Wormtail the Hanged Man (Re: CoS scene)

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 80512

> In a message dated 9/11/2003 5:04:15 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
> severusbook4 at y... writes:
> A hanged man?  In Tarot cards the symbol of the hanged man means a 
> life in suspension, or rather, indecision.  Could this be a clue 
> that Wormtail is still making up his mind to who he is loyal?  
Could Wormtail be torn between staying with LV and joining Harry to 
settle his life debt that he owes him?  

Sherrie:
> Been playing with Tarot since I was 13 - I've always read the 
Hanged Man as 
> representing a willing sacrifice (representing Odin on the World 
Tree, willing to sacrifice for knowledge)...
> 

Jen:

Both of these Tarot interpretations provide more possibilities than 
my initial thought(life in limbo). In fact, I think the first 
one, "indecision of loyalty" could symbolize Wormtail's current 
dilemma, and the "willing sacrifice" will come at the end.

We know Wormtail can't go back. His ex-friends are willing to murder 
him and, unlike Snape, his betrayal was too grievous for acceptance 
back in the Order. Any latent hopes of reconciliation are dashed in 
the Shrieking Shack, and Wormtail chooses to return to Voldemort.

Voldemort is obviously very contemptous of Wormtail and only keeps 
him around out of necessity. Wormtail must surely know his days are 
numbered--he only has as long as Voldemort has need for him, then 
Wormtail will be disposed of. That's one of those unfortunate 
consequences of trusting an evil lord.

At this point, Wormtail is also cognizant of his life-debt with 
Harry. In an unchararistic move, he risks bargaining with Voldemort 
for Harry's life. The struggle inside between his fear of Voldemort 
and "magic at its deepest", the pact with Harry, is causing external 
problems--he fumbles LV's orders for Crouch, Sr. 

Ah, but then Voldemort *gifts* him with the magic hand. I have two 
guesses about this hand:

1) Voldemort knowingly gave Wormtail a powerful hand that LV plans to 
unleash in battle later; OR

2) Voldemort unknowingly transfers power to Wormtail through some 
ancient magic he's unaware of.  Yes, that's been done, but you could 
fill a book with the things Voldemort's overlooked or underestimated!

Wormtail now has a power of his own. Sometime before the final 
battle, Wormtail will resolve his loyalty issues, find his inner 
Gryffindor or good Slytherin, and use his powerful hand to "willingly 
sacrifice" himself for Harry. 

I don't know if Wormtail has it in him, but I hope he finds a little 
redemption and finally "chooses what is right instead of what is 
easy."