[the_old_crowd] HBP: Snape & Wormtail (WAS: DEFT PIG)

[elfundeb]

Spare the rod, spoil the child.

::watches rod ready to strike::

Spare the rod, spoil the child.

::watches rod ready to strike::

Spare the rod, spoil the child.

::watches rod ready to strike::

Spare the rod, spoil the child.

::watches rod ready to strike::

Spare the rod, spoil the child.

::watches with relief as upraised hand with rod is lowered to owner's side::

*************************

Boyd wrote:
> Two very odd things have struck me. Remember Peter Pettigrew? He of the
> once-central role in this drama? Silver hand? Nursed Vapor!Mort back to
> health? Blew up umpteen Muggles and apparently framed dear old Sirius?
> Former Marauder? Wormtail? Him?
> 
> Where in the heck was he in HBP?
> 
> Yes, he was shown meekly trying to eavesdrop on snarky Severus...and getting
> zapped for his trouble. And then...nothing. Odd. Very peculiar, in fact, now
> that I'm less blinded by the most recent cannon. Especially in light of this
> (thanks Lexicon):
> 
> Rita: What about Wormtail? Is there hope for redemption?
> JK Rowling replies -> There's always hope, of course. You'll find out more
> about our rat-like friend in book six (WBD).
> 
> OK, so what did we find out about him? He's the ambiguous male companion of
> Sevvy at Spinners End. Great, very useful Jo, thanks tons. 

Well, Jo did seem to be shipping everyone.  Why not let Wormtail in on
the action? <g>

But seriously, I've been contemplating the inclusion of Pettigrew in
this scene (probably because that's about as far as I've managed to
get in my reread), seemingly for no purpose than to remind us that he
still exists and that he's an unredeemed coward.

Why pair the repugnant Pettigrew with seductive Snape?  It's to remind
us, I think, that they are mirror images of one another.  They are
both traitors, but up until now we've seen them through very different
lenses.  Snape, with the benefit of Dumbledore's trust, has appeared -
at least outwardly - to have come over to *our* side, creating a very
different picture than Pettigrew, who betrayed *our* side.

It also suggests a third option to the rekindled question who Snape is
really working for.  With Pettigrew, the answer is clear:  he's
working to protect his own hide.  And if my view of Snape's
motivations is correct, he is doing exactly the same thing.  Like
Pettigrew, Snape is in position to end up on the winning team --
regardless of which team it is.  Nobody *really* knows.  Except that
Snape does it more deftly, more elegantly, than Pettigrew ever could. 
Nevertheless, they seem to be well able to Look Out for No. 1.

So why do we, by and large, find Pettigrew repulsive while we lavish
our fascination on Snape?  One difference is style.  As Pip so
rightfully points out, our man Snape can *act*.  The other is courage.
 It takes an immense amount of courage, and a bit of brinksmanship, to
keep up the double agent game as Snape is doing.  Pettigrew, of
course, has neither, a point which is hammered home as he fails even
to eavesdrop on a conversation without being discovered, and much more
powerfully when he refuses Snape's offer to take on a more active task
for Voldemort.

And Jen wrote:

> Wormtail now has a power of his own. Sometime before the final
> battle, Wormtail will resolve his loyalty issuesand use his powerful
> hand to "willingly sacrifice" himself for Harry.
> 
> ****************
> 
> Well, at the time it sounded a bit more original to me than it does
> now. But HBP certainly makes me wonder about the loyalty issues
> again. Hanging out with Snape?

I think they were hanging out together to remind us that Snape and
Wormtail will facing the same choices in Book 7.  Not to mention how
much pleasure Snape must get out of tormenting one who once enjoyed
Snape's humiliation so much that he nearly wet his pants.

Debbie
who wants to respond to so much else, but probably won't get to it
until tomorrow night at the earliest