"Lily Evans... Vivacious, you know. Charming girl."
—Horace Slughorn describing Lily's personality[src]
Lily was known for being a vivacious, talented, and popular student.[21] She was a responsible student and leader to be Head Girl in her final year at Hogwarts. Horace Slughorn noted that Lily was witty and charming.[23] Remus Lupin once described her as an uncommonly kind person with a habit of seeing the best in others, even when they could not see it themselves.[24]
Lily was a woman of sound moral principles and would stand by them no matter what it cost her, though her actions sometimes were ineffective. On at least one occasion, she called out James Potter and Sirius Black for their bullying of her best friend, Severus Snape. When she realised Snape's devotion to Voldemort's genocidal cause (of which she was a target at the time) and increasingly deep fascination with the Dark Arts, caused her to end her friendship with him permanently.
Though she had a sharp tongue and had no problems in standing up to others when she was in a temper, Lily was still the type of person who would give others a second chance when they had proven themselves worthy of it. The most notable instance of this quality would be how she finally agreed to date James after he had matured out of his bullying ways, despite the fact that she didn't have a good opinion of him during their early school years.
Lily's and her husband's most celebrated virtues were their courage and capacity for self-sacrifice: defying Voldemort three times as members of the Order of the Phoenix and even dying to protect their son Harry. It was noted by Dumbledore that Lily was very much like her son, especially in strength. Her strength is further commented on by her grandson Albus in that she would understand her fate and the fact that she would never see her son grow up.[25]
Lily's corporeal doe Patronus
"One of the brightest I ever taught... She was a dab hand at Potions, Lily was! "
—Professor Slughorn regarding Lily's talent[src]
Since even Lord Voldemort was willing to overlook Lily's Muggle-born status and ask her to join him, this is proof that she was a truly powerful and accomplished witch.[16][26] She was noted for her particular talent in Potion-making and was able to conjure a corporeal doe Patronus, a mark of superior magical ability.[27]
"Don't push it. I've heard Snape can turn very nasty."
—Snape's infamous temper described by Ronald Weasley[src]
His first potion class with Harry and the rest of the students, where he lecturers Harry in front of the class for "not paying attention" when he was taking notes
Snape slapping Ron Weasley over the head with a book for laughing
A complicated, withdrawn person, Severus Snape's life was overwhelmed with many complex emotions that he never fully disclosed. At times, Snape could appear cold, cynical, malicious, bitter, and sarcastic. He had a commanding presence that exuded gravitas, authority and control; like Professor McGonagall, he had the ability to keep a class quiet without effort. He tended to hold grudges and was extremely spiteful toward those whom he disliked. In particular, he disdained Gryffindor students, considering them to be arrogant and attention-seeking. Descriptions of his social interactions as a child suggest that he had poor interpersonal skills and that he may have suffered from depression.
Snape's brand of class discipline toward Gryffindors
Snape was a repressed, solitary man with no friends. In his early life, he was insecure, vulnerable, and yearned to be part of something better. As a child, the bleak normality of working-class suburbia compounded with his neglectful Muggle father inspired in him a contempt for ordinariness. This urgent desire to be a part of something powerful and important was what drew him to Lord Voldemort's inner circle. Snape's bitterness and resentment towards the world was exacerbated even more by the relentless bullying he endured in school, causing him to shut himself in even more. Snape was not a prejudiced individual despite the Death Eater beliefs of pure-blood superiority, but was rather against Muggles, presumably because of his sour experience with both his father and Petunia Evans, but held no ill-will towards Muggle-borns. The foundation of him scolding Lily Evans by calling her Mudblood was to not appear weak in front of his fellow Death Eater students than actual supremacist views. He also deeply regretted this as it was what ended his friendship with Lily and defended Hermione Granger when Phineas Nigellus Black called her Mudblood, his manner of speaking in this instance being uncharacteristically explosive and filled with more emotion than he normally displayed.
"Fools who wear their hearts proudly on their sleeves, who cannot control their emotions, who wallow in sad memories and allow themselves to be provoked this easily — weak people, in other words — they stand no chance against his powers!"
