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severus snape - Why did Harry, Ron, and Hermione think it safe to hide in Grimmauld Place?



In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, after Bill and Fleur's wedding, the trio needs a place to hide. They decide on 12 Grimmauld Place, but obviously they're unsure if this is best.


The Fidelius Charm left Snape as a Secret Keeper, therefore he could have told Voldemort what the Order's headquarters were. Obviously Voldemort would have wanted this information as soon as Dumbledore died and would have made sure Snape gave it to him.


However, when the trio hides, nobody can enter 12 Grimmauld Place, not even any Death Eaters (until Hermione accidentally reveals it all to Yaxley).



  1. Why was the trio so sure of this when they knew that Snape was a new Secret Keeper, and...

  2. Why didn't Voldemort force Snape to tell him where the headquarters were?



Answer



They didn't expect it would be safe


Hermione brings up Snape when Harry first proposes Grimmauld Place as a base of operations; his response is not encouraging:




"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 Hermione 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 us wherever else we go."


Deathly Hallows Chapter 9: "A Place to Hide"




However, they don't seem to have considered the possibility that Snape could have revealed the Secret to other Death Eaters; this is kind of handwaved away later, but not in any satisfying way:



"D'you reckon [Snape]'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?


Deathly Hallows Chapter 11: "The Bribe"



Unfortunately, as with the question of why Snape didn't reveal the location, this seems like a plot hole with no satisfying resolution.


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