Mugglenet.com's Harry Potter Should Have Died - Emerson Spartz [50]
In doing all that, Peter nearly pulls off the perfect crime and no one ever suspects him. Lupin, Sirius, Dumbledore, Fudge, and McGonagall believe Peter is dead, as does the rest of the world. No one bothers to check the old rat at the Burrow who is living with the Weasley family. Yep—the underestimated Peter is also Scabbers, Ron’s pet in the first three books. All that would be amazing enough for a character no one believes is capable of anything, but Peter has even more tricks up his sleeve. Harry shows him mercy in PoA, and then immediately Peter escapes and runs off to find Voldemort. When we next see him in GoF, Voldemort is ordering him to milk the giant snake Nagini of her venom—risky business for a rat Animagus, and undeniably brave for an alleged coward. By the time he cuts off his own hand to bring the Dark Lord back to life at the end of GoF, no one in the wizarding world is underestimating him anymore.
Even people who have read the books several times still think of him as Little Peter Pettigrew, the hapless and helpless Marauder. You have to do the math to see the truth about Peter: He kills twelve Muggles, plus Cedric Diggory and Frank Bryce with Voldemort’s wand, and betrays Bertha Jorkins and the two Potters, for a total of seventeen victims (and Harry in the graveyard was nearly one of those victims). In “Snape’s Worst Memory” in OotP, Peter obviously enjoys watching a schoolmate being taunted and bullied, and that was his true self all along. But even those closest to Peter refused to see that dark side of his character until it was too late. They underestimated him at their own peril.
Verdict
Kreacher is under the radar as a house-elf, and no one suspects how bad (or good) he can be. Peter Pettigrew takes advantage of his friends’ naïve trust and double-crosses them big-time, then hides as a rat for twelve years, fooling even Dumbledore. Kreacher at least shows predictability in his loyalty to the House of Black, but Peter, on the other hand, literally blows people away several times with his hidden agendas. While Kreacher grows and changes through the books, Peter is always the same; he shouldn’t have been such a mystery to those around him. Verdict: Because Kreacher plays a much larger role than anyone ever expected in a million years, he is the most underestimated character.
Which movie deserves the most credit for setting a new standard?
A few movies in the series seem to have just a little more heart than the others and remind us why we enjoy reading the books so much. That’s the case with these two films.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
The unique style of director Alfonso Cuaron makes Prisoner of Azkaban the best movie in the series and the film that sets a Galleon standard for HP movies to come. It is quirky and artistic, full of dark details and textures that are true to the magic of the books. From the Dursleys’ suburban home to the natural world of northern Scotland, everything feels authentic. Everyone wears hand-knits that seem to come right off Molly Weasley’s knitting needles. The exquisite paintings at Hogwarts seem to double in number and really come to life. The Knight Bus is off-kilter and madcap, while the Leaky Cauldron seems full of antique atmosphere. The hippogriff takes flight and soars over a sparkling lake, while the Monster Book of Monsters lurks under the bed. From the candy-filled shelves at Honeydukes to the Teacup Tower in Madam Trelawney’s classroom, this movie is a feast for the eyes. Oh—and don’t forget the Marauder’s Map, the Boggarts, the Dementors, a shrunken head, Flying Aunt Marge, and the Grim. And unlike Order of the Phoenix, PoA has a Quidditch match—in the rain.
With such a bounty of special effects, it’s amazing that so much character development happens, but that’s part of the depth of this movie. Harry is older and dealing with issues of life and death, sadness