Peter and HBP.

[pauraque_bk]

Folks have already been prodding me for this, so I guess I'll get on with it. What does the new canon have to say about Peter?


Peter was quite important in PoA and GoF, of course, but oddly absent from OotP. I was hoping HBP might give us a clue as to why he wasn't at the Department of Mysteries, but if anything it only raised more questions. Why is he at Spinner's End? Why is he again missing from a major battle between the DEs and the Order?

Well, let's see what we've got to work with.

'He lives here?' asked Bella in a voice of contempt. 'Here? In this Muggle dunghill? We must be the first of our kind ever to set foot--' (26 UK)

We know now that she's talking about Snape, so I'm guessing "our kind" means pure-blood wizards. If she knows Peter is there too (and she may well not), that would imply he's either half-blood or Muggleborn too.

'We... we are alone, aren't we?' Narcissa asked quietly.

'Yes, of course. Well, Wormtail's here, but we're not counting vermin, are we?'

He pointed his wand at the wall of books behind him and with a bang, a hidden door flew open, revealing a narrow staircase upon which a small man stood frozen.

'As you have clearly realised, Wormtail, we have guests,' said Snape lazily. (28-29 UK)

Underestimating Peter has been a fatal error for some, but Snape appears unconcerned about this. He follows Voldemort in calling him "Wormtail" -- do you think he ever knew that as Peter's nickname at school? I can easily see Snape enjoying being unpleasant to Peter simply because he was James's friend, but given Peter's importance in finding and resurrecting Voldemort (not to mention changing his nappies), there may be some DE political maneuvering here too.

Snape appears to know Peter's animagus form now, though we don't know when he found that out. Perhaps Narcissa and Bella know too, or else the "vermin" remark would be something of a non sequitur to them. Then again, he may just be needling Peter.

The man crept, hunchbacked, down the last few steps and moved into the room. He had small, watery eyes, a pointed nose, and wore an unpleasant simper. His left hand was caressing his right, which looked as though it was encased in a bright silver glove.

'Narcissa!' he said, in a squeaky voice. 'And Bellatrix! How charming--' (29 UK)

This is very like his description in PoA: "pointed nose", "very small, watery eyes", "squeaky" voice, "cringing" -- which I think is what she means by "hunchbacked" here. Not literally hunchbacked, merely cowering. Only thing new is this "simper", a coy, self-conscious smile. We've never seen him smile as an adult before. In fact, this is the first time we've seen him as a grown-up while not in some kind of immediate duress or danger.

He either recognizes Narcissa and Bella (when has he met them?), or overheard Snape say their names. I think he's being solicitous here, though it could be read as sarcastic. We don't see their reactions to him.

'Wormtail will get us drinks, if you'd like them,' said Snape. 'And then he will return to his bedroom.'

Wormtail winced as though Snape had thrown something at him.

'I am not your servant!' he squeaked, avoiding Snape's eye.

'Really? I was under the impression that the Dark Lord placed you here to assist me.'

'To assist, yes -- but not to make you drinks and -- and clean your house!'

'I had no idea, Wormtail, that you were craving more dangerous assignments,' said Snape silkily. 'This can be easily arranged: I shall speak to the Dark Lord--'

'I can speak to him myself if I want to!'

'Of course you can,' said Snape, sneering. 'But in the meantime, bring us drinks. Some of the elf-made wine will do.' (29 UK)

Peter's body language is submissive, but he talks back to Snape openly, and in front of important guests. The fact that he avoids Snape's eyes may only mean that he doesn't want Snape using Legilimency on him. This exchange seems to confirm that the key point of contention is which of them is more important to Voldemort -- which of them has his ear.

Voldemort has put them together -- for what purpose? What is Snape doing, and why should he need Peter's assistance? Even in a Muggle mill town, it doesn't seem like a very good idea for Snape, a double-agent, to be living with a known Death Eater, unless there's some compelling reason for it. Although Snape phrases his desire for Peter to go back to his room as a dominating order, Peter actually has power in this situation... What if someone sees him in Snape's window, or coming in or out of the house? That'd be the end of Snape's sixteen-year cover.

