Question #3

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 183393

MusicalBetsy here:
> But the Fidelius charm wasn't really broken, was it? After all, it
> was the Secret Keeper who willingly gave the info to LV, just like
> DD telling everyone the address of 12 Grimmauld Place. It was only
> after James and Lily's deaths that the Fidelius charm was broken - I
> think....(this Fidelius charm has always been confusing to me).

> CJ:
> I think I agree with others here that the Fidelius wasn't actually 
> broken. By betraying their location, Wormtail made it possible for
> LV to pass *through* the Fidelius.
> 
> Can a Fidelius actually be broken? <snip>

Jen: I took that wording from LV's memory of the night in DH: "And 
along a new and darker street he moved, and now his destination in 
sight at last, the Fidelius Charm broken, though they did not know it 
yet..." (DH, US edition, "Bathilda's Secret", p. 343)  I don't know 
if that squares with the other infomation on the Fidelius in the 
books or JKR's interview comments.  It sounds clear that the Fidelius 
wasn't active the night they died though.  That makes sense to me 
because Peter telling the location was 'broken faith' so to speak.


> Jen:
> I don't think DD wanted it widely known since he was intent on
> getting Harry out of the WW & to safety.
> 
> CJ:
> It's a conundrum. Seemingly the best possible way to protect Harry
> was to let the world think he was dead -- and who'd know any
> different? Yet the only people who knew he survived were DD and
> Hagrid but by then everyone knew), so they had to be the source of
> the rumors.

Jen: Sirius was there as well, not that I think he was the one 
telling everyone.  Remind me why it's a commonly held belief that no 
one else was around that night?  It would only take a couple of other 
magical people for the owls to start flying.  The only mention I can 
think of is Hagrid saying he took Harry away before Muggles saw him.  
And with the new information in DH about Godric's Hollow, Hagrid's 
comment can be read several ways since magical people lived there as 
well.

CJ:
> And further, why allow Harry to re-enter the WW with his true name?
> Why not give him an alias and and a Muggle-born backstory? By the
> time he was ready to enter Hogwarts only DD would have known who he 
> truly was.

Jen: Because Dumbledore has his *plan* of course!  His beloved plan 
that none will put asunder.  In my less cynical moments, I can see DD 
wanted Harry to have a choice when he re-entered the magical world so 
he didn't go to great lengths to hide Harry indefinitely.  
Dumbledore's plan is the reason I don't think DD was the one to 
spread rumors.  The less known the better if he had any chance of 
keeping Harry alive.