In the Harry Potter series, there is an important event where several characters disguise themselves as Harry Potter using Polyjuice Potion in order to safely transport him from his aunt and uncle’s house to the Burrow. This plan ultimately fails when they are ambushed by Death Eaters who seem to know when and where they would be moving Harry. This leads to the question: who betrayed the seven Potters? There are a few key suspects.
Main Suspects
Mundungus Fletcher
Mundungus Fletcher is a thief and Order of the Phoenix member of questionable loyalty. He has a habit of disappearing and abandoning assignments when things get dangerous. Some reasons he is suspected:
- He was assigned to be one of the seven Potter decoys but abandoned his post out of fear.
- He has betrayed the Order before to save his own skin.
- He has connections with the seedier side of the wizarding world that may include Death Eaters.
However, there is no hard evidence that Fletcher betrayed them. It could have simply been cowardice that made him flee.
Severus Snape
Severus Snape is the Potions master at Hogwarts who killed Dumbledore. He was believed to be a Death Eater spy all along. Reasons he is suspected:
- As a member of the Order of the Phoenix, he knew the plan to move Harry.
- He has definitive connections to Voldemort and the Death Eaters.
- He directly passed information to Voldemort that led to Lily Potter’s death.
However, Snape was not Secret Keeper for the Order of the Phoenix so could not directly divulge their secrets. He may have pieced together the plan though based on information he did have.
Dedalus Diggle
Dedalus Diggle is an eccentric old Order of the Phoenix member. He does not seem to take security as seriously as some other members. Reasons he is suspected:
- He was assigned to be one of the seven Potters. Could have let details slip.
- He has been known to carelessly discuss Order business and Harry in public settings.
- His magical skill and dueling prowess are questionable.
However, there is no solid evidence that Diggle actually betrayed the plan. His personality may simply make him an unlikely candidate for sensitive missions.
Information Leaked
Regardless of who betrayed the seven Potters, certain pieces of information were clearly leaked to the Death Eaters:
- The date the Order planned to move Harry from his aunt and uncle’s house.
- The basic idea that decoys with Potter’s appearance would be used.
- The town of Little Whinging as departure point and approximate time.
The Death Eaters seemed to have good intelligence on the logistics of the operation. However, if they knew the specifics of the decoy plan, they could have determined which Harry was the real one. Their uncertainty suggests perhaps only basic logistical intelligence made its way to them rather than the full plan details.
Access to the Plan
Very few individuals had access to the complete details of the seven Potters plan:
- Alastor Moody
- Arthur Weasley
- Bill Weasley
- Dedalus Diggle
- Elphias Doge
- Fleur Delacour
- Fred Weasley
- George Weasley
- Hermione Granger
- Kingsley Shacklebolt
- Molly Weasley
- Mundungus Fletcher
- Remus Lupin
- Ron Weasley
- Rubeus Hagrid
- Severus Snape (as Order member)
- Williamson (Order member)
This narrows down the pool of people who could have leaked comprehensive intelligence. Anyone outside this group likely only knew fragments unless they received secondhand information.
Opportunities to Betray the Plan
Here are key opportunities members of the operation could have revealed information:
| Member | Access to Full Plan | Opportunities to Leak |
|---|---|---|
| Alastor Moody | Yes | Many meetings away from HQ before plan execution |
| Arthur Weasley | Yes | At work in Ministry leading up to event |
| Bill Weasley | Yes | Staying at Shell Cottage, could have communicated |
| Dedalus Diggle | Yes | Out and about in public as usual |
| Elphias Doge | Yes | Unknown |
| Fleur Delacour | Yes | Staying at Shell Cottage with Bill |
| Fred Weasley | Yes | At Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes |
| George Weasley | Yes | At Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes |
| Hermione Granger | Yes | At the Dursleys’ with Harry |
| Kingsley Shacklebolt | Yes | At work in Ministry leading up to event |
| Molly Weasley | Yes | At the Burrow |
| Mundungus Fletcher | Yes | Connections in Knockturn Alley |
| Remus Lupin | Yes | Staying at Lupin cottage prior |
| Ron Weasley | Yes | At the Dursleys’ with Harry |
| Rubeus Hagrid | Yes | At Hogwarts |
| Severus Snape | Yes | At Hogwarts, in contact with Death Eaters |
| Williamson | Yes | Unknown |
This helps illuminate who may have leaked intelligence based on their access to plans and opportunities to share information. Snape, for example, had full knowledge and was actively working for Voldemort’s side.
Clues from the Attack
Here are some notable things about the ambush that may reveal what information was leaked:
- Death Eaters arrived very quickly after Harry left Little Whinging, suggesting precise knowledge of timing.
- They did not seem to know which Harry was the real one and had to check after the ambush.
- They focused efforts on Hagrid initially, thinking him most likely to be the real Harry.
- Death Eaters were localized to Little Whinging area rather than spreading out along the full route.
This suggests they knew basically when and where to attack Harry’s departure point, but not the specifics of the decoys used.
Conclusion
Based on the information available, Severus Snape seems the most likely to have betrayed the seven Potters plan to Voldemort and the Death Eaters. As a member of the Order of the Phoenix with access to plans combined with his position as a Death Eater spy, he had means, opportunity, and motive to leak enough intelligence to foil the operation. Mundungus Fletcher abandoning his post is highly suspicious, but there is no evidence he actually leaked actionable details. While other members could have potentially let slip parts of the plan, none were as well positioned to reveal sensitive intelligence as Snape. In summary, Snape is the prime suspect for betraying the seven Potters transportation and leading to the ambush.