Who was responsible for Sirius' death? ...

[jmwcfo]

No: HPFGUIDX 167692

> Magpie:
> Didn't he say that when Harry didn't come back from
the forest
(that
> part referring to the "several hours") that he
notified the order
> and that's when they all acted at once? .
>
> Neri:

> How does Snape's behavior during that night look
like?
At first he's totally cool with what's
> happening, and several hours later he sends the
Order to the DoM.
>

> Magpie:
He is cool with what's
> happening because Harry's at Hogwarts and Sirius is
at Grimmauld
> Place. When one of those things doesn't seem to be
true, he gets in
> touch with the Order again.

JW:

I have been reading this thread with a great deal of both interest
and skepticism.  There is all sorts of ambiguous evidence that can
support almost any conclusion.

However, I believe this debate* results from asking the wrong
questions.  Instead of asking whether Snape's response to the
situation indicates his true allegience, I believe the more basic
question is WHY DOES SNAPE HAVE TO INFORM THE ORDER AT ALL?

All debaters agree that the Order knows (probably through Snape) of
the intended theft of the prophecy.  THE ORDER HAS BEEN GUARDING THE
DOM.  One order member is in Azkaban (or recently released therefrom).
Another order member was nearly murdered by LV.  If there is a guard
posted at the DoM, then the Order need not rely on Snape's messages
that night.  Wouldn't the Order's guard think it worth reporting that
a group of DEs had arrived?  Or does that happen EVERY night?  (Oh,
DD, nothing unusual last night, sir.  Same old bunch of DEs visited
again.  We played cards and board games for a few hours, and then they
left.  Not a bad bunch of folks when they're not trying to kill
people.)

My point is that there was no guard.  In December, an order member
was nearly killed while guarding the DoM.  In June, there is no
guard.  I can find no explicit mention that the guarding of the DoM
has been halted.  What is going on here????

To me, the key question is:  WHY WAS THERE NO GUARD THAT NIGHT?

(Hi, DD. BTW, Snape sent a message indicating that HP - you know, the
boy who saved Arthur's life - told him Sirius might be kidnapped,
tortured and brought to the DoM, so we decided there was no reason to
send a guard to protect the prophecy tonight.)


*BTW, one way to end the debate is for everybody to realize that Snape
is Only Out For Himself. He aspires to replace LV. (Perhaps that
ambition is sufficient for DD's trust in him - DD trusts that he will
do NOTHING that strengthens LV.)  All of Snape's actions seem to
support Harry (within the competency of Snape's abilities - hence the
failure to TEACH occlumency).  Snape needs the Chosen One to help
defeat LV.  Snape also needs to weaken the Order in order for him to
become ruler of the WW. Hence, his best course is to weaken both sides
while assuring that they continue to both fight each other and rely on
him. I believe that the climactic scenes of both OotP and HBP can be
interpreted to support this conjecture.

JW