—Snape's opinion on emotionalism and self-control[src]
Snape threatens Harry after an Occlumency lesson
He was an intensely private individual who viewed emotional displays as a sign of shameful weakness. As an Occlumens, Snape had superb emotional control and was adept at concealing his thoughts and feelings, which allowed him to maintain his cold, collected demeanour. However, he had his limits, and was not incapable of losing his temper, particularly when it came to dealing with Harry Potter. Inevitably, he also became furious when he thought he was being pitied or accused of cowardice.
Snape was a formidable sorcerer, displaying consummate skill in many different branches of magic. His extensive knowledge and abilities were rivalled by very few, if any other witches and wizards of his age. Snape was also unusually cerebral for a wizard, possessing a subtle and keenly analytical mind. As a result, Snape was extremely intelligent and calculative, with a mind for strategy and deduction. He was also a profound misanthrope who appeared to have a prominent hatred of almost every child under his tutelage, except of course for Slytherins. He valued logic and cunning above magical power.
As a professor, Snape was known for his cavalier and harshly authoritarian attitude towards his teaching. His standards for his classes were much higher than that of the other professors, as he only allowed students with the very best grades to continue into advanced study. As Potions Master, he described it as an art and an exact science, and dismissed the use of incantations and wand waving as "silly and foolish". He developed a loving passion for Dark Arts, originally in the hopes to cover the shame of his heritage, and his interest in it led him to repeatedly apply for the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor post every year, despite being rejected for sixteen years. When he finally got his wish, Snape taught the course with a loving caress in his voice, far beyond simply respecting the Dark Arts as a dangerous foe, something he did not show in his post as the Potions Master. He also taught this class slightly fairer than he did in Potions, such as lowering his entrance standards and biases for N.E.W.T. level classes, allowing more students to enter the advanced studies of his favourite class, and placed students from his own house, such as Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, in detention for failing to do acceptable work the second time around after failing their O.W.L. the previous year.
Snape showing Dumbledore his true and undying love for Lily Potter
Ultimately, it was Snape's past and his love for Lily Evans that defined his inner being. His love for Lily Evans became most noticeable by his Patronus, a Doe, just like Lily's. Upon overhearing the Prophecy, he immediately informed his then-master of its contents, unaware that this would endanger Lily and her family. It was only after Lily's deaththat Snape realised the full extent of his actions. He suffered terrible remorse for what he had done and spent the rest of his life in constant danger in order to protect Lily's son.
"You are a braver man by far than Igor Karkaroff. You know, I sometimes think we Sort too soon..."
—Snape's bravery despite the dangers to his own life[src]
In spite of his vindictive demeanour, Severus Snape was an immensely brave man who possessed a deep capacity for love. Everything that he did in the latter part of his life was motivated by his devotion to Lily Evans, whom he loved unconditionally. He was one of Dumbledore's most reliable allies and in his role as a double agent, took great personal risk in ensuring Harry's safety from Lord Voldemort. Despite his years of him and Harry barely getting along, if at all, Snape openly criticised Dumbledore after learning he protected Harry all these years just so he could die at the right time due to being a Horcrux, showing he didn't agree with Harry's death, even though at first, he only protected him because of his relationship to Lily. When he informed Dumbledore that he informed Voldemort of the prophecy, Snape begged Dumbledore to hide Harry, Lily, and even James too. This clearly showed that Snape prioritised Lily's happiness above all else, even if it meant her being with a man he hated for most of his life.
Despite his coldness towards all but Lily, Snape nevertheless proved capable of genuinely caring for others apart from Lily and Harry. He showed that despite his mistreatment of them, he cared considerably for the students of Hogwarts, risking his façade for them by secretly doing everything he can to make sure they stayed out of harm's way and at one point being genuinely concerned when a student was taken to the Chamber of Secrets. While he initially resented Dumbledore for his lack of intervention on his torturous bullying on the Marauders, it seemed the time he spent allying with Dumbledore had made him grow to genuinely as well as greatly respect and even care for him, as shown by how he was clearly shocked into being silent for a long time after Dumbledore asked Snape to kill him, clearly indicated that killing Dumbledore was hard for him to do and tried to make him have Draco kill him instead of having Snape do it. Even after learning of how Dumbledore had wanted Harry to die so Voldemort can be defeated, when preparing to kill Dumbledore, his face was described as being genuinely hateful and disgusted of what he was about to do.
