OoP clues? Dumbledore's Statement

[abergoat]

No: HPFGUIDX 158351


bboyminn wrote:
> One again, I feel that people are taking a generalization
> as an absolute all-defining statement, when it is not.
> 
> When Dumbledore says 'had been' is he indicating the 
> conclusion that was reached based on his testimony or is
> he reflecting what he literally said in that testimony?
> I say his statement reflects his the conclusions reached
> by all.

Abergoat writes:
I understand your position and I respect that Dumbledore could have
implied something he hadn't meant to imply. Believe me, I had a thread
about the Polyjuice theory on Mugglenet's CoS and I got an earful
about how I was being too literal. But a good lawyer/judge is literal
and is careful about a statement that makes a conclusion.  Dumbledore
stated a fact: He gave evidence that Sirius HAD BEEN the Secret
Keeper. From the prospective of law that is a very simple and
straightforward statement. Dumbledore gave evidence that Fidelius had
been cast and Sirus was used. A plan doesn't qualify. A plan doesn't
say whether the charm was cast or whether the expected secret keeper
was used. A plan involves the future and things change fast in a world
with a serial killer and henchmen running around Imperiusing anyone
they can (per Fake Moody GoF).

I only bring it up because IF (and that is a big if) JKR does place
Snape at Godric's Hollow with the secret having been given to him by a
polyjuiced Peter then the readers cannot cry foul. JKR gave the clues:
Dumbledore, a legal man at the top level, having given at statement
that he gave evidence that Sirius had been used as the Secret Keeper.
Snape, a man careful with words himself, refusing to believe Sirius
wasn't the Secret Keeper - implying he too had been given the secret.
Snape also uses the term 'evidence' in the same PoA when he says he
did not see Peter in the shack. I believe JKR was stressing the word
and its use.

The scenario you use to circumvent DD's strange statement is a
scenario that has is a legal man mis-speaking. Which is possible, but
I'm not buying it. I don't think DD or JKR makes those types of
mistakes. But each to his/her own, I'm accepting of the fact the
polyjuiced Peter idea is very unpopular.

Abergoat