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I've had a long drawn out debate with someone and we can't agree when Wormtail switches sides.

The wiki says:

After graduating from Hogwarts, Pettigrew and his friends joined the Order of the Phoenix and fought against Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters during the First Wizarding War. However, at some point, Pettigrew began working as a double agent for Voldemort, having come to the belief that nothing could be gained from opposing him. Despite being considered a low-ranking soldier for his coward.

I know that he betrayed Lily and James on the night they died but that doesn't say when he starts working for Voldemort.

Obsidia
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Tom Doyle
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2 Answers2

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I don't think we can give a precise date, but there's at least one relevant statement. In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban chapter 19, Sirius accuses Peter with this statement, and he is probably right.

‘DON'T LIE!’ bellowed Black. ‘YOU'D BEEN PASSING INFORMATION TO HIM FOR A YEAR BEFORE LILY AND JAMES DIED! YOU WERE HIS SPY!’

b_jonas
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5

The books do not give us a date, nor do we have a clear indication of how long after they graduated was Harry born, or Voldemorts attack on the potters. A reasonable answer is at least a few months if not longer before the Potters were attacked, as when Sirius was explaining why they chose Peter as the secret keeper, it was because they knew there was a spy in the order and they had suspicions of Lupin.

Liath
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Himarm
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  • They were 21 when they died, so 20 when he was born, and don't all Hogwarts students graduate at 18? – George T Aug 12 '14 at 14:22
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    I've not read the last book recently (getting there though) but you can read their birth and death dates on their graves. Unless I'm mistaken, they were both 1960-1981. – George T Aug 12 '14 at 14:26