Thought on Wormtail's activities in OOTP (was non-prophecy activities)

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 81548

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Shirley" <shirley2allie at h...> 
wrote:
> But why would he be at Hogwarts?  Crookshanks could probably sniff 
> him out if he was anywhere near the Gryffindor tower.  And when you 
> say "new" spy; who was the old one?  
> 
> I'm not trying to shoot you down; I just don't see that as his 
> assignment.  In fact, LV seems to have so little regard for him - 
he 
> always calls him Wormtail and never Peter, have you noticed? - that 
> I'd think he'd just keep him around as a servant/lackey/scapegoat.


Jen:

At the end of GOF we find out from Crouch!Moody under Veritaserum 
that "Wormtail neglected his duty. He was not watchful enough" and he 
allowed Crouch Sr. to escape to Hogwarts and attempt to tell 
Dumbledore about LV's plan.

So then we see Wormtail again at the graveyard scene. I've always 
wondered if LV didn't keep Wormtail around to supply his hand for the 
potion, then punish him *very* severely for almost botching the whole 
plan in the first place, perhaps so severely that he wasn't able to 
perform any duties in OOTP. As Shirley pointed out, LV has only 
contempt for him and now that LV has his DE's back--why does he need 
Peter?

I don't think LV killed him though, b/c surely the silver hand and 
Peter's life debt to Harry will play a major role in the future. But 
what if LV's punishment is the final straw and Peter has renounced 
him and disappeared? We already know he is having second thoughts in 
GOF, perhaps because of the life-debt, when he suggests LV use 
someone besides Harry in the potion.  That always seemed like such an 
uncharacteristically bold move on Peter's part to me. 

And if Peter disappeared, i don't think LV has enough time or 
resources to try to find him with all the other activities he's 
involved with in OOTP. Peter would be esp. adept at hiding given his 
animagus abilities.

Jen