Pettigrew: debt and Scabbers - Sirius in the Shrieking Shack

[frantyck at yahoo.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 24351

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Yis M Koslowitz <tkoz1 at j...> wrote:
> 
>  'Now here's my question...why did Peter as Scabbers, bite Goyle?'
> > 
> > I have wondered about this too - my very flimsy take on it is 
that 
> > Peter had just realized that his owner had made friends with one 
> > Harry Potter. Perhaps rat Peter felt a teeny tiny twinge of guilt 
> > knowing what had happened to the boy?
>  
> I don't think Peter ever does anything not motivated by his 
fear/anxiety.
> He just wanted everyone to know not to mess with Ron's rat. The last
> thing he wants is to be examined closely 
> Robyn

Well, perhaps Peter the Rat was just being a rat. Taking the form of 
an animal gives an Animagus the senses of that animal (Sirius' sense 
of smell), why should it not also give some of its instincts? In 
which case, Rat-Peter was defending his territory, and showing an 
appropriate loyalty to his owner, a loyalty which might also be a 
part of his cover.

Rrishi