Peter Pettigrew laughs in his sleep (![[info]](https://www.insanejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} _peter) wrote,@ 2013-06-13 01:42:00 |
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Peter Pettigrew is misunderstood
A history for Peter Pettigrew at Afresh:
 {Peter Pettigrew Hello darkness, my old friend I've come to talk with you again Because a vision softly creeping Left its seeds while I was sleeping | |
NICKNAMES: Pete, Wormtail (Marauders). He really hates being called Petey because it reminds him of his mother. AGE | DOB: 38 | 26 February 1960 HOGWARTS HOUSE | YEAR: Gryffindor 1978 BLOOD STATUS: Halfblood RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Alone. SEXUALITY: Lonely. OCCUPATION: Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes: Muggle-Worthy Excuse Committee. Peter is also a private investor, and has his wormy little fingers in just about every business in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade alike. LOCATION: West Hampstead, not far from Sirius & Remus. Pete's place is practically a shack, but he doesn't need much to suffice.  FAMILY BACKGROUND: • Unknown Father (Wizard) • Aubrey Pettigrew (Mother, 55 - Muggle) • Shaw Pettigrew (Uncle, Deceased) • Beatrice Pettigrew (Aunt, Deceased) Peter's mother was 16 when she got pregnant, and 17 when he was born. She was a bit of a wild-child, and it was no surprise when she got pregnant that she couldn't even remember the name of the father. Aubrey's parents were strict, and she loved to rebel against them. She was a heavy smoker and drinker, and had a history of behavioral problems. Aubrey and her parents had planned to give the baby up for adoption, but upon holding Peter in her arms, Aubrey suddenly refused. Her parents disowned her, and Aubrey went to live with her Aunt and Uncle in East Sussex. Beatrice & Shaw Pettigrew worked at a neighboring farm owned by Archibald Peverell. They kept Aubrey and Peter a secret for many years. Aubrey's behavior did not improve. When Peter was seven years old, Aubrey took LSD and never recovered. Over the next year, Peter watched his mother fracture mentally, becoming paranoid, hallucinating, and enduring long, trance-like states. Eventually she was diagnosed with schizophrenia, and committed to Hellingly Hospital, where she remained until it's close in 1994. From the time he was eight years old, Peter continued to live with his Aunt and Uncle, but could never forget the terrifying memories of his mother's shattered psyche. | physical appearance I'll take your part when darkness comes and pain is all around _______________________________ Standing a mere 5'7", Peter has always been known as never had a very commanding presence. His hair is a mousy brown, and with beady eyes and somewhat large front teeth, he resembled a rat long before he adopted his animagus form. As a child he was much rounder, and was often teased for being the fat kid. Stress and poor health has thinned him out over the years, but he never outgrew his humiliation. Peter has never been very smooth. One might say he never quite lost the waddle from his walk, although he has shed most of the weight that once held him back. He often hunches at the shoulders, has what seems to be a permanent pout attached to his mouth, and a voice so slimy it makes milk curdle. When he smiles the corners of his moustache seem to curl in an almost comical way. Peter isn't one for style. In fact, for years his Aunt believed him to be colorblind. He has little sense for matching clothes, and so has come to purchase primarily neutral colors. One area that has become a vast improvement for Pete is his hair. In his youth he rarely brushed his hair, often leaving it a tangled mess. Now, he keeps his hair and facial hair very neat and trim, religiously visiting a barber once a month. His awkwardness knows very few limits. Peter has a difficult time looking people in the eye when they talk to him. He can be very fidgety, even when he has nothing to be anxious about. It is rare to see him sit or stand still, and one can usually catch him at the very least drumming his fingers on something. He is not very outcoing, and prefers to keep to himself. When in a room with others, Peter tries to take up as little space as possible. He feels most comfortable when others don't notice that he exists.  |
personality Funny how my memory skips, looking over manuscripts of unpublished rhyme, drinking my vodka and lime. _______________________________ When he was very small, or as small as a round person like Peter could be, he learned a very difficult lesson about life: it can change within a heartbeat. Seeing his mother carted off to an asylum taught Peter a few very important lessons. One was that the people he loved could be taken away at any time. The other was that the people he loved could send him away at any time. These very important lessons instilled a deep sense of fear in Pete that colors ever action, every thought, and every dream. The fear of abandonment and the quest for approval were the driving forces behind Peter's actions. He would fall all over himself to please someone, would lie in order to tell them what they wanted to hear, and preferred to let others make decisions for him. Peter is always the first to compliment someone, the last to disagree, and the one that will listen for hours if you need to vent or pour your heart out. Peter has grown up a lot from Hogwarts, where he was easily impressionable and extremely fidgety. He still gets nervous quite easily, but manages not to cave under the pressure most of the time. Despite his misgivings, Peter has a good sense of humor and loves to laugh. He is generous, and likes to buy a round of drinks or dinner whenever he can convince someone to spend time with him. His sense of adventure certainly hasn't expanded, but it hasn't receded, either. If