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harry potter - Did Hermione really bring Death Eaters into the Fidelius Charm's protection?


In Deathly Hallows Hermione says that she brought a Death Eater within the Fidelius Charm's protection of Grimmauld Place through Side-Along Apparition. Since she was a Secret-Keeper, she's shared the secret with him. This is a major plot point: they can't return to Grimmauld Place, nor can they call Kreacher for help, because they believe it would help the Death Eaters find them.


Her guess isn't discussed further in the story. The narrative heavily implies that Hermione is right. But reading the Pottermore extract about the Fidelius charm on another question:



The Fidelius Charm is not without its weaknesses. If the Secret Keeper wishes to do so, they may divulge the information at any time (although the secret cannot be forced, bewitched or tortured out of a Secret Keeper who does not wish to give up their secret; it must be given voluntarily). (Secret-keeper, Pottermore Book 3 Chapter 17 Moment 2)




She definitely didn't give up the secret voluntarily, and in fact, was trying to get the Death Eater to let go of her clothes until the last second.


Does this mean that Hermione didn't actually bring a Death Eater within the charm's protection, and they wouldn't have had to suffer as much if they'd taken a risk by, say, having a quick look at the house or at least calling Kreacher?



Answer



The phrasing in the Pottermore description of the Fidelius charm sounds to me like it applies to the sharing of the secret as information, while I'd say that the way Hermione accidentally divulged the secret to Yaxley was as experience. So if the Death Eaters had managed to stop Hermione from apparating and then tried to get her to tell them the secret through use of the Cruciatus or Imperius curses, they never would have been able to.


In this case though, the secret is divulged incidentally. What actually happens is that Hermione brings Yaxley to 12 Grimmauld Place. It doesn't really matter whether she intended him to be there or not, he was in contact with her when she apparated, and the Fidelius Charm isn't "smart" enough to protect against that. Once he's there, it doesn't make sense (even in the wizard world, which sometimes defies logic) that he wouldn't have the information of where he is. He's been made aware of the existence of the house by a Secret-Keeper, and that's all that matters.


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