Were Dumbledore & Snape involved in James & Lilly's death+ LV downfall?

elfundeb2 elfundeb at comcast.net
Tue Feb 3 14:21:05 UTC 2004


No: HPFGUIDX 90159

Debbie Roberson wrote:

> One point that I think is very significant is that approximately A 
> YEAR AND A HALF passed from the night of Trelawney's prophecy to 
the 
> night Voldemort attacked the Potters in Godric's Hollow.
> 
> There was enough time for Dumbledore to figure out which 
> parents/children were likely candidates and help them take 
> precautions.  Do you think, perhaps, that might be WHY the Potters 
> were in hiding in the first place?  Do you think the prophecy 
might 
> have something to do with WHY the Longbottoms were tortured and 
ended 
> up in Hospital?
> 
Ah, another Debbie.  Welcome!

I think only the Potters were in hiding, and it wasn't because of 
the prophecy.  I don't believe Dumbledore learned that Voldemort 
knew about the prophecy until much later.  Of course, I don't know 
how reliable Fudge is on such matters, but my primary canon is the 
following, from PoA, ch. 10:

"Fudge dropped his voice and proceeded in a sort of low 
rumble.  'Not many people are aware that the Potters knew You-Know-
Who was after them.  Dumbledore . . . had a number of useful spies.  
One of them tipped them off, and he alerted James and Lily at once.  
He advices them to go into hiding. . . . Dumbledore told them that 
their best chance was the Fidelius Charm."

Since the Potters were attacked only a week after the Fidelius Charm 
was performed, it appears that Dumbledore didn't realize how much 
Voldemort knew about the prophecy until the spy (Snape!  Snape!) 
informed him.  I doubt the Longbottoms were ever under similar 
protection if Dumbledore relied on his covert information.  And 
since the attack on Godric's Hollow, Dumbledore has clearly 
believed -- as he tells Harry at the end of GoF -- that Harry is the 
one and Neville accordingly wouldn't need protection.

Debbie





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