Peter Pettigrew

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Peter Pettigrew was a classmate of James Potter at Hogwarts. He was frequently seen in the company of James Potter, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin. Though he acted like their friend, Pettigrew was little more than a sycophant, eager to be seen in the company of the famous, popular, or powerful.

During their time at Hogwarts, Pettigrew, Potter and Black learned that Remus Lupin was a werewolf. As a token of their friendship, they all learned to be become animagi so that they could safely be with Lupin during his transformations. They all took nicknames in their animal forms: Remus was Moony, James was Prongs (a stag), Sirius was Padfoot (a dog), and Peter was Wormtail (a rat).

After graduation, when Dumbledore learned that James Potter and his wife Lily had been marked for death, he put the Potters into hiding at Godric's Hollow. They had intended for Sirius Black to be their secret keeper, but Sirius knew that Voldemort would expect that, and try to extract the information from him forcibly. He suggested that they make Peter their secret keeper, thinking that Voldemort would never think to go after him. This secret was kept between the Potters, Pettigrew and Black. Pettigrew betrayed the Potters to Voldemort, but due to this secrecy, the rest of the wizarding world, even the Potters closest friends, believed that Sirius had betrayed them. To ensure that Sirius took the fall, Pettigrew faked his own death with Sirius confronted him, severing his own finger and causing an explosion that was believed to have killed him. He transformed into a rat, and spent the next thirteen years as the Weasley's pet rat, Scabbers.

Twelve years later, Sirius read a copy of the Daily Prophet, and saw a photograph of Peter with the Weasleys, and became obsessed with taking his revenge by committing the murder he had been convicted of. By transforming into his dog form, Sirius was able to trick the Dementors into releasing him. At the end of Harry's third year, Sirius and Lupin confronted Peter, meaning to take their revenge together. Harry intervened, and instead insisted that he be turned over to the Ministry of Magic to exonerate Sirius. Lupin's transformation into a werewolf that night complicated things, and Pettigrew escaped to rejoin Voldemort.

The next year, he conspired with Voldemort to make sure that Harry was entered in the Triwizard Tournament, which they used to set a trap for him so his blood could be used to resurrect Voldemort in corporeal form. Part of the arcane ritual also involved Peter severing his own right forearm. Voldemort fitted him with a magical replacement in return for his sacrifice.

Little is seen of Wormtail in the fifth and sixth books, but he does appear again in the final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Harry, Ron and Hermione are captured and brought to Lucius Malfoy's house. He catches them in their attempt to escape, and tries to stop them. Harry reminds him that he saved his life by preventing Sirius and Remus from killing him. In the moment that Peter hesitates, his own prosthetic hand turns on him and strangles him.