[HPforGrownups] Re: Pettigrew in Gryffindor? (was: Tom-Harry-Choices / Wand-Transformation / Questions / Wzdg)

[Grace Saalsaa]

No: HPFGUIDX 54892


Corinth wrote:

What makes you think he should have been in Slytherin, out of
curiostity?  To me, this actually seems the least likely of houses to
fit his personality.  Slytherin favors those who are extremely
ambitious, willing to use any means to get ahead.  Pettigrew, however,
has always remained in others' shadows- first his friends James,
Sirius, and Lupin, and later Voldemort.  He's despertate for
recognition, but not really the epitome of ambition.

now me:

I think Pettigrew is very obviously a Slytherin. Remaining in the shadows of
others doesn't mean that he isn't ambitious.
He is.  He just uses others to achieve his own goals.  I think you may be
viewing Pettigrew's ambition as being toward something material.  But in the
majority of the story, Pettigrew's amibition is to stay alive, and for that
he is quite ambitious. Is the epitome a material thing - or is the epitome
life itself?  And what is it that Voldemort has promised to the Death Eaters
that draws Pettigrew.  That, we don't know yet but it might be epitome that
Pettigrew thinks he needs and causes him to betray and use those who have
helped him or have called him "friend."
He uses the Weasley family to hide and feed him, he uses them to gather
information (from Arthur who seems to talk about his work when he gets
home),  he uses Ron to protect him, he hides out in Hagrid's hut when things
gets too difficult with Crookshanks.  There are probably more instances
where he uses people.  In the Shrieking Shack, look how he goes about
begging for his life, trying to find another possible way to use someone in
order to spare himself.  He's a mean little Slytherin as far as I can tell.

Grace