Why didn't Peter kill Sirius?

[pauraque_bk]

In GoF 32, woman_ironing said:

I wonder what stopped Peter from the making the more efficient move of killing Sirius and surviving as a hero rather than a rat? (Silly me, JKR and the plot of course!)

I started to say that it was possible that he meant to kill Sirius along with the 12 Muggles -- and with good reason, as Sirius knew the truth about his betrayal -- but ran off when he realized Sirius was still alive. I don't know if that really makes sense, though... It always seemed, with the whole cutting-off-the-finger and immediately running away thing, that he fully intended to flee.

If he had killed Sirius, what would have happened? Well, he might have been charged with the reckless homicide (or whatever) of the other 12 people, but since they were Muggles, and Peter is very good at wriggling his way out of things ("Oh, I didn't mean to hurt all those poor creatures, I was just so scared and I did the first thing that popped into my head..."), I dunno if that would have been too serious.

So, he'd be the hero who killed Sirius Black. But keep in mind that at that point, Voldemort was dead already, and Peter very likely knew it. Maybe he was trying to run from the other DEs (who might well blame him for what happened), and didn't trust the Ministry/Order to protect him from them, even if he did eliminate firsthand knowledge of his betrayal by killing Sirius.

What do you guys think?

Comments

[woman-ironing.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure that Peter is self-aware enough to know his limits and I don't think he planned this in advance. Especially as it's a pretty crappy plan! If Peter knew about the horcruxes and therefore that Voldemort was likely to return he'd be in a better position to help him as a man, and a man of status in the community (see: Lucius Malfoy). If he didn't know about the horcruxes he'd believe Voldemort destroyed so there would be no end in view to life as a rat. As a man he'd be in no more danger from Death Eaters than any other Death Eater. He's used to leading a double life and I'm sure would be able to talk his way out of Death Eater suspicion. Plus he'd be protected by the Ministry.

[jodel-from-aol.livejournal.com]

Well, so far as "in advance" goes; he cobbled it together overnight, since he knew that he had to shut Sirius Black up or he would have *both* sides after him. And Sirius would be able to tell them about his Animagus form.

Peter hasn't a clue about the Horcruxes. None of the DEs do. They know that the Dark Lord has done "something" but I doubt any of them have any idea what. Particularly since Voldemort's transformations wouldn't be in any of the references that any of them have access to. Nobody's ever made *multiple* ones before.

At this point the only people we *know* were aware of that Horcruxes might be involved are Albus, R.A.B., Slughorn, Harry and Co. and Riddle himself. Way off on the periphery, there is the scant possibility that Snape knows something as well. Otherwise it is difficult to account for his absolute certainty that Harry must be protected, by any means.I think it is possible that Albus filled him in on *why* the boy matters. But it isn't certain. It's only a possibility.

[woman-ironing.livejournal.com]

It's ironic, isn't it, that Peter didn't manage to kill Sirius but Sirius sank into despair and was unable to defend himself against the charges of treachery and murder.

It is hard to work out how much Snape knows. Do you think Harry is a horcrux then?

[jodel-from-aol.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I was one of the first wave on Harry-is-a-Horcrux. Probably not the very first, though.

Rowling has given us too many hints and clues by this time for it to be a red herring.

[woman-ironing.livejournal.com]

It looks that way, doesn't it? My problem is Dumbledore's mention of Nagini as a possible horcrux. If Harry is a horcrux and DD knows then his suggestion of Nagini is so misleading as to be virtually a lie, and DD usually takes care not to lie. There's also the question of the significance of LV taking Harry's blood in GoF and why it cheered DD up so. Of course we all kind of know Harry and LV are connected - and the little clinking instrument with the two snakes that DD consulted in OotP is an alchemical expression of this - but what the nature and meaning of the connection is still eludes us.

It's a long time since I checked out your fab website and looking just now I see you've written on horcruxes - and lots more! - I'm off to catch up now.

[jodel-from-aol.livejournal.com]

Dumbledore shaves the truth every which way, depending on his audience. If he had to be *forced* by circumstances to even tell the boy about the Prophecy, he is certainly not going to pop outthe very next year with "And now that you know what a Horcrux is, I have to tell you that you *are* one!"

With that silly sidestep about Nagini he managed to introduce the concept that a Horcrux *could* be a living creature. It is a clumsy device and she's capable of better, but I think the series has gotten out of hand and behaving like a very big dog taking its owner for a run.