But DID James listen? (was LID!Snape rides again )

[Ceridwen]

No: HPFGUIDX 149973

PJ:
> Each time this SK thing is brought up I hear people say "and Snape 
is upset 
> and frustrated because James wouldn't listen" BUT, this doesn't 
ring true 
> for the simple reason that the secret keeper *was* changed from 
Sirius to 
> Peter!

Ceridwen:
I've thought the same thing.  I brought it up to a friend (I don't 
think it was on-list, though) and she disagreed with me.  She thought 
that James and Sirius came to the idea independently, perhaps even in 
spite of, what Snape had to say.  It's certain that Snape got the 
impression that James was ignoring his warning.  He thought Sirius 
was the SK at least through PoA.

PJ:
> What if James didn't ignore Snape's warning at all?  What if the 
*real* 
> reason behind the SK change was Snape?  After all, Snape had inside 
info 
> from Voldemort's side and Dumbledore "trusted Snape completely"...  
It would 
> only make sense to listen, wouldn't it?

Ceridwen:
You'd think so.  As I said, I agree that the change did take place, 
and probably after Snape's warning.  I'm not as much of a maven of 
the books as some others.  I don't know if Snape represented himself 
as coming from Dumbledore, or if he just snarkily cast aspersions on 
Sirius's character.  I can see it happening both ways, but have no 
canon at hand to choose one over the other.

But, how about this for a scenario:  James rejects Snape's warning 
initially, but he and Sirius decide that, since Snape, probably known 
as LV's man at that time, knew that they would use Sirius as SK, they 
decided on the strength of that possibly being common DE knowledge, 
to change the SK?  If Snape thinks Sirius will be, then so does LV.  
James would want to protect his friend from possible torture and 
murder, and here's Snape effectively saying that Sirius is the first 
suspect for SK in LV's eyes.  So, initial rejection, then 
reconsidering and having Snape's warning as at least one reason to 
change SKs.

PJ:
> I know... We're also told by Sirius that the reason behind the 
change was to 
> throw Voldemort off the scent but perhaps that's the story given to 
him by 
> James in order not to hurt his feelings in case Snape was wrong? 

Ceridwen:
Throwing LV off the scent could have been the overriding reason.  I 
thought Sirius was involved in the decision, so he would know what 
was discussed.  If James had another motive he didn't mention, then 
Sirius wouldn't know it.  James could have used Snape's warning as 
just another reason to support changing SKs.  People often have more 
than one reason to do things.

PJ:
> I wonder at what point this starts to dawn on Snape...

Ceridwen:
Interesting, if it does.  That would have to be after he learned that 
PP was SK instead of Sirius, so at the end of PoA or after.  I wonder 
if he is ever supposed to wonder about that.  Since it appears that 
Sirius's version is supposed to be the factual one (my opinion), I'm 
not even sure if we're supposed to wonder!

Ceridwen.