Pettigrew/random thoughts/wizarding currency

[M. C.]

No: HPFGUIDX 10598

I'm not much of a fan of Pettigrew, but I'm a devil's advocate. I 
think much of the information we've discovered about Pettigrew is 
suspect or biased. Though it comes from people who had daily dealings 
with him -- Remus, Sirius, McGonagall, etc. -- they are looking back 
and trying to convince themselves there was something suspect in his 
actions.

(Similar to some 'converted' to Ron/Hermione and away from Harry/Cho 
by GoF -- people do like to be right, and re-evaluate the past in 
light of the present/future.)

1. His skill as a Wizard

FACT: He knows a curse that could destroy 13 muggles (and one 
presumes the surrounding area) and he becomes an animagus.

MEMORY: James and Sirius had to help him a lot with the Animagus 
charm, concurred by McGonagall having to hassle his in class.

Perhaps Peter wasn't the stellar student James and Sirius were, the 
Animagus charm/spell/? is considered well above the fifth? year level 
the Marauders accomplished it. It doesn't automatically mean he's a 
dunce. 
I personally could imagine McGonagall hassling anyone in class, at 
least once, and it could be selective memory -- she doesn't remember 
hassling the other specific students because there's no cause. 
Or, Peter could pretend to be abysmal in Transfig. because he's 
deathly afraid of McG. finding out about them. After all, of a stag, 
a dog and a rat; who's going to be more afraid of a cat?
Or, it could be that Transfig. wasn't his best subject, but something 
else was (Potions - Snape, DADA - Lupin, Charms - Lily, Herbology? - 
Peter) 

2. Friendships

FACT: One of the close-knit Marauders, trusted to be the Potters' 
Secret-Keeper.

MEMORY: He liked 'big' friends, people that could protect him. 

This is an irate Sirius' self-justification for being friends with 
Peter for so long. The comment is preceded by the below quote. 

"I'll never understand why I [Sirius] didn't understand you [Peter] 
were the spy from the start." - PoA, chpt . 19

FACT: He betrayed the Potters because he didn't trust his friends to 
protect him. (Can anyone argue he 'joined' Voldy because he 
believed/admired the dogma?) BUT, Black (and the Potters) also 
suspected Lupin of spying/passing info/some such.

So, is it really fair to blame Peter for not having faith in his 
friends? Only James and Sirius seemed to trust each other completely. 

I can't disagree with Peter being quite cowardly and I'm probably 
reading too much grey into a B&W area. The explicit textual parallels 
between Neville and Peter would suggest JKR sees them as similar to a 
degree, whereas I prefer a Neville - Lupin parallel as they both have 
a big secret revealed mid-school path. I think the War, Big V, etc. 
played to PP's flaws, he became worse, grew petty (or is that 
stretching too far?)

Other random thoughts:

1. Gryffindor and Slytherin's initials are equal distance from the 
ends of the alphabet. (As are Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw.)

Gryffindor (G) - 7
Slytherin (S) - 7 (26 - 19) 

2. Are sickles real silver?

While wizarding currency would not have been created with dark 
creatures (eg werewolves) in mind, but enough silver is probably not 
available for viable currency use. Does Professor Lupin handle any 
sickles in PoA? 

shorah,
MC