Peter and Gollum

[susanbones2003]

No: HPFGUIDX 82707

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "junediamanti" 
<june.diamanti at b...> wrote:
> SNIPPAGE> 
> 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.  
>(More brutal snippage)
 June

You bring up two points that I want to call to the list's attention:

1) What the heck is the draw of serving Lord Voldemort? He's a 
horrible leader, and as you say pay and benefits are lousy. One way 
or the other, most of his followers end up on the wrong end of things 
or dead. What's his attraction? We've compared the WW to the Muggle 
World at the beginning of the Nazi regime and I just don't think LV 
compares to Hitler. Wasn't Hitler compelling on some hideous and 
unspeakable level? Didn't he couch his evil in ways that were at 
least palatable to the German people? Lord Voldemort is obviously and 
proudly out for himself. "Rewards" I have seen consist of a 
prosthetic hand. I don't call a silver hand an appropriate and 
equitable reward for the loss of your real one. Look at Bella, now 
that she botched the prophecy grab. She can only look forward to 
punishment, no reward at all for all her troubles. So, someone tell, 
me, what's the Dark Lord got that I'm not seeing?

2)This is a total non-sequitor, but I do not think that Barty Crouch 
Jr. was the "faithful servant" at Hogwarts. That's a trick I beleive. 
Look at Bella, she's convinced she's his most faithful servant. LV is 
such a lying, conniving con artist, who knows how many Death Eaters 
think they are his "most faithful servant." This has been roaming 
around in my brain for a while. Someone show me where I am going off 
the path with this and I'll be glad to put this snarky little thought 
to rest.
Jennifer
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