The Mysterious Source

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 174410

Reed: 
> True, Dung is not the most loved Order member, but he *is* trusted
at that point, otherwise he wouldn't have participated in the plan at
all and his suggestion about the 7 Harrys wouldn't have been taken up.
And he never *did* betray them to Voldemort, you have to give that to
him. Obviously he managed to hide from the Deatheaters after his
flight, which was really fortunate for the Order.
> 
> But another thing: How did Snape *really* know the date of the
transfer? You said from DD's portrait, I think, but the text is not
clear about that. The portrait just says that he would have to give
the correct date to Voldemort. And anyway, how should the portrait
know the date? Maybe Snape really *did* use legilimency on Dung...

Carol responds:
I don't see how Dumbledore's portrait could have known the date and
details of the Order's plan unless Snape told him, and Snape must have
had a source. "the source we discussed" (Snape to Voldemort, chapter
1) could hardly be Dumbledore's portrait. LV can't know about those
conversations, can't know that the portrait does more than repeat
catch-phrases, can't know where Snape's loyalties lie. The source has
to be an Order member, and the only Order member who seems willing to
associate with Snape at this point is Mundungus. Everyone else thinks
he's a traitor and a murderer and wants him dead. (Ironically, Lupin,
whose life he saves, is ready to kill him on sight.

Why would Mundungus still be willing to associate with Snape? Is it
because he's a smelly, lowlife sneak thief? (Note the views of him
expressed in HBP by Snape, Phineas Nigellus, and Kreacher, which turn
out to be true.) The man may be loyal to Dumbledore, but he has
neither principles nor courage. Or is it because, unlike the other
Order members, he has no particular attachment to Harry and has not
heard Harry's version of the events on the tower? Maybe he, unlike
them, figures without thinking much about it that Snape is under deep,
deep cover and it's okay to talk to him. After all, the Daily Prophet
is saying that Harry Potter killed Dumbledore. Maybe Snape has used
the Imperius Curse on him to make him talk (if Harry can use it with
impunity for a good cause, why not Snape?) The Confundus Charm would
still be necessary to make Mundungus think that the poly-juiced
Potters were his own idea. I don't think it would take much to get
Mundungus to talk, and Legilimency would help. If all else failed,
once Snape sat down with him, he could easily slip a few drops of
Veritaserum into Mundungus's pumpkin juice. Erm, firewhiskey or
whatever swill he was drinking.

At any rate, I think Mundungus is the only plausible source, the only
one who's been hinted at in canon and the only one that Voldemort
would accept. Voldemort uses Legilimency on Snape, not realizing that
Snape is concealing the one key memory, and is satisfied with what he
sees. At a guess, what he sees (and hears?) is Snape extracting the
plans from Mundungus. It would not do for LV to see Snape talking to
Portrait!Dumbledore. It must be someone who would be likely, in LV's
view, to betray the Order.

Carol, trusting that the cunning and talented Snape could find a way
to get Mundungus to talk without getting Mundungus into trouble with
the Order for associating with a "traitor"