(Elf-made wine? What elves?)

Wormtail hesitated for a moment, looking as though he might argue, but then turned and headed through a second hidden door. They heard banging and a clinking of glasses. Within seconds he was back, bearing a dusty bottle and three glasses upon a tray. He dropped these on the rickety table and scurried from their presence, slamming the book-covered door behind him. (29 UK)

Look at that -- he's pissed! I guess he and Severus won't be giving joint Christmas presents anytime soon.

As Narcissa took her second drink she said in a rush, 'Severus, I'm sorry to come here like this, but I had to see you. I think you are the only one who can help me--'

Snape held up a hand to stop her, then pointed his wand again at the concealed staircase door. There was a loud bang and a squeal, followed by the sound of Wormtail scurrying back up the stairs.

'My apologies,' said Snape. 'He has lately taken to listening at doors, I don't know what he means by it ... you were saying, Narcissa?' (28-30 UK)

Snape doesn't want Peter to hear them discussing the whole Draco-killing-Dumbledore plan. Either Peter doesn't know about it, or Snape wants it to appear so.


It was a while before I thought of Peter again...

[Lupin:] 'James was a pure-blood, Harry, and I promise you, he never asked us to call him "Prince".'

Abandoning pretence, Harry said, 'And it wasn't Sirius? Or you?'

'Definitely not.' (315 UK)

I think it's pretty slow of Harry not to ask if it was Peter or Lily here. Not that it would have helped, but he's asking Lupin anyway, and it makes him look dense not to.


There are only a couple more direct references to Peter in the book.

It was, as Harry had anticipated, useless, boring work, punctuated (as Snape had clearly planned) with the regular jolt in the stomach that meant he had just read his father or Sirius's names, usually coupled together in various petty misdeeds, occasionally accompanied by those of Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew. (498 UK)

Notable that Sirius and James clearly made up the core friendship, with Remus and Peter at the outskirts, rarely included. This is absolutely in line with what we see in OotP.

It was Snape who had overheard the prophecy. It was Snape who had carried the news of the prophecy to Voldemort. Snape and Peter Pettigrew together had sent Voldemort hunting after Lily and James and their son... (509 UK)

True enough. Snape provided the motive, Peter the means. We don't know if they really interacted, though.


Peter is otherwise conspicuous only by his absence from the battle at the Astronomy Tower. Quite a lot of DEs show up for this, though several from OotP don't get name-checks. Does Peter just not get invited to these Order-dueling parties? Why not? He's certainly capable of slaughtering the innocent -- both in magical skill and ruthlessness. Maybe he's back at Snape's house fluffing up the sofa cushions.

Several people have suggested that Peter's hand may be one of Voldemort's Horcruxes¹ -- specifically, that the silver may have come from a Horcrux object that was melted down. This is conceivable, and would be a boon to anyone who likes to see Peter's hand as having a mind of its own (or V's own), but I don't see any specific evidence for it. I prefer ani_bester's thought that Peter may kill Fenrir.


So, that's all I've got for now. Hit me with some theories on what Snape and Peter were doing at Spinner's End!


¹I know everyone's already saying Horcruces, but did you notice that no one but Voldemort has more than one? No one would be used to forming a "proper" plural for it, even Dumbledore.

Comments

[florahart]

Snape appears to know Peter's animagus form now, though we don't know when he found that out. Perhaps Narcissa and Bella know too, or else the "vermin" remark would be something of a non sequitur to them. Then again, he may just be needling Peter.

Snape knew what the kids SAID happened in PoA while he was unconscious, and that Dumbledore went along with it. Even though he may not yet believe it in PoA, as events in GoF and OotP unfold, he may simply have recalled. He would also know of the four of them as a group, and certainly knows about Padfoot, and also knows who the map identifies itself as created by. As I think he's reasonably bright, I don't see why he *wouldn't* know about Wormtail at this point. Yeah?

[pauraque]

I wasn't surprised by it, we simply don't know exactly when he put it together.

