Peter

[geoff_bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 187722

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "wildirishrose" <wildirishrose at ...> wrote:

wildirishrose:
> We know that Peter lived as a rat with the Weasleys for years.
> 
> When do you think he joined the family as their "pet."  

Geoff:
Canon gives a few clues:

'"...You never get anything new, either, with five brothers. I've got 
Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand and Percy's old rat."

Ron reached inside his jacket and pulled out a fat, grey rat, which 
was asleep.

"His name's Scabbers and he's useless, he hardly ever wakes up. Percy 
got an owl from my dad for being made a Prefect but they couldn't aff- 
I mean, I got Scabbers instead."'
(PS "The Journey from Platform Nine and three Quarters" p.75 UK edition)

'"Look, Scabbers probably had a fight with another rat or something! 
He's been in my family for ages, right- "

"Twelve years in fact", said Lupin...'
(POA "The Servant of Lord Voldemort" p.267 UK edition)

This is said when Ron is in his Third Year. I've forgotten which year 
Percy was in when he became a Prefect but it is obvious that he was 
looked after by another of the family prior to Percy.

This part of POA takes place late in Harry's Third Year, hence during 
1994 so Lupin's comment places Peter's arrival with the family during 
1982 - pretty soon after Godric's Hollow.

This raises the interesting question of how he managed it and also gives 
me some thoughts for when I come to draft the discussion for this chapter 
in a few weeks' time.