Title: Ticking clock
Rating: T (for some language in later chapters)
Summary: Deaths are being planned, but will they be carried out? Part of my Seventh Book Drabbles series. This is set after 'Pictures on the Mantelpiece' and before 'Memories'
Author's Note: As there's only two days until the last book comes out, you can expect speedy updates of this. The whole of it will probably by up by the end of tonight. -fingers crossed- I hope you enjoy this enstallment, and please do review.
"Now is time to prove yourself, Wormtail." The cold voice crept down his spine, causing goose bumps to appear all over his arms. Peter had been waiting for weeks to be able to prove where his loyalties lay, but the Dark Lord hadn't even let him out of the house. It seemed like his Lord didn't think he was able to do simple tasks, he'd only just been able to get away from Snape's disgusting house! How he hated ol' Snivelly, the stupid greaseball seemed determined to make his life a misery, but then again maybe it was revenge for all the times back at school when James and Sirius had hexed Snape.
"Yes, my Lord?" He said, in a voice that quivered slightly. He had to admit that he was terrified! He had no idea what he would be asked to do, but he hoped that it was something that would put him back in the Dark Lord's good books, because he hated being on the outskirts of the Death Eaters. Every time he passed a fellow supporter of the Dark Lord, they would glare at him and whisper behind their hands. It was like school all over again, and he hated it. At least at school he'd had the other Marauders to look out for him, and stop other students hexing him wherever he went.
"I want you to take three of your fellow Death Eaters, and go to 'The Burrow'." Voldemort was staring at the empty grate, not bothering to turn around to face Wormtail. Peter was grateful for this, because he doubted that he'd be able to keep his nerve, if he had to look into those slits one more time.
"May I ask why, my Lord?" Peter's curiosity was overwhelming, and he didn't understand why he should be sent to see the Weasley family. They were unimportant, and held no real threat to his master, so why?
"Because, Wormtail, I want you to kill them. All of them." Voldemort turned to watch Peter, no doubt checking to see what reaction this mission got. The balding man tried hard not to let his shock show on his face, but he knew that he was failing.
"Why, my Lord?"
"Arthur Weasley has eluded death by my hands twice before. It is most, inconvenient. Also his family is close to Harry Potter, with them out of the way he will loose yet more of his support network. Soon he will be begging for mercy." Peter nodded slowly, still trying to take it all in. He had to go, with three others and kill the entire Weasley family. But that was a massacre! He'd never been involved in anything so big, and so brutal before. What if they put up a fight? What if other members of the Order showed up? His heart felt like it was beating out a samba, but he took a deep breath and bowed low.
"Of course, my Lord." As he turned to leave, he heard Voldemort move towards him. A cold hand touched his shoulder, and he fought hard to contain a shiver.
"You will do as I ask, Wormtail. I will know if you spare them." The voice was by his ear, and he felt Voldemort's breath on his face. Peter nodded once, and when the hand released him, hurried out of the room.
Once he was safely out of sight, he slumped against the nearest wall and bit his lip. This was not good; he didn't want to be involved in a massacre! Sure he wanted to prove himself, but not in this way! This way meant that a family died, a family that he'd known! He sighed, before pushing himself off the wall and scurrying towards his room. He had no idea who would be accompanying him on this little venture, but he hoped it was someone who vaguely liked him. Knowing his luck it'd be Bellatrix or Knott, both of whom seemed to detest him far more then they had cause to. Sure he'd been friends with Sirius, and okay Sirius had been in Gryffindor, but really was that enough for Bellatrix to hate him? And what was Knott's problem? It wasn't like Peter was capable of being a threat; he wasn't even the Dark Lord's favourite anymore.
As Peter entered his room, he looked down at his silver hand. And his mind filled with memories of the night his master had returned, and the pain of losing his hand. The Dark Lord had assured him that it would be worth it, but frankly Peter wasn't so sure. He'd liked having a normal hand, and what was so good about a silver hand? Well, apart from the fact that he could threaten Fenrir with it if he ever looked at him kind of hungrily. He flopped down onto his rickety old bed, and placed his head on the hard pillow. Before long he was dozing, and thinking about times that had past.
'"Wormtail, keep quiet!" James whispered, as they made their way carefully out of Hogwarts. It was only James, Peter and Sirius under the invisibility cloak tonight, for tonight was a Full Moon. Poor Remus was shut in the Shrieking Shack, already transformed into the beast that he became once a month.