Despite Snape's normally calm and controlled exterior and guarded body language, he was in possession of an extraordinarily explosive and almost psychotic temper. This was rarely seen, but an extreme display of rage was most prominently witnessed after Snape killed Dumbledore and was confronted outside of Hagrid's burning house near the edge of the school grounds. The event that triggered this unhinged manifestation of Snape's unrestrained wrath was Harry's accusation of Snape being a coward for killing Dumbledore.
Due to the many years of being bullied by Harry's father, and with a need to both vent his immense stress and maintain his cover, Snape unleashed a terrifying mix of both his emotions and magic, taking great pleasure in torturing and punishing the son of his enemy. Unlike in the past where he spoke quietly in his anger, Snape in this instance was screaming and letting so much out, as well as confessing his identity of the Half-Blood Prince to Harry who had attempted to use one of Snape's own invented spells against him. This battle showed Snape's repressed rage in its horrific glory and power. Suffice it to say, Severus Snape was not a man who it was wise to provoke, lest one incur his almost elemental wrath and magical power.
Severus Snape's corporeal Patronus (the form of a doe)
"Snape knew more curses when he arrived at Hogwarts than half the kids in seventh year."
—Snape's proficiency for the Dark Arts[src]
Severus Snape was an extremely powerful and skilled wizard, showing proficient talent and great knowledge in many different areas of magic. He had an encyclopaedic knowledge and proficiency in potions, was incredibly talented in Legilimency and Occlumency, and was also the only Death Eater capable of producing a Patronus.
"Time to stir my cauldron. I bet Snape could do this with his eyes closed."
—Jacob's sibling[src]
Snape in a duelling demonstration during the first meeting of the Duelling Club
"BANG! Thin, snakelike cords brust from the end of Snape's wand and twisted themselves around Lupin's mouth, wrists, and ankles"
—Snape conjures ropes non-verbally[src]
Severus Snape: "He fancies you, James Potter fancies you! And he’s not... everyone thinks... big Quidditch hero —"
Lily Evans: "I know James Potter’s an arrogant toerag. I don’t need you to tell me that."
— Snape and Lily discussing James in their fifth year[src]
James was a clever and talented wizard, but very mischievous in his youth. He was arrogant and boastful, and occasionally bullied and jinxed other students just for fun, particularly his long-time rival, Severus Snape. However, even in this stage of arrogance, he still displayed some positive qualities of character. Despite being a pure-blood, he strongly disagreed with the concept of blood purity and was disgusted with any prejudice towards Muggle-borns, and did not hold prejudice towards werewolves (such as Remus Lupin, who was one of his dearest friends). This loyalty would extend to his adulthood when he used his wealth to support the unemployable Remus.[16] Snape would later point out that James was lazy.[28]
James ultimately matured and changed his ways; he lost some of his arrogance and stopped using his magic irresponsibly on others. He became enough of a responsible student and leader to be Head Boy in his final year, and later a member of the original Order of the Phoenix. Though he never completely lost his rebellious side, it was clear James had left Hogwarts a far better person than he had been upon entering it.
His best quality was his willingness to sacrifice himself for his wife and son, as demonstrated when he told Lily to take Harry and run while he held off Voldemort, proving himself to be a true Gryffindor.[16]
James's stag Patronus and Animagus form
"You know, Harry, I think you would have given your father a run for his money, and that is saying something."
—Remus Lupin regarding James' and Harry's talent[src]
Since James was once asked by Voldemort to join his Death Eaters, this was clear proof that James was a highly powerful and accomplished wizard. Remus once stated that James had been one of the cleverest Hogwarts students of his time, and he was able to conjure a corporeal stag Patronus (a mark of superior magical ability[29]).
"You play as good as your father did, Harry."
