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

[zgirnius]

No: HPFGUIDX 145002


> Alla:
> 
> Yes, it is easier to commit evil when it is anonymous, I just don't 
> understand how the fact that Snape condemned two anonymous people 
to 
> death makes him less responsible for their deaths,when they became 
> the people with names. 
> 

zgirnius:
Well, the argument goes on from there, of course. Once he realized 
who the two people were he saw the error of his ways and tried to 
save them, or so says Dumbledore. Noone, not even Peter, says Peter 
ever saw the error of his ways and tried to undo the dmaage that he 
had done. You, of course, may not believe this, as is your right. But 
it is this that makes him different to me (and I suspect some of the 
other anti-Peter posters...)

> Alla:
> 
> Peter committed one of the worst sins I know of - betrayal of the 
> closest friends, but I don't see  that the possibility that he was 
> initially  completely broken by Voldemort - torture, threat of 
> torture or threat to his family as completely outlandish. His 
mother 
> IS mentioned in canon, what if Voldemort threatened to kill her, 
> unless Peter tells him the Potters hiding place

zgirnius:
IF Peter had given the Potters up as you describe it would in fact be 
a rather different and more sympathetic picture, I would have no 
problem with him. I just don;t believe this is how it happened, and 
here is why:

We know from McGonagall in PoA (this is from memory, sorry Alla, 
SSSusan, don't have my copy handy either) that Dumbledore suspected 
someone close to the Potters was reporting on their movements 
(plural) to Voldemort over a period of time. This is why Dumbledore 
wanted to be their Secret Keeper himself.

Now, Pippin's ESE!Lupin theory could be the explanation. I prefer to 
avoid the proliferation of villainous Marauders and suggest that this 
informant was Peter. This means we was betraying his friends over a 
period of time. What he should have done (were he a decent human 
being) was to go to Dumbledore or the Potters soon after his initial 
contact with Voldemort and lay his problems on the table. Steps could 
have (and would have) been taken to protect Peter and/or any 
vulnerable family members/loved ones. 

But it gets even worse. Since this was going on over a period of 
time, Peter was almost certainly already suborned by Voldemort when 
he was asked to become their Secret Keeper. All he had to do 
(assuming he was acting out of fear, and really did still care about 
his friends) was refuse, for any reason he wanted to give, including 
simple fear. Voldemort need never have known the offer was made.