"Sorry, Prongs." Wormtail whispered back, as they got through the front doors and down towards the grass. The light breeze whipped against the cloak, making it flutter round their ankles. Soon they'd have to take it off, so that they could transform into their animagi forms. They continued to hurry down the grounds, towards the Whomping Willow whose branches were moving slightly in the breeze."Okay, cloak off." As the three of them stepped into full visibility, they looked around quickly to check that no one had seen them. If anyone found out what they were up to, then there'd be a huge commotion!
Once they'd made sure that no one was around, they quickly transformed into their animal selves. Peter, being the smallest, hurried over to the Willow and began dodging the branches as they began to hit the ground around him. After a few seconds of frantic running, he reached the knot in the trunk and pushed. The branches froze, and Prongs and Padfoot ambled forwards. Now they just had to go down into the Shack, and meet their friend. This had been the routine for a year now, and they all enjoyed it, even Remus! It meant that he wasn't alone on these nights, and that was what mattered…'
'Peter was sat in the second row from the altar and was watching, with tears in his eyes, as Lily and James said their vows. He couldn't believe that they were finally getting married! It didn't seem like two minutes since Lily was shouting in the middle of the Great Hall, that she hated James and never wanted to be near him ever again. But now, here they were!
Remus was sat on the opposite aisle, because he'd given Lily away. The werewolf was watching his two friends with a huge grin on his face, obviously ecstatic that he was witnessing two people who were made for one another getting married. Sirius was stood just below James, watching the two of them with a small smile on his face. He held the rings out to James, who took them gratefully, he seemed quite eager to get a ring on Lily's finger, almost as if he thought that this was all some dream.
All too soon the ceremony was over, and people were walking up to the happy couple and congratulating them on their wonderful ceremony. Peter stood back, and let the other people around him crowd around the newly weds. Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder, and looked up to see Remus stood next to him,
"Was a good ceremony." The werewolf said happily, as he removed his hand from Peter's shoulder and stood by his side.
"Yeah, they look so happy."
"Yep, they're going to have a great, long and happy life together. I'm sure of it."…'
'After years of having to live life as a rat, he was finally free. He could walk around on two legs, move his arm, and wiggle his fingers. Peter found that it was the simple things in life that he'd missed the most, along with proper food, not the disgusting rat food he'd had to get used to. The only problem with being back in human form, was that two of his old best friends were stood before him with their wands pointed at him.
Peter glanced between them, trying to plead with them silently to let him go. He wasn't any harm; he wasn't going to hurt them. Why should they kill him? He couldn't be blamed for James and Lily's deaths, the Dark Lord had powers that they could only dream of! He hadn't been able to keep any information from him!
"Shall we kill him?" Peter's eyes widened, and he felt his heart beat quicken. 'Please don't let it end like this' he thought, hoping against hope that something would save him…'
Peter awoke with a start, sweat beading his forehead. That last memory had caused him to have nightmares for many nights after the event, all because his friends had wanted to kill him. A part of him knew that they had reason to, he had after all sold James and Lily down the river, but still why did they have to kill him?
With a great effort he pulled himself back to the present, remembering the task he had to do. The Dark Lord would send word when he was ready, and then Peter would find out who he was going to go with. He sat up on his bed, and looked around the dingy room. It wasn't exactly five star accommodation, but it was good enough. It catered for all his basic needs, and at least it had a lamp in it. The last place he'd slept had not had any light in it at all; he'd been shut in the dark only seeing sunlight when he went outside. It had been a nightmare.
Suddenly there was a tapping on the door, Peter rose warily and placed his hand on the door handle. As he opened the door a letter fell to the dusty floor, it had spidery writing on it and Peter could tell that they were instructions. He bent down and picked it up, before closing the door and moving back into the room. Beady, brown eyes glanced over the parchment, taking in every word that was written. It did indeed contain instructions, instructions on how to get to The Burrow and who was coming with him. The date was…tomorrow!
Peter brought a hand up and ran it through his hair, he couldn't believe it! He was going to have to kill the family that had looked after him, as a rat, for years.
'Oh get a grip, Wormtail. If you don't do this, then your master will give you a fate worse then death! You know that.'
End of this chapter, what will happen? Who's going with Wormtail to the Burrow? Will he go through with it?
Please do read and review, and thanks for reading.