—James' and Harry's flying talents[src]
"Sirius, to me, he's kind of on the edge, do you not get that feeling from Sirius? He's a little bit of a loose cannon... But Sirius had his flaws — I've sort of discussed that before — some quite glaring flaws. I see Sirius as someone who was a case of arrested development. I think you see that from his relationship with Harry in “Phoenix.” He kind of wants a mate from Harry, and what Harry craves is a father. Harry's kind of outgrowing that now. Sirius wasn't equipped to give him that."
—J. K. Rowling about Sirius' character[src]
Sirius was true to the ideal of a Gryffindor student. He was true-hearted and brave, as shown by his participation in both wars and willingness to die for those he loved. He was particularly loyal to his best friend, James Potter, a fellow Gryffindor. In his youth, he was a witty and talented wizard, but also quite an arrogant and mischievous troublemaker. He bullied and humiliated those he particularly disliked, namely Severus Snape. He was vicious towards those he hated, sometimes unjustifiably — deliberately sending the teenage Snape off to the Shrieking Shack when Remus Lupin was a full-fledged werewolf, while knowing that it could be fatal for Severus. He, along with James, were acknowledged to be some of the most brilliant students Hogwarts had ever seen, as proven by their ability to become Animagi as underage wizards and by the creation of the Marauders' Map.
The result of Sirius' nasty temper, the Fat Lady's portrait in shreds
As an adult, Sirius was shown to be capable of an explosive temper when angered, a trait shared by his mother, Walburga Black, and his mad cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange. His years in Azkaban contributed dramatically, which was especially evident during 1993 and 1994: trying persistently to capture Peter Pettigrew, going to lengths that even Dumbledore commented as not those of an innocent right-thinking man.
Later on, he occasionally demonstrated himself to be reckless, immature, and even downright irresponsible. In several instances, he risked getting caught by the Ministry because he felt stir-crazy in his house, and advised Harry to take rash actions. Much of this can likely be attributed to the vast amount of time spent in jail, which stunted his emotional development and making him especially eager to spend time with and protect his loved ones.
However, through it all, Sirius had good intentions. For all his wrath and vengeance toward Pettigrew, he was capable of respecting Harry's request to not murder the man he escaped Azkaban to kill; opting instead to expose Pettigrew (a plan that unfortunately failed, with catastrophic results). He also seemed to have possessed a superb mental control that contrasted sharply with his passionate and impulsive nature. The fact that he was able to completely resist the psychological effects of the Dementors for so many years suggests that he had an unusually strong sense of self, and therefore was capable of withstanding long periods of emotional torture and despair.
Besides all this, Sirius seems to have some traits related to his Animagus form of a dog. Such examples are when James Potter points out Snape, and Sirius is described as "perfectly still like a dog smelling a rabbit." The most referenced of these traits is his "bark-like laugh." as it is described nearly every time it is heard. Sirius' other dog-like traits include his need to protect his loved ones, his selfless nature, great sense of loyalty, and his need to be part of something bigger than himself, such as when he helped to plant the seeds of Dumbledore's Army and encouraged and enabled Harry to further the movement against Umbridge's increasingly totalitarian hold over Hogwarts. His territorial protectiveness over the places and people he cared for were always evident, given how he stayed in his dog form for Harry after his encounter and duel against the newly resurrected Voldemort in Little Hangleton, comforting his godson in plain view of many people, including Cornelius Fudge, who still thought he was a criminal, at great personal risk to himself.
Sirius duelling during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries
"Normally, I have a very sweet disposition as a dog; in fact, more than once, James suggested I make the change permanent. The tail I could live with...but the fleas, they're murder."
—Sirius on how he usually acts while he's in his dog form[src]
Sirius was described as a powerful wizard by his former teacher, McGonagall. Remus also once stated that he had been one of the cleverest Hogwarts students of his time.
Sirius Black: "Did you like question ten, Moony?"
Remus: "Loved it, name five signs that identify the werewolf. Excellent question."
James Potter: "Do you think you managed to get all the signs?"
Remus: "I think so. One — he's sitting in my chair. Two — he's wearing my clothes. Three — His name's Remus Lupin."
