Fidelius Charm / Polyjuiced

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 162038

---  "Inge" <Elvishooked at ...> wrote:
>
> Reading book 2 again, I got to wonder about something.
> 
> Grimmauld Place 12 as well as Lily/James' hideout at 
> Godrics Hollow couldn't be seen or found by anyone who
> wasn't told the location by the Secret Keeper, as we 
> all know.
> 

bboyminn:

Well, I get your point as a preface to your comment below,
but we really don't know that. Some speculate that it was
the Potter's location that was a secret. In which case,
you are right. But others speculate that it was the 
Potter's themselves that were the secret. In which case
the Potter's house could be found, but the Potters 
themselves could never be found in it. We don't actually
know for sure how it worked.

> Inge:
> Now, an example.
> Say Harry tells someone - Justin; just to give a name
> - where to find Grimmauld Place. That wouldn't work for
> Justin, since Harry is not the Secret Keeper of  
> Grimmauld Place.
>

bboyminn:

Just basing this on my interpretation of what we know
about the Secret Keeper Charm, no one but the Secret 
Keeper is able to speak the name of the place. Even if
you can think it, the words get lost on their way to you
mouth. Snape says as much in the 'Spinners End' chapter
of the latest book. He says he is unable to speak the 
name.

So, if that is true, then it is impossible for Harry to 
speak the name of Grimmauld Place to anyone who is not
already in on the secret. By extension, he can't speak
the name to Justin.

> Inge:
> Now - what if Justin polyjuices himself into Harry and
> *then* tries to locate Grimmauld Place - would that 
> work? For Justin to locate the place?
> 
> Just wondered.....
> 
> Inge

bboyminn:

I don't think the magic can be fooled that easily. It 
doesn't matter what anyone looks like when they approach
the house, what matters is who they and what they already
know. Harry already knows the secret, so regardless of
disguise or Polyjuice potion, he knows what he knows. 
Justin, in your example, regardless of what he looks like
still doesn't know the secret, and what he knows carries
more weight than how he looks.

Note that the Map isn't fooled by Polyjuice. It shows who
the person is regardless of how they look. That, the Map,
seems like mild magic compared to the Secret Keeper Charm,
so I can't see the Secret Keeper Charm being fooled.

This brings up something I speculated on before, and just
recently. Using your example, could Harry not tell Justin
about #12 Grimmauld Place, but tell him about Grimmauld 
Square, the small park-like area just outside of Grimmauld
Place. Further could Harry tell Justin to meet him there,
and then escort Justin inside #12 Grimmauld Place?

Some didn't think that was possible, but I can't see any
reason why not. Even if Justin did realize where the 
Black House was, he couldn't tell anyone and he couldn't
find it again by himself. Though, could he, as Harry did,
tell people about Grimmauld Square? I really don't know.

Steve/bboyminn