The Podmore Connection--Percy as DD's Spy

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 93403

We have puzzled over whether Percy was secretly working for 
Dumbledore in OOP and if so, what  secret information Percy 
might have tried to convey in his letter to Ron. (OOPch 14) I think I 
have it. It is this: "(If you are writing to Mother at any point, you 
might tell her that a certain Sturgis Podmore, who is a great 
friend of Dumbledore's, has recently been sent to Azkaban for 
tresspass at the Ministry.)"

Now, if the Ministry at large knew that Podmore was a friend of 
Dumbledore's, the Daily Prophet would have mentioned it. But 
SecretOrderMember!Percy knows.  Of course it would be 
awkward (though not fatal)  for Umbridge to realize he'd 
neglected to mention this little detail, so Percy sends his 
message secretly.  

IMO, the whole purpose of the letter was to call  Harry's attention 
to Podmore's sentencing.  Dumbledore, who has learned from 
Sirius about Harry's scar hurting, made the connection with 
Podmore's sentencing, and he wanted Harry to make it too. But 
he did't want  Harry to know that the Order had recognized the 
connection, lest that information be transmitted back to 
Voldemort. Unfortunately it went  right past Harry, and Hermione 
as well. See, she's *not* right all the time. 

When Harry talks to Sirius about it,  he says that  Voldemort must 
have been really angry at the time. He doesn't realize until 
*much* later that Voldemort was actually happy and he doesn't 
tell anybody in the Order about this change. Dumbledore 
probably still thinks that Voldemort was angry (at losing a DE), 
and thus that Podmore switched sides. He doesn't know that 
Podmore was betrayed by someone else. 

Pippin