— Lupin shows a sense of humour by joking about an O.W.L. question[src]
Remus was compassionate, intelligent, tolerant, levelheaded, peaceful, selfless, brave, kind, and good-natured. Despite having suffered a great deal of prejudice in his life due to his lycanthropy, he managed to retain an ability to see the good in almost everybody and was extremely forgiving. Remus also had an excellent sense of humour. When he was a student at school he was also part of the Marauders.[9] However, unlike his friends, he never partook in bullying. He hence could be described as the most mature and responsible one of the group. He even became a prefect in his fifth year.[11] Also he was able to, or at least would try to maintain civil conversation with those he did not get along well with.
Remus demostrating his flair for the subject he teaches by adding the element of music to a lesson
Remus was unusually perceptive, with an uncanny ability to guess the thoughts of those around him. This is especially clear in his conversations with Harry Potter, such as his intuiting that Harry was afraid that he thought he couldn't handle working with the boggart. He was a gifted teacher, with a rare flair for his subject and a profound understanding of his pupils. He was, as ever, drawn to the underdog, and Neville Longbottom especially benefited from his wisdom and encouragement. His perceptive nature is a rather ironic trait, given that wolves are rather intuitive and astute judges of character and communicate primarily through body language, a skill that Remus was extremely developed and talented at.
True to being a Gryffindor, Lupin was quite courageous. Nonetheless, he suffered deep-seated feelings of shame and fear of rejection which, in certain situations, led him to consider backing down. His greatest weakness was that, in his desperate longing to belong and be liked, he was neither as brave or honest as he should have been at times. Remus once claimed that he was cowardly, because he was unable to bring himself to tell Dumbledorethat James Potter, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew were Animagi, as it would have meant that he had betrayed Dumbledore's trust, which meant everything to him. His love for James and Sirius also led him to not do anything to stop their bullying other students, a most notable example being when Snape was constantly bullied by his friends, but Remus was terrified of losing them and therefore did nothing to stop the bullying, something that he later admits to regret. Perhaps the most critical example of this was his temptation to join Harry, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger on Dumbledore's mission and abandon his wife and unborn son because he was afraid that her family would be ashamed of him being a werewolf. However, ultimately he came to his senses.
He also has been noted to dislike the form of his Patronus as it takes the shape of a wolf. Lupin was disgusted by all things wolfish as they reminded him of his condition, and due to this has been known to deliberately cast a non-corporeal Patronus, particularly when in the company of others, for fear it would give him away as a werewolf. The irony of this is that his desires to belong and be liked are that wolves are social animals, and often act in the interests of their pack, much like Remus' self-sacrificing nature, making him rather wolf-like even in his human form. In many ways, he represents the best parts of wolves, including his intelligence, adaptability, nurturing instincts, and his fierce desire to protect his loved ones.
Remus' very fitting boggart form
His Boggart was a full moon, reflecting on his terror of transforming into his werewolf form near humans. It also showed his immense hatred and shame over his condition.[7]
Remus' nurturing instincts were incredibly wolfish. Due to his position being that of a moderator, teacher, and nurturer, Remus fits the wolf pack position of the "nanny" or sergeant, looking after and teaching younger wolves - in this case his students and younger Order members - and keeping his friends in line, albeit with limited success at times.
In contrast to Sirius' more competitive and combative nature, Remus was far more peaceful, reserved, and prone to negotiation despite his nature as a werewolf. This is symbolic of how dogs often tend to fight for dominance versus the more pragmatic and somewhat democratic nature of wolves in a pack who organise themselves peacefully unless threatened. However, Remus was by no means weak and marched into battle against Voldemort's soldiers like a true warrior. Remus referred to Voldemort by name, unafraid of the Dark Lord or his loyal Death Eaters.
Remus at Bill and Fleur's Wedding talking to Harry Potter
After losing James, Sirius and Lily and all hope of reconciliation with Pettigrew gone, Remus had every reason to succumb to depression and despondency. However, he retained his appreciation for the good people existing in his life and continued to draw strength from them.
