[HPforGrownups] Re: Of Sorting and Snape (also Fidelius Charm)

[Christine Maupin]

No: HPFGUIDX 175883

[snip]
Pippin:
 > They knew the DE's couldn't get in because they were keeping watch 
 > on the square instead of invading the House. 
 > They assumed that whatever
 > Moody did to stop Snape from letting the DE's in worked. Presumably
 > Snape's tongue would curl up if he tried to tell 
 > anyone the exact location of the doorstep.
 >  I have to imagine they know there are ways of keeping
 > Snape from communicating the location by some other means than
 > talking...
 [snip]
 
JudySerenity:
>Pippin, you make a valiant effort to fill this plot hole, but I can't 
>help thinking that JKR was thinking about this far less logically 
>that you are!
 
>You make a good point that the Trio can tell they are safe because 
>the Death eaters are hanging around outside, and not getting inside.  
>Still, I don't see how Snape would get out of telling the Death 
>Eaters how to get in, or why the Trio don't worry that he will get 
>around to revealing the secret at some point.
 [snip]
 
There is one fact that we shouldn't overlook:  Snape was loyal to Dumbledore (it doesn't matter whether or not we know that at the time).  Mad-Eye, by setting "up a couple of curses against Snape in case he turns up there again" (p. 90) gives Snape a means to protect Grimmauld Place.  It doesn't really matter whether or not Mad-Eye's curses truly prevent Snape from revealing the location of the Order's headquarters -- they give Snape a ready-made excuse why he can't.  He can honestly tell Voldemort that the Order had abandoned their headquarters, that he has searched it, and that curses has have been put in place to prevent him from revealing the location (the tongue-tying curse) or allowing anyone else inside (the figure of Dumbledore).  (The best lies are grounded in truth.)  Perhaps, this is our first clue in DH as to Snape's true loyalties and we overlooked it...

Harry, Ron, and Hermoine, once they get to Grimmauld Place, no longer fear that Snape can compromise them -- however, they do have reservations beforehand:

"We need a safe place to hide," said Ron.  "Give us time to think things through."
"Grimmauld Place," said Harry.
The other two gaped.
"Don't be silly, Harry, Snape can get in there!"
"Ron's dad said they've put up jinxes against him -- and even if they haven't worked," he pressed on as Hermoine began to argue, "so what?  I swear, I'd like nothing better than to meet Snape!"
"But --"
"Hermione, where else is there?  It's the best chance we've got, Snape's only one Death Eater.  If I've still got the Trace on me, we'll have whole crowds of them on use wherever we go."
(p. 168 - 169)

At the time they make the decision to go, they consider it the best among their limited options -- they are making their decision based on what they know (the Fidelius Charm *can* be compromised), what they experienced (the Death Eaters can track them somehow), and what they fear (Harry still has the Trace on him); and the fact that they need to get somewhere where they'll be as safe as possible.

Once they get to Grimmauld Place, they find no threat to them inside its protections.  However, they soon discover they are being watched.  Nevertheless, they are confident that Snape can't compromise them.  Hermione offers a logical explanation why the death eaters are there; plus, they have spoken Voldemort's name since arriving, which also can explain why the death eaters are there.

"Death Eaters, for sure," said Ron, as he, Harry, and Hermione watched from the drawing room windows.  "Reckon they know we're in here?"
"I don't think so," said Hermione, though she looked frightened, "or they'd have sent Snape in after us, wouldn't they?"
"D'you reckon he's been in here and had his tongue tied by Moody's curse?" asked Ron.
"Yes," said Hermione, "otherwise he'd have been able to tell that lot how to get in, wouldn't he?  But they're probably watching to see whether we turn up.  They know that Harry owns the house, after all."
"How do they --?" began Harry.
"Wizarding wills are examined by the Ministry, remember?  They'll know Sirius left you the place."
(p. 201 - 202)

The best the Death Eaters can hope for is to catch someone (other than Snape) going into or coming out of 12 Grimmauld Place.

Christy
 
       
---------------------------------
Take the Internet to Go: Yahoo!Go puts the Internet in your pocket: mail, news, photos & more. 

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]