Peter and Gollum

[junediamanti]

No: HPFGUIDX 82703

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "sbursztynski" 
<greatraven at h...> wrote:
> With all this discussion of the possible future role of Peter 
> "Wormtail" I thought I'd include my five cents' worth (we don't 
have
> 2 cent coins here!;-) ).In PoA DD tells Harry, I vaguely recall, 
that 
> the time may come when he's glad he spared Wormtail, just as 
Gandalf 
> in LOTR tells Frodo that Gollum may yet have a role to play and 
mercy 
> is best, etc. Well, Gollum, sad character as he was, didn't die 
> heroically saving Frodo, he died grabbing the Ring, but 
incidentally 
> saving Frodo, and I think it's possible that Wormtail will do 
> something similar. He just doesn't strike me as the sort of 
character 
> who'd be redeemed - sorry. Too slimy, IMHO. Sue B

Gollum dies because he is claimed by his unbreakable oath to serve 
Frodo.  He swore by the ring to protect and serve Frodo.  He 
betrayed that oath by leading Frodo and Sam into Shelob's lair.  
Oaths are powerful things in Tolkein's world (which was based on 
Norse, Celt legend to some extent).  On the ascent of Mt Doom, 
Gollum attacks Frodo and Frodo prophecises that he (Gollum) will be 
cast into the fire if he attacks him again.  When this happens, the 
oath claims him.  

The concept is that "oft evil shall evil mar" - also from somewhere 
in LOTR.  

I was going to post that there was of yet no oath dynamic in the 
case of Wormtail.  But there is - he broke faith as keeper of the 
Potters' fidelius charm.  There is also the fact that he owes Harry 
a life debt - and this is a concept that has been hugely stressed by 
JKR in the books.

I'd be glad to see Peter's situation more developed in some future 
part of the story.  What are his real feelings towards Voldemort?  
Fear, yes.  Loathing -I strongly suspect so.  Is he there out of 
some kind of guilt trip - he had 13 years to think over his 
betrayal.  Then he rejoined Voldemort and what does he get - 
certainly not all "beer and skittles" as we say in the UK.  From 
what we see of this relationship in GoF - I'd say the pay is crap 
and the fringe benefits crappier.  Poor Peter - all the way to 
Albania in rat form, all that running around, doing all the real 
work, sacrificing a hand - and what thanks does he get - It's young 
Crouch who's the faithful servant.  

I'd watch Peter very closely.  He's a guy who really knows how to 
hold a grudge.  Was his betrayal of the Potters motivated by 
grudge?  There's just the tiniest indication that this may be so in 
the now notorious pensieve scene in OoP.  Was his "fitting up" of 
Sirius part of the same grudge.  He was the hanger on, James and 
Sirius were the two alphas.  Is he starting a grudge against his 
master?  That could indeed be pivotal.

No, Wormtail is not really very nice...

(Which is a nod to another similarly named character in LOTR if you 
know where to look)

June