he is bored, sometimes he will go for a long walk to explore places he has never been before, and now that he is older will do this on his own. And of course, Peter loves secrets and gossip. He has always been a bit paranoid about what others think of him, and so has always put a lot of effort into listening and observing conversations around him. His sense of hearing is uniquely sharp, and he can tap into a conversation across a crowded room if he knows exactly which voice to listen for. Throughout the years, Peter has learned to adapt and even become somewhat manipulative. He can be quite clever,and paired with his taste for secrets, uses information and observation to his advantage. People often underestimate him, and Peter uses that to his advantage. He knows that he makes a great shoulder to lean on, and his unassuming appearance allows people to trust him without much thought. For most of his life, Peter has been unable to accept himself. He is still waiting for something to change, and for his world to get better. He doesn't seem to understand that he has to be the person to make that change. Although he has become slightly more confident and understands his limitations, Peter rarely pushes himself enough to achieve his personal goals. It is something he is working on, as he oen day hopes to achieve greatness. While not the bravest of Gryffindors, the Gryffindor Pisces still exhibits a quiet courage. They aren't afraid to face painful truths, if there really is no way of escaping them. These Gryffindors are deeply compassionate, and full of emotional strength, often becoming the unofficial counselors in the common room who everybody runs to for advice. They are romantic to an extreme; their minds are stuffed full of fairy tales, myths, and legends. They often spend more time daydreaming than doing their homework, to the vexation of their professors. Still, their daydreams do sometimes produce uncanny insights. From here. | ‹‹Due to his extreme cowardice, many people consider it a mystery why the sorting hat placed him in Gryffindor. In fact, the sorting hat was on his head for several long minutes, debating about what house to place him in. The hat decided on Gryffindor, telling Peter that he didn't have to be brave on the outside to be brave on the inside, and that real courage is sometimes about accepting the harsh world around oneself. ‹‹Peter does not need his job at the ministry. He could easily support himself, and a family, on the profit he makes from investing. However, he doesn't know what else he would do with his time, so he continues to go to work five days a week. At least it gives him something to do. ‹‹Peter has a really great pallet when it comes to taste. He adores fine foods and fine wine and spirits from around the world. He can cook, but rarely does, as he prefers to tastes the creations of others. Occasionally he will take weekend holidays to explore foods in other countries. He fancies the idea of owning his own restaurant, and has even made all sorts of plans about what it would be like, but has never had the faith in his own endeavors to actually start it up. ‹‹When Peter gets drunk, he thinks he can sing. Much to the delight of his friends, it is very easy to convince him to get on the stage and wail for the audience. He has never been very good at it, but over the years, especially because he sings so often when alone in his house, he has actually become a bit less tone deaf, and can nearly carry a tune. ‹‹ Since she was taken away in 1967, Peter has only visited his mother twice. The first time he visited, at eleven, he tried to explain to her that he was going away to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She became hysterical, crying and exclaiming that she'd always known his father was a wizard, and that now people would be forced to believe her. She clung to her boy and refused to let him leave. It two two orderlies to restrain her and a nurse to sedate her before Peter was finally taken away. He never visited her again until he was twenty-five, at which point she no longer remembered him. He was completely shaken by this form of abandonment. Hellingly Hospital closed in 1994, and although Peter was contacted by the staff, he did not go to retrieve her.  |
biography I've built walls, A fortress deep and mighty that none may penetrate. I have no need of friendship; friendship causes pain. It's laughter and it's loving I disdain. _______________________________ There were a few times of peace in Peter's childhood. He never knew his father, nor did he know his maternal grandparents. His mother was a teen when he was born, and Peter spent the first several years of his life growing up on her Aunt & Uncle's spacious property. His mother's identity was never kept a secret, and there were bright times that shined through where she really could be a good mother. Peter has fond memories of her her sitting with him on her lap, reading books. But they were not meant to share a happy life together for long. After being given a drink laced with LSD at a party, Peter's mother fell into a deep psychosis. Her mental health completely deteriorated, and she often couldn't remember who she was or if she was even alive. As her paranoia mounted, her delusions became violent, and it became clear to her family that she needed help. When they approached her about seeking treatment, she had a breakdown and attempted suicide. Peter's last memory of his mother is of her screams, and trying to run to her as she was restrained and taken away. Uncle Shaw held him tight, and it was a long time before Peter would ever see her again. Uncle Shaw and Aunt Beatrice worked for a neighboring farm. Since he was six years old, Peter often went along, too. At first he would just play with cats or whatever animals he could find in the barns. By the time he was eight, he