The Order will be moving Headquarters

[Jim Ferer]

No: HPFGUIDX 97775

Sherrie: "Not only would a Sirius still legally "alive" moot the
question of inheritance of #12, leaving the Order free to maintain it
as their Super Secret HQ, but the continued search for him ("Sirius
Black Spotted in Tajikistan! Details at eleven!") would serve as a
distraction for Fudge – giving Dumbly a freer hand to run the war as
he sees fit. And with the Auror in charge of the search a member of
the Order, should be a fairly easy thing to keep up the deception for
a year or so..."

It seems to me that one of JKR's few weaknesses must be an abysmal
ignorance of "tradecraft," or the art of espionage and clandestine
operations.  She really needs to read some John Le Carre or /The
Cardinal of the Kremlin/ or something.

In that world, Grimmauld Place is completely "blown," and of no use
whatsoever as a safe house.  Kreacher can't betray its location
because of Fidelius, but consider:  here comes the house elf bound to
Grimmauld Place ratting out Sirius, the same Sirius that later becomes
the object of Voldemort's plot to lure Harry out of Hogwarts and the
same Sirius that showed up at the MoM /with/ the rest of the Order.  

Does Fidelius prevent Voldemort, Narcissa, or Bellatrix from adding
two and two? It's not an ultimate stupidity charm, is it? Of course,
it's an open question if the DE's know of the existence of the "Order
of the Phoenix," but I have a hard time thinking that someone in the
DE's wouldn't say "I think we'd better check out the house Kreacher
comes from.  We'll destroy it and kill everyone inside just to be safe."

The need for secrecy for the Order is mostly over now, anyway. Fudge's
obstruction doesn't matter anymore and everyone now knows who the
enemy really is.  The Order's headquarters can be Hogwarts now without
much need for deception. They should be at Hogwarts now, for their
single most important mission now is the protection of Harry Potter.
The identities of the members should be kept as quiet as possible to
protect them and their families, although some will be inevitably
outed and must go underground.

Jim Ferer