Sirius out to kill Peter? (was Ron/Sirius parallels)

[Amy Z]

No: HPFGUIDX 11436

Kimberly wrote:

  But even if I 
>got that wrong, as I understand it Sirius wasn't much of a suspect 
>before Pettigrew created the scene, cried out that he'd betrayed 
James 
>and Lily and then was 'killed' by him.

I couldn't find clear proof that Sirius's original intent was to kill 
Peter--if he even knew his own intent in the haze of rage, guilt, and 
grief.  He did need to clear his name, because although he wasn't a 
suspect in most people's eyes (even after this incident, according to 
Fudge, most of the wizarding world just thought he was a mass murderer 
and a Death Eater--they didn't know the James/Lily end of the story) 
he knew Dumbledore thought he was their Secret-Keeper, so he knew he'd 
be accused of betraying them.

But *whatever* was motivating Sirius re: Peter at that moment, we know 
that twelve years later he does fully intend to kill him, and--to 
get to my point--he's not the only one.  Sirius and Remus are both 
prepared to kill Peter in cold blood: not turn him in to the 
Dementors, not turn him in to the Ministry for trial.  If we want to 
say that there's something wrong with Sirius in doing this, we have to 
say it about Remus too (Remus to Peter:  "you should have realized, if 
Voldemort didn't kill you, we would").

Dear, dear.  What's a Lupin-loving would-be-pacifist like me to do?

Amy Z

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 "We could all have been killed--or worse, expelled."
                   --HP and the Philosopher's Stone 
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