Dumbledore's 'evidence' - Knowledge of the Plan

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 158322

---  "abergoat" <adescour at ...> wrote:
> AberGoat:
>
> ...
> 
> As for Dumbledore's evidence - that's the kicker. He 
> is the Wizarding World's equivalent of the United 
> States Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. And that 
> hasn't played a role, and it does make Dumbledore
> mis-using the word highly unlikely.
> 
> The only other alternative that I could think of that 
> didn't involve polyjuice was James or Lily telling him 
> that they had successfully cast Fidelius using Sirius 
> as the Secret Keeper (this would be acceptable hearsay
> evidence because they are dead and therefore cannot be 
> called in to confirm the hearsay).
> 

bboyminn:

I think you are confusing 'evidence' with 'proof'. 
Dumbledore gave testimony at what was likely a hearing, 
and he told the members of that hearing what he knew. To 
the best of his knowledge and based on conversations with
the Potters, they planned was to use Sirius, their most 
trusted friend and a fierce, determined, and powerful 
wizard, as their Secret Keeper, sure that if captured
Sirius would never break. 

That was the latest and truest information made available
to Dumbledore by the Potters. That testimony was entered
as evidence, from that point on, it was up to law 
enforcement or who ever conducted the hearing to 
determine if that testimony constituded evidence of 
anything. 

So, I think Dumbledore's testimony was regarding, not
what the Potters did, but what they intended to do, what
they said they were going to do. That would certainly be
considered evidence in any court of law.

As an example, if you overheard someone say with all
sincerity that they were going to kill 'Mr. X' and the
next day Mr.X was murdered. The police and the 
procecuting attorney would certainly have you give that
evidence at trial. 

In Dumbledore's case, his knowledge actually went 
farther than an overheard comment. It seems that he 
discussed the matter in detail with the Potters and 
helped them reach their original plan. That knowledge 
would certainly carry weight in court.

In that context, Dumbledore's statement is correct, he
did give evidence at the hearing to determine Sirius's 
fate. I personally find no contradiction or confusion or
inconsistency in that statement. 


> AberGoat:
>
> But that requires the Potters successfully lie to a man
> we've never seen accept a lie without suspicion. ...
> 

bboyminn:

Well, if you accept my theory, the Potter were not lying, 
they were telling Dumbledore exactly what the intended
to do. It was at the last minute, and after the fact, 
that Sirius came up with the brilliant idea to switch 
Secret Keepers and use himself as a decoy.

Just a thought.

Steve/bboyminn