On Loyalty
AN: Ok, I know those of you who read my chapter fics. well Terry Boot has a bad case of the Slytherin flu, and I'm having inspiration problems on how to get to chapter eight of Knockturn alley, which I know what happens in because it is the last chapter of the fic (but it will have continuation, and may not reach a plot wise but a symbol wise sense of closure) without coming up with a chapter seven that gets me there. Meanwhile, back on the farm, I have a rather ironic little vignette on a discussion between the character everyone loves to hate and the character everyone hates to love. Remember, this is before the word traitor meant anything to either of them.
Disclaimer: Rowling and associates have all legal, copyright and monetary rights. Therefore, while I would like to accept your check, I am afraid I cannot.
***
"Mr. Pettigrew, how many times must you be reminded that students are not supposed to visit the kitchens. What is it, the third time this year?" A furious Minerva McGonagall was dragging Peter Pettigrew through the halls, after having surprised him by walking into the kitchens while taking a bite of some rather rich German chocolate cake.
"Ye..eees. Pro..ofessor." Pettigrew muttered.
"And where are your friends? I don't imagine you came down here all by yourself?" Mcgonagall had turned to face him, and was staring down at him with one of her harshest looks.
Peter, out of the corner of his eye, saw a shadow slowly edging along the walls, past the enraged professor and her catch, back to Gryffindor tower. That meant that James, Sirius and Remus would probably make it back to the dorm without being caught if. if he didn't give them away. He steeled himself to face McGonagall, and then said, "Yes, actually, I was just popping down for a snack."
"Really Mr. Pettigrew." Minerva said, raising one eyebrow. Peter just stayed silent. The Professor let out a sigh, "Then, I shall expect to see you in detention. Six O'clock tomorrow afternoon, Filch, the Trophy room, and thirty points from Gryffindor. Really, you boys get into more trouble than all the rest of the house. Now I had better escort you back to your dorm room.
***
Severus Snape snuck stealthily across the school grounds to the Herbology greenhouses. He had been experimenting with a rather dangerous concoction, and he only needed on more ingredient- aconite. And the only place he knew he could find it was in greenhouse two, which he couldn't get into during class hours, too conspicuous. He placed his hand on the doorknob, and opened the door only to discover that this set off several wards. He should have checked, but he had not expected Professor Aphides to not be so thorough as to set them. Hagrid, the gamekeeper, came running to the greenhouses, and caught him before he had a chance to slip back into the castle.
"NOW, JUST WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU"RE GOING." The gamekeeper shouted at him.
"I thought I saw an intruder, so I decided to check on what was happening, but when I got here there was nobody and the wards had gone out." Snape said, knowing he had been caught without a good excuse.
"Uh, huh, Cours' ya were. Shall I tell it to Professor Dumbledore, and 'haps he can find this mysterious intruder." Hagrid said.
"No, I don't think it will be necessary, it was probably nothing." Snape replied.
"Nothing enough to get you detention and forty points from Slytherin, young man. Now don't let me ever catch you out here again." Hagrid said, and then took Severus back to the castle.
***
"What, only you Mr. Pettigrew? Where are Black, Potter and Lupin? I usually get all of you in detention at the same time, now don't I?" Filch said, leering at Peter. "Huh, while we best wait for Mr. Snape to come join us then you had better start polishing the trophies. I do believe they will need a rather thorough polish this time, they seem to have gotten rather dusty."
"You're going to put me in the same room as Snape." Pettigrew shivered.
"You say that like it was a bad thing." A voice sneered from the doorway. "I was told to report here for detention."
"Very good. Now if you would both follow me, I expect to see each of these trophies sparkling, no magic and no fighting, understand?" The two students nodded. "Well, then get started."
For a while, they quietly worked on polishing the trophies, closely supervised by Filch. But Filch had many responsibilities in the castle and eventually left them to catch some third year Ravenclaws who were attempting to exorcise Moaning Myrtle through animal sacrifice.
"So, Pettigrew take the fall for your friends again?" Snape said.
"Go to hell, Snape. Get caught snogging Rebecca Wilkes?" Pettigrew responded.
Ignoring this last comment, Snape continued to pester Peter, "You mean this isn't hell." After a short pause he added. "You know, you owe them nothing. They always get you into trouble. You're better off without them, if you ask me."
