I didn't join in the original discussion because, whoa. What a loaded question!!
But my favorite theory is that Peter became a traitor too close to the time of the Potters' death. Which leaves open the possibility that someone else was the actual spy, and that person could still be around. (I know a lot of fandom would like to say it's Snape, but my money is on someone we haven't met yet....)
Someone being the spy and Peter being the person who turns over the Potters makes a lot of sense. What we know of Peter, and IMHO all Rowling is ever going to *let* us know, is that he hides behind those who will protect him. We know he is extremely "infatuated" with the other Marauders - the boy's got a bad case of hero worship. I think his betrayal would have to take place over a very short period of time. He becomes the Secret Keeper because the spy has been spinning a web of mistrust in the Order (maybe it's someone with Dumbledore's ear who points very often to all of Remus' and Sirius' issues, or maybe the spy isn't doing it at all, and Sirius is the one to suggest Peter). The spy lets Voldemort know that Peter is Secret Keeper, or the spy has the presence of mind to act on this information independently. Peter goes to Voldemort, either willingly or by coercion (we can safely rule out Imperious, I think), and spills what he knows.
Then again, that's all rather complicated. It makes more sense that Peter premeditated a lot of what happened - he got himself in good enough to become Secret Keeper and then went to Voldemort. I think he was probably approached about this, by Lucius or Bellatrix or someone else with considerable power who would scare the shit out of him. From that point on he went willingly and committedly, and as I theorized in "Traitor Most Accursed", his sole purpose as a Death Eater was to turn over the Potters.
As to Dumbledore, I think it likely that Peter could have been a skilled Occlumens, and/or there was another person who was the *actual* spy.
Dumbledore falls victim to what I think of as the Yoda Problem - smart and talented as anyone, undeniably great, but blind as well, unable to see the evil right in front of him.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2004-07-18 05:46 pm (UTC)But my favorite theory is that Peter became a traitor too close to the time of the Potters' death. Which leaves open the possibility that someone else was the actual spy, and that person could still be around. (I know a lot of fandom would like to say it's Snape, but my money is on someone we haven't met yet....)
Someone being the spy and Peter being the person who turns over the Potters makes a lot of sense. What we know of Peter, and IMHO all Rowling is ever going to *let* us know, is that he hides behind those who will protect him. We know he is extremely "infatuated" with the other Marauders - the boy's got a bad case of hero worship. I think his betrayal would have to take place over a very short period of time. He becomes the Secret Keeper because the spy has been spinning a web of mistrust in the Order (maybe it's someone with Dumbledore's ear who points very often to all of Remus' and Sirius' issues, or maybe the spy isn't doing it at all, and Sirius is the one to suggest Peter). The spy lets Voldemort know that Peter is Secret Keeper, or the spy has the presence of mind to act on this information independently. Peter goes to Voldemort, either willingly or by coercion (we can safely rule out Imperious, I think), and spills what he knows.
Then again, that's all rather complicated. It makes more sense that Peter premeditated a lot of what happened - he got himself in good enough to become Secret Keeper and then went to Voldemort. I think he was probably approached about this, by Lucius or Bellatrix or someone else with considerable power who would scare the shit out of him. From that point on he went willingly and committedly, and as I theorized in "Traitor Most Accursed", his sole purpose as a Death Eater was to turn over the Potters.
As to Dumbledore, I think it likely that Peter could have been a skilled Occlumens, and/or there was another person who was the *actual* spy.
Dumbledore falls victim to what I think of as the Yoda Problem - smart and talented as anyone, undeniably great, but blind as well, unable to see the evil right in front of him.