Peter Pettigrew - Questions and Commentary

[Jen Reese]

No: HPFGUIDX 101306

Jen said:
> > Now that we know the Prewitt brothers were probably Molly's 
> > brothers, Wormtail's role in all this is even more disturbing. If
> > he was passing information to Voldemort for a year prior to the
> > deaths of the Potters, did he also betray the Prewitt brothers?
 
Jenni Replied:
>  We're assuming here, of course, that your belief is accurate -- 
> that somehow Petigrew knew either the Prewitts and/or the 
Weasley's 
> well enough that he had the kind of information that could be used 
> to betray the brothers to V.
> <snip>
>   I wish there was some more canon proof of the extent of 
Petegrew's 
> involvement with V and the DE before Oct 31, 1981, and the extent 
to 
> which he could potentially be responsible for other betrayals.  
> Currently, I can't recall any specific canon proof to assume Peter 
> Petigrew was personally familiar with the Weasley or Prewitt 
> families. 

Jen: Well, we do have canon proof that Pettigrew and the Prewett 
brothers knew each other--the photo Moody shows Harry in OOTP. Not 
only do they know each other, but all three seem to be part of a 
core group of the Original Order. Whether Pettigrew betrayed them 
over the course of the year prior to the Potters--I'm indulging in 
speculation there!

JKR told us on her web-site that Molly's maiden name was Prewett, 
and that she lost "close family members" in the First War--it seems 
more than coincidence that Gideon and Fabian Prewett are mentioned 
in OOTP, killed by 5 DE's. If they aren't her brothers, they must be 
cousins.

Jenni: 
>   I don't see how Sirius knowing that Peter was an animagus would 
> necessarily equate to him not believing that Peter was dead.  
After 
> all, *Lupin* thought Peter was dead and *he* knew that Peter was 
an 
> Animagus.  

Jen: The only reason Lupin thought Peter was dead was because of the 
blown-up street and the finger. Otherwise, if no body or body-parts 
were found, I think Lupin & Sirius would be highly suspicious that 
Peter had turned into a rat to escape. 

True, Peter could have just turned into a rat and left it at that 
*if* he was still working with the DE's. But after Voldemort turned 
to vapor, Peter had not only Sirius, but the DE's after him. Even as 
a rat his days were surely numbered. 

The staged scene in the street was Peter's way out--*everyone* 
believed him dead.

Jenni:
> Heck, Peter could have 
> made it look like he was also killed by V. at the Potter's house, 
> leaving only a finger and lots of blood splattered about, and I'm 
> not so sure Sirius would necessarily assume that Peter wasn't as 
> dead as he appeared.  They might even believe that Peter lost his 
> life trying to make up for having allowed V. to get the 
information 
> in the first place.  

Jen: True, if Peter was at Godric's Hollow that night. But Peter 
would have had to be an incredibly quick thinker! Assuming he wasn't 
hurt in the blast, he would have to realize what happened to 
Voldemort, surmise that the DE's would come after him, stage a scene 
with his finger or other body part that could be found and 
identified in the rubble...it seems like too much to do on moment's 
notice, after a traumatic event and before everyone arrived at 
Godric's Hollow.