OOP: Snape and the Eavesdropper

[J]

No: HPFGUIDX 65923

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "emmamariebee" <
emmamarieb at h...> wrote:
> Spoiler Space
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> Okay, here's my theory about the eavesdropper at HH:  
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> I think it was Snape. I think he's the one who carried the prophecy 
> to V. Then, when he realized what V. was going to do with it, he 
> renounced his DE status. (Remember, Snape recanted *before* LV was 
> destroyed the first time.) Why did he change his mind? Because 1) 
> Even though he hated James, he remembered the way Lily had stuck up 
> for him at Hogwarts in a way that no one else had. Down deep, he 
> knew she didn't deserve the pain of having her baby murdered. 2) He 
> (like the centaurs) doesn't believe in killing the foals (though he 
> doesn't have much trouble giving the foals serious detention on 
> occasion).  
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> I think that Snape when to Dumbledore, who warned James & Lily, who 
> then went into hiding.  This is what makes Dumbledore trust Snape: 
> He has first hand evidence that Snape, at great risk to his own 
> life, did his best to thwart a V. plot.  
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> I think the circle will be complete when, in a future book, Harry 
> learns (through his dreams?) that Snape is in danger from DE's or V 
> and relay the message to him.  
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> The only thing that makes me think the eavesdropper might not have 
> been Snape is that the eavesdropper was caught: And even seventeen 
> or eighteen years ago, I think Snape would have been pretty slick in 
> any of his undertakings . . . 
> 
> Em, grieving, still grieving over Sirius's leaving . . .



I have been working with this theory as well.  I agree that Snape was the 
eavesdropper and was caught.  

I think that Dumbledore, then would not just let this person go and do 
whatever.  I think DD then approached him and offered Snape the choice of 
becoming a spy.  I think DD apealed to Snape's desire for respect to change 
his choice from serving Voldemort (which I think was borne from the want of 
power and knowledge to gain respect and authority).  I think then that 
Dumbledore taught Snape to be proficient in Occlumency and DD's prowess 
at Legilimency would have allowed him to know to trust Snape and know 
Snape's true colors.  

I think DD knew that the portion of the prophecy that Snape knew was not 
THAT critical to being kept secret because there would be steps to take to 
protect those implied and that would only be necessary after it was 
interpretted correctly.  

Either way, a year and a half elapsed between the time of the prophecy and 
the time that the Potters had to go under Fideilus.  Snape would have able to 
work on Occlumency and as he became proficient, work as a sly for 
Dumbledore.  The Potters probably only had to do Fidelius after being 
warned by the spy that V had identified Harry as possibly being in the 
prophecy and a target.  I believe that Snape is the one who warned DD and 
the order that V was going to move on the prophecy and attempt a pre-
emptive strike (whether he had also planned to target the Longbottoms as 
well, I do not know).  Either way, the reason why, if he had planned to attack 
both boys, he went for the Potters, would be because of the ease he had with 
Wormtail being the Secret Keeper who squealed. 

I also believe that the Longbottoms had also gone into hiding at the same 
time for their own protection but had come out after Halloween's defeat of V.  

I think several of V's inner circle knew of the prophecy and V's plans to go 
after the prophesized one(s) and this is why, months after that Halloween,  
the Lestranges and Crouch Jr set out after the Longbottoms to torture them 
for information or vengance or whatever (they were accused of torturing for 
info as to the Dark Lord's whereabouts-- but this may have been just 
conjecture).  

I also think evidence of inner circle DE's knowing the prophecy (of course 
only the part heard by the eavesdropper to be passed along, I mean) is the 
fact that Draco Malfoy tried to offer his hand of friendship to Harry at the 
begining of his first year.  Lucius would have known that Harry would be a 
good ally-- whether Malfoy wanted to be allies to keep his enemies close or 
becasue he wanted to be allies with The One with The Power to 
Vanquish...who knows.

This is my theory in progress, for what it is worth.

Arya