Peter Pettigrew

Peter Pettigrew, also known by his Marauders nickname Wormtail, was a Wizard who was sorted into Gryffindor house at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He was a close friend to James Potter, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin. Despite this friendship, Pettigrew's cowardice led him to join Lord Voldemort and become a Death Eater. As the Potters' Secret-Keeper, he betrayed them to Voldemort, leading to their deaths. An unregistered Animagus whose form was a rat, Pettigrew framed Sirius Black for his crimes and lived for twelve years as Scabbers, the Weasley family's pet rat. He was instrumental in Voldemort's rebirth and was ultimately killed by the magical silver hand his master had given him.

Peter began attending Hogwarts in 1971 and was sorted into Gryffindor, where he became an inseparable friend of the popular and talented James Potter and Sirius Black, and the more reserved Remus Lupin. Though he was described as a “dull, talentless boy,” he was swept up in his friends' orbit. When the group discovered that Lupin was a Werewolf, they secretly undertook the difficult process of becoming Animagi to support him during his transformations. By their fifth year, Peter had mastered the transformation into a rat, earning him the nickname “Wormtail.” The four friends, calling themselves the Marauders, used their abilities to explore the castle grounds by night, leading to their creation of the Marauder's Map.

Upon graduating from Hogwarts, Pettigrew joined his friends in the Order of the Phoenix to fight against Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters. However, believing the Dark Lord's side was winning, he secretly became a spy for Voldemort. When Albus Dumbledore cast the Fidelius Charm to protect James and Lily Potter, Sirius Black was chosen as their Secret-Keeper. Sirius, believing Voldemort would target him, persuaded the Potters to switch to Peter at the last moment, thinking no one would suspect the “weak, talentless thing” that was Pettigrew. This proved to be a fatal mistake. Pettigrew betrayed the Potters' location to Voldemort, resulting in their murders on 31 October 1981. A day later, Sirius Black confronted Pettigrew on a city street. To escape, Pettigrew shouted accusations that Sirius had betrayed the Potters, then used a powerful Curse to kill twelve surrounding Muggles and blast a crater in the street. He cut off his own forefinger, transformed into his rat form, and scurried into the sewers, successfully framing Sirius for the betrayal, his own murder, and the deaths of the Muggles.

For the next twelve years, Pettigrew lived as a common rat, hiding his identity to evade both the vengeful Death Eaters (who believed he had lost Voldemort's Wand) and the Ministry of Magic. He eventually became a pet for the Weasley family, first belonging to Percy Weasley and later being passed down to Ron Weasley. As “Scabbers,” he lived at The Burrow and spent most of the year at Hogwarts. His identity remained a secret until 1993, when he was seen on the Marauder's Map by Fred and George Weasley and later by Harry Potter.

In 1994, Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban and sought Pettigrew at Hogwarts. With the help of Remus Lupin, Sirius cornered Pettigrew in the Shrieking Shack and forced him back into his human form. Pettigrew confessed his betrayal to Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger. Just as he was about to be turned over to the authorities, Harry intervened, insisting they hand him to the Dementors instead of killing him. This act of mercy created a Life Debt between Pettigrew and Harry. Pettigrew escaped that night during the chaos of Lupin's werewolf transformation and fled. He eventually sought out the disembodied Lord Voldemort in Albania. Pettigrew helped nurse Voldemort back to a rudimentary physical form using a Potion of Unicorn blood and Nagini's venom. At a graveyard in Little Hangleton, he performed the dark ritual that restored Voldemort to a full body, sacrificing his own right hand in the process. As a reward, Voldemort created a powerful, sentient silver hand to replace the one he had lost.

During the Second Wizarding War, Pettigrew was a subservient but disdained follower of Voldemort. He was often tasked with menial duties and lived in fear of his master and the other Death Eaters, particularly Severus Snape. In 1998, during the Skirmish at Malfoy Manor, Pettigrew was ordered to watch over prisoners in the cellar, including Harry and Ron. When they attempted to escape, Pettigrew began to strangle Harry. For a brief moment, Harry reminded him of the Life Debt he owed, causing Pettigrew to hesitate. This flicker of mercy was interpreted as betrayal by the enchanted silver hand, which turned on Pettigrew and strangled him to death.

Peter was a short, stout man with thinning, colorless hair, a pointed nose, and small, watery eyes, giving him a rat-like appearance even in human form. After years of hiding as a rat, his skin was grubby. He was missing his right forefinger, and later, his entire right hand was replaced by a magical silver one. As the rat Scabbers, he was described as a fat grey rat with a missing toe on one of his front paws. Pettigrew's defining trait was his cowardice. He was naturally drawn to strong, powerful figures who could offer him protection, gravitating towards James Potter and Sirius Black at school, and later turning to Lord Voldemort. He lacked his own convictions and prioritized self-preservation above loyalty, friendship, and morality. While often underestimated, he possessed a degree of cunning that allowed him to survive and manipulate situations to his advantage.

• Animagus: Pettigrew was a skilled, albeit unregistered, Animagus who could transform into a rat at will. This required significant magical talent and determination, belying the notion that he was completely talentless.
• Dark Arts: He was proficient enough in the Dark Arts to perform the powerful Curse that killed twelve Muggles and to assist Voldemort in the complex dark ritual for his rebirth.
• Wand Magic: His original Wand was lost after he framed Sirius. He later acquired a new Wand from Garrick Ollivander (under duress): nine and a quarter inches, chestnut, with a Dragon heartstring core, described as brittle.

• Silver Hand: A magical prosthetic hand gifted to him by Lord Voldemort. It possessed great strength but was cursed to act against Pettigrew if he ever showed disloyalty, which it ultimately did.
• Marauder's Map: While not a sole possession, he was one of its four original creators.

• The Marauders: He idolized James Potter and Sirius Black and was a loyal friend to Remus Lupin for years. His ultimate betrayal destroyed the group and led directly to James's death and Sirius's wrongful imprisonment.
• Lord Voldemort: Pettigrew served Voldemort out of pure fear and a desire for protection. Voldemort held him in contempt, viewing him as a cowardly but useful servant, and ensured his loyalty through the enchanted silver hand.
• Harry Potter: Pettigrew was responsible for the death of Harry's parents. In a moment of pity, Harry spared Pettigrew's life, creating a powerful Life Debt. This debt was repaid when Pettigrew hesitated to kill Harry, a moment of mercy that cost him his own life.

• Peter: This name is of Greek origin (Petros), meaning “rock” or “stone.” This is highly ironic given Pettigrew's weak and unreliable character. It may also allude to the biblical Apostle Peter, who famously denied Jesus, mirroring Pettigrew's betrayal of his friends.
• Pettigrew: This surname likely derives from the Old French petit (“small”) and cru (“growth”), meaning “small growth.” This fits his small stature, his Animagus form as a rat, and his insignificant character.

• In the film adaptations of the *Harry Potter* series, Peter Pettigrew was portrayed by actor Timothy Spall.
• His death in the films differs from the books. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, Pettigrew is present at Malfoy Manor but is simply stunned by Dobby and falls down the stairs. His fate via the silver hand is not depicted, and he is not seen again in the films (film).