Peter's basic nature v Snape basic nature/ Which one is worse? Pure speculat

[ornadv]

No: HPFGUIDX 144995

>Siriusly Snapey Susan
>YES, Wormtail
>was probably scared someone *would* help Voldy and that Voldy would
>hunt him down & kill him eventually, but if he'd thought about that
>logically, what would the odds of that have been? He was the ONLY
>loyal party, helping Voldy to come back! <snip>

Orna:
He was not the only loyal party at this point – there was Crouch Jr. 
with a nasty dislike towards DE who went free, and a very light hand 
on his AK-Wand. (Not that it makes his murdering Cedric less cold-
blooded IMO, but just for the record) 

>Siriusly Snapey Susan, anxiously awaiting someone's reminding me of
>the canon re: Pettigrew going to Voldy or Voldy coming to him....

Orna:
Here it is, IMO, in PoA:
"DON'T LIE!" bellowed Black, "YOU'D BEEN PASSING INFORMATION TO HIM 
FOR A YEAR BEFORE LILY AND JAMES DIED! YOU WERE HIS SPY"
"He-he was taking over everywhere!" gasped Pettigrew. "Wh-what was 
there to be gained by refusing him?" "What was there to be gained by 
fighting the most evil wizard who has ever existed?" said Black, 
<snip> "You don't understand!" whined Pettigrew. "He would have 
killed me, Sirius!"

Wormtail talks as if there was some invitation on Voldemort's or 
DE's part. But it's clear that Wormtail didn't hesitate too much, or 
ask advice of his friends about what to do about it. OTOH Wormtail 
being that ratty thing he is, it might be that when he 
says "refusing him" he is speaking metaphorically – just saying he 
couldn't refuse the lure of power and fear, since the dark side got 
stronger, and what was the point refusing it, so he decided to join 
him. 
Unfortunately Sirius is too enraged to inquire about what invitation 
Wormtail got. I think, if Voldemort or one of his DE had forced him 
personally to join, he would have said so more specifically.

 IMO he saw the dark side was getting stronger, his friends weren't 
a safe place, and in some mixture of being afraid he might be killed 
for being on the order's side plus feeling attracted to the 
strongest bully on the field – he joined Voldemort. I don't see him 
having any real loyalty, or making positive choices – the most 
striking characteristic of him – is that he is choosing negatively – 
where the butter seems to be laid, and from which danger he wants to 
escape – in fact basically cowardly choices. I also liked Sydney's 
suggestion that his aid to Voldemort's downfall won't be by some 
courageous conscious help, but more by some blunder – magic at his 
deepest <g>.

Orna, obviously not a great admirer of Pettigrew