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

[PJ]

No: HPFGUIDX 150018

Carol:
>
> Straightforward reading (IMO): Snape approaches James alone or with
> Lily and tells him that he knows from Dumbledore that one of the
> Potters' friends is a traitor who has been leaking secrets to
> Voldemort. Mentioning DD's Secret Keeper suggestion would enhance 
his
> credibility: He could not know that unless DD himself had told him.
> But James, who has already rejected Dumbledore as Secret Keeper in
> favor of Sirius, "arrogantly" rejects Snape's advice. 

PJ:
Anyone who doesn't validate Snape is considered "arrogant", 
especially if their last name happens to be Potter, but yes, I do 
think that may have happened simply because both Lupin and Sirius 
thought the other was the traitor in PoA.  So, either James heard it 
from Snape and mentioned the warning to his friends or the 
spy/traitor was common knowledge in the order at that time.  

As for whether James suspected Snape was a DE, I think he had a 
pretty good idea considering the direction he was going while in 
school and his choice of friends.

Carol:
>But Black, thinking that he's being tricky and clever,
> suggests Pettigrew instead as the least obvious choice, and the
> Potters go along with him, not because of Snape's suggestion but
> because he's James's best friend who has his best interests at 
>heart.

Ok, and this is where it gets a bit skewed for me.  Your best friend 
is going into hiding with his family because someone is seriously 
out to kill them.  You know there's been a spy/traitor in the order 
for about a year (per the shrieking shack) but are not sure 
who it is.  The million dollar question is, do you honestly take a 
chance on someone who may or may not be loyal, possibly giving the 
spy/traitor the ability to kill your friend OR do you say "Well, I 
know *I'm* loyal so I'd best not trust James and Lily's safety to 
anyone else" ?   

WHY would Sirius have suggested someone else as SK? It wasn't to 
save himself since he knew he'd be the first one hunted and tortured 
for the SK information but he also knew the Potter's secret was safe 
with him... As he said, he'd have died before revealing their 
whereabouts. 

I know it's canon that it was Sirius's idea but it makes absolutely 
no sense for the character we've been given to have suggested 
someone else for the job!  It doesn't add up.

Carol:
> 
> All of this information is based on the word of
> the characters involved (Snape, Black, and DD) but there's no 
reason
> (other than an assumption of ESE!Snape) to think that they're 
lying.

PJ:

I know, but see my arguement above.  You have to admit the whole 
thing plays out a bit like an episode of the Twilight Zone. :-)

 
Carol: 
> Whether Snape's advice backfired or not, I can't see "the 
assumption
> that the SK was DE common knowledge" being the reason offered for 
the
> SK change. 

PJ:
I'm not sure I understand what you're saying here. If you all know 
there's a spy among you and there's a war on, it would be logical to 
assume this person is working for Voldemort.  Why else would he/she 
be there spying?  If Sirius and James chose Peter as SK then they 
obviously had no idea he was the spy...

PJ