had chores that included sweeping, scattering hay for the cows, and changing their water supply. It was here that Peter met Alice. Alice with her golden locks and perfect smile. Alice with eyes like the stormy ocean. Alice that was taller and faster and a thousand times more athletic than Peter. Alice may have been a tomboy, but to Peter, she was an angel. In Peter's eyes, they were best friends. It was through Alice that he found out about magic, as both of her parents were magical, and she, too, expected to one day be magical. Peter came to the farm every day just to see Alice. It was one day that he was sick with a fever and his Aunt told him that he must stay home that Peter showed his first instance of magic, causing her hands to stick to Peter's so that she couldn't leave without him. Peter was overjoyed to tell Alice about this, as it meant that one day they might go to the magical school she'd told him about together. When Peter told his Aunt and Uncle that he was a wizard, they exchanged worried looks, no doubt afraid that he was showing early signs of the same problems his mother had. Nonetheless, they tried to brush it off as a young boy's fantasy, and life continued on fairly normally for a few years. Peter couldn't sleep the night of his eleventh birthday, so nervous was he that the letter would not come. He sat up the entire night by his window, eyes watching the sky, waiting for the owl to come. Sure enough it did, but not until breakfast time, and immediately after exclaiming that he'd 'always known he was a wizard!' Peter passed out and slept the rest of the day away. Peter actually sat alone on his ride to Hogwarts. He wanted to sit with Alice, but he didn't want to burden her with his presence. She was so much smarter and prettier than him, he just knew he would embarrass her. He was extremely nervous during the boat ride, and even more so as he stood in line waiting to be sorted. It was here that he met James Potter, who stood next to him as they stood in line alphabetically. James was everything that Peter wanted to be: taller, thinner, handsome, funny, charismatic. Immediately Peter idolized him, and was more than thrilled when, shortly after he was sorted into Gryffindor, James Potter joined him at the table. It was clear that James Potter and Sirius Black were the kings of Gryffindor. Soon they had befriended the quieter Remus Lupin, and Peter wanted nothing more than to be part of the fold. As luck would have it, the boys were very accepting and soon they became fast friends. Although Peter idolized Black and Potter, and would back them up until the cows came home, he would rarely stand up for himself if they weren't around. He became somewhat closer to Remus Lupin, who he felt less pressure from. In their second year, James, Sirius, and Peter found out that Remus was a werewolf. In fact, it was James and Sirius that figured it out, and Peter happened to be eavesdropping on their conversation (he was a very skilled eavesdropper, always worried that people were talking about him behind his back). It was in this moment that Peter really became the tried and true fourth member of the 'Marauders,' as they liked to be called. Knowing their secret, the others would never push Peter away. Although Peter was nervous around Lupin at first, he soon remembered that Remus would never hurt him, and pledged to always support his friend, no matter what lie beneath his skin. By their fifth year, James, Sirius, and Peter had succeeded in becoming illegal animagi. Peter had relied heavily on help from his friends, as he was not nearly as skilled at transfiguration as the others (despite it being his best subject). WIth their friendship so tightly bound, Peter was certain he had friends for life. Nonetheless, he couldn't seem to stop himself from doubting. James had an obvious attraction to Lily Evans, and there was the matter that Sirius and Remus began to draw closer. In his seventh year, Peter went again to Alice to tell her that he was in love with her, and had been for as long as he could remember. But by then, Alice was already engaged to Frank Longbottom, and Peter didn't stand a chance (although that didn't stop him from trying). After graduation, Peter followed his friends in joining the Order of the Phoenix, but his confidence was shaken. The war surrounding him terrified him, and his mind was already filled with doubt. Attending both the weddings of Alice & Frank, and later James & Lily were phenomenally tumultuous on Pete's self-confidence. What if the only reason his friends cared about him at all was because he knew their secrets? What if Alice had never been his friend, and he had only imagined it? He began to worry that if his life was in danger, no one would come to his aid. After all, why would they need to? Peter was expendable. He brought little to the table, and if he was gone, no one would have to worry about him spreading their secrets around. So paranoid did he become, that he began to think that his friends were scheming behind his back to have him killed. James, Sirius, Remus, Lily, Alice, and Frank all seemed fully capable of standing up to Voldemort and his followers, but Peter felt like he was always the one to turn and run. It was because of this that Dumbledore urged Peter to act as a double agent. He earned his keep by finding out secrets. Pete was an easy target for the Death Eaters, because of his naive and cowardly nature. They might not have trusted him enough to invite him to meetings, but they didn't seem to avoid him if they ran into him in a bar. Pete wasn't sure which Death Eater approached him first, but Rodolphus Lestrange seemed to take an interest in him. Peter tried to resist, but Rodolphus was very good at pushing all of the right buttons with him. Soon enough, Rodolphus dangled important information infront of him as a sort of