Author's Note: Because I had too much time on my hands, but little to no contact with my muse for NL, I joined another competition. This one is written for, The Houses Competition, Year 4, Round 5.
House: Slytherin.
Year: Year 7
Category: Standard
Prompt: [Character] Peter Pettigrew
Word Count: 1040 (Without the A/N)
I hope you guys enjoy this! I enjoyed writing this, even if Peter was being difficult. Ha ha ha
OoOoOo
He was the only one who knows.
Tic.
Toc.
Tic.
Toc.
Just a few hours ago, while walking alone near the Black Lake, she saw a wild-haired woman fall from the sky and – and he was the only one who saw.
"Are you a Death Eater yet?" he heard her ask as soon as her eyes landed on him.
"W-what?" he asked, as his eyes widened on its own.
"What do you – How do you –" he tried again, but she cut him off mid-question with a repeat of her question from earlier.
"Are you a Death Eater yet?" he heard her ask him irritably, as if she's barely controlling herself.
She scared him.
He was scared – he was scared, so he decided to be truthful.
"N-no," he said uncertainly, "The others have come to me but… I haven't – I haven't decided yet."
There was a pause, and he could have sworn he heard her sigh from relief.
"You don't need to become one," she heard her say after a while.
There was another pause, and then, "Actually, don't become one," she declared before adding, "From this moment on you are under my protection and those that would harm you and your family would have to answer to me."
There was a glow coming from him and from the girl – she made a magical oath, and then he saw her slump and blacked out.
He's been staring at the slumped figure of the girl for more than an hour now, but this time, in a different place.
He cast a quick notice-me-not charm around him and the girl before he slowly levitated her a few inches off of the ground and took her inside the shrieking shack.
"Should I tell James, Sirius and Remus?" he asked himself as he started to pace.
'What does she know?' he asked himself as he stopped pacing and stared back at the girl.
"How did she know?" he whispered as he furrowed his brow in concern.
He's never had things happen to him.
He was decidedly, the most boring among his friends – among the Marauders.
Peter Pettigrew is the most unnoticeable and most boring among the most popular group in Hogwarts – even he couldn't deny that.
Everything happens around Sirius, James and Remus – those three were always around when something happens, whether it was their doing or someone else's. Trouble finds those three, and he's just there as a tag-along.
Nothing big ever happens when he's just by himself.
Not until today.
"Hrrmm" he looked away as he heard the girl stirred into consciousness, trying to find himself an escape route just in case the girl turned berserk on him.
'She swore on her magic,' he reminded himself as he slowly turned himself toward where the witch now lay – the witch who is most definitely awake and staring back at him.
"Peter Pettigrew," he heard her say.
"I am," he confirmed, even though she didn't exactly phrase it as a question.
He pulled out both of his sleeves and showed both of his unblemished arms too.
"I'm not a Death Eater and you made me an oath of protection earlier," he told her with a bravery he didn't know he possessed.
Here was a mysterious girl, who literally fell from the sky, demanded to know if he was a Death Eater and upon confirmation that he was not, offered him protection of the most ancient kind.
"Thank Merlin," he heard her mutter, "I thought I messed up with the calculations and this would have been all for naught." He heard her say, more clearly this time which made him furrow his brows some more as he stared at her.
"Who are you?" he asked her after a while and he was confused and mildly pleased when she gave her a smile before answering, "Hello Peter Pettigrew, my name is Hermione Jean Granger, it doesn't matter where I've been but rest assured I know what's been happening around here at Hogwarts at this time and I'm here to end everything," and then turned away from him and saw her smile slowly turned melancholic as if she's slowly shutting down and whispered, "I just wanted to make sure you were good first."
The words were muttered low.
So low that he almost missed it.
But he didn't.
"How could you – you made a magical oath to – to protect me and my family," he said, trying to battle with himself if he indeed trusted her.
In all honesty, he could feel it from her magic earlier.
Few know about the powers of House Pettigrew – how their ancestors were one of the founders of Enchanters Guild in Britain, and how their enchantments were passed down from generation to generation. He, for example, was taught about the aura enchantments. He was able to see the power surrounding every individual and his safeness level among them.
He was safe with his friends, but their power doesn't compare to the Dark Lord.
He was not safe with the Dark Lord, but he sure as hell could be nauseated from the power that he exudes.
Those were the thoughts swirling around his head in the first place.
His… considerations, when choosing which side he'll be and – and he thought, while walking in the Black Lake,
that he was starting to seriously consider joining the Dark Lord… until she came.
And magic - her magic, is safe and powerful.
"I need you," he heard her say after a while.
He didn't quite catch what she said before while he was left with his thoughts, but he knows that he'd be able to get it out of her again when he needs it.
"What do you -" he tried to ask but she efficiently cut him off mid-sentence again as he heard her say, "We need your friends," before turning to him and saying, "We'll end Voldemort, the two of us, but we need your friends," and he heard her sigh in resignation.
"Remus Lupin, James Potter and Sirius Black," she said their names as if she knew them personally before turning towards him again with grim determination in her eyes, "If we're to end this," she started again, "We need your friends."