Confusuion-spies/lies

[Phyllis]

No: HPFGUIDX 58831

Peggy asked:

> If no one knows who was a DE, why do some know each other as DEs? 
> How does Karakoff know about Snape?

and bboy_mn (Steve) responded:

> I think some Death Eaters know who some Death Eaters were, but no
> Death Eater know who all Death Eaters are.

Now me:

Exactly – as Karkaroff says during his trial in the Pensieve, "we 
ever knew the names of every one of our fellows – he [Voldemort] 
alone knew exactly who we all were" (GoF, Ch. 30).

Peggy again:

> Is it really a secret that Snape was a spy for Dumbledore?

bboy_mn (Steve) again:

> I believe it is a limited secret.

Me again:

This is a point of confusion for me – Dumbledore makes the 
announcement that Snape was a DE but turned spy for the good guys in 
front of "at least" 200 witches and wizards at Karkaroff's trial, but 
despite this public pronouncement in front of such a large group of 
witches and wizards, this fact doesn't seem to be generally known (as 
Sirius tells HRH in the cave outside Hogsmeade: "But as far as I 
know, Snape was never even accused of being a Death Eater...There's 
still the fact that Dumbledore trusts Snape, and I know Dumbledore 
trusts where a lot of other people wouldn't, but I just can't see him 
letting Snape teach at Hogwarts if he'd ever worked for Voldemort" 
(GoF, Ch. 27).  The only way I can make this make sense is if the 200 
witches and wizards at the trial are sworn to secrecy.  But even that 
theory falls down when we see Rita Skeeter at Bagman's trial with her 
Quick-Quotes Quill in action.  Perhaps some trials are secret and 
others aren't?  I just don't know.

Peggy again:

> Lockheart??? We know he is still at St. Mungo's--but could he be
> the person possible that quoted for Rita's article? 

bboy_mn (Steve) again:

> I say forget Lockheart, I don't think he will ever play more than a
> minor role in future books. I think he will appear, but he will just
> be Lockheart, not an anamagus, not a secret spy, not a DE, nothing 
> but a blowhard.

Me again:

JKR has as much as said that we won't see Lockhart again:

Q: "Which character do you most enjoy writing for?" 

JKR: "Good question... Gilderoy Lockhart was loads of fun, but he was 
a bit of a one-joke character, and I think I did as much as I could 
with him."

And the link:

http://www.comicrelief.com/harrysbooks/pages/transcript3.shtml

bboy_mn (Steve) again:

> Interesting point implied here; we know what FAKE!Moody thought of
> Snape, but we really have no idea how the real Moody views him.

Now me:

Oh, but I think we do have an idea of how the real Moody views Snape –
when Harry witnesses Karkaroff's trial in the Pensieve, and 
Dumbledore gets to his feet to say that Snape was a spy for the good 
guys and "is now no more a Death Eater than I am," the next two lines 
read: "Harry turned to look at Mad-Eye Moody.  He was wearing a look 
of deep skepticism behind Dumbledore's back" (GoF, Ch. 30).

~Phyllis
who shares Mad-Eye's skepticism about Snape