Goyle and Scabbers

[Amy Winters]

No: HPFGUIDX 8512

I've got a question (and I guess it sort of falls into the Draco and 
company discussion category).  When they're on the train going to 
Hogwarts and Draco and company come into Harry, Ron and Hermione's 
compartment and pick a fight (ok, I'm drawing a blank here, I can't 
remember if that was PS/SS or CoS - I don't think it really 
matters).  Anyway, Scabbers bites Goyle.  Scabbers, who we now know 
as Wormtail (aka Peter Pettigrew) has been described by Sirius as 
never doing anything unless he was going to be getting something out 
of it.  And to be honest, that's really how I imagine Peter's 
character back when he and the rest of the gang were students at 
Hogwarts.  So...why go out of his way to bite Goyle?  He could have 
easily stayed out of the fight.  And it really doesn't strike me as 
something JKR just threw in and then changed her mind about what 
Scabbers/Wormtail/Peter was going to be like later.  Ron even brings 
it up when he's defending Scabbers in PoA.  

Do Goyle (Sr. maybe) and Peter have a past?  Something between them 
that would make Scabbers attack Goyle Jr?

Amy