Wormtail

Wormtail

Chapter 1

Transformations

There was complete silence in the third year boys' dormitory, which was unusual, because, for the most part, the room had been in a state of constant chaos ever since the current residents had first entered. But today, the boys sitting in the dormitory were actually doing their homework. Or at least, that was how it appeared.

Peter Pettigrew put down his quill and looked up at two of his best friends in the entire world, who, at the moment, were buried under a pile of books. “Remind me again why I have to write your potions essays for you,” he said with a hint of bitterness.

James chuckled. “Believe me, we're not too happy with having our essays written by you either, but it's necessary.”

Peter smiled uneasily as Sirius burst into laughter next to him. After he had sufficiently recovered, Sirius said, “Peter, it's not like you're the only one working. If we want to help Remus, we're all going to have to pull our own weight. And you do want to help Remus, don't you?”

Peter nodded quickly.

Satisfied with Peter's response, Sirius turned back to his pile of books, but James moved closer to Peter, and lowered his voice, saying, “Becoming Animagi isn't easy. It takes a lot of research, and the magic we have to learn isn't easy. We're working on this harder than we've worked on anything ever before, and in order to get as much done as we are, we need someone to cover the not-so-important stuff.”

James also turned back to the enormous pile of books behind him, and once again the boys were enveloped in silence. But as Peter started on the next sentence of James' potions essay, he couldn't help wondering why one of them couldn't do the not-so important stuff, and let him help out with the real work.

*

It was a few more weeks before the research was actually complete, and the boys, including Remus, were gathered in their dormitory again, nervously excited about what they were about to attempt.

James took a deep breath to steady himself. “Ok mates, who wants to go first?” No one said anything. Laughing uneasily, and taking another deep breath, James said, “Well, I guess that's me then…”

Picking up his wand, he closed his eyes and concentrated as hard as he could on what he was trying to accomplish. After what seemed like forever, after getting a clear picture in his head, James spoke the incantation, and slowly, gracefully, he transformed into a huge, majestic stag. After a pause, in which James the stag trotted around the room, sniffing the awe-struck boys, he transformed back into James the boy, smiled into the silent, amazed faces, and simply said, “Ta-da!”

At that, the silence was broken, and, to everyone's surprise, Sirius began rolling on the floor laughing. For a while, Peter was actually concerned for the mental health of his friend, but then Sirius got up and said, “Do you know what this means?” At the questioning looks he received, he continued, “We can turn into animals! We are actual unregistered Animagi! And we're only thirteen!”

When he resumed his insane laughing again, the other boys joined in, only now realizing what an amazing feat they had accomplished. Oddly enough, it was Sirius who stopped them, clearing his throat and saying, “Alright, enough of that, my turn,” and he grabbed his wand, spending less time on the concentrating bit than James did, and quickly, and loudly, said the spell.

His transformation was quicker than James'. It was like he was Sirius one minute, and the next he was a great shaggy dog. He bounded around the room, and actually licked Remus' face, at which Remus attempted to chase him around the room. Somewhere in the middle of the chase, Sirius transformed quickly back, and Remus dove on him, both boys laughing wildly.

Once everyone had calmed back down again, everyone looked expectantly at Peter. Peter had an immediate feeling of nausea that wouldn't go away. Although James and Sirius had sat with him for hours on end explaining exactly what it was he needed to do, he couldn't quite shake the feeling that he wasn't ready to do something this complex.

Sirius looked at him worriedly. “You look a bit pale, are you ok?” he asked.

When Peter didn't answer, James put his hand on his shoulder, and said, “Look, it's ok if you don't want to do it right now. We can just keep going over what you have to do and try it later when you're ready and you feel more confident about it.”

Peter couldn't believe what he was hearing. James actually didn't think he was strong enough, or smart enough, or skilled enough to do it. He actually thought he was better than Peter. But if James could do it, he could too. James was no better than he was, and now he would show him.

He stepped forward, shaking James's hand off his shoulder, and picked up his wand. Concentrating as hard as he could, and speaking the incantation quickly, he actually began to shrink. Transforming for the first time was a strange sensation. His arms and legs were growing smaller, until he had four feet, all touching the ground, and his head got shrunk, and also lowered to the ground. He felt something growing from behind him, and as he turned his head to see, he saw a long, bald tail stretching out behind him. Looking up, the other boys looked taller than mountains, and he could barely see their faces, they were so huge.

