Some thoughts about Peter (was: Re: Evil!lupin: a rebuttal)

[Karin]

No: HPFGUIDX 53500

Hello, newbie here, briefly delurking for my first post. English is
not my first language, but I hope it doesn't show too much. I hope
what I'm trying to say makes some kind of sense and is not just rambling.

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Juliet" <lilpurplealdy at n...> wrote:
> Peter was never really *bad* from the get go, he was just weak. Weak-
> willed, no self confidence...not really Bad, IMO.

I agree that Peter has no self-confidence, but I don't think that
means Peter is weak. I know, everyone says so. Most if not all of the
characters who know him seem to be of the opinion that he's weak. A
coward. Needing the protection of people stronger than him. I think,
and this wasn't even my idea in the first place, that they all
underestimate him, and his abilities. 

But this is not my point. This has all been said before. What I don't
think has been said before (please correct me if I'm wrong) is that
the reasons why Peter does the things he does is because not only do
the others underestimate him, but he underestimates himself. If
everyone tells him how his friends in school always do so much better
than him, it's not surprising that he's having an inferiority complex.
He has no confidence in himself. We've seen a glimpse of his real
talents in the way he was able to deceive his friends who knew him
well, and later frame Sirius. He's an animagus (which is not easy to
learn). He cast an AK on Cedric, which requires a very powerful wizard
to cast, according to Crouch/Moody. But what I think shows strength of
character is the fact that he is, if my memory is correct, the only DE
who openly questions his master's orders. Not very successful, but he
does.

Voldie had better be careful how he treats (or mistreats) his personal
servant. Until now, Peter puts up with it because he thinks he needs
someone to protect him and he has nowhere else to go. But what if he
changes his opinion about that? What if, for some reason, he gets a
bit of self-confidence and finally realizes that he is not as
'incompetent' as everyone thinks he is?

And something else I noticed (slightly unrelated): It might not have
any significance, but I think Peter is left-handed. In GoF, Peter cuts
off his right hand, the same hand he had previously cut his finger
off. To me, this indicates he is left-handed. I myself am
right-handed, and if I ever felt the urge to cut off one of my hands
(yuck!), it would be my left hand, simply because I can handle a knife
better with my right hand. So I conclude that Peter was left-handed.

I'm not sure if this has any significance, though. Maybe in a symbolic
way? But maybe JKR didn't put that much thought in it and just picked
a hand at random. *shrugs*

Okay, that's pretty much it, I'm hurrying back to lurkdom now.

-Alhena