The Marauders are some of the most influential figures from the Harry Potter story. They’re four friends from before Harry’s time at Hogwarts. They love making mischief and created the Marauder’s Map, which records the locations of every person at their school. Who doesn’t love that?
James Potter, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew form the Marauders with Remus Lupin after the friend group discovers that Remus, their friend and roommate, is also a werewolf. James, Sirius, and Peter spend years learning how to transform into animals so they can run wild once a month when Lupin is his werewolf form.
Unfortunately, this story takes a very dark turn. The ultimate betrayal leads to murder and the destruction of a family and changes the course of the wizarding world.
While we get glimpses of the Marauders and their ventures in the Harry Potter books and movies, fans have repeatedly asked and hoped for a Marauders prequel movie set during their time at Hogwarts. It’s unlikely to happen, but with a new Harry Potter TV series in the works, there’s the potential to see more of the Marauders onscreen in the future.
Without further ado, let’s get ranking, starting with inarguably the worst member of the group: Peter Pettigrew, also known as Wormtail.
4. Wormtail (Peter Pettigrew)
- Animagus form: Rat
- Also known as Scabbers and Wormy
- Played by Timothy Spall
- Groups: Marauders, Order the Phoenix, and the Death Eaters
Peter Pettigrew, also known as Wormtail, is easily the worst of the Marauders. There’s no other way to slice it. He ranks fourth out of four for the most obvious of reasons. He’s one of the worst characters in Harry Potter’s story.
Pettigrew befriended Remus, Sirius, and James during his first year at Hogwarts, and the foursome became the best of friends. After Hogwarts, they all joined the Order of the Phoenix in the fight against Lord Voldemort, which is when Pettigrew started sharing intel with Voldemort and his Death Eaters. After the prophecy that is assumed to be about Harry is told, the Potters are forced into hiding in Godric’s Hollow, and they use a Fidelius Charm to hide their location. They put their trust in Peter as their Secret-Keeper, but he betrays them by revealing their location to Lord Voldemort, which kickstarts the story that spans all seven Harry Potter books.
When confronted by Sirius, Pettigrew then draws a crowd of muggles before killing them in a blast, removing his own finger in the process. Because Sirius is the only one left standing, everyone thinks he’s responsible for the incident. Pettigrew then hides as the Weasley’s pet rat Scabbers for 12 years. As Sirius and Remus point out during in The Prisoner of Azkaban, Pettigrew couldn’t go back to the Death Eaters after Voldemort “died” on that night at the Potters and his friends in the Order know the truth about his betrayal. He waits until Voldemort returns and then helps him rise to power again.
Had it all not worked out the way it did, it would be hard not to feel for Pettigrew. His cowardice and fear led him to do terrible, terrible things. But there is a hint that his heart was never fully behind Lord Voldemort. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, when Harry, Ron, and Hermione are trapped at the Malfoy’s, they are in the process of being rescued by Dobby when Pettigrew finds them. After a struggle with Harry and Ron, Pettigrew seems poised to kill Harry, but he can’t do it. That hand that Voldemort gave Pettigrew to remove the one he cut off to resurrect his master in The Goblet of Fire turns on him and strangles him.
It’s a fitting end for the worst of the Marauders.