[HPforGrownups] Prophecy, Potters, Longbottoms, and the Fidelius Charm

[elfundeb]

No: HPFGUIDX 127912

Julie:
> Questions I have:
> 2. If Neville also was considered as "the one" prior to that night at
> GH, were the Longbottoms protected by the Fidelius Charm as well as
> the Potters?
>    a.  If not, why not?
>    b.  If so, who was their Secret Keeper and why were they betrayed?

I've come to the conclusion that the Longbottoms may not have had a
Secret Keeper.  According to Fudge in POA, Dumbledore became aware
that Voldemort was after the Potters.  Dumbledore also tells Harry in
OOP ch. 37 that Voldemort chose to go after Harry.  Thus, it's
possible that the reason the Secret Keeper was put in place was solely
because of that knowledge.

It would have been a prudent precaution to send the Longbottoms into
hiding as well, especially if it was only then that Dumbledore made
the discovery that Voldemort knew about the prophecy.  (I don't get
the sense that they knew at the time that the Hogs Head eavesdropper
was a Voldy spy.)   Furthermore, it is a hardship to go into hiding,
and as the Longbottoms were Aurors their failure to show up at work
might have made Voldemort's ministry spies sit up and take notice (and
perhaps suspect leaks in their own security).  Dropping out of sight
is always easier for the idle [outwardly, anyway] rich . . . .

If the Longbottoms did go into hiding, though, there are many possible
candidates for Secret Keeper among Order members.  Presumably, if
there was a secret keeper, after Voldemort fell, when everyone felt
safe, the charm would have been removed.  Thus, their attack did not
result from another double-crossing Secret Keeper.

This last is total speculation, but I think the Longbottoms were
attacked because Ludo Bagman found out that Crouch had sent Frank to
find out where Vapormort was hiding, and it was one of those bits of
information he passed on to Rookwood, who informed the loyal
Lestranges, who recruited Barty Jr. (because the Crouches undoubtedly
socialized with the Longbottoms, as Frank was a popular and
up-and-coming Auror) to gain access to chez Longbottom.  The basis for
this last is that Barty Jr claimed to be innocent, which is plausible
if he didn't know why they were visiting the Longbottoms and if he
left the torturing to Bellatrix.  We also know that the Lestranges
don't know about the prophecy, which makes this plausible.

I'm still convinced, however, that there's a secret about Frank which
is connected with the attack.  Perhaps he had been playing the double
agent game, too, but revealed himself on the night of the torture.

Debbie
who doesn't think there's a secret about Alice because of the way
Dumbledore explained the attack to Harry in GoF