Pettigrew Power (Was: James Potter Bio Facts)

[suehpfan]

No: HPFGUIDX 90191

Big snip
>Yes he is! It rather confuses me to read references to Pettigrew's 
> lack of magical ability all the time, when he does some impressive 
> magic in our faces.
> Poor silly powerless Peter Pettigrew kills a whole street full of 
> Muggles, defeats Sirius and gets away transformed as a rat;
> Poor silly powerless Peter Pettigrew brews a potion that restores 
old 
> Voldy to his body.
> It seems to me Mssrs Moony, Padfoot and Prongs have a serious lack 
of 
> judgment when it comes to both friends (Pettigrew) and enemies 
> (Snape).
> 
> Yours severely,
> 
> Sigune

I was re-reading OotP last night.  When I read the section in Snape's 
Worst Memory" the description of Peter is chilling.  He is looking at 
Snape "Hungrilly", he was watching in "awe", he was watching in "avid 
anticipation", etc.  All of these descriptions of Wormtail point to 
who he really is.  A coward biding his time, never acting on his own 
but lying in wait for others to have their backs turned to strike, or 
more accurately, to help someone else strike.  I think Petigrew is 
incredibly powerful, he has proven that time and again, including 
when he was able (even though it was with help)to become an animagi. 
He appears to me to be a master manipulator.  He wants what others 
have, cannot accomplish it himself so he allows others to think him 
stupid so they will help him get what he wants.

I do not believe he was brave to cut off his hand for Voldemort.  
Leaving the discusting mass of ? to drown in the caldron and rescuing 
the son of your best friend, that would be brave.  Not doing the 
bidding of someone horrible to save your own skin.

I too wonder about the other marauders.  It is obvious they were 
arrogant (at least James and Sirius were) and that they believed 
themselves invincible.  When did Peter get to know Voldemort? for 
that matter when did Snape?  Did Snape already hold a position 
outside of school that Peter coveted?  Is that why he is so hungry?  
Or does he simple revel in the humiliation of another person?  
Whatever it all means I wonder who will turn out to be the "biggest 
bully in the playground" (POA US pg.370) and if Peter will be on 
his/her side or if he will have to "worm" his way out of trouble 
again. 

My original idea in this response had absolutely nothing to do with 
what I just wrote so I appologize if it seems off topic.  My initial 
idea was to point out how much this character reminds me of Neville.  
Like many of JKR's characters Peter can be held up and compared to 
another with similar personality traits/abilities who makes very 
different choices.  What would Peter have done in the Department of 
Mysteries?  What will Neville do now that it is becoming clear that 
he is powerful?  I think it makes a rather interesting show down if 
in the end the last two standing are none other than Peter Pettigrew 
and Neville Longbottom, two of the most underestimated and widely 
misunderstood wizards of their respective times. As for me i'd like 
to see Neville show Peter what it means to be brave and a friend.

Sue, who had no idea she had so much pent up about the little worm.