[ellen-fremedon.livejournal.com]

This exchange seems to confirm that the key point of contention is which of them is more important to Voldemort -- which of them has his ear.

Which would be a particularly pressing question just then-- I get the impression that Snape and Wormtail are the only members of the inner circle who aren't covered in shit after the Ministry battle; there's a power vacuum to be filled, with Lucius in Azkaban.

[pauraque]

Yes, definitely. A benefit of not participating in a botched operation.

[noblerot.livejournal.com]

I can easily see Snape enjoying being unpleasant to Peter simply because he was James's friend, but given Peter's importance in finding and resurrecting Voldemort (not to mention changing his nappies), there may be some DE political maneuvering here too.

Yes, and -- here I'm operating on the assumption that Snape is indeed still loyal to Dumbledore -- Peter is also implicated some of the greatest miseries of Snape's life. He was responsible for James and Lily's deaths, over which Snape still feels guilt; he nurtured and resurrected Voldemort; he was once friends with the hated James, Sirius and Remus.

Snape doesn't want Peter to hear them discussing the whole Draco-killing-Dumbledore plan. Either Peter doesn't know about it, or Snape wants it to appear so.

I'm assuming Voldemort has Peter there to spy on Snape, and Snape knows it; so he'd probably prefer that Peter overhear as little as possible of anything he does or says.

[pauraque]

I think you're right that Peter is meant to be spying. I'd still like to know how Voldemort actually phrased his reasons to Snape!

Are you still tootling around Seattle, or have you come back already?

[noblerot.livejournal.com]

Still tootling around Seattle, where it's scorching hot. I'm so longing for a little SF fog right now.

[pauraque]

When you come back, we ought to get together, says I.

[idlerat.livejournal.com]

I'm saying "horcruxes." It's a chapter title!

Doesn't Voldemort know about Peter's animagus form? Doesn't he talk about it in his big comeback speech in GoF, Peter working his way across Europe as a rat? In which case it's common DE knowledge; certainly the nickname is.

I wouldn't think Peter would be very happy with the nickname- sounds like a Sirius Black invention. Seems like a term of derision he gets from both camps.

It didn't surprise me that Peter hasn't been part of the raiding parties; he doesn't get much warrior respect. Maybe if his animagus form was a rhino...

I think James and Sirius were the core friendship, but also were the ones who liked getting into trouble. In his note on the back of the mirror, Sirius says they used it when they were in detention together, and there's Remus' famous comment about being made prefect in the hopes he'd keep an eye on Sirius and James.

It also doesn't surprise me that Harry doesn't think of Lily or Peter. Lily because muggle born, plus he's convinced it's a guy; Peter because Peter.

I'm not sure about Peter's skills; true he's an animagus, but he seems to have had some trouble with his OWLs, doesn't he? Seems very good at surviving. So far :D

Thanks for the rundown.

[pauraque]

Doesn't Voldemort know about Peter's animagus form? Doesn't he talk about it in his big comeback speech in GoF, Peter working his way across Europe as a rat? In which case it's common DE knowledge; certainly the nickname is.

Snape wasn't there for that, was he? I thought we were told in HBP that he waited two hours to show up.

It also doesn't surprise me that Harry doesn't think of Lily or Peter. Lily because muggle born, plus he's convinced it's a guy; Peter because Peter.

The reason it bugs me is that Harry is really grasping at straws by this point. He knows full well that James and Sirius were pure-bloods -- hell, he's seen Sirius's whole family tree! -- so neither the fact that Lily is female and Muggleborn, nor the fact that Peter had difficulty with a non-Potions OWL exam should have stopped Harry from asking about them. It would have been nice to see Harry figure out that he keeps getting these enormous surprises at the end of each school year, so maybe he should be a little more thorough in eliminating suspects this time.

[millefiori.livejournal.com]

Well...yes, but Harry's a 16-year-old boy, and he's very impressed with the Half Blood Prince. I think he's naturally inclined to imagine that the HBP is someone smart, strong and admirable, in which case Peter would never cross his mind. And, sad as it is to say, Lily doesn't either, because she's only ever been presented to him as a Madonna figure who triumphs through her self-sacrificial love. Given her appearance in the pensieve, and all of the...ahem...anvil-sized hints dropped by Slughorn, he should probably know better, but then I don't think we love Harry because of his keen insight and instinctive grasp of human behavior. :)

[dphearson.livejournal.com]

The Odd Couple.

