Fidelius revisited (was Fidelity - a Condition)

[Cyril A Fernandes]

No: HPFGUIDX 161998

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "jamie.sommers" 

Cyril here.

> 
> Now Jamie Sommers:
> DD and Hagrid and company all knew that the Potters were *going* to
> hide out at Godric's Hollow, but that as soon as the Fidelius Charm
> was in place they all magically forgot the details.  Maybe they would
> all have some vague knowledge that they *used* to know that
> information and that a Fidelius Charm was planned, so they then *knew*
> the Charm was successful when they couldn't remember the details
anymore.
> 
> Then when the Charm was broken (by whatever means), they all suddenly
> remembered where the Potters were hiding - and therefore KNEW that
> something had gone terribly wrong.  This would explain how they all
> knew how to find Harry and how they knew somewhat immediately that
> Harry needed to be found.
> 
> Thoughts?
> Jamie Sommers
>

Cyril here:

This post is not a direct response to Jamie's one above - but as it is
related, I thought it maybe better to keep some of the content here,
for continuity.

There have been many posts on the Fidelity aspect of the Fidelius
Charm - and in most cases, the posts refer to the *forgetting* of the
item that was Fideliused (for lack of another term). As this was the
last post in that thread, (that I could find) it seemed appropriate to
respond to it.

My understanding of the way Fidelius works is that it does not allow
you to find something, because it becomes unplottable - but that does
not imply in any was that it makes you forget anything.

When the Potters were Fideliused, LV did not forget about them. Only,
as they were concealed, he could not find them.

By the same extension of thought - as #12 GP is under the Fidelius, it
does not mean that Bella has magically forgotten about it - just that
she is not able to see it anymore - it is unplottable.

While this does not clearly answer why the charm over the Potters was
apparently broken - I cannot see that the action of suddenly
remembering where they were located was the process of thinking that
the charm was broken.

When the Potters were Fideliused - whoever know that they were at
Godric's Hollow did not forget that information. However, due to the
charm, they would not longer be able to find that Fideliused item
whether it be the Potters themselves, or the house they were staying
in. So DD probably did not need to tell Hagrid where to go. When the
charm broke (and the breach of Fidelity may have been the cause - but
that's not what this post is about), Hagrid was now able to locate the
Potters home easily.

Similarly, only people in the know (by the SK) can locate #12 GP.
Others who knew it, still know about it - but they cannot locate it
anymore.

Cyril, strongly feeling that the Fidelius is not a charm that makes
you forget anything.