Peter and Gollum

[celebrimborcormacolindor]

No: HPFGUIDX 82789

Sue B, you took the words from my lips. I was writing a post about the
similitude between Pettigrew and Gollum when I read yours. So, I think
the best thing I can do is to put my post right here. Here it goes:

Recently I was reading a thread about the resemblance between 
Wormtail and Wormtongue (from "The Lord of the Rings") when I was 
suddenly struck by another similarity, between Peter Pettigrew and 
Gollum (also from "The Lord of the Rings"). Stay with me just for a 
moment and you will see what I mean. But first a SPOILER ALERT: if 
you haven't read the third volume of "The Lord of the Rings", the one 
called "The Return of the King", but intend to read it or intend to 
watch the third movie of the trilogy without previous knowledge of 
the story, stop reading this post right now, because an *immense* 
spoiler is coming.

In "The Lord of the Rings" (book I, chapter 2), Frodo says to Gandalf 
that it's a pity Bilbo didn't kill Gollum when he had the chance. In 
reply, Gandalf says that it was pity that stayed Bilbo's hand, and 
that Gollum will play a part, good or bad, before the end. Gandalf 
also suggests that in the end Bilbo's pity will affect the destinies 
of many people. And, of course, he is right. When Frodo comes to 
Mount Doom (book VI, chapter 3), he is totally possessed by the Ring, 
and is incapable of throwing it into the abyss to destroy it; but 
Gollum comes, tries to steal the Ring, stumbles, and falls in the 
abyss *holding the Ring*. That's how the Ring is destroyed, defeating 
the archvillain Sauron and resolving the story.

Now, compare that with the facts which occurred in PoA. After 
Pettigrew's escape, when Harry was regretting having saved his life, 
Dumbledore said that when a wizard saves another wizard's life this 
creates a tie between them; and he also said that maybe one day Harry 
would be happy that he had saved Pettigrew's life (all this in PoA 
22). I think the parallelism is clear: a hero (Bilbo/Harry) preserves 
the life of a villain (Gollum/Pettigrew) and the wisest of all 
characters (Gandalf/Dumbledore) suggests that the saved villain can 
play an important role in the future. I am certain that many people 
have found this parallelism before me, and I bet there are previous 
posts in HPforGrownups about this.

If we carry on this parallelism, we will note that in "The Lord of the
Rings" there is no transformation of Gollum, who remains a villain; 
but, in committing an act of villainy, he saves the world, falling in 
the abyss, destroying the ring and defeating Sauron. So, something 
similar could happen to Peter Pettigrew: he could remain a villain, 
but his actions could have unexpected effects (or could be 
unexpectedly ineffective), helping Harry against Voldemort. It's an 
elegant solution that justifies the words of Dumbledore in PoA 22 
without requiring the radical transformation of a villain into a hero.

That was my post. But ... I am sorry ... I am feeling dizzy ... 
(closed eyes and guttural voice now) ... the giving of the flesh ... 
Pettigrew's flesh ... Voldemort's body ... can touch Harry now ... 
Dumbledore will like to know ... his eyes will glow ... not for the 
blood ... but for the touch ... for the flesh! ... for the TIE! 
(waking up suddenly) Oh, I'm sorry, I slept just a little bit. Too 
much work, you know. What I was saying?

 - Fernando Henning (with Teeny Elf help's)