Peter as Felix: Oscar Severus, I just cleaned the kitchen, and it's covered in your Potions mess again!

Severus as Oscar: Oh, come on, FelixWormtail. You know I have work to do. Bring me another beer, would ya? *belch*

[exbentley]

You know what my theory on what they were doing at Spinner's End is... ;)

I guess he and Severus won't be giving joint Christmas presents anytime soon.

*LMAO*

I think it's pretty slow of Harry not to ask if it was Peter or Lily here. Not that it would have helped, but he's asking Lupin anyway, and it makes him look dense not to.

I totally convinced my friend that Peter was the HBP just by reading out that section slowly and with emphasis, trying to get across that it was REALLY REALLY IMPORTANT. Though I myself was a bit cut at the lack of Peter mention.

I doubt he'd think of Lily, since he knows she's Muggleborn and a female. Though maybe he eliminates Peter just 'cause Harry, in his narrow black-and-white view of the world, believes that the HBP is a Good Person (didn't he heed Arthur Weasley's advice in the second book? Honestly.)

Also, wouldn't elf-made wine be wine made by House Elves, as opposed to... what, Muggle wine? That's not to say that they have House Elves at their little shared house, just that the wine Severus wants is made by House Elves. Maybe he was specifying a certain wine for Bella and Cissy - don't want to give the haughty purebloods any common Muggle stuff, do we?

Oh man, the book's not even been out a week and already I (and, it seems, the rest of fandom) am coming up with wild conspiracy theories. Was it like this after OOTP? I don't remember.

I was disappointed with Peter in HBP, because I swear after his complete absence in OOTP JKR said we were to find out plenty of new information about him, and we get what? Same old Peterish stuff. Honestly, with all the talk about Lily and Snape, couldn't something have been just slipped in, more than "omg wtf living with snape".

[pauraque]

You know what my theory on what they were doing at Spinner's End is... ;)

Well, I meant aside from the obvious. :)

I totally convinced my friend that Peter was the HBP just by reading out that section slowly and with emphasis, trying to get across that it was REALLY REALLY IMPORTANT.

That was the only point where I really thought it might have been Peter or Lily (more likely Lily), since it seemed so stupid that Harry didn't mention their names. I thought it would have to be Snape, but both Lily and Peter seemed more likely to have girly handwriting than Severus. (Can't you just see JKR pulling that? "Suddenly Harry realised it was the same oddly girlish handwriting he'd seen on Wormtail's OWL exam...")

Maybe he was specifying a certain wine for Bella and Cissy - don't want to give the haughty purebloods any common Muggle stuff, do we?

Possibly. One thing that's interesting about that exchange is how little attention Severus is paying to the girls. He doesn't really establish or care whether they want anything to drink -- the point is to show that he can order Peter around.

I was disappointed with Peter in HBP, because I swear after his complete absence in OOTP JKR said we were to find out plenty of new information about him, and we get what? Same old Peterish stuff.

Yeah, she did say that. Maybe she meant in Book 7.

[ani-bester.livejournal.com]

I also was surprised that Peter was in it as little has he was. I know webbapettigrew speculated that the pleading Dumbledore did while drinking the potion might have been a memory of Peter he intended to share with Harry (I think countering someone who said it was a memory of Snape).

Considering the power struggle that went on in there, both as far as who Voldemort listens to and who will do what, I wonder if Voldemort does trust Snape as much as Snape thinks he does. Peter, Voldemort knows, can be convinced to betray people he has been on friendly terms with most of his life and their baby. I would assume Peter would have no problems ratting on Snape (no pun inteded).

So I suspect Peter is there to keep an eye on Snape.
And I suspect Snape was told to keep an eye on Peter.

I'm sure, with Snape not being able to come to all the DE meetings (being a spy) Voldemort would want some form of continuous contact with someone who had been with Dumbledore so long.

