OOP: (Sirius) A person is more than the worst thing they have done

[bluesqueak]

No: HPFGUIDX 63881

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Juliet" <lilpurplealdy at n...> 
wrote:
> From an old post:
> >>I keep going back to: *why?* What qualities did Peter have that 
> would make him a good Secret Keeper? The least talented of the 
> four boys. The kid who was always tagging around. The boy who hero-
> worshipped Black and Potter [see PoA Ch.10, p.154]. He wasn't even 
> good at duelling ... [p.155]>>
> 
> 
Juliet:
> This is exactly WHY Sirius made Peter Secret-Keeper.  It was a  
> bluff, as was quoted in the old post as well from canon:
> 
> Pip!Squeak:
> "James and Lily only made you Secret-Keeper because I suggested 
> it ... I thought it was the perfect plan ... a bluff ... Voldemort 
> would be sure to come after me, would never dream they'd use a 
weak, 
> talentless thing like you ... "[PoA p. 271, Ch. 19]
> 
> Juliet:
> Maybe I'm misunderstanding this old post...or perhaps just 
> misunderstanding canon.  But I'll go on anways.
> 
> The way I always thought it:  Sirius was James Potter's best 
> friend.  Everyone knew this.  When the Potters went into hiding, 
> and which I suppose the obvious charm of choice would be the 
> Fidelius, the Number One suspect for Secret-Keeper for the Potters 
> would be Sirius, their talented best man.   Thus, Voldemort  would 
> go after Sirius.  Sirius was counting on Voldemort going after 
> *him*, and that's why Peter was made Secret-Keeper, since people 
> would expect the Potters to use someone more talented.   Even  
> Dumbldore and Lupin didn't know aboutthis switch, and since no one 
> was able to testify otherwise, then I assume *no one* did.  
> 
> It was a big bluff that went wrong, since Pettigrew was not on  
> their side.
> 
> And,  I don't think Peter would have to be *bullied* into being 
> given the chance to hand over to Voldemort two members of the 
> Order of the Phoenix and their son, three people he really wanted  
> to kill.  This was, as Voldemort and Sirius both imply, the chance 
> he was waiting for.  WHY would he have to be bullied?

That is exactly the fascinating thing about the language used in the 
Shack. It is exactly what people *do* assume. That Peter, who was 
the agent of Lord Volemort, would leap at the chance to betray the 
Potters.

But there is no evidence of that at all. None. Sirius, Lupin and 
Peter between them never suggest that Peter begged for the role of 
Secret Keeper, suggested that he be Secret Keeper or asked in any 
way, shape or form for the role of Secret Keeper.

Since Sirius was busy suggesting that Peter was a traitor, you would 
have thought that he would have mentioned it. ('You begged for the 
chance! And now I know why!' ).

As you say, Sirius had a really good plan. Terrific. The only thing 
it required was that Peter risk death and torture for his friends. 
Because, you see, Peter was weak, and talentless, and if Voldemort 
had managed to Legilimens the identity of the Secret Keeper out of 
the captured Sirius, Peter would have had about as much chance as a 
snowball in Hell.

That was the little teeny problem with the wonderful bluff.

This would be absolutely fine, if, as I keep saying, Peter had shown 
the slightest enthusiasm for being Secret Keeper. But there is no 
suggestion, (under conditions where Sirius would have every motive 
to so suggest), that he did show any desire whatsoever to be Secret 
Keeper.

It suggests a few things about Peter as well. Possibly he really did 
feel he had genuinely no choice but to betray his friends and would 
have been delighted if someone else was the Secret Keeper. It would 
have meant he *couldn't* betray them to their deaths.

Sirius sees some people as less important than other people. Peter 
is less important than James. Kreacher is less important than 
Sirius. Sirius's feelings about the house are more important than 
Kreacher's feelings about the house. James and Lily's life is more 
important than Peter's.

And then he gets all surprised when the people who he sees as less 
important object. And betray him.

Pip!Squeak