Voldemort addressing Pettigrew as "Wormtail"

[Debbie]

No: HPFGUIDX 54265


"stickbook41" <stix4141 at h...> 
> wrote:
> > Does anyone know why Voldemort addresses Peter Pettigrew 
> > as "Wormtail"?  This struck me as odd since "Wormtail" was the 
> > nickname his school friends gave him.  

Marianne/"kiricat2001" <Zarleycat at a...> wrote:
> The first thought I had, and I can produce absolutely no canon 
> evidence, is that it is a not-so-subtle way for Voldemort to 
> constantly remind Peter of his past.  What better way to 
continuously 
> jab Peter with the knowledge of not only how he betrayed his 
friends, 
> but also how those friends will never be of help to him now, than 
by 
> using the same name those friends used to call him?
> 
> I've never gotten the impression that Voldemort likes Peter, but 
> rather finds him a convenient tool.  And I also think he's 
convinced 
> that Peter would never turn on him because he had no where else to 
> go.  Which, in turn, could be evidence of short-sighted thinking on 
> V's part.  Peter might not work and connive to betray V, but I 
> wouldn't be surprised, should an opportunity eventually come 
Peter's 
> way to bolt to the "good guys", that he might just take it, 
> especially if he thinks Voldemort's position is  becoming 
precarious.

Me: Peter will turn against Voldy and help Harry because of the life-
debt.

I couldn't figure out the Wormtail name either, until I realized it 
does seem like a jab at Peter. However, I do like the reasoning in 
Phyllis' post below.

-Debbie

Phyllis/"erisedstraeh2002" <erisedstraeh2002 at y...> wrote:
>So Voldemort may be afraid that the DEs will turn on Pettigrew if 
they knew it was Pettigrew, so he's decided to call 
Pettigrew "Wormtail" and let the DEs believe that Pettigrew is still 
dead.