[HPforGrownups] Re: Simple spell origin, Krum... and a Pettigrew Question

[srsiriusblack at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 48877

In a message dated 27/12/2002 11:03:58 Eastern Standard Time, 
urbana at charter.net writes:


> (September 1, 1991 if you follow the HP timeline), no wizards or 
> witches from any houses other than Slyterin had gone bad. Does this 
> make sense? I hope so. As far as I can see, there's no real evidence 
> in canon (at least through GoF) that Peter was in Slytherin, so he 
> actually could have been the first Gryffindor (if he was a 
> Gryffindor) to "go bad".


IMHO, I think that the statement about Slytherins "There was not a witch a 
wizard..." is just an emphasis on how many people from Slytherin had gone to 
the Dark Side. I don't think it is a rule.. As Dumbledore explains our 
choices make us who we are. 

>From what I understand, Peter was Gryffindor. The Sorting Hat placed him 
there because of what was in his mind. It was how he chose to us his mind 
afterwards that made him the Wizard he was/is. 

When Harry questions his placement into Gryffindor House, Dumbledore stresses 
that Harry made a choice. The books in their entirity focus on choices. Harry 
makes decisions in the face of peril constantly. Again, I bring forth one of 
my favourite scenes- The Shrieking Shack- Harry has the opportunity to kill 
the man who has been blamed for his parents' deaths. A man who, before 
explaining why he believes he, Sirius, is responsible admits to causing the 
deaths, yet Harry chooses not to kill him. Again, with Peter Pettigrew, Harry 
has the choice. A lesser wizard, or someone without Harry's value for life, 
would have probably chosen their deaths. Would this have made him a bad 
wizard? Probably not, but the choices he makes form who he becomes. (Follow 
me? )

Peter, although like Gryffindor, chose to follow Voldemort for a desire to 
outshine his friends(?), for power(?), for greed(?) ( I put question marks 
because we don't really know all of his reasons) . He made the decisions. 

The Sorting Hat saw in him the qualities of a Gryffindor, but I don't think 
that it means that a person placed in a house will use those qualities for 
the work of goodness....But, rather he will use the qualities/strengths in 
his decisions which make him into the kind of wizard he will become/is.

But, I do have a question..

Peter heard how Sirius escaped and how in animal form thoughts are simpler 
than humans.... So if he had gone to Azkaban, Sirius had, in a way, given him 
the formula for escape.... This makes me wonder if anyone thought Pettigrew 
was smart enough to use it or if they even thought that it was an issue???

-Snuffles, with the sniffles today
"All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty 
recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the 
dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with 
open eyes, to make it possible. This I did."  T.E. Lawrence- Seven Pillars of 
Wisdom


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