test of his loyalty: the time and location of an attack on a local family as a demonstration to get Lord Voldemort's attention. Peter debated for far too long about what to do. He assumed that Rodolphus had expected him to join in, and was afraid that if he didn't, he would be tortured or killed. Peter wanted to do the right thing, but the thought of dying, or the pain of torture terrified him. For hours he flip-flopped back and forth, and finally built up the courage to go to the address he'd been given. It would be better to torture someone else than to be tortured himself, right? He convinced himself that he had no choice in the matter. The moment before he stepped out the door, Peter sent anonymous owl to the Order's headquarters, and without waiting or considering the consequences, approached the location still not having fully made up his mind. But when Pete arrived, he froze. The torture going on in front of him was brutal, and all that Pete could see was his own mother, being restrained and screaming Don't let them take me, Petey! through the cobwebs of his memory. Soon enough the men in question had snuffed out the lives of the muggle and the squib and moved on to torturing their child. They seemed to barely even notice Peter's presence, one even laughed when he walked through the door. Although it felt like he stood there, motionless, for hours, Peter was in the house for less than five minute before Auror's rushed in. It might have been Pete's involvement that allowed for the men to get away, but at the same time, it might have been Pete's involvement that saved the life of the child. His judgement was questioned, seeing as how the owl was sent anonymously, although he did insist that it was he who sent it. There was no discernable way to determine if he had entered the room in order to help the radicals, or in order to help the family. Luckily for Pete, with backing from both his friends and Dumbledore, he was given the benefit of the doubt, and was even rewarded for his bravery. He later learned the identity of the child to be Rainer Savage, and has always had an interest in her despite refusing to contact her in any way. Now more than ever, Peter felt a sense of distrust from his friends. He couldn't seem to find the words to explain accurately what had happened that night, and it was as if he was suffering from some sort of post-traumatic shock. Not only that, but his fear of the Death Eaters had intensified, convinced that they would want revenge for his betrayal. Anxieties mounted as Alice and Lily both became pregnant and were forced into hiding due to a prophecy. At the last minute, Sirius Black came to Peter, asking him to be the secret keeper for James and Lily. Peter was floored that, after everything that had happened, his friends still trusted him enough to fulfill such a position. When the opportunity came along to betray them, with Rainer's frightened face at the forefront of his mind, and the screams of his own mother distant in his ears, for the first time in his life Peter stood up for himself, and said no. This defiance was not without consequence, but Pete endured, and his friends were there for him on the other side. The fall of Voldemort on New Year's Eve was a great relief to Peter. With the fighting done, he was sure that he could finally relax and begin a normal life. But try as he might, Peter was not very good at relaxing. He worried that his friends still doubted his loyalties, and still felt deep shades of jealousy towards their own successful relationships and careers. Peter took up a job with the Ministry of Magic in the Accidental Magic and Catastrophes department. He eventually secured for himself a small home not far from Sirius's. But Peter was never happy. He never felt like he fit in, and he was never good with women. He often turned to alcohol for comfort, and has paid for sex on more than one occasion. His depression seems to know no bounds, and on his days off, sometimes Peter never even gets out of bed. The one thing that has turned in Peter's favor was a skill he found in commerce and investing. One might say he learned this skill from Sirius Black, but Peter found that he had a real knack for it. He has used this, his power of learning secrets, and a small bit of manipulation in order to build himself a small fortune which he keeps locked away in Gringotts. What he will use this for, he has no idea. In the meantime he just keeps investing and building profit. He hopes that one day the universe will change and smile on him. He wants more power and recognition. He wants to get the girl. He still has deep feelings for Alice Longbottom, and wonders if one day fate might somehow bring them together. He has a keen interest in the lives of certain people that interest him, including Rainer Savage, Alice's children, and Harry Potter.  | |
writing sample Please choose one of the following scenarios and write a 100-250 word first person POV journal entry in the voice of the character you're applying for. ‹‹ A particularly vivid dream. Private Alice would kill me if she knew. I mean, it's not my fault. People have dreams. It can't be helped. It's just the kind of dream, you know, the kind that catches you off guard when you wake up because it's so real and so good in your sleep that when you open your eyes you just feel sad. I might have killed Frank in the dream. That duel we had, whenever that was. Except he went down instead of me, and Alice suddenly saw me for more than just some punk and ran into my arms and I swept her off of her feet and carried her to bed. I was taller. And better looking. And Alice was beautiful as ever, in this beautiful white slip and her skin was so smooth and perfect and... Well, I suppose what she doesn't know won't hurt her. Better start the day off with a cold shower. | |
A history for Peter Pettigrew at Afresh: