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The Harry Potter universe has its fair share of dark witches and wizards. But when it came to truly vile individuals, characters like Lord Voldemort or Bellatrix Lestrange often came to mind. But there were shades of darkness that didn't all result in characters as grim as them. For example, Barty Crouch Jr. was evil but leaned more into being an unhinged wizard. That said, there were no other characters like Peter Pettigrew.
Pettigrew started as one of the Marauders and a friend to Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and James Potter. He even seemingly joined them in their battle against Lord Voldemort. However, when push came to shove, Peter's cowardly nature ultimately led him to the unforgivable sin of selling out the Potters to Lord Voldemort, which led to their deaths. Over a decade later, Pettigrew would be the one to literally sacrifice his hand in service to the Dark Lord's resurrection and be one of his closest allies. But this only led to an end for Pettigrew that was as unexpected as it was fitting.
What Happened to Peter Pettigrew?
In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, Peter was present at Malfoy Manor when the Snatchers captured Harry, Ron and Hermione. He, alongside Bellatrix, was present when Hermione was interrogated for information and the battle when the heroes made their escape. The last time the character was seen was when he was knocked out and left at the manor, likely forced to answer to Voldemort and potentially even killed for his failure. But his fate in the book was far more tragic, even for a character as untrustworthy as Pettigrew.
Pettigrew's death was more detailed in the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows book, with him trying to choke Harry to death with his silver hand that was given to him after reviving Voldemort. However, Harry thought on his feet and reminded Pettigrew that he owed Harry his life for sparing him in the Shrieking Shack in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. This made Pettigrew hesitate and activate a charm in his hand that forced it to choke him to death for even slightly turning on Voldemort.
Peter Pettigrew's Death Was Fitting
Pettigrew's death was nothing short of a surprise, not only because his hand was the one to do it but because he hesitated in service in Lord Voldemort. However, this fate was honestly the only way it could've gone for the character, as it was already in his nature to betray those he got close to. In his lifetime, he had betrayed the Potters with barely any struggle, and to hesitate on Lord Voldemort made perfect sense, especially when it was Harry, the son of his best friend, that appealed to his Gryffindor trait of loyalty.
That said, his death also made perfect sense as it was a fate he was destined for the minute he turned on the Potters. A betrayal of his level was something that wouldn't go unpunished, especially with fate in the equation. Though he survived for years after the Potter's deaths, he still had to pay for his crime, and it made perfect sense that a leader as selfish as Voldemort would be the one to orchestrate his end. Though Voldemort had followers, they were all just tools to him and disposable as a result.