The Tainting of the Rat
By YoukaiJilly
Summary:
Peter Pettigrew was not what his friends were. Good-looking, intelligent, skilled at Quidditch, he was just Peter. He was the Marauder who always stuffed himself at mealtime. Peter loves his friends, being they were the only ones he has, but now he wants something for himself. Some glory, some fame, some recognition...and he will do anything to get it.
Chapter One: Fifth Year's A Charm
Peter Pettigrew arrived at King's Cross Station and the moment he stepped onto the Platform 9 ¾, he spotted the three people he was most anxious to see. James Alan Potter, Sirius Orion Black and Remus John Lupin. Peter hugged and kissed his mother and father good-bye before smiling widely as he rushed up and the moment James saw him, he was "attacked" from all sides.
"Hey Wormytail!" said Sirius, ruffling his neat blondish hair in a brotherly manner.
"It's WORMTAIL." Insisted Peter as James and Sirius proceeded to sling their arms around his neck and back, giving him a double noogie. Remus just sighed and smiled, clapping Peter on the shoulder and telling James and Sirius to knock it off.
"Like that's much better anyway!" chuckled James as the train's whistle sounded. "Let's go, we should get our compartment before Snivelly and the blonde boy Malfoy get it. And if they do..."
"We jinx 'em right out!" chorused the rest of the Marauders. The followed the rest of their chattering classmates and they neared the back of the train when Remus suddenly smacked his forehead.
"Sorry mates, I forgot. I need to go to the head of the train for a bit." He said, reaching into his pocket. He extracted a silver badge marked with a "P" and the Gryffindor lion.
"How did you manage to forget you were made a Prefect?" asked Sirius, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, letters came late this year and Mum and Dad have been using Dolly a lot lately. I'll be back in a bit. Promise." Said Remus, pushing his way through the crowd towards the front of the train.
"This is great." Muttered James. "A Marauder was made a Prefect? Dumbledore is up to something."
"Like oh, say keeping us out of trouble?" asked Sirius. "That won't work now will it Wormytail?"
"WORMTAIL!" protested Peter as they threw open a compartment door. The three friends froze as they stared at the occupants of the compartment.
"Well, well." Said Lucius Malfoy. "To what do we owe this pleasure?"
James let a low growl escape his throat as he saw Severus Snape sitting across from Malfoy. "I do believe you scum buckets are in OUR compartment."
"I do not see your names here," said Lucius. Sirius cleared his throat and walked into the compartment and yanked one of the seat pads and pointed to the wood under it. He read the carved words aloud for the two intruders to hear.
"This compartment is reserved for James Alan Potter, Sirius Orion Black, Remus John Lupin and Peter Samuel Pettigrew. All gits will be forcibly removed if they refuse to do so willingly." He said. "The gits...are you." Within the next three seconds, the three of the Marauders had their wands out and pointed to Lucius and Severus.
"I refuse to move for the likes for you!" shouted Lucius, rising to his feet.
"Wow," said James. "It sounds like I'm talking to a Ministry worker!" He pointed his wand straight for Lucius while Sirius covered Severus. "Now..."
At that moment, both Lucius and Severus reached inside their robes having changed the moment they got on the train and their came a shout of two voices.
"RICTUSEMPRA!"
"STUPEFY!"
James, Sirius and Peter almost collapsed at the sight before them as both Lucius and Severus were being severely tickled while part of them was completely non-moving. In the middle of this fit, the train had begun to move and the three were thrown to the floor of the train, unable to keep from laughing.
"James Potter!" came a new female voice. James lifted his head up, tears streaming down his face. He looked around and faced an angry looking fifth year red head.
"Why Lily. Fancy meeting you in a place like this!" said James, getting up trying to suppress another fit of laughter. He reached up and helped Sirius up who helped Peter to his feet. Sirius had a slight case of the giggles as he turned back to watch Lucius and Severus, but Peter was oddly quiet.
"What in the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" snapped Lily Evans; hands placed on her hips, and angry scowl dawning on her lips.
"Um...jinxing gits?" asked James.
"We haven't been on the train for more than five minutes and all ready you've done something that is worthy loosing us points! It's a wonder that Gryffindor wins the House Cup with all the points you and your friends loose us!"
"Don't drag us into this Evans," said Sirius, slinging an arm around the silent Peter. "We didn't do anything."
"Don't you feed me that Black! I heard your voice yelling a jinx just as clearly as I heard Potter!"
"Oh come on Evans, lighten up a bit." Said Sirius. "Right Peter?"
Peter was silent as he gazed at Sirius then James, to Lucius and Severus and then to Lily. He hung his head slightly and mumbled, "Sorry Lily. I didn't do anything though."
Lily lost her scowl and stared blankly at Peter. "Oh um...well, I won't yell at you I suppose. But Potter, Black! No more pranks till we get to the school! Can't you wait a week?"
"And loose our hard earned reputation Lilykins?" asked James.
Lily had begun to leave at that point but she froze when she heard the dreaded "L" word. She backed up and slowly turned to James, the scowl returned. "I was about to leave Potter, but I do believe I forgot to give you something." She snarled. She whipped out her wand and yelled:
"Petrificus Totalus!"
James fell flat to the floor as Lily returned to her own compartment and Sirius sighed heavily motioning for Peter to help him roll Malfoy and Snape out from the compartment. After doing so and seeing a few heads poke out of the doors, (when that happened Sirius waved joyfully and yelled they were taking care of the trash) they shut the compartment door and Peter quickly preformed the counter-jinx for the one Lily had placed on James.
