I'd like feedback on this theory

[Janet Anderson]

No: HPFGUIDX 123508

It has been said repeatedly that during the first Voldemort incursion, it 
was very difficult to know who to trust.  That was part of the tragedy that 
killed the Potters and separated their friends from each other.  In that 
case, a well-placed spy was the culprit.

Many people have put forth the theory that there is or will be a well-placed 
and unsuspected spy in this incursion as well.  Ideas as to who it could be 
are varied.  Some of the people suspected are Snape (of course), Lupin, 
Percy (some people think he's a spy for Dumbledore et al now; some think 
he'll work for Voldemort in the future), Filch ... the list is endless.

But as far as I know, none of the theorists have mentioned the person I 
suspect:  Mundungus Fletcher.

Mundungus Fletcher first appears as a name in Chamber of Secrets:  when Mr. 
Weasley comes home after a hard night at work, he says that in the course of 
his duties Mundungus Fletcher tried to jinx him when his back was turned.

The next thing we hear about him is in Goblet of Fire: he is trying to 
defraud the Ministry.  Mr. Weasley (I think) says that after the Death Eater 
incident at the Quiddich World Cup, in which many people lost tents and 
property, Mundungus put in a voucher for a fancy replacement tent with all 
the luxuries. "But I happen to know that he'd been sleeping under a cloak 
propped up with two sticks," he says.

We see quite a lot of him in Order of the Phoenix.  Two or three things 
about him make me dislike and distrust him intensely and suspect that he is 
at best a weak link in the Order.

One:  He deserts his post guarding Harry, disobeying orders and without any 
plausible excuse.  Note that this gives the Dementors a shot at Harry.

Two:  He is, or trying to be, a corrupting influence on Fred and George.  On 
the surface, his stories may be funny, but as Molly instinctively realizes, 
those two are the most likely to absorb Mundungus's unethical ways because 
they don't take very many things seriously; cheating someone would just be a 
game to them.

Three:  He steals silver from Grimmauld Place, which means he is either 
stealing from Molly (another Order member) or from Sirius (another Order 
member *and his host*).  This, to my mind, proves that he has no honor.

He was in the first Order of the Phoenix, and may well have been loyal then. 
  But I suspect he may be willing to sell *anything.*  Stolen goods are, 
after all, his specialty -- see his excuse as to why he wasn't on duty, and 
his stories to Fred and George.  To him, it may well be, anything is for 
sale, including himself, his loyalties, and the other members of the Order.  
Or maybe he sees everyone as a mark, and loyalties are just conveniences.  
He may well be the double agent everyone thinks Snape is.  Or Voldemort may 
offer the better payment.

When I posted this theory on another list, some people said Mundungus was 
just *too* obvious and therefore probably wasn't any more than he appeared.  
Yeah, right.  "Hide in plain sight" is one of JKR's mottoes.  And "comic 
relief" is almost as good a way to hide things -- look at Scabbers -- (or, 
possibly, Ludo Bagman?).


Please discuss.


Janet Anderson