Who recruited Peter Pettigrew for the Dark Lord?

[zgirnius]

No: HPFGUIDX 154807


> aussie now:
> This old post came out before the release of HBP. I think it is 
> clearer now that it was Snape that recruited Peter Pettigrew. The 
> fact that Pettigrew was entrusted to Snape in Spinner's End 
> reinforces that. (If that is true, would that change anyone's 
> opinion on Snape?)

zgirnius:
If it were true, yes, absolutely. I don't believe it, though. <g> I 
don't see any way this theory can be consistent with DDM! (my stance 
on Snape).

aussie:
> During the overheard conversation in the 3 Broomsticks (POA Chap 
> 10), McGonagall said "(DD) was sure that somebody close to the 
> Potters had been keeping You-Know-Who informed of their movements"
> 
> So, Peter joined before the prophesy had been told and had been 
> informing for some time.

zgirnius:
The prophecy was made before Harry was born; given the cold and rainy 
weather, and Trelawney's statements about her tenure at Hogwarts, 
likely months before. His parents were killed when he was 15 months 
old. Peter could easily have been recruited after the Prophecy was 
made, even after Harry was born, and still have been a Voldemort spy 
for a year or so before the Potters were killed.

aussie:
> My opinion of why:
> Snape's motive: revenge against the Maunderers by turning one of 
> their own.
> Pettigrew's motive: apart from those spoken about above, Snape may 
> have known Peter was an Animagi Rat and if cornered, Snape could 
> have offered 3 choices - a) AK Peter straight away as a OOTP 
member; 
> b) if Peter escaped, expose himas an illegal animagi hunted by MOM; 
> c) join DE and be on the strongest team.

zgirnius:
I agree Snape would have had a motive. Means is more problematic. 
There is really no reason to suppose he knew the Marauders were 
Animagi, or that Peter was. For one thing, I can't see how he would 
have figured such a thing out after they all left school. And while 
he was IN school, it would seem too good a card not to have played 
then, to get revenge on them.