"Man, I love it when she's angry. She's so..." gasped James as he pulled himself onto a seat.
"Violent?" suggested Sirius.
"Scary?" asked Peter.
"Cute. Very cute." Gushed James.
"Damn, there he goes again." Grumbled Sirius, folding his arm across his arm. "Can't you grow up James?"
"Me? Leader of the Marauders; James Potter, grow up? Who the hell are you and what have you done with my best mate?" asked James.
"You're more irritated than normal at the beginning of term. Something happen at home?" asked Peter. Sirius glared at him a moment but seeing the slightly hurt look on Peter's face, sighed.
"Regulus was being the perfect git of a son as normal." Said Sirius, the name of his brother sounding as though some odd torture was being put on him. "Mum was going on how he got such great scores in his classes and on his exams. Damn git got horrible grades on his exams, and beat up some of his year mates so he could copy their homework. Want to jinx him to the moon."
"Next year you get that flying motorbike right?" asked James.
"Yeah, if I act like a Black for once." Said Sirius glumly.
"Well, then you can come to my house more often. Grimmauld isn't that far away from Godric's Hollow." Said James.
"James?" asked Peter quietly.
"What is it Pete?" asked James. Peter was silent a moment then glanced at the compartment door as though someone was outside listening to it.
"Do you think...do you think we can...HELP Remus finally this year?" asked Peter in a low tone. "I've done a bit of reading on it and I don't really know that to make of it."
James just smiled at Peter and clapped a hand on his shoulder with a reassuring tone to his voice. "Don't worry about it Wormtail, we'll do it this year. We have to. We've only got three years of school left, counting this one."
Just then as James stopped talking the compartment door slid open and Remus came in, looking calm as he normally did. "Nice mess in the hall. Good thing we're not at school, I can't take away points from you yet!" he said with a chuckle. "Lily counter-jinxed them."
He shifted his gaze away from James as he sat down. James narrowed his eyes and asked flatly: "What did they say Moony?"
"Nothing." Said Remus. "Didn't thank her or anything."
"Remus..."
"All right, all right." He grumbled. "Don't get so pushy. Malfoy nearly yelled at her, saying a...well...you know, didn't have the right to touch him and Snape was saying that silly girls should stay out of the affairs of men."
"I'll get them right now...how DARE they say that to Lily!" growled James, rising from his seat. Remus yanked him back down.
"Don't bother. Stunned them both before going off, muttering something about idiot Marauders and stupid gits." He told Prongs.
"That's my Lily!" chuckled James.
Someone knocked on the compartment door and the nice old witch that pushed the trolley asked jauntily: "And what will you boys be buying this year? Half the car as normal?"
"Look Peter, your favorite thing about school!" exclaimed James, taking out a pocketful of gold Galleons. Sirius did the same thing and so did Remus. Peter reached into this pocket and carefully picked out the right coins that fit neatly into his palm. After purchasing their share of sweets, (which indeed was half the cart) they sat down for a nice ride and filling their stomachs with sugary goodness.
The sky outside grew steadily darker as the train slugged on, over countryside and through rolling hills. Finally, after the Marauders were yawning and tired with fully bellies from the snacks they had consumed, they finally came in sight of the castle.
"Good old Hogwarts." Sighed James happily. "Oh how I've missed thee!"
"No. Someone stop him before he breaks out in song." Said Sirius sarcastically. He glanced at Remus and Peter and they trotted to the carriages bellowing the school anthem, waving jauntily at those who turned to stare. The night was clear and the waning moon shone brightly down on the lake beside the castle and the Marauders hurried into a carriage, voice starting to tire from the combination of singing and yawning.
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The Marauders were pleased to find "their" beds had been reserved and quickly changed into their pajamas and set up a few things that made the room feel more at home. James yanked the dark blue pajama shirt over his head and quickly ran his fingers through his hair as if scared his hair had fallen flat. Sirius had tied the drawstring to his white pajamas, which, the Marauders had guessed, was a rebel statement against the Black family.
Remus had a nice pair of loose fitting brown pajamas with a gold hem that would be easier to change from if any...certain events should occur during the full moon. And Peter quickly buttoned his blue pinstripe pajamas, hoping to conceal the small amount of extra poundage that he had gained over the summer. The sweets from the train hadn't helped much either.
He would have to visit the Owlry the next morning to tell his Mum and Dad to not send him so many sweets while he was at school with his own owl, Aries. Peter thought to himself he should try and remember to bring Aries a bite of muffin since he was a bit testy in the morning...well, testy all the time really.
"Night everyone. May the Marauders have a successful fifth year!" grumbled James as he snuggled into the covers of his bed.
"Hear, hear!" yawned Remus.
"Shut your yaps!" growled Sirius. "I'm trying to bloody sleep!"
Peter sighed. Like this year was going to be any different from the last. His mind suddenly thought of the beautiful red head that stood outside their compartment door, green eyes ablaze with fire.
'Like a goddess...' Peter thought, his mind drifting into a hazy sleep.
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Author's Note: Well, I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter of my first Harry Potter fan fic, "The Tainting of the Rat." According to my sister, Lady of Tears, who is my beta-reader since I am hers, this chapter can only be summed up in one word...
(SWHEET!)
If you do like it, I will be a little slow in getting the next few chapters up because I need to get in the swing of summer. They will be coming soon.