After scurrying around for a while, Peter concentrated again, and slowly became a boy again, while the others cheered.

Remus rose from where he had been sitting on the bed, and said to the other boys, “Well, I have to admit, when you told me what you had been planning, I didn't really think you could do it, but this is impressive.”

James laughed confidently, but then stopped abruptly and said excitedly, “Now that we've done it, we should make up codenames for eachother!”

Sirius chuckled. “Codenames? Are we spies now?”

“Fine. Nicknames then.”

“Oh great.” Sirius said, rolling his eyes. “You've turned into an eight-year-old girl.”

They all laughed as James glared at him. “You know what I mean,” he grumbled. “We need something to say when we're talking about it so that no one can ever find out we're Animagi.” He stopped and thought for a moment. “Remus is Moony,” he said, and Remus laughed.

“Alright,” Remus said to James, “then you're Prongs because of your antlers. Now what about Sirius?”

At that moment, Sirius, who had transformed again, pounced on Remus, more like a cat than a dog.

In between gasps of laughter, as they were all laughing at each other at this point, James said, “Sirius can be Padfoot!”

Sirius laughed, and then said, “Ok, now what about Peter?”

Peter smiled. They were going to give him a name. It would be great to really be part of the group, equal to the others. He had never quite fit in the same before, but that would all change now. Having a cool name like the rest of them would prove that they all belonged. This would really prove it.

James cleared his throat and looked at Peter appraisingly. “Wormtail,” he said with an air of finality.

Everything stopped for a moment in Peter's mind. Sirius and Remus, who had never quite stopped laughing from before, started up again, but James looked completely serious.

“Wormtail?” Peter asked slowly.

James smiled. “Wormtail. It's perfect.”

“But you all got cool names! Wormtail sounds more like a disease,” Peter said bitterly, turning away.

James looked confused. “Don't you like it? I think it fits,” he said.

“There's really nothing wrong with it,” Sirius said, the laughter having died down after Peter's outburst. “It adds a nice ring to it all—Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs.”

And that was it. There was no more discussion on the subject. The boys took out their stash of butterbeer and celebrated their amazing accomplishment, but Peter's heart wasn't really in it, although the others were too distracted to notice.

But that was fine. One day he would show them how great he could be. He would show them all.

Hope it was good… I just had a strange idea and went with it. I think it's kinda slow right now, but it's only the first chapter, and I promise it'll get a lot better later, once more people get involved. This is pretty much just the intro, so if it was terrible, please forgive me….

Anyway, if you liked it, or if you didn't, review. I need to know whether it's worth continuing or not.

-->

Chapter 2

Conflicts

It was the day before OWLs, and the self-proclaimed Marauders were sitting in the library, doing more talking than studying. In fact, Peter was the only one who was doing any studying at all, because he didn't quite have the natural talent that the others did, and part of him resented them for that.

The night before had been the full moon, and, as usual, they had completely exhausted themselves, exploring the grounds in their animal forms until morning. In the two years since the boys had first become Animagi, they had learned more about the Hogwarts grounds than any man alive, which was why James had suggested they call themselves the Marauders in the first place.

Suddenly James spoke, interrupting Peter's thoughts. “Look who it is, mates,” he said, standing and facing a lonely table in the corner. Peter looked over, seeing a nervous looking boy with dark, greasy hair.

“Why if it isn't Snivellus,” Sirius said, standing alongside James.

The boy, who Peter recognized as Severus Snape, immediately began shoving his things carelessly into his bag, rushing to leave the library.

“Now don't rush off,” James laughed. “We only want to talk to you.” He and Sirius looked haughtily at the boy, who whipped out his wand and pointed it directly between James' eyes. James, who already held his wand in his hand, didn't look terribly bothered by this.

But before anything remotely interesting could happen, Madam Pince, looking particularly vulture-like, walked out of the restricted section, where she had been dusting, and the boy skulked away.

Despite himself, Peter was a little disappointed that there hadn't been a fight. He knew that Snape knew some dark magic, and it might do James good to be put in his place. James was his friend, but he could be pretty arrogant sometimes, and it was all just a little too much for Peter to stand.