Lupin also must have been likely sceptical about Divination, as Professor Trelawney stated the he positively fled when she offered to crystal gaze him[23] (on another hand he could be merely afraid of what kind of things she could see, as his lycanthropy).
"You're the best Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had!"
—Harry Potter regarding Remus' skills[src]
Remus was an accomplished and skilful wizard, with extensive knowledge of Dark creatures. He also possessed the ability to properly impart practical and theoretical skills of defensive magic to others. Remus was capable of conjuring a corporeal wolf Patronus (a mark of superior magical ability).[24] He also proved to be a skilful duellist, surviving numerous battles. However, by his own admission, Potions was not his strong suit.
Lupin repelling his boggart with Riddikulus
"There was a soft, crackling noise, and a shivering light filled the compartment. Professor Lupin appeared to be holding a handful of flames."
—Lupin using a nonverbal flame spell[src]
Lupin with his wand at the ready
Lupin conjuring a non-corporeal Patronus
"Ferula." Bandages spun up Ron's leg, strapping it tightly to a splint. "
—Rumus bandaging Ron Weasley's leg[src]
Remus and Sirius performing the Animagus reversal spell on Pettigrew
Peter: "Sirius: What would you have done? What would you have done???"
Sirius Black: "I WOULD'VE DIED!!! I would've died rather than betray my friends!"
— Argument regarding Pettigrew's betrayal of the Potters[src]
Pettigrew cowering in fear
Peter Pettigrew was characterised by weakness. Despite having been Sorted into Gryffindor, he did not possess true bravery, possibly proving that the Hat saw potential in him rather than any actual inborn courage, potential that he never lived up to. The Sorting Hat may have mistaken his adoration of James and Sirius for steadfastness, or sensed in him a desire to surround himself with respected individuals and believed that he would make a compatible friend to a Gryffindor; Pettigrew clearly looked up to strong, courageous people and it is possible that the Sorting Hat put him there because he wished to absorb that quality. It is also likely that Pettigrew requested the Sorting Hat to place him in Gryffindor, with his friends, just as Harry Potter would later request not to be placed in Slytherin. Indeed, he underwent a Hatstall when being sorted, being considered between Gryffindor and Slytherin by the Sorting Hat, though the hat ultimately decided that it made the right choice to this day, citing the manner in which Pettigrew died as (what some would call dubious) evidence.[12]
In his youth, he latched onto James Potter and Sirius Black, more talented and popular students, idolising them and living vicariously through their accomplishments, as well as joining them in bullying other students, such as Severus Snape, whom he would not have been likely to cross without James and Sirius to back him up. Due to the huge difference in terms of talent, bravery, and popularity, Peter was more of a hanger-on than an actual equal. However, the three Marauders did love Peter as a friend and brother, which made the eventual betrayal of James especially bitter.
Pettigrew defected from the Order of the Phoenix and betrayed his closest friends to Lord Voldemort when his life was threatened, showing selfishness and disloyalty at the core of his being.[11] Even Voldemort viewed him with disdain; the only reason why he kept him alive was because he occasionally proved to be useful.[19] When Voldemort fell, Peter neither attempted to find him nor tried to murder Harry under Albus Dumbledore's watchful eye, until he was sure Voldemort would be revived to protect him. When cornered by Sirius and Remus, Peter shamelessly begged for mercy, despite having used and betrayed them. But if there was one thing that he feared more than death, it was most likely the Dementor's Kiss; the thought of being left to the Dementors' mercy would've terrified anyone.
"If you made a better rat than a human, it's not much to boast about, Peter."
—Sirius Black's low opinion of Pettigrew[src]
Pettigrew, James, and Sirius bullying Snape, not brave enough to do it on his own
Pettigrew was an opportunist, who allied with the side that seemed strongest and appeared to be winning — thus becoming "friends" with James and Sirius in school, and then leading him to become a Death Eater when the opportunity arose. He was loyal only to himself and acted in whatever his best interest was at the moment. He expected that he would be rewarded for leading Voldemort to Harry Potter, and later had the same expectations with Bertha Jorkins, assuming Voldemort would reward him for capturing a Ministry of Magic employee, despite not knowing the extent of her usefulness. He only returned to a broken down Voldemort simply because he had no other choice, as the other side was aiming to kill him, and would have gone to anywhere else if he had more options, seeing Voldemort at the time was too weakened to be the victorious side, along with the task of caring for his lord being tedious and unpleasant.