At this Peter dropped his rags and yelled at Snape, "There are some things you will never understand, like loyalty!!!!"
Snape just rolled his eyes and went back to working. A few minutes later, he broke his silence, "So you still believe in all those imaginary virtues such as loyalty, Pettigrew."
"Imaginary? Snape, they are things that all good people have. Which means, you of course would never have heard of them." Peter said.
"They are things that cowardly people use to justify their reluctance and to place themselves above those they would rather look down upon, knowing that if they had good reason they would discard these so called virtues before you could snap your fingers." Snape replied.
"Just because you don't have any real virtue doesn't mean everybody else doesn't" Peter said, as he continued polishing the Quidditch cup.
"I act out of the same reasons everyone else does. Intelligent self- interest. I just don't justify it with all these 'principles' Gryffindors create." Snape said, "Survival of the fittest to use a muggle phrase."
"There are too virtues, none of which seem possible for your reptilian heart. We're real friends, something you've probably only read about in books." Peter said.
Snape chuckled at this. "You, my fat little friend, are only friends with them because they protect you your own incompetence, and the big bad boogie man." At this Snape snuck up behind Peter with his wand drawn, and hit Peter with a tickling curse. Peter gasped between his giggles, "James, Help, please."
"See, you're friends with them only because they protect you. Intelligent self interest like everyone else," and then he walked back to his side of the trophy room, picked up his rags, and quietly removed the curse.
"Why you.." Peter said as he got up.
"BOYS I TOLD YOU NOT TO FIGHT IN DETENTION" Filch walked into the room, and Peter quickly went back to the trophies. After a few minutes Filch was again called out of the trophy room, and the boys continued working quietly for a while.
"I don't care what you said, loyalty is real." Peter said, quietly thinking Snape wouldn't hear it.
"Are you sure you don't belong in Hufflepuff? I thought the illusion of choice for Gryffindors was bravery." Snape drawled.
"Are you sure you don't belong in Azkaban? I thought even Slytherins had some conscience." Peter retorted.
"Ah, conscience. All it does is stops you from doing what needs to be done." Snape said airily.
"Sounds like something Sirius might say." Peter muttered.
"Ooooh, did loyal little Peter just say something bad about his friends. I am shocked, positively shocked." Snape said mockingly.
"Can't you leave me alone?"
"Not until I am done polishing." Snape said and went back to his work, whistling the first section of Beethoven's fifth.
"Stop it!!!!" Peter screamed, after the twentieth repetition of the tune.
"Make me." Snape said.
"I guess I am going to have to teach you some consideration for others, Mr. Intelligent Self-Interest." Peter said slowly approaching Snape.
Snape turned around and cast a freezing curse on Peter, preventing him from moving closer, than went back to work. "Consideration for others? Another guise for self-interest. If you are considerate, other people will do things for you. Unfortunately, I don't want anything from you, so there is really no point."
"That is so not so!!!! People do things for others just to be nice. Just because you don't, doesn't mean it doesn't happen." Peter exclaimed.
"Hit too close to home, Peter, did I. You know I'm right, only you're too scared to admit it. What you consider acts of altruism, is really an attempt to please conscience and to get rid of guilt, both of which only exist because people insist on some guiding moral principles. It is really rather transparent when you get rid of your delusions." Snape said, smirking at Peter.
"Guilt is the only thing that keeps us human." Peter said quietly.
Snape's face went white, in shock, then quickly regathered himself and said, "Who told you that?"
"Re..eemus." Peter said, nervously.
"Figures, your morals aren't even your own, you have to rely on others for those. You really are quite pathetic." Snape said.
"Boys, will you please stop talking to each other and get back to work." Professor McGonagall said, from the entrance of the trophy room.
"Professor, he cursed me." Peter said.
"Only to stop him from cursing me, Professor." Snape said.
"I don't care, you boys had better get back to work." She said, then unfroze Peter and stayed until she was certain they wouldn't approach each other for the rest of their detention, then went to her office to grade the fourth year's transfiguration homework.
The boys continued to work, eventually both reaching their last trophy. When Snape had finished with Professor Dumbledore's award for special services to the school, he walked across the room.
"Almost done Pettigrew?"
"Yes, just need to finish this last one."
"Fine, I'll see you tomorrow." Snape said, and then left the trophy room. A few minutes later Peter got up and left, after having finished with Tom Riddle's award for special services to the school.
