Quick Biographical Information:

v     Name: Peter Pettigrew

v     Age: In his mid thirties or so, exact age is unstated

v     Relatives: A mother is mentioned, others unknown

v     Animagus Form: A Rat

v     Appearance: Short, with a bald patch in the back of his head, with graying, colorless hair, watery eyes, and a pointed nose. Somewhat high pitched voice.

v     Schooling: Attended Hogwarts with James Potter, Remus Lupin, and Sirius Black. Often assumed to be a Gryffindor, though this is unproven.

Peter was friends with James, Remus, and Sirius while in school, and was presumably involved in the pranks and other activities of that groups. There’s very little known about their school days in canon, other than they became animagi in their 5^th year in order to be with Remus as animals when Remus transformed into a werewolf once a month.

Upon graduating, it’s also unclear what everyone did, although it is known that James married Lily, had Harry and did something to make himself and his son a target for Voldemort.

In order to hide, the Potter family used the Fidelius Charm, which allowed their location to be known to only their Secret Keeper. Originally, their secret keeper was to be Sirius, however, in an effort to fool Voldemort, Sirius suggested they secretly switch secret keepers. Peter became the real secret keeper, while Sirius remained the decoy one.

However, what was not known to Sirius was that Peter had been spying for Voldemort for about a year at that time. Approximately a week after the charm was preformed, Peter, for whatever reason, revealed the Potters location to Voldemort, and the Potter, save Harry, were killed.

Peter was then chased down by Sirius, and they confronted each other in an alley. At that tome, Peter cried out “James…Lily… Sirius how could you,” cut off his own right index finger, and blew up the street, killing 12 muggles. Sirius however took the blame both for the street, and for the betrayal of the Potters, and spent the next 13 years in Azkaban.

Meanwhile, is now unable to resume his human form due to everyone thinking him dead, as well as the remaining Death Eaters holding him responsible of Voldemort’s downfall. Peter spends the next 13 years as a Weasley family pet, going by the name Scabbers. He is first owned by Percy, and is then passed on to Ron when Ron starts Hogwarts and Percy receives Hermes the owl.

In book three, Sirius escapes and manages to catch up with Peter. Peter is confronted by Remus and Sirius in the Shrieking Shack, having been revealed to Harry, Hermione, and Ron. He confesses to what he did after first denying it. They’re all set to turn Peter in, however, Remus transforms and Peter is able to take his rat form and escape.

He next shows up in Goblet of Fire, having found Voldemort in Albania and helped him to reclaim and small, pathetic body. Peter then helps to kidnap Mad Eye Moody, maintains watch over Bartimus Crouch Sr. while Crouch is under the Imperius curse, and eventual is involved in the resurrection of Voldemort. It is Peter who cuts off his own right hand to provide “flesh of a servant,” and it is Peter who bleeds Harry to provide “Blood of an enemy.” Both ingredients were needed for the resurrection spell along with “bones of the father.”

For his services, Peter his given a silver hand to replace the one he cut off, and then rejoined the circle of Death Eaters.