Before he could continue with his inner rantings, Peter was distracted by a group of girls who had just entered the library. They had been giggling, but at a sharp look from Madam Pince, they got quickly silent. One of them in particular caught his eye. She was the most beautiful girl in the room, in the school, and in the world as far as Peter was concerned, and he had been trying for months to get up enough courage to talk to her.

Peter closed his eyes for a moment, took a deep breath, and then stood up to go over to her.

“Oy, Evans!” James shouted from behind him. Peter watched in horror as James approached the girl of his dreams. He could barely breathe. James was talking to her. He was flirting with her.

She giggled a little bit, and Peter could have cried. Then James leaned confidently on the table she was sitting at and said, “So Lily, why don't we go out sometime?”

She looked like Christmas had come early, and all the other girls at the table were looking at her enviously.

Lily smiled, and said, “Sure, I'd love to.”

Every muscle in Peter's body tensed up. He had to do something. And he knew exactly what it would be.

*

“Hey, Lily?” Peter said, approaching her slowly once the rest of the boys had already left.

She looked at him blankly for a moment, then broke into a smile. “You're James' friend, right?” she asked.

His face fell slightly, but it was hardly noticeable. “Yea, um… I'm Peter,” he said slowly. “Peter Pettigrew.”

“Nice to meet you, Peter,” she said, still smiling, but looking at him expectantly. “Did you want something?”

“Uh, yea,” he started, and paused for a moment, before blurting out, “Are you gonna go out with James?”

Lily smiled uneasily. “Uh yea, I am. Why?”

“Well,” Peter started slowly, “I don't really know how to say this, but I really think you should know what James has been saying about you.”

Lily's face fell. “What he's been saying about me?” she repeated quietly.

Peter took a steadying breath, faking concern. “Well, James has been telling everyone that he thinks you're sort of strange, but that you're hot, so he's just gonna get you to have sex with him, and then dump you,” he said quickly, smiling on the inside, but maintaining his caring expression.

Lily was looking really shattered now, and with a shaky voice, she said quietly, “He really said that?”

Peter nodded, looking at her sadly, and continued, really getting into it. “Yea, he said it wouldn't be a problem or anything because any girl would die for a chance to sleep with him.”

He could see the shock and dejection on her face, and he knew he was hurting her, but it was necessary, and had to be done.

Then the other Marauders walked back into the library, and Peter whispered hurriedly, “Look, don't say anything about this, ok? James is my friend, and I don't want him to hate me, but I just don't think it's right, what he does to people.”

She nodded quickly, clearly fighting back tears, and walked back to her friends, as he walked back to his.

“What were you talking to Lily about?” James asked Peter, trying to sound apathetic, but failing miserably.

“Well, I heard her saying to her friends what a cocky prat you were, and I went over and tried to tell her you were a good guy, but she wouldn't listen,” Peter told him, looking sympathetic.

At the look on James' face, Peter almost felt bad for what he had done. Almost. “But I thought it was going great!” he protested. “I thought she liked me!”

“Well I don't know why she hates you so much, but if I were you, I'd just forget about her,” Peter suggested.

James' stared blankly for a moment at Remus and Sirius, who both shrugged sympathetically, and then regained his composure, and marched over to the group of girls.

Lily saw him coming, and looked up, smiling bitterly. “You know, now that I think about it, I don't think I really want to go anywhere with you.” Before he could say anything, she began gathering her things, and said, “You are just an arrogant, conceited prat, and I wouldn't go out with you for a thousand galleons.”

She marched off, her friends following her, giving James dirty looks as they passed, and Peter couldn't help smiling as he watched James stand there, shocked and hurt. He was never going to get her now. And she would be grateful to Peter for warning her, even if it could have cost him his best friend. Things were starting to look up after all.

*

The next day, OWLs were finally over, as was all the studying, and all the fifth years were sitting outside, taking advantage of what was quite possibly the most beautiful day of the year.

James was playing with a snitch that he had taken after the last Quidditch game, and, watching him closely, Peter could see why everyone idolized him for his Seeking abilities. He had amazing reflexes, and he was showing them off to everyone who cared to watch.

“Put that away, will you?” Sirius said. “ Before Wormtail wets himself from excitement.”

Peter turned away slightly, and he could feel his face turning red. He glanced at James and saw that he was grinning as he put the snitch back in his pocket.

The other Marauders began talking and laughing, but Peter just looked around at all the other groups of fifth years, especially Lily and her friends, who stood by the lake, laughing and having fun. Peter wished he could have been over there with them, instead of stuck here with people who didn't even like him, or care about him at all.