AN: Ok, I know those of you who read my chapter fics. well Terry Boot has a bad case of the Slytherin flu, and I'm having inspiration problems on how to get to chapter eight of Knockturn alley, which I know what happens in because it is the last chapter of the fic (but it will have continuation, and may not reach a plot wise but a symbol wise sense of closure) without coming up with a chapter seven that gets me there. Meanwhile, back on the farm, I have a rather ironic little vignette on a discussion between the character everyone loves to hate and the character everyone hates to love. Remember, this is before the word traitor meant anything to either of them.
Disclaimer: Rowling and associates have all legal, copyright and monetary rights. Therefore, while I would like to accept your check, I am afraid I cannot.
***
"Mr. Pettigrew, how many times must you be reminded that students are not supposed to visit the kitchens. What is it, the third time this year?" A furious Minerva McGonagall was dragging Peter Pettigrew through the halls, after having surprised him by walking into the kitchens while taking a bite of some rather rich German chocolate cake.
"Ye..eees. Pro..ofessor." Pettigrew muttered.
"And where are your friends? I don't imagine you came down here all by yourself?" Mcgonagall had turned to face him, and was staring down at him with one of her harshest looks.
Peter, out of the corner of his eye, saw a shadow slowly edging along the walls, past the enraged professor and her catch, back to Gryffindor tower. That meant that James, Sirius and Remus would probably make it back to the dorm without being caught if. if he didn't give them away. He steeled himself to face McGonagall, and then said, "Yes, actually, I was just popping down for a snack."
"Really Mr. Pettigrew." Minerva said, raising one eyebrow. Peter just stayed silent. The Professor let out a sigh, "Then, I shall expect to see you in detention. Six O'clock tomorrow afternoon, Filch, the Trophy room, and thirty points from Gryffindor. Really, you boys get into more trouble than all the rest of the house. Now I had better escort you back to your dorm room.
***
Severus Snape snuck stealthily across the school grounds to the Herbology greenhouses. He had been experimenting with a rather dangerous concoction, and he only needed on more ingredient- aconite. And the only place he knew he could find it was in greenhouse two, which he couldn't get into during class hours, too conspicuous. He placed his hand on the doorknob, and opened the door only to discover that this set off several wards. He should have checked, but he had not expected Professor Aphides to not be so thorough as to set them. Hagrid, the gamekeeper, came running to the greenhouses, and caught him before he had a chance to slip back into the castle.
"NOW, JUST WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU"RE GOING." The gamekeeper shouted at him.
"I thought I saw an intruder, so I decided to check on what was happening, but when I got here there was nobody and the wards had gone out." Snape said, knowing he had been caught without a good excuse.
"Uh, huh, Cours' ya were. Shall I tell it to Professor Dumbledore, and 'haps he can find this mysterious intruder." Hagrid said.
"No, I don't think it will be necessary, it was probably nothing." Snape replied.
"Nothing enough to get you detention and forty points from Slytherin, young man. Now don't let me ever catch you out here again." Hagrid said, and then took Severus back to the castle.
***
"What, only you Mr. Pettigrew? Where are Black, Potter and Lupin? I usually get all of you in detention at the same time, now don't I?" Filch said, leering at Peter. "Huh, while we best wait for Mr. Snape to come join us then you had better start polishing the trophies. I do believe they will need a rather thorough polish this time, they seem to have gotten rather dusty."
"You're going to put me in the same room as Snape." Pettigrew shivered.
"You say that like it was a bad thing." A voice sneered from the doorway. "I was told to report here for detention."
"Very good. Now if you would both follow me, I expect to see each of these trophies sparkling, no magic and no fighting, understand?" The two students nodded. "Well, then get started."
For a while, they quietly worked on polishing the trophies, closely supervised by Filch. But Filch had many responsibilities in the castle and eventually left them to catch some third year Ravenclaws who were attempting to exorcise Moaning Myrtle through animal sacrifice.
"So, Pettigrew take the fall for your friends again?" Snape said.
"Go to hell, Snape. Get caught snogging Rebecca Wilkes?" Pettigrew responded.
Ignoring this last comment, Snape continued to pester Peter, "You mean this isn't hell." After a short pause he added. "You know, you owe them nothing. They always get you into trouble. You're better off without them, if you ask me."
