======The Common Rat======
=====Introduction=====
The common rat is a non-magical rodent found throughout the wizarding and [[Muggle]] worlds. They are one of the animals students are permitted to bring as a pet to [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]], though they are generally less popular than an [[owl]] or a [[cat]]. Parts of rats, such as their spleens and tails, are also used as ingredients in various [[potions]].
The most significant rat in the series is **[[Scabbers]]**, the long-time pet of the [[Weasley family]], who was revealed to be the unregistered [[Animagus]] [[Peter Pettigrew]] in disguise. Through this character, the seemingly mundane rat plays a pivotal role in the exposure of [[Sirius Black]]'s innocence and the eventual return of [[Lord Voldemort]].
=====Biography (as Scabbers)=====
This section primarily details the history of [[Peter Pettigrew]] during his twelve years living as a rat. After betraying [[James Potter|James]] and [[Lily Potter]] to [[Lord Voldemort]], Pettigrew faked his own murder, killing twelve [[Muggle]]s in the process and framing [[Sirius Black]] for his crimes. He cut off his own finger to complete the deception before transforming into his rat form and disappearing into the sewers.
He sought refuge with a wizarding family, eventually becoming the pet of [[Percy Weasley]], who named him [[Scabbers]]. After Percy was made a [[prefect]] and received an [[owl]] from his parents, Scabbers was handed down to [[Ron Weasley]]. For twelve years, Pettigrew lived as Scabbers, first at [[The Burrow]] and later at [[Hogwarts]].
During [[Harry Potter]]'s third year, Scabbers's life was made difficult by [[Hermione Granger]]'s pet [[cat]], [[Crookshanks]], who instinctively understood that Scabbers was not a true rat and repeatedly tried to attack him. After an apparent attack, Scabbers faked his own death once more, leaving a few drops of blood to frame [[Crookshanks]]. He was later discovered hiding in a milk jug in [[Rubeus Hagrid]]'s hut.
[[Scabbers]] was exposed after he bit Ron and attempted to flee, only to be intercepted by a large black [[dog]], who was [[Sirius Black]] in his [[Animagus]] form. Dragged through a tunnel beneath the [[Whomping Willow]], he was taken to the [[Shrieking Shack]]. There, [[Sirius Black]] and [[Remus Lupin]] used a [[Forced Transformation Spell|spell]] to force Pettigrew back into his human form, revealing his true identity. Pettigrew later escaped their custody when Lupin transformed into a [[werewolf]] and fled. He subsequently reunited with [[Lord Voldemort]] and was instrumental in his rebirthing ceremony in the graveyard of [[Little Hangleton]].
=====Physical Appearance and Personality=====
The common rat is a small rodent. [[Scabbers]], however, was described as a particularly large, fat, grey rat who looked extremely battered. He had a bald patch on his back and a distinctly chewed-looking ear. His most notable feature was the missing toe on one of his front paws, which corresponded to the finger [[Peter Pettigrew]] had severed to fake his own death.
As Scabbers, he was generally portrayed as lazy and listless, spending most of his time sleeping. [[Ron Weasley]] often complained that he was a "boring" pet. This lethargy was a deliberate act by Pettigrew to avoid drawing attention to his unusually long lifespan for a common rat. In his human form, Pettigrew retained several rat-like features, including small, watery eyes, a pointed nose, and a squeaky voice.
=====Magical Significance=====
  * **[[Animagus]] Transformation:** The ability for a witch or [[wizard]] to transform into an animal is a rare and difficult magical skill that requires registration with the [[Ministry of Magic]]. [[Peter Pettigrew]]'s unregistered [[Animagus]] form was a common rat, a form that was perfectly suited for hiding, spying, and going unnoticed for over a decade.
  * **[[Potions]] Ingredients:** Parts of the rat are known to be used in potion-making.
    *   A **[[Rat Tail]]** is a key ingredient for the [[Hair-Raising Potion]].
    *   A **[[Rat Spleen]]** is used in the [[Shrinking Solution]], which students brew in their second-year [[Potions]] class.
  * **Pets:** Rats, along with [[toad]]s and [[cat]]s, are one of the three types of pets that students are officially permitted to bring with them to [[Hogwarts]].
=====Relationships=====
  * **As a Pet:** As [[Scabbers]], the rat was owned by [[Percy Weasley]] and later by his younger brother [[Ron Weasley]]. For twelve years, he was considered a member of the [[Weasley family]].
  * **Adversaries:** [[Crookshanks]], [[Hermione Granger]]'s highly intelligent part-[[Kneazle]] [[cat]], was a persistent antagonist who sensed that [[Scabbers]] was a "crook" and not a real rat. [[Sirius Black]], in his [[dog]] [[Animagus]] form, also hunted him relentlessly to bring Pettigrew to justice.
  * **In Human Form:** As [[Peter Pettigrew]], his relationships were defined by the betrayal of his closest friends—[[James Potter]], [[Sirius Black]], and [[Remus Lupin]]—and his fearful servitude to his master, [[Lord Voldemort]].
=====Etymology=====
The word "rat" is derived from the Old English "ræt." In modern vernacular and literature, "to rat on someone" means to betray them by informing on them to an authority figure. The term "rat" is also a common insult for a traitor or coward. This perfectly mirrors the role of [[Peter Pettigrew]], who betrayed his friends to [[Lord Voldemort]].
=====Behind the Scenes=====
  * In the film adaptation of *[[Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban]]*, [[Scabbers]] is depicted as a brown rat, while the novel describes him as being grey.
  * The fact that [[Peter Pettigrew]]'s [[Animagus]] form is a rat is a strong example of [[J.K. Rowling]]'s use of animal symbolism to reflect a character's core personality traits of cowardice and treachery.
  * It is a common fan theory that the single [[unicorn hair]] sticking out of [[Ron Weasley]]'s first [[wand]] was actually a whisker from [[Scabbers]]. There is no canonical information in the books or from J.K. Rowling to support this claim.