In spite of others claiming that Pettigrew was a "weak, talentless thing", he was at least cunning enough to escape his former friend Sirius after Voldemort's first defeat, frame him for his crimes, and fake his own death while killing twelve people with one curse, living for years in his Animagus form. He originally formulated his plan to return to the Dark Lord without being accused a traitor by his colleague Death Eaters: to turn Harry in as a welcome back present and be honoured above all others; though a well thought out plan and he waited patiently, it was upset when Pettigrew's form was exposed prematurely. He also managed to manipulate Bertha Jorkins to accompany him with ease, when he brought her to Lord Voldemort. He was also adept in the Dark Arts, powerful enough and malicious enough to use the Killing Curse on Cedric Diggory. In moments of desperation Pettigrew was willing to amputate his own limbs to serve his purposes, such as his finger to fake his death, and his hand to revive Voldemort, the latter being promised with a worthy reward. He was, however, foolish enough to stop by an inn for food en route to returning to Voldemort, which led him to run into a Ministry employee; if Pettigrew had not been cunning enough to persuade Bertha into his trap, he might have exposed his own duplicity to the world at large then, as Voldemort had noted.
Harry Potter saving Pettigrew's life, causing Pettigrew to feel some gratitude towards him
However, despite his treacherous and cowardly nature, Pettigrew did feel some regret for betraying his friends, and he hesitated to kill Harry when reminded of his life debt, in 1998. Though he quickly tried to undo the moment of weakness, his "tiny merciful impulse" resulted in his being strangled to death by his own silver hand.[1] Pettigrew also suggested that Voldemort should find another enemy to use for his rebirth, though when Voldemort began to suspect that he cared about Harry Potter, Pettigrew hastily claimed that Harry meant nothing to him. This suggested that he may have consciously felt some gratitude towards Harry for sparing his life.[19] Pettigrew also realised and admitted that he was a coward saying that he'd never been brave like Sirius, Remus, and James. Though he valued his own life more than the lives of his friends, Pettigrew felt guilt for betraying Lily and James, but did not have the courage to admit his treachery until it was forced out of him, or to turn against Voldemort. He did feel rather under-appreciated when Voldemort claimed him to be an unintelligent and disloyal servant when comparing to Barty Crouch Jr. and also seemed resentful that he was treated as little more than a servant for Snape, though he refrained from complaining too much when Snape threatened to request more dangerous assignments for Peter. Without James, Sirius, and Remus protecting him, Peter found no courage to go against Snape, who would in turn bully him in return throughout their time as Death Eater colleagues.
During his time as Scabbers the rat, under the Weasley family's care, Pettigrew was lazy and unmotivated, as all he did was sleep and eat, and only on one occasion did, he bit Goyle's knuckle on his owner's behalf. This could be because Pettigrew enjoyed being pampered and waited hand and foot, believing that as a pet rat he did not have to do much and can relax instead, at least until Sirius' escape from Azkaban prompted him into action. Even after returning to his Death Eater services, he continued to show certain levels of laziness and carelessness that leads to mistakes, such as foolishly stopping at an inn for food while on his way to Albania that led him to meeting with a Ministry employee and former schoolmate, or neglecting his duties of guarding Barty Crouch Snr that allowed him to escape.
Pettigrew was one of only two Death Eaters who rarely referred to Voldemort by name,[5][21] the second being Barty Crouch Jr.[19][21]
"It turned out that he was a better wizard than they knew."
—J. K. Rowling describes Pettigrew's skills[src]
Despite Professor McGonagall claiming that Peter was less talented than his friends, and Voldemort had later denoted him as a poor wizard, he showed a surprising amount of magical capability when pushed. In fact, from what was known, Peter was actually remarkably skilled in magic and seems to be as magically-skilled as the other three Marauders, and was actually quite adept in the Dark Arts (perhaps the most capable of the four in that aspect).