Peter Pettigrew was an interesting Harry Potter character, but thanks to his actions over the years, Wormtail remains one of the most hated by fans of the Harry Potter books and movies. On the surface level, he is a minor Harry Potter antagonist and a nuisance above all else. He first appears as Ron’s pet rat, Scabbers, and when he finally reveals his true nature, he proves to be cowardly, annoying, and seemingly the least threatening of any Harry Potter villain in the books and movies. However, there is more to Wormtail than meets the eye.

While Lord Voldemort is the most powerful villain in the series and people like Bellatrix Lestrange and Dolores Umbridge make their cases for the most hated, it is Peter Pettigrew who did more damage than anyone in the franchise and is responsible for nearly every devastating event in the series. Wormtail is why Harry Potter’s parents were killed, Voldemort returned, Sirius Black was imprisoned, and is indirectly responsible for every major death in the final books.

Peter Pettigrew Betrayed His Closest Friends

Peter Betrayed The Only Friends He Ever Had

When looking at most of the Death Eaters, these villains were bad people when they were even students in school; Peter Pettigrew was even worse. Instead of being a bully who became a Death Eater because that was always his destiny, Peter was a friend of James Potter, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin in the Marauders. He was even a member of the Order of the Phoenix, which was set up to oppose Lord Voldemort.

Peter Pettigrew had every chance to be a hero. However, he ruined that by betraying his closest friends. Peter Pettigrew and his friends were very close during school. He idolized James and Sirius and even learned how to be an Animagus after they befriended Remus Lupin so they could accompany him when he transformed into a werewolf, showing their true closeness. This is how Remus learned to transform into a rat, gaining the nickname Wormtail.

After their time as the Marauders, they joined the Order of the Phoenix together and fought against Lord Voldemort. This was where he committed one of his biggest sins. He betrayed his long-time friends by becoming a double agent and a spy for the Dark Lord. He betrayed the only friends he ever had and the two people he idolized (James and Sirius) because he was a coward and believed he could never oppose someone as powerful as Voldemort.

Wormtail Framed Sirius Black

Wormtail Destroyed The Marauders

While betraying James Potter, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin, as well as all their allies in the Order of the Phoenix, was bad, Peter Pettigrew did something even more horrifying. Wormtail betrayed the two people he looked up to more than anyone else. This happened after the prophecy about Harry Potter began to circulate. Trusting their friend, James and Lily Potter accepted Peter Pettigrew as their “Secret Keeper” and he was the only person who knew their location. Peter Pettigrew betrayed the Potters by giving this information to Lord Voldemort.

Voldemort showed up and murdered James and Lily Potter, meaning Peter caused the death of one of the only people who ever befriended him. He then went one step further and framed his other friend, Sirius Black, for killing James and Lily and trying to kill Harry Potter. This happened when Sirius realized what Peter had done and went after him. Peter killed a dozen Muggles and faked his murder, making it appear Sirius did it. Wizard authorities falsely believed Sirius was a Death Eater and arrested him.

With one decision, Peter lost two of his only friends; one Voldemort had killed, and the other he had imprisoned in Azkaban under false pretenses without a trial. The Wizard counsel awarded Peter Pettigrew the Order of Merlin, First Class, posthumously for trying to stop Sirius Black. Remus Lupin even believed Sirius was the traitor for years, and Peter died as a hero before finally discovering the truth.

Voldemort Only Came Back To Power Because Of Wormtail

Wormtail Is Responsible For Every Death Voldemort Caused In The Series

After Lord Voldemort’s initial defeat, Peter Pettigrew went into hiding as a rat. After betraying his only two true friends and finding the side he joined had lost, he tried to find a new family. This included joining a cabal known as R, which were Dark wizards pulling off missions during the 1980s to bring down the Ministry of Magic, which they considered corrupt. However, he even betrayed them thanks to his cowardice, proving no one could trust him.

He spent years hiding before finally finding a way to redeem himself. Sadly, this redemption attempt was for Lord Voldemort, and he was the person most responsible for Voldemort’s resurrection and rise to power during Harry Potter’s storyline. After escaping from Sirius Black and Remus Lupin, he found Voldemort’s wand and brough the Dark Lord information, helping him regain his strength and finally return to life for revenge.

Peter Pettigrew blasted Cedric Diggory with the Killing Curse in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. He cut Harry Potter’s arm and used the blood to create the Dark potion that restored Lord Voldemort to full power. Wormtail took a bone from Tom Riddle Sr.’s grave and cut off his hand to help Voldemort regain a full body. Wormtail is responsible, more than anyone else, for the horrors that occurred when Voldemort rose again. Voldemort rewarded him by replacing his lost hand with a silver hand with a specific curse to never waver in his loyalty again.

Wormtail Has Chances For Redemption But Never Chooses It

Wormtail Could Have Made Up For His Betrayals & Refused, Dying In The End

Interestingly, Peter Pettigrew could have found redemption on the side of good and had a chance for this. When he gave Lord Voldemort the information to kill James and Lily Potter and eliminate Harry Potter’s threat, it backfired, and Voldemort fell in defeat. This made many Death Eaters believe that Wormtail had betrayed the Dark Lord when he had nothing to do with the curse that brought Voldemort down. Wormtail went into hiding and knew the Death Eaters, such as Lucius Malfoy, would kill him in revenge if they found him alive.

Wormtail finally found a new family when he joined the Weasley family as Percy’s and later Ron’s pet rat, Scabbers. Ron took great care of him, and he was finally safe. However, instead of staying with this new family and remaining safe and cared for, Peter Pettigrew couldn’t help betraying even the Weasleys. When Sirius escaped, and he and Lupin found Wormtail, they realized the truth, and Wormtail had one last chance for redemption.

Sirius and Remus planned to kill Wormtail to avenge James and Lily Potter’s deaths, but Harry intervened and said that James wouldn’t have wanted his friends to become murderers thanks to him. They agreed to turn Wormtail over to the Aurors to clear Sirius’s name. However, after Remus turned into a werewolf at the full moon, and Sirius had to protect Harry and his friends, Peter ran again, refusing to take responsibility and remaining a Death Eater. Peter Pettigrew betrayed everyone who trusted him over and over again.

Peter Pettigrew had one last chance for redemption. Harry Potter was captured in Malfoy Manor, and Wormtail tried to strangle and kill him. However, the young wizard reminded him of their life debt, since Harry had stopped Sirius and Remus from killing him. This caused Peter to pause and have a moment of mercy, which resulted in his cursed silver hand killing him since he wavered in his loyalty. Even with this last moment of mercy, Wormtail had hurt too many people and remains one of the most despicable Harry Potter characters.