Suddenly, behind him, Sirius and James stood up. Peter turned to see what they were looking at, and saw Snape, shoving his papers back into his bag quickly. Peter got very excited. He knew James would start a fight with him, and he was hoping for him to be taught a lesson.

“All right, Snivellus?” said James loudly.

Snape reacted immediately, taking out his wand so fast, it was obvious he had been expecting an attack.

With no effort, and looking rather bored, James shouted, “Expelliarmus!” and laughed as Snape's wand flew into the air and landed in the grass a few feet behind him. Sirius laughed with him, as did the crowd of people who were gathering around to watch.

As Snape dived toward his wand, James shouted, “Impedimenta!” and Snape was knocked off his feet, much to the delight of the growing crowd.

Getting closer as the other fifth years blocked his view, Peter tried not to seem too seem too excited, lest Sirius call attention to it, but he couldn't help it, and watched hungrily as Snape struggled to get back to his wand.

Their humiliation of Snape continued, and Peter's disappointment grew as they mocked and embarrassed him. But suddenly, Peter's attention was drawn by something else. Lily Evans was marching over, looking angrier than Peter had ever seen her.

“Leave him ALONE!” she yelled, approaching James furiously.

James messed up his hair with his free hand, and Peter almost laughed. He did that all the time, and it was pathetic. “All right, Evans?” he said, deepening his voice.

“Leave him alone,” she repeated, looking James straight in the eye. “What's he done to you?”

James smiled cockily. “Well, it's more the fact that he exists, if you know what I mean….”

Peter laughed a bit at that, but Lily did not look amused.

“You think you're funny,” she said coldly. “But you're just an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter. Leave him alone.”

If this statement offended James, he didn't show it. He simply said quickly, “I will if you go out with me, Evans. Go on… Go out with me, and I'll never lay a wand on old Snivellus again.”

Without wavering, Lily said, “I wouldn't go out with you if it was a choice between you and the giant squid.”

Peter smiled at this. She would never go out with him. He had won. And it was about to get better. James and Sirius had been so focused on Lily that they hadn't noticed Snape edging toward his wand.

They noticed him too late. He stood up, and pointed his wand at James. With a flash of light, James' face was cut, spattering his robes with blood.

The fighting went on, but Peter was too happy to care. He really had won. But it wouldn't stop there. One day he would have everything James had ever wanted, and James would know then that he was nothing.

Thanks for reading….. Hope you liked it….. Review!

-->

Chapter 3

Decisions

There was a collective feeling of dismay as the Marauders unpacked for what would be their final year at Hogwarts. No one was talking, but words weren't necessary. They all felt the same way.

After ten minutes of total silence tinged with melancholy, James broke it, saying, “All right mates, not that this isn't a blast and a half, but I'd really rather not be so depressed at the moment,” and he walked out of the boys' dormitory down into the common room.

The others continued unpacking, but Peter suddenly realized that he had left his coat on the couch downstairs, and quickly followed James to get it.

He had barely reached the bottom of the stairs when he heard James voice, and hid just out of sight, listening.

“Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know there was anyone down here,” he said starting back for the stairs.

“No, it's alright, you don't have to go,” said another voice, which Peter recognized instantly. “To tell you the truth, I could probably use some company.”

James sat down next to Lily Evans, and Peter's stomach tensed with jealousy. It had been two years since James had last asked her out, and Peter had used that time to become friends with her. He was going to ask her out soon, and get the one thing James Potter couldn't have.

But now here they were, on the first day of their seventh and last year at Hogwarts, and Peter was hiding in the shadows watching James hit on the love of his life.

“So, what are you doing down here all by yourself?” James asked, smiling.

Lily sighed. “Well, to tell you the truth, I just didn't feel like being around my friends right now. It's just sad, you know? This has been my home for the past six years, and I only have one more before I'll have to leave. I won't be with my friends everyday anymore, and I don't even know what I'm going to do once school is over. It'll be a whole new world.”

James gave her a sad smile. “Believe it or not, I was just thinking the exact same thing. It's been a little bit frightening.”

Peter almost snorted. They were being so pathetic. They just sat in silence for a few minutes, but it seemed comfortable, not awkward. Peter was just holding his breath. Don't do anything. Just get up and walk away.