Peter might be good to because, I assume a lot here but, he kept is De status (presumably)s ecret from Dumbledore, that suggest to me that he might also be a good Occulmens (sp no book *sigh*) and could keep Snape from knowing what's up if he needed to, and likewise, Snape can keep Peter out.

Thanks for the link too.
I think Peter is a little to humble a person (to put it politely) in voldemort's mind, to have a Horowhatsis (again no book to spell that right), especially with Dumbledore alleging that Voldemort could find out about the life debt (so I'll assume Voldmort know, which might also explain why Peter is not put into situations where he might run into harry in uncontrolled circumstances).

I wish someone would ask JKR if silver affects werewolves!

[pauraque]

So I suspect Peter is there to keep an eye on Snape.
And I suspect Snape was told to keep an eye on Peter.

Yeah, I've been thinking along these lines too. As ellen_fremedon pointed out, Peter and Snape escaped any blame for the botched Ministry battle, so now they're suddenly vying for Lucius's old right-hand position. It seems like typical Voldemort logic to intentionally put them together and... let them fight it out, almost. See who comes out on top.

Peter might be good to because, I assume a lot here but, he kept is De status (presumably)s ecret from Dumbledore, that suggest to me that he might also be a good Occulmens (sp no book *sigh*) and could keep Snape from knowing what's up if he needed to, and likewise, Snape can keep Peter out.

I don't know if Peter is an Occlumens or not (I tend to think that Dumbledore *did* know Peter was a DE, but was withholding that information from the rest of the Order for reasons of his own), but I do think the fact that he avoids eye contact with Snape indicates that he's at least *trying* to keep Snape from reading his thoughts.

especially with Dumbledore alleging that Voldemort could find out about the life debt (so I'll assume Voldmort know, which might also explain why Peter is not put into situations where he might run into harry in uncontrolled circumstances).

Now that's the first explanation I actually like for why Voldemort keeps benching Peter in these important battles. If V does know about the life debt, he'd have every reason to keep Peter and Harry apart. Thanks for pointing that out!

[slinkhard.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm glad someone else wondered if the pleading was a memory (I thought it could be Snape's or Riddle's), I thought it was just me!

[scarah2.livejournal.com]

Do you think there's any significance that Snape won't eat the Order's food, yet he accepts drink handled by Peter?

And do we think Peter was a good boy and stayed upstairs for the rest of the chapter? He seems to be forgotten after the second time he's caught eavesdropping.

[pauraque]

Do you think there's any significance that Snape won't eat the Order's food, yet he accepts drink handled by Peter?

It seemed to me that he refused to eat with the Order on principle -- didn't want to break bread with Sirius -- rather than because he was afraid of being poisoned. Maybe he doubts Peter's ability to come up with an effective potion, though I think he does so at his peril.

And do we think Peter was a good boy and stayed upstairs for the rest of the chapter? He seems to be forgotten after the second time he's caught eavesdropping.

This depends on whether Snape is just guessing Peter is listening at the door, or actually has some magical means of knowing that he's there. If the former, it seems pretty cavalier of him to assume that Peter's gone back to his room.

[ani-bester.livejournal.com]

I would think Snape of all people would be good at knowing how to keep himself from being poisoned. I wouldn't be surprised, in fact, of some of that dust in the dusty glasses was not dust at all, but a poison detector.

Or, much simpler, maybe Peter was backtalking by not cleaning out the glasses for the "esteemed" guests. =P

I was of the opinion that Peter might have snuck back down, but I wouldn't want to put money on it.

[friskylemon.livejournal.com]

Honestly, I don't think Voldemort think highly of Pettigrew besides of being a coward. You could see it when in GoF when Peter was basically whimpering and all scared during the resurrection of Voldemort. Would Voldemort want to bring someone like Peter to the Department of Mysteries and retrieve a valuable prophecy? Most likely not. I highly doubt that Peter's magic is impressive either. But I do agree with most people that Peter is sent there to spy on Snape, and it would be the easiest but most tedious task of all time since Snape is still bullying him. Probably because Snape doesn't trust that Peter once chilled with James, Sirius, and Remus back in the old Hogwarts days.

elf-made wine - perhaps it is imported wine? with a touch of elf-magic?

