Yellow Rat Spell - Maybe it really did work

[errolowl <nithya_rachel@hotmail.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 50849

Steve Binch wrote:

It obviously didn't work... or did it? What if yellow means to be 
afraid instead of the color? We know that Petigrew was brave enough 
to stand against Black, but now he seems to be afraid of 
everything/everyone? What if this seamingly simple spell cast by Ron, 
is the only thing that keeps Petigrew from having the courage to 
standagainst Voldimort? 

 
Then Amy: 
WOW. That is SUCH a great idea!
A related possibility might be that it is this spell that keeps Harry 
safe. Pettigrew has *just* met Harry Potter and thoughts of murder 
might be brewing in his mind . . . but then Ron inadvertently turns 
him into a coward and thereby prevents Scabbers from scuttling over 
to Harry's bed and slitting his throat with his rodent incisors 
during the next three years of golden opportunity.

Now Me:

While this is an interesting thought, I'd say the spell
didn't work 
because literally he wasn't a rat; and metaphorically he was
already 
yellow. Peter's stand against Sirius was not one of bravery –
it was 
the typical rat mentality of resorting to desperate measures when 
backed into a corner. A Rat has an excellent sense of self 
preservation – it will run to escape most things – but a
cornered rat 
is a different proposition. If JKR has brought out anything, it is 
that Peter values his own skin too much.

I'd say Peter has always been afraid of everyone/ everything. It
has 
been discussed before that Peter hung around James and Sirius to gain 
their protection and aid. And if He wasn't yellow when he
betrayed 
the Potters, well!!! So no, I don't think Ron's spell had
anything to 
do with it.

Peter's problem has always been cowardice – not evil. But his
fears 
*have* led him to be really, really evil, and he's been forced
back 
into that role now. If Sirius hadn't spotted him (or Crookshanks 
hadn't complicated issues), Peter would have been happy to live
out 
his life as a rat (hey, food, shelter, luxury!)doing absolutely 
nothing. He was lazy even for a rat, according to Ron. 
And Amy! I don't believe that he has anything against Harry –
he 
carries no malevolence, no ambition, no cunning agenda ...so 
attacking Harry wouldn't even have crossed his mind. 

Atleast, thats how I read things.

Errol