“Do you… want to go out sometime?” James asked slowly.

To Peter's horror, Lily smiled. “Sure.”

And then, as if it couldn't get any worse, James leaned over, and kissed her. Peter couldn't take anymore. He turned around and ran back up the stairs and into his room, throwing himself onto his bed.

Remus and Sirius looked up, but stayed silent.

*

The next morning, when Peter woke up, the other boys had already gone to breakfast, and Peter was alone. He was always alone.

He got out of bed slowly, wondering why he felt so depressed, and then it all came back to him. He kicked the wall. It hurt. A lot.

It's not a big deal. It won't last long, he told himself all the way down to breakfast, but it didn't get rid of the sick feeling in his stomach. And it only got worse when he reached the Great Hall.

James was sitting at the table across from Remus and Sirius with his arm wrapped around Lily Evans, who looked happy.

When James saw him standing in the doorway, he waved him over, and Peter slowly made his way over to the group.

“Did you hear?” James asked when Peter reached them. “Me and Lily are going out!”

Peter smiled supportively, but inside he was screaming. “That's great,” he said, with a big, fake smile.

Sirius laughed. “Yea, it took you long enough!”

Everyone laughed at this, but Peter only chuckled uneasily. “Oh, you know what, I just remembered I forgot my… socks,” he said quickly, and practically ran from the table.

He walked for ages, before reaching a deserted hallway, far away, where he stopped and screamed, “I HATE JAMES POTTER!”

“Doesn't everybody?” said a voice behind him quietly. It was Severus Snape. “I always thought you had a thing for that Evans girl. You must be pretty angry. But then you would have to be. I can't imagine anyone wanting to be his friend.”

Peter nodded, clenching his fists. “I want to destroy him.”

Snape walked closer to him, and said softly, “Now you're talking.”

*

Peter was standing just outside the forbidden forest, just like Snape had told him, but he was probably more creeped out than he had ever been before. He didn't know quite why he had to meet Snape here, but apparently it was very secret.

He heard a twig snap, and spun around instantly, but saw that it was just Snape, followed by some other boys he didn't know by name, but had seen around school.

“I-I was starting to think you weren't c-coming,” Peter stuttered, making Snape laugh.

“Well of course we were coming. Our master has determined that you may be of some good to him, being so close to the ones he is interested in,” Snape said, looking deeply into Peter's eyes, and giving him a creepy feeling.

“Your m-master?” Peter asked, getting more frightened by the minute.

Snape said nothing, but simply rolled up his right sleeve, showing Peter his arm. Peter gasped. He had been expecting it, really, but he wasn't at all prepared to actually see the Dark Mark shining on Snape's forearm.

He had heard so much of the Death Eaters, and the thought of joining them terrified him. He had been offered a great opportunity, but he wasn't sure if he had the nerve.

He wasn't such a bad person, really. He did hate James, but he didn't think it was enough to motivate him to join the darkest wizard that ever lived. He had heard what those people did, and wasn't sure if he was capable of such violent crimes.

But he did want Lily more then anything in the world, and he would do whatever it took to get her.

Hope you're all enjoying it so far. The last chapter is gonna be the last, and I personally think it'll be the best, but I don't actually know, as I haven't written it yet. But I don't think it'll take long… although I can speed it up if I get a lot of reviews...

-->

Chapter 4

Endings

There were three of them sitting in the dark room, and with the somewhat questionable company, Peter was starting to feel a bit uncomfortable. Snape was sitting in the corner looking bored, as he always did, speaking to Lucius Malfoy in hushed tones, and leaving Peter to sit quietly on the floor trying to hear what they were saying.

But suddenly, they stopped talking, as the door flew open, and a dark figure walked in.

Peter was holding his breath. He did that a lot these days. He found that he was frightened about 99% of the time now. But that was ok. He had made his decision and he was happy enough with it. It would all turn out all right in the end.

“Well?” his master said as he entered the room. “This had better be good, Malfoy.”

“Oh, it is my lord. It is of utmost importance,” said Malfoy, bowing. “I have spent the last few months doing the work you have set for me, and I have finally found him—the one to whom the prophecy refers.”

“It's about time,” the dark lord said, sounding quite bored. “Well? Who is it?”