[pauraque]

I wouldn't say V thinks *highly* of Peter, but the fact is that Peter is the only Death Eater who made a serious attempt to find Voldemort, and I expect that counts for something. Notice how contemptuous he is of the other DEs who went free but didn't try to find him. Voldemort likes to talk down to Peter, but he seems pleased at the job Peter does in resurrecting him, giving him the gift of the silver hand (which he certainly didn't have to do).

I highly doubt that Peter's magic is impressive either.

Voldemort agrees with you (he calls Peter a "poor wizard" in GoF), but I think you're both wrong. We know Peter mastered the Animagus transformation. We know he killed twelve people with one spell. We can assume he worked some magic to bring Voldemort from a spiritual form to the demon-baby body. We know he can cast the Killing Curse (Cedric). We know he managed to make the potion that transformed Voldemort into his adult body -- seems like powerful magic to me. It's even possible that he's skilled enough at Occlumency to prevent Dumbledore from finding out that he was a DE.

I absolutely agree that Peter comes off as a whimpering, sniveling coward. Other characters look at how he *seems*, and not what he actually *does*, and conclude that he's worthless -- harmless. Sirius certainly thought him harmless, a poor wizard... an underestimation James and Lily paid for with their lives.

So it rings false to me that Voldemort would exclude Peter from these battles because he's too incompetent or cowardly. Lucius and his crew couldn't take down a group of teenagers -- but Peter's already proven that killing an innocent boy is no trouble for him!

[friskylemon.livejournal.com]

Oh, damn. I forgot all about those evil deeds he did. Thanks for reminding me [of Peter's capability to kill, haha.]

We also know that Peter is now in debt because Harry saved his life. Still Peter seems scared of the highly dangerous missions DE's have to go on. He still looks like he needs the protection of someone powerful like Lord Voldemort. Going with a group of Death Eaters and splitting to battle one on two or two on one, etc., I think just makes him more vulnerable.

I say accept his magic is great, but his dueling skill is most likely to be terrifying, and not so great during a battle.

[millefiori.livejournal.com]

I think you're right that Peter is a far more formidable wizard than anyone gives him credit for. And, to be fair, I think both Snape and Voldemort give him more credit than would appear from the surface of things. I think ani_bester is absolutely right about the life debt, and in fact, I think that Snape's life debt to James (inherited by Harry) might be why Voldemort is also willing to keep Snape from the front lines. V knows his magic, and I can't see him deliberately putting his servants into a touchy situation in which some primal, primative force could overcome their duty/loyalty to him.

This doesn't relate directly to the comment I'm replying to, but Snape *did* know that Peter was Wormtail. In the American paperback edition of PoA, p355, Snape is in the room, hiding under the invisibility cloak when Remus says, "And that's how we came to write the Marauder's Map, and sign it with our nicknames. Sirius is Padfoot. Peter is Wormtail. James was Prongs."

I've no doubt Snape took *full* advantage of V sending Wormtail to "assist" him.

[tesseract-5.livejournal.com]

very interesting, nicely laid out.

I'd assumed as many here have said that Voldie is hedging his bets, leaving Snape and Peter to spy on each other. As Peter alone of all the DEs managed to bring him, Voldemort, back to life, he's proved his worth. He's probably a little too good a Wizard, so is being pushed back down, as Snape's "assistant".

elf-made wine, like goblin wrought silver, just what that "servent" class of creatures is good for. House Elves make food and drink.

Well

[blackdrago.livejournal.com]

Don't forget, Peter owes Harry a debt!

And I bet Voldy knows it. He didn't send Peter to the Ministry specifically because he knew Harry would be there, and therefore he did not want to give Peter the opportunity to make that "old magic" work, even if Voldy underestimates it.

I think the likelihood of Harry showing up in the fight of HBP was too high for Voldy to send Peter as well.

Just my ideas on why he's hiding...
drago