Evil plots that actually work.

I ♥ makesmewannadie. She knows why.

---

The following is distilled from discussions with chresimos and theatresm:

Voldemort's plan for getting to Harry in GoF is completely ludicrous. There's no reason at all to make Harry jump through the hoops of the Tournament, when Barty-as-Moody could have just handed Harry a Portkey at any time. Any sane person can see that it's a Rube Goldberg device -- of course, Voldemort and Crouch Jr are insane, so it can be argued as in-character.

Peter, however, is not insane -- at least, not in that way. He's repeatedly "gone over the plan in [his] head" (GoF Ch.1), and can't make it add up. He's so worried about it that he tells Voldemort so to his face, continuing to press the issue even after V tells him to shut up about it, and threatens him with "the full extent of Lord Voldemort's wrath".

Despite his evident misgivings, Peter carries out his part of the plan. Or does he?

Peter's job during the whole Tournament business is to keep Crouch Sr under Imperius. But as we know, Crouch Sr escaped. According to Crouch Jr, Peter "neglected his duty" and "was not watchful enough" (GoF Ch.35).

Then we have the resurrection potion, for which Peter gives up his right hand. But what Voldemort may not realize is that Peter's right hand is missing a finger (JKR states this directly at the moment that he severs the hand), and it isn't even his dominant hand! From the fact that Peter cut off one of his right-hand fingers, we may guess that he is left-handed, and PoA confirms it; he uses Remus's wand with his left hand without difficulty -- and again, JKR makes it clear that it is the left.

So, it begins to appear that for all the trouble he takes to comply with V's wishes, he doesn't exactly give it his best. But why? Just disgruntled? Or is it this:

A slight pause followed -- and then Wormtail spoke, the words tumbling from him in a rush, as though he was forcing himself to say this before he lost his nerve.

'It could be done without Harry Potter, my Lord.'

Another pause, more protracted, and then--

'Without Harry Potter?' breathed the second voice softly. 'I see...'

'My Lord, I do not say this out of concern for the boy!' said Wormtail, his voice rising squeakily. 'The boy is nothing to me, nothing at all! [...]'

(GoF Ch.1)

Riiiight. Very convincing. Voldemort is not impressed, and insists that it must be Harry, not just any enemy will do. Unable to sway him, Peter doesn't sabotage things outright -- probably values his life too much for that -- but I suspect part of him hopes that he was right from the start, and that the plan will fail. If he's lucky, Voldemort will shoot himself in the foot by following through with this plot that Peter knows full well is absurd, Harry will escape, and Peter will get what he wants without it being at all obvious to Voldemort that his motives are divided.

And damned if that isn't exactly what happens.

Evil plots that actually work.

I ♥ makesmewannadie. She knows why.

---

The following is distilled from discussions with chresimos and theatresm:

Voldemort's plan for getting to Harry in GoF is completely ludicrous. There's no reason at all to make Harry jump through the hoops of the Tournament, when Barty-as-Moody could have just handed Harry a Portkey at any time. Any sane person can see that it's a Rube Goldberg device -- of course, Voldemort and Crouch Jr are insane, so it can be argued as in-character.

Peter, however, is not insane -- at least, not in that way. He's repeatedly "gone over the plan in [his] head" (GoF Ch.1), and can't make it add up. He's so worried about it that he tells Voldemort so to his face, continuing to press the issue even after V tells him to shut up about it, and threatens him with "the full extent of Lord Voldemort's wrath".

Despite his evident misgivings, Peter carries out his part of the plan. Or does he?

Peter's job during the whole Tournament business is to keep Crouch Sr under Imperius. But as we know, Crouch Sr escaped. According to Crouch Jr, Peter "neglected his duty" and "was not watchful enough" (GoF Ch.35).

Then we have the resurrection potion, for which Peter gives up his right hand. But what Voldemort may not realize is that Peter's right hand is missing a finger (JKR states this directly at the moment that he severs the hand), and it isn't even his dominant hand! From the fact that Peter cut off one of his right-hand fingers, we may guess that he is left-handed, and PoA confirms it; he uses Remus's wand with his left hand without difficulty -- and again, JKR makes it clear that it is the left.

So, it begins to appear that for all the trouble he takes to comply with V's wishes, he doesn't exactly give it his best. But why? Just disgruntled? Or is it this:

A slight pause followed -- and then Wormtail spoke, the words tumbling from him in a rush, as though he was forcing himself to say this before he lost his nerve.

'It could be done without Harry Potter, my Lord.'

Another pause, more protracted, and then--

'Without Harry Potter?' breathed the second voice softly. 'I see...'

'My Lord, I do not say this out of concern for the boy!' said Wormtail, his voice rising squeakily. 'The boy is nothing to me, nothing at all! [...]'

(GoF Ch.1)

Riiiight. Very convincing. Voldemort is not impressed, and insists that it must be Harry, not just any enemy will do. Unable to sway him, Peter doesn't sabotage things outright -- probably values his life too much for that -- but I suspect part of him hopes that he was right from the start, and that the plan will fail. If he's lucky, Voldemort will shoot himself in the foot by following through with this plot that Peter knows full well is absurd, Harry will escape, and Peter will get what he wants without it being at all obvious to Voldemort that his motives are divided.

And damned if that isn't exactly what happens.