't stick out 
too much. Probably good for becoming a different body type, for 
pretending to be anyone but yourself, allowing you to lurk with 
impunity.

What about Transfiguration? Well, not really. I can't find any canon 
evidence for its use as a device to allow undetected infiltration. It 
is believed that skilled wizards can transfigure into animal forms, but 
that they also revert to animal levels of intelligence at the same 
time. Not very helpful. The animal form taken is liable to be a generic 
form too, rather than an identifiable individual animal. Maybe DD will 
surprise us all in a later tome. McGonagalls' cat form is reckoned to 
be not the result of Transfiguration, but of her skill as an Animagus.

Animagus! The concept that enthralls and captivates - well, for some, 
anyway. For many, the obvious solution to many unresolved plot issues. 
I'm afraid that may turn out to be wishful thinking.

For a start, it's supposed to be rare. Only seven registered in the 
last century. And if they're registered, anyone can check up on who 
turns into what. If they're not registered, and JKR has introduced four 
in five books so far, (too many for my taste), then they seem to have a 
hard time of it.
James, dead; Sirius, jailed for years, then dead; Pettigrew, hiding for 
years, then becoming an abused Igor;  Skeeter, just plain nasty, 
imprisoned in a jar, then unemployable. I  don't think JKR likes 
unregistered animagi. But if that's what you want... of course you 
probably aren't an animagus and if you are, well, consider, you could 
be a skunk.

No, if you're keen on spying, you'll have to do it the old-fashioned 
way. Just like Pettigrew did. He was in the Order and spied for Voldy 
for a year, according to Sirius. (How did he know that? Azkaban, 
probably.) If so, then he also must be favourite for the eaves-dropper 
on the prophecy. Gets the gist before being ejected, toddles off to 
Voldy, "Hey, boss guess what  I've heard! And guess who knows where 
they're hiding!"

I never have figured out his motivation for switching sides. He claimed 
it was fear, death threats, etc. Why not tell DD, go into hiding? I'm 
very much afraid that a SHIP could be looming from the mists. In this 
situation it makes much more sense for PP to be obsessed then rejected 
by Lily than it does Snape. No, there's something else to come from 
that little episode.

So far, PP seems to be the only full blown spy we've encountered. Oh, 
there's secret watchers and  guards and casual informers and sneaks, 
but spies?  Rarer than invisibility cloaks.

Snape? We know he's up to something, but I'd bet against spying in it's 
traditional form. He switched sides before Voldy fell, so Pettigrew 
must have  passed on the word; and if he didn't, the mass trials of the 
DEs did. Voldy doesn't need  Snape, and he's an unforgiving swine. If 
he sees Snape there's liable to be green lights  everywhere. But Snape 
is obviously doing something important that no-one else can. A lot more 
to come on Snape. And I remain convinced, that where DD opposes V 
through conviction and principle, with Snape it's personal, very 
personal.

The accepted rationale of the Potterverse is that the war is low 
intensity. There will be no great battles with armies marching on 
strongholds. Already the threat of the Giants has been reduced from a 
corps of shock-troops to a small band riven by internal conflict. The 
Goblins appear to be side-lined; not trusting either of the combatant 
parties. No re-run of the great up-risings of the past are likely. No, 
it's a war of skirmishes, a guerilla war, a war of intelligence and 
mis-direction - but who is out there in the field as opposed to sitting 
in the trenches? So far as we can tell, only Snape! I said at the start 
that JKR was restrained. That's an understatement - she's positively 
parsimonious on the intelligence side. Need some recruits.

Psst! Want a job with lots  of excitement? Make new friends, meet new 
challenges? Just sign here and......Obliviate! Too late to change your 
mind now.

Kneasy