Neither Harry nor his Scar is a Horcrux (Was Re: Voldemort's Age)

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 170356

> Neri:
> If there's an official mystery here at all, then it's at most "how
> does Voldemort manage to evade capture?", and Fudge gives the logical
> answer in that very sentence: "we happen to be talking about one of
> the most powerful wizards of all time". But I don't see any official
> mystery of "where is Voldemort hiding?" (in the sense of a particular
> place) and certainly not "where is Voldemort's HQ?". 

Pippin:
"No," said Snape softly. "I mean the one concerning a man kneeling
in the middle of a darkened room..." [...]
"How do that man and that room come to be inside your head,
Potter?" -OOP ch 26

The room in question is the one Harry dreamed of earlier in the 
chapter: "a dark curtained room lit by a branch of candles" 
with "a dark velvet chair" "a door" and "a cracked, age-spotted 
mirror." Clearly Snape recognized it, so it has been used more 
than once. 

Also, from the story-telling point of view, JKR needs to make
it plausible that Harry has to go after Voldemort alone, not
with an army of aurors for backup. 

Neri:
> Note that in order to fit the theory we need a secret that has existed
> since before GH (or it wouldn't be hidden in the soul bit inside
> Harry). If it's a secret HQ, why wouldn't Vapor!mort run there after
> GH to meet with his DEs? Why run all the way to Albania when the
> safest hideout is nearby? 

Pippin:
While aurors wouldn't be able to find him at his old hideout, 
traitorous DE's would, so in his weakened form he couldn't risk it. 
Only DE's who wanted him to return to power and believed in him
enough to think it was possible would risk exposing themselves 
by seeking him out. 

> Neri:
> Dumbledore says that Voldemort would want to question the Horcrux
> finder, but the rationale he gives is that Voldemort would want to
> know how the finder has discovered his secrets. This seems redundant
> since with horcruxes protected by Fidelius Voldemort wouldn't have to
> worry about anybody discovering his secret in the first place.

Pippin:
Secret keeper doesn't stop you from knowing something is hidden.
Bella knows that the Order has an HQ. But Snape can't say the name of
the place, or, I suppose, tell her whether any guess of hers is correct.


> Neri:
> If by the identity of the real spy you mean ESE!Lupin, I think your
> theory has a slight consistency problem: before GH Sirius was
> suspecting that Lupin was the spy. If I understand how the charm
> works, once the identity of the spy is Fidelius-protected nobody would
> be able to even suspect Lupin.

Pippin:
I don't think that's how it works. Flitwick's example is that even if
Voldemort had his nose against their drawing room window, he
wouldn't be able to see the Potters. He wouldn't have his nose
against their window in the first place  if he didn't suspect they 
were there. I don't think SK stops you from guessing, it just
keeps you from knowing that your guess is correct and keeps
anyone who does know the secret from telling you your guess
is correct.

My guess is that Snape *knew* that Lupin was the spy, but
he was unable to tell Dumbledore this, and all of the proofs were
likewise protected by Secret Keeper. That was why he was so strongly
against Lupin from the beginning of his tenure, IMO.  It
explains Snape's glee when he thinks he has independent proof 
of Lupin's perfidy. It also explains why he accused Lupin of
everything *but* spying for Voldemort, while Sirius, who was
not in on the secret, could say that he thought Lupin was the 
spy, but obviously couldn't establish it for a fact.

Pippin