Changing Secret Keepers (Theory)

[persephone_kore]

No: HPFGUIDX 81125


> > Aussie continues:
> > 
> > Pettigrew was called "talentless" by Sirius (POA) ...edited...
> > 
> > The Death-Eaters would not accept Wormtail easily since he lacked 
> > ability, ...edited...
> >
> > aussie
> 
> bboy_mn:
> 
> James and Sirius were a couple of the most talented wizards to ever
> come through Hogwarts; everyone in that school, and for decades on
> either side of them, was not up to the standards of James and 
> Sirius.
> 
> So while Peter may not have been among the best, I don't think it is
> fair to imply, as many people have, that he was an incompetent 
> wizard. 

<snip>

> In reference to Peter, I think we have already seen that he is at
> least a competent wizard. 

Thank you, Steve.

I think that the perception of Peter as incompetent is one that we're
led into but also one that we're shown clearly (once we think about
it) is misleading. 

When people talk about Peter, they invariably seem to think of him as
incompetent. (Also as a tagalong, but that's in part a separate
issue.) McGonagall is one of the more famous; Sirius refers to his
being selected because nobody would think of him as a possibility;
Voldemort sneers at him even when dependent on him. He snivels and
cringes a lot. 

I'm not sure if McGonagall criticizes /everybody/, but I can certainly
see her doing it. Likewise, being sneered at by Voldemort doesn't
really seem to be all that indicative. Sirius... Sirius was,
understandably, very angry at the time and not inclined to remember
the positive; he was also, I should think, inclined to hit where he
might know of an open or poorly healed wound, and given McGonagall's
comments and his hanging around some of the most brilliant students in
his year, I can imagine a dig at Peter's ability could be pretty
effective. (Is it just me, or are the HP characters really good at
getting people mad at them?)

Now, what we know of what Peter has /done/. 

He became an Animagus at 15. 

Evidently this didn't come as easily to him as to James and Sirius,
but evidently everything school- or magic-related came /exceptionally/
easily to James and Sirius. 

Never mind "Peter needed help when the other two didn't." Try "Peter
mastered a difficult piece of Transfiguration not in the ordinary
curriculum at that point (and possibly considered off limits until age
17, like Apparition) in independent study, with help only from two
fellow students." 

He performed a curse that blew up half a street and killed a dozen
Muggles. 

Okay, so wizards seem to regard Muggles as a bit fragile, relatively
speaking, and perhaps not without reason, since wizards may have some
instinctive-level magical protection from falls and collisions. Still,
twelve people. I'd suppose an explosion is more haphazard than the
Killing Curse and probably easier to produce, but this was still quite
an effective spell!

He performed the spell to re-embody Voldemort.

This was with explicit instruction, but I'd imagine it's fairly
advanced magic -- and having explicit instructions does not always
mean you get something right on the first try. 

Every time, in fact, that we are given information on Peter /actually
doing magic/, he seems to do pretty well.

PK