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
More information about the HPforGrownups
archive