Sirius Secret Keeper? (was: Re: Dumbledore's Spies)

[KathyK]

No: HPFGUIDX 81671

Jake:

>Hmmm..interesting, I guess I had never thought of it like that.  In 
the canon (p.365, PoA) Sirius says,

"I persuaded Lily and James to change to Peter at the last moment, 
persuaded them to use him as  Secret-Keeper instead of me."
 
What does Sirius mean by change?  Furthermore, what does he mean by 
last moment.  I think it is implied that James and Lily are in 
hiding (which means they are already using the charm) and Sirius 
convinces them shortly before they are attacked by LV to "change" to 
Peter.  But I see your interp as well.  Interesting, interesting, 
interesting.

Further evidence in support of my particular interp is provided 
later on in that paragraphy.  Sirius describes how he went looking 
for Peter, sensed trouble, and then "set out for (James and Lily 
Potters) house straight away."  It would make sense if he had been 
the secret keeper.  But then again, Peter could have told him where 
they were too (as the secret keeper).  Hmmmm...<
 



I believe that Pettigrew was the first and only Secret Keeper the 
Potters had.  Partly because of the quote Jake mentioned above on  
p. 365 of the US edition of PoA.  But also because of the way that 
Fudge, Flitwick, and McGonagall describe how Lily and James came to 
use the Fidelius Charm in Chapter Ten (The Marauder's Map).  

Firstly, Flitwick describes the Fidelius Charm as 'involving the 
magical concealment of a secret inside a single, living soul.  The 
information is hidden inside the chosen person'  Even if Sirius were 
Secret Keeper first, he wouldn't know after Peter had been made 
Secret Keeper because then really, what would be the purpose of the 
spell if Sirius knew without Pettigrew telling him?  The secret 
cannot be hidden inside both their souls at once.  Flitwick 
says, 'Chosen Person' not 'Chosen People.'  So Peter had to have 
told Sirius where the Potters were if Sirius knew.  

Also, the way in which the group describes the series of events 
leading up to the use of the Fidelius Charm makes it sound like the 
decision happened very quickly.  I don't want to quote the entire 
passsage so I will briefly summarize.

1. Fudge says one of Dumbledore's spies told the Potters Voldemort 
was after them.
2. Dumbledore advises them to go into hiding and that the best way 
to hide is to use the Fidelius Charm.  
3. Flitwick describes the "immensely complex spell." 
4. McGonagall relates James telling Dumbledore that Sirius would 
rather die than reveal their location and that Sirius was going to 
go into hiding as well.  
5. Dumbledore offers to be the Potter's Secret Keeper because he 
knew someone was leaking information to Voldemort.  
6. James insists on Sirius.
7. Flitwick: 'And then, barely a week after the Fidelius Charm had 
been performed-'

Now, obviously this story is pretty much hearsay, and they didn't 
even know the whole story.  But still, I think combined with what 
Sirius says, it makes a pretty strong case for Pettigrew being the 
only Secret Keeper.  I would hope not much time had passed between 
Dumbledore's warning and suggestion of the Charm and the actual 
performing of the charm because that would just be stupid of Harry's 
dearly deceased parents.  

The best time for Sirius to persuade the Potters to change their 
minds and where it would make the most sense would be after James 
refuses Dumbledore but before they actually go through with the 
spell.  Why would Sirius decide less than a week into being Secret 
Keeper that they would be better off using Peter?  What would have 
changed so quickly.  And if Sirius wasn't in the same place as James 
and Lily, imagine the time communicating the idea and then actually 
changing the secret keeper would consume.  Could it really have been 
done so seamlessly in less than a week?  Without anyone else knowing 
or suspecting?  

So I believe they made the change in Secret Keeper before the 
Fidelius Charm was cast for the first and only time.

And now that I'm on the subject, can any old person perform the 
Fidelius charm?  Flitwick says it's "immensely complex."  As the 
expert in Charms that he is, he is likely able to perform the 
spell.  I assume Lily with her "Nice wand for Charm work" was 
capable of performing the spell as well.  

Now does the person performing the charm have to be a party to the 
secret, meaning in the case of the Potters and Pettigrew that Lily 
was the one who did it?  In the case of Dumbledore and Grimmauld 
Place, can he perform the Fidelius Charm himself?  Is a third person 
able to do it if one of the people actually involved (the secret 
keeper or the secret) is not capable of performing the spell?  Must 
one of the people directly involved cast it?  Is a third party able 
to do it?  And in the case of one person hiding the whereabouts of 
another person, would the hidden people just disappear before the 
eyes of a third party performing the charm for them?  

If the Fidelius Charm can only be done by one of the people involved 
in the spell, does that mean that someone not so great in charm work 
cannot use the charm ever if they cannot find someone good enough to 
do it to share in the secret?  Okay with that last question I stop 
because I'm confusing myself now.  That's never a good thing.

KathyK