Dumbledore's Spies

[jakedjensen]

No: HPFGUIDX 81647

Narie wrote:
 > 
> The only problem with this theory is that then the spy would have 
> known who the secret keeper was, as the secret can only be revealed 
> by that specific person. If that was the case, you would have hoped 
> *someone* would have informed Dumbledore or the Ministry of the 
fact 
> that Pettigrew was the Potter's secret keeper, and not Black.
> 
> Also, a question that has been nagging me - would the Fidelius 
charm 
> still work once the Potters had died, or does their death mean the 
> end of the charm? 
> 
> I can't really think of any other way Hagrid and Sirius would have 
> been able to find them if the secret was still, well, secret. For 
> that matter, if the secret was still secret, and from my 
> understanding of the spell (which is rather sketchy, granted), how 
> did anyone manage to find the bodies of Lily and James to confirm 
> their deaths?
> 
> 
> Cheers,
> narie. 

Narie,
Nice post.  I guess a central question is, when Sirius and Wormtail 
switched places, did they have to retell everyone (i.e., DD and the 
alleged spy network)the secret?  Personally, I don't think so.  
Sirius could have told DD and all the spies where the Potters were 
before switching places with Wormtail.  In fact, this seems logical, 
because DD and co all seem to know that Sirius is the secret keeper 
(which would make sense if he told them the secret).  It would also 
explain why Sirius gets worried (I've been telling all these people, 
VD may find out that I am the secret keeper and come after me) and 
passes secret keeping duties to Wormtail.  

Your question about how death impacts the charm is a good one.  I am 
not sure if cannon provides any answers to it.  I guess if DD dies 
and Grimauld Place pops back on the map we would know, but apart from 
that I don't think we can know either way.  We do have reason to 
believe that magic can last after death, however, based on Lily's 
protection of Harry. 

Jake