At this Peter dropped his rags and yelled at Snape, "There are some things you will never understand, like loyalty!!!!"
Snape just rolled his eyes and went back to working. A few minutes later, he broke his silence, "So you still believe in all those imaginary virtues such as loyalty, Pettigrew."
"Imaginary? Snape, they are things that all good people have. Which means, you of course would never have heard of them." Peter said.
"They are things that cowardly people use to justify their reluctance and to place themselves above those they would rather look down upon, knowing that if they had good reason they would discard these so called virtues before you could snap your fingers." Snape replied.
"Just because you don't have any real virtue doesn't mean everybody else doesn't" Peter said, as he continued polishing the Quidditch cup.
"I act out of the same reasons everyone else does. Intelligent self- interest. I just don't justify it with all these 'principles' Gryffindors create." Snape said, "Survival of the fittest to use a muggle phrase."
"There are too virtues, none of which seem possible for your reptilian heart. We're real friends, something you've probably only read about in books." Peter said.
Snape chuckled at this. "You, my fat little friend, are only friends with them because they protect you your own incompetence, and the big bad boogie man." At this Snape snuck up behind Peter with his wand drawn, and hit Peter with a tickling curse. Peter gasped between his giggles, "James, Help, please."
"See, you're friends with them only because they protect you. Intelligent self interest like everyone else," and then he walked back to his side of the trophy room, picked up his rags, and quietly removed the curse.
"Why you.." Peter said as he got up.
"BOYS I TOLD YOU NOT TO FIGHT IN DETENTION" Filch walked into the room, and Peter quickly went back to the trophies. After a few minutes Filch was again called out of the trophy room, and the boys continued working quietly for a while.
"I don't care what you said, loyalty is real." Peter said, quietly thinking Snape wouldn't hear it.
"Are you sure you don't belong in Hufflepuff? I thought the illusion of choice for Gryffindors was bravery." Snape drawled.
"Are you sure you don't belong in Azkaban? I thought even Slytherins had some conscience." Peter retorted.
"Ah, conscience. All it does is stops you from doing what needs to be done." Snape said airily.
"Sounds like something Sirius might say." Peter muttered.
"Ooooh, did loyal little Peter just say something bad about his friends. I am shocked, positively shocked." Snape said mockingly.
"Can't you leave me alone?"
"Not until I am done polishing." Snape said and went back to his work, whistling the first section of Beethoven's fifth.
"Stop it!!!!" Peter screamed, after the twentieth repetition of the tune.
"Make me." Snape said.
"I guess I am going to have to teach you some consideration for others, Mr. Intelligent Self-Interest." Peter said slowly approaching Snape.
Snape turned around and cast a freezing curse on Peter, preventing him from moving closer, than went back to work. "Consideration for others? Another guise for self-interest. If you are considerate, other people will do things for you. Unfortunately, I don't want anything from you, so there is really no point."
"That is so not so!!!! People do things for others just to be nice. Just because you don't, doesn't mean it doesn't happen." Peter exclaimed.
"Hit too close to home, Peter, did I. You know I'm right, only you're too scared to admit it. What you consider acts of altruism, is really an attempt to please conscience and to get rid of guilt, both of which only exist because people insist on some guiding moral principles. It is really rather transparent when you get rid of your delusions." Snape said, smirking at Peter.
"Guilt is the only thing that keeps us human." Peter said quietly.
Snape's face went white, in shock, then quickly regathered himself and said, "Who told you that?"
"Re..eemus." Peter said, nervously.
"Figures, your morals aren't even your own, you have to rely on others for those. You really are quite pathetic." Snape said.
"Boys, will you please stop talking to each other and get back to work." Professor McGonagall said, from the entrance of the trophy room.
"Professor, he cursed me." Peter said.
"Only to stop him from cursing me, Professor." Snape said.
"I don't care, you boys had better get back to work." She said, then unfroze Peter and stayed until she was certain they wouldn't approach each other for the rest of their detention, then went to her office to grade the fourth year's transfiguration homework.
The boys continued to work, eventually both reaching their last trophy. When Snape had finished with Professor Dumbledore's award for special services to the school, he walked across the room.
"Almost done Pettigrew?"
"Yes, just need to finish this last one."
"Fine, I'll see you tomorrow." Snape said, and then left the trophy room. A few minutes later Peter got up and left, after having finished with Tom Riddle's award for special services to the school.