Harry Potter discussion

Fred and George gave Harry the Marauder's map in Harry's third year but up until this point they were using it themselves, so they should have noticed Peter Pettigrew on the map. Seems strange, and it kind of messes up the plot of the entire third book. Am I the only one to notice this?

I'm not sure but I don't think Fred and George knew who Pettigrew was. He'd just be another meaningless name in the halls of Hogwarts to them.

*shrugs* I'm not sure though.

Wow, I never thought about that. You are really observant! They might of though he was just a random guy, but shouldn't they notice he's always with Ron. That is a pretty darn big plot hole.

Well, its not like Scabbers was always in Ron's pockets. He could still be just a random person. I might be wrong though.

I never thought about this before, Sarah. Good catch! As everyone has said, I don't think Fred and George would've recognized the name. They probably didn't spend too much time looking at Ron's dot on the map anyway, so I guess Pettigrew's dot must have been lost among the others.

Edit: It looks like JKR has actually answered this question before.

Why didn't Fred and George notice Peter Pettigrew on the Marauder's Map before ("Prisoner of Azkaban")?

"It would not have mattered if they had. Unless somebody was very familiar with the story of Sirius Black (and after all, Sirius was not Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's best friend - indeed, they never knew him until after he escaped from Azkaban), Fred and George would be unlikely to know or remember that Peter Pettigrew was the person Sirius had (supposedly) murdered. Even if Fred and George HAD head the story at some point, why would they assume that the ‘Peter Pettigrew’ they occasionally saw moving around the map was, in fact, the man murdered years before?

Fred and George used the map for their own mischief-making; so they concentrated, naturally enough, on those portions of the map where they were planning their next misdeeds. And finally, you must not forget that hundreds of little dots are moving around the map at any given time... Fred and George did not know everyone in school by name, so a single unfamiliar name was unlikely to stand out."

I can't find the quote anymore on her site, but I'm sure it's authentic. Accio Quote (http://www.accio-quote.org/jkrwebsite...) references it, and I found the text in an archived HP lexicon thread (http://hplf.forumotion.com/t365-confl...).

Thanks Pandy. I thought there must be a good explanation for it but I wasn't aware that JK Rowling had spoken about it before.

wow... i've never thought that before. besides, there is another mistake (i think it's a mistake) about tha fact in ministry world.

harry potter asked nick the nearly headless ghost and he told him that only man who can be a ghost. but what about moaning myrtle? and few other woman ghost? well, it's a small fact. maybe nick just dont know what he's talking about. or maybe i'm the one who misinterprets the talking... :D

Nick says "only Wizards," but it's a general term for Witches and Wizards. He certainly knows that there are female ghosts!

Sarah wrote: "Fred and George gave Harry the Marauder's map in Harry's third year but up until this point they were using it themselves, so they should have noticed Peter Pettigrew on the map. Seems strange, and..."

Why would they know who Petter Pettigrew was? It seems as if very few people knew of him.

Just the fact that Fred and George didn't give Ron grief over seeing him sleep in the same bed every night for a good 2 years is pretty weird!

Anna wrote: "Just the fact that Fred and George didn't give Ron grief over seeing him sleep in the same bed every night for a good 2 years is pretty weird!"

Yeah. Besides, Hogwarts would have had 300-ish students at the most. It would be impossible for Fred and George to not have known every student in the school. JKR just doesn't want to admit when she's made a mistake.

I doubt the twins were glued to the map all the time... They didn't need it for every little bit of mischief they did. It's not like they were though purely studying it every night just to spy on people...

I agree!! And even if they used the map octet they knew where their brother was! They would have no reason to look at that part of the map.

*often

Good point. It's no big deal- it does make sense, so let it be. No book's going to be perfect.

How did Marvolo Gaunt come by the resurrection stone, and claim relation to the Peverells if Cadmus committed suicide after co-existing with his deceased former lover? Ignotus was the only brother to survive, so unless he retrieved the stone after his brother's death to pass on to his children... The Gaunts couldn't possibly be related to the Peverells. (Suspending the idea that all pure blood families are related, I get that. I mean direct lineage to the Peverells) any ideas?

Also Fred and George found the map in their first year. So the first few years Fred and George had it, Ron (and Scabbers) weren't at Hogwarts. Also Fred and George used the map to look oout for Filch and Mrs Norris, not their own brother. Harry had a sharp I for finding/ observing things (hence why he was the seeker on the quidditch team).

Anna wrote: "Also Fred and George found the map in their first year. So the first few years Fred and George had it, Ron (and Scabbers) weren't at Hogwarts. Also Fred and George used the map to look oout for Fil..."

Hmm, you have a point there.

✿Lilac✿ wrote: "Anna wrote: "Just the fact that Fred and George didn't give Ron grief over seeing him sleep in the same bed every night for a good 2 years is pretty weird!"

Yeah. Besides, Hogwarts would have had ..."

D'you reckon? Because Harry certainly doesn't know everyone. Which is why he meets people throughout the years that have been there but he doesn't know... so?

My question is why didn't harry notice after he received the map from the twins that peter pettigrew was sleeping in the same bed as Ron he knew everyone in his dorm

Tricia wrote: "My question is why didn't harry notice after he received the map from the twins that peter pettigrew was sleeping in the same bed as Ron he knew everyone in his dorm"

Because usually when Harry was looking at the Map, Ron wasn't sleeping in bed with Scabbers. (He doesn't do the nightime-map-perusal until HBP. All the times he uses the map, either Ron is physically with him (and not with Scabbers), or Ron is already in Hogsmeade (and, again, not with Scabbers). Read the book again and take note of every time he uses the map. Not once should he have noticed Peter.

Besides, as JKR made the point for Fred and George, the same holds for Harry: why when he has a map that shows him an entire castle, with secret passages and all, would he look at the one place he knows best: his dorm room? As a kindred rule-breaker, I'll tell you, that isn't on our to-do list.

My guess is that since Peter had always been there, Harry thought it was a flaw.