“Well,” Lucius said, pausing slightly, “there are actually two possibilities. Both Neville Longbottom and Harry Potter were born at the end of July, and both of their parents have escaped you three times.”

Voldemort stood and began pacing. “Hmm… two boys… Well, I shall have to kill both of them myself… But which shall die first?”

Snape sneered. “Well, the Longbottom boy is pureblooded, but Harry Potter's mother is a Mudblood, so it is easy to see the bigger threat, My Lord.”

Voldemort kept pacing as if he hadn't heard Snape at all. “They will all have gone into hiding by now, of course. I assume they will have a secret keeper. I will find the Potters first.”

Snape and Malfoy looked shocked at this, but they knew better than to disagree with their master.

Voldemort continued. “But it may take a while to find their secret keeper. After that it will be simple.”

Peter stood proudly. “My Lord, I believe I may be of some assistance. You see, the Potters have made me their secret keeper.”

Voldemort laughed. “Very good, Wormtail. Then it is done. Soon enough I shall be unstoppable. Now, leave me.”

Sanpe and Malfoy rose and bowed themselves from the room, but Peter lagged behind. “M-my Lord? I was only wondering if you will kill the boy's parents,” he said, trembling with nervousness for what he was about to ask.

Voldemort paused only for a moment, and said calmly, “You wish me to spare Lily Potter,” reading Peter's thoughts.

“Y-yes, my Lord.”

Voldemort paused again, and said, “Very well. I shall kill the child, and his father, but the woman shall be spared.”

“Oh, thank you, Master,” Peter said, stumbling from the room. He walked from the building smiling and thinking of everything he would do once James was dead, but paused for a moment.

He had handed an innocent baby over to death. Was that wrong? But it wasn't really his fault… The Dark Lord had other ways of getting what he wanted, and even if Peter hadn't told him where the Potters were, he still would have found them eventually, wouldn't he?

Peter tossed this from his mind as quickly as it had entered, and thought only that soon, James would get what was coming to him, and Lily would be his.

*

It was a few days until the night that the Dark Lord had chosen to kill the Potters, and Peter was starting to get very anxious. He had to see it, even if he would be punished for it.

On the night of the great event, Peter transformed into a rat, and scurried along the street to the Potters house. He had to sit there for a while before his master arrived and it almost made him sick to watch James and Lily sitting together with their baby, talking and laughing. The only thing that got him through was the thought that it would all be over soon.

But finally, Peter saw the shadow at the end of the street that meant his master had arrived, and he was filled with anticipation.

The Dark Lord was at their door now, and he simply took out his wand, and walked in.

James jumped up as the most evil wizard that ever existed walked into their living room. He shouted at his wife, “Lily, it's him! Take Harry and run!” Peter laughed as James pulled out his wand and stood tall, ready to fight. But he never got the chance to fight for his loved ones, simply falling in a flash of green light.

Voldemort stepped over James' lifeless body and walked up the stairs to the nursery, where Lily was placing Harry gently in his cot, with tears in her eyes. Peter watched her through the window, and felt suddenly upset that he had put her through this. But he would be there to comfort her, and she would get over this. She would be spared.

She stood boldly in front of Harry's cot as the Dark Lord entered. Peter watched in horror as she refused to give up her child, and wanted to cry out as his master raised his wand and spoke the dreaded words.

Peter couldn't breathe as he watched her fall to the ground. He transformed back into a man and ran into the house. Nothing mattered, only that he get to her in time. He had to do something. She just couldn't be dead.

But when he got to the nursery, Voldemort hadn't been there like he expected. Lily was there, her eyes staring blankly at the ceiling, and Peter could hear the baby crying in his cot, but the Dark Lord had vanished.

How could it be that the boy had lived, but his master had gone? Peter spun around. “My Lord? Master? Are you alright?” He waited for an answer, but instead heard the faraway rumbling of an all too familiar motorbike.

He ran to the window just in time to see Sirius landing his motorbike outside the house, with a nauseous-looking Hagrid hanging on tightly on the back.

“You go on in,” Sirius said to his slightly green friend. “Tell Lily and James I'm just parking my motorbike and I'll be in in a minute.”

Peter panicked as Hagrid entered he house. He had nowhere to go, and he just couldn't think of anything to do. Perhaps he could feed them some story about how he had just saved the baby from certain death? But he quickly realized the Sirius would see through that immediately. In fact, as soon as Sirius saw what had happened, he would know that Peter was the traitor. There was no other way Voldemort could have found the Potters.

Peter's state of utter panic increased rapidly as Hagrid's voice rang out, “Sirius! Come quick! It's James—he's dead!”

Peter had never seen Sirius move faster than he did at that moment. His treasured motorbike fell forgotten to the ground as he burst into the Potters' house.

“Hagrid, go find Lily and Harry!” he shouted, but his voice held no hope.

As Peter heard Hagrid stomping up the stairs, he knew he had only seconds before he was discovered. But suddenly it hit him. Was he an Animagus or not? He transformed just as Hagrid burst through the door, and quickly scurried under Harry's cot.

Hagrid howled when he saw Lily's body, and knelt over her for a moment, when a cry came from the cot. Hagrid leapt up immediately, and rushed over to the baby. He was silent for a moment, in awe that he had survived when his parents had not, and then shouted, “Sirius! He's here! Harry's alive!”

In just a few short moments, Sirius was standing next to Hagrid, peering into the cot at the sleeping baby, but there was a darkness in his eyes that Peter had never seen before. He spoke slowly, and his voice was sad and haunted. “Dumbledore will have to be notified. I expect you'll have to take the baby to him.” He took a deep breath. “You can take my motorbike. I won't need it anymore.”

Peter knew then that he had heard enough, and silently scurried down the stairs, out the open door, and into the street, where he thought it would be safe enough to transform. He did so quickly, and then looked slowly up to the nursery window. His stomach jolted as he saw Sirius, glaring furiously back at him.

He knew. He had to know what Peter had done. How could he not?

Almost immediately, Peter apparated to his apartment, but quickly realized that it would be the first place Sirius would look if he was chasing him, and so he ran from the room, knocking over his possessions as he went. Just as he got to the door, he heard the pop behind him telling him the it was indeed the first place that Sirius had looked.

It was a race down the stairs, Sirius shouting furiously, “Come back here, you… you rat!” but Peter's mind was working faster than it had ever done, because he knew that if he didn't think of something quickly, he would surely be killed.

Finally, Peter burst out into the street, where Muggles seemed to be everywhere. Sirius was quite a few steps behind him, so he had just enough time to pull out a dagger from his belt, and cut off his finger before turning to face Sirius. It hurt more than he could ever have imagined, but it would save his life in the end.

Sirius burst into the street, but stopped dead when he saw Peter facing him, and pointed his wand directly at Peter's chest. By this time, the Muggles had stopped what they were doing, and were watching the two men intently, wondering what was going on.

Peter caught this opportunity and shouted, “Lily and James, Sirius! How could you?!”

Sirius looked a bit baffled by this outburst, and Peter couldn't help but grin slightly before blowing up the entire street.

In the chaos that insued, Peter quickly dropped his severed finger on the ground, and transformed, sneaking into the sewers, quite happy with himself. After all, life as a rat was better than no life at all…

*

Peter the rat spent the next month or so doing nothing more than searching wizards' rubbish bins for old Daily Prophets, reading articles of Sirius Black's arrestm and of the wonderful Harry Potter, and waiting for any news of his master. But it was a boring life as a rat, and there had been no sign at all of the Dark Lord, so Peter had become resigned to a tedious rat's life, when, in one particular rubbish bin, he was seen by a plump woman with bright red hair, who promptly began to scream.

At this, a boy with the same flaming hair ran out of the house, obviously quite worried, and said, “What's wrong, Mum? Everything alright?”

“Oh yes. Yes, Charlie. Everything's fine,” she said, catching her breath. “It's just a rat in our rubbish bin.”

Charlie nodded slowly, and then gave Peter a closer look. “Look at that, Mum. It looks as if he's trying to read the Daily Prophet!” The two of them had a good laugh at this, because everyone knows that rats don't read newspapers, and then the boy said, “Hey! Can I keep him, Mum? I promise I'll take care of him!”

“But Charlie, it's just a mangy old rat!” said his mother, but at the pleading look he gave her, she sighed and said, “Oh, all right, I suppose so.”

Charlie picked him up, and Peter sighed. Maybe it wouldn't be as boring being a pet rat. And at least they would feed him.

“I think I'll call him Scabbers,” the boy said, and he carried him inside.

And you know the rest.

Well, that's it… Hope everybody liked it.

Please review!!

-->