Author's Note: Ha ha, my first try at a short story :p This one has been rattling my brain and wrestling with my thoughts for a few days now, so I thought I'd spit it out. Hope you like it!
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I should think that was obvious ;) J.K. Rowling does, being the genius that she is. Heck, I don't even know her. Wish I did!
The Betrayal...
The man walked towards the house, his hands shaking. This was the night. The night that may change the world.
There was one obstacle left. The Potters. They would have to be taken care of by the Dark Lord himself.
The man was afraid. The Potters were his best friends -- the only friends he had left in the world, he thought. No, wait, he corrected himself. He had a better friend now. One who could easily give him power. The power he craved. The power he could never get himself.
He knocked on the door.
The door opened, to reveal several... things... in long black robes with hoods, such as the man was dressed in himself. The house was dark inside, though still dimly lit.
"I'm here to see my lord," he said, trying not to stammer. "I... I have some... information." The room was silent.
Suddenly, his arm was grabbed, and he was led into another room -- a large room, with a tall man sitting on a throne of sorts. The tall man was also dressed in black, though without a hood. His face was strangely snake-like. A large snake was curled up at his feet.
"Someone to see you, my lord," a voice spoke out. "He claims to have some information for you."
"Wonderful," the 'lord' told him. He looked at the man. "Leave us alone." The room emptied quickly. He stood up.
"Information?" he asked, quietly. "What kind of information? You know you will be punished if you are wrong, so you had better think carefully before telling me." The man licked his lips nervously.
"Information on the Potters, my lord," he said quietly. "I... I was chosen as their secret-keeper." The Dark Lord narrowed his eyes.
"You lied!" he hissed. "Everyone was asked if they knew of the Potter's secret-keeper. You said you knew nothing!" The man shifted his weight from foot to foot.
"I know, my lord," he said. "But-"
"But nothing! You will be punished for this!" The Dark Lord pulled out his wand, and the man backed up.
"My... My lord! I can explain!"
"Explainations are no longer neccessary," the Dark Lord told him. "You lied to me -- your overlord -- so you shall be punished as my code states you must be."
"But I am ready to tell you!" he yelled, almost sobbing. "They, they are..."
"Where?!" the Dark Lord yelled. "Where are they?" He brandished his wand as he stepped forward. The man hesitated. "WHERE ARE THEY?!"
"They... They are..."
"TELL ME!"
"GODRIC'S HOLLOW!" ...and he collapsed.
...The Disappearance...
The man apparated in Godric's Hollow late that night. Now he had to warn the Potters before it was too late. The Dark Lord would never suspect that he was a double-agent, and the Potters would be safe. His heart felt heavy, but he knew it would be for the best. They would never trust him again, and since they would have to go back into hiding, they would need a new secret-keeper. He would possibly never see them again.
He had apparated about two minutes walk from the Potter's house -- the same place he had apparated not two weeks before, to finish the workings of the Fidelus charm. He turned and started walking up the path.
He sensed something was very wrong before he rounded the last bend in the path. He could see the moon -- something he hadn't been able to see the last time he had been there, because one of the towers had been in the way.
He came out of the woods to a horrific sight. The house was in ruins, the only thing recognizable left standing being the front door. He rushed to the ruins, praying that Lily and James were still alive -- and baby Harry.
He found James right away. Tears stung his eyes, as he spotted his old friend lying underneath a bit of rubble. He looked away. Spotting a shock of red hair lying underneath a board, he realized that Lily must have been in the nursery with the baby when she was found. He tried not to look as he went forward to see if baby Harry was there, too.
Getting closer, he heard some gurgling sounds. "Harry?" he whispered. "Harry, is that you?" He shook his head as he realized that he was trying to talk to a baby that couldn't talk back. Suddenly, he heard a wail. Realizing that it must be Harry, he backed up. How could Harry be alive? His mind must be playing tricks on him -- Voldemort's main target had been James and Harry after all. Lily was just an obstacle to get over.
Finally, and ever so slowly, he stepped forward. His heart almost stopped, as he saw baby Harry lying on a small patch of carpet that -- oddly enough -- wasn't covered with any remains of the house. His finger went out to trace the lightning-shaped cut on Harry's head. He took out his own wand. Now was a battle of strength. Should he kill Harry himself, for his lord? Or should he just stop the bleeding of the cut, and let the Dark Lord handle it himself? He put a bandage-charm on the boy for the time being.
But... Where was the Dark Lord? He should still be around. He spotted a bit of cloth hanging from a board, and ran to get it. Picking it up, he realized that it had blood on it.
Voldemort's blood.
A motor was heard behind him, and he spun around. Fear gripped his heart, as he realized that he was standing in the middle of a murder scene, and that he could very easily be held responsible.
He transformed as the flying motorcycle came down from the sky, and he ran.
...The Confrontation
It was three days later, and the man walked down a muggle street in London. He felt incredible guilty for what had happened, but he knew he couldn't change it, or do anything about it at the moment. He would come forward at the correct time -- which certainly wasn't now. Now he was in hiding himself. It had been announced to the world that the Dark Lord was gone, most likely forever. The rest of his Death Eaters would be quite upset with him -- he knew they blamed him for Voldemort's death.
"There you are!" He looked up to see another of his old friends storming towards him.
"Hello!" he said, nervously. "How are-"
"Don't give me the pleasantries, you filthy murdering traitor! I know what you did!"
"What? What did I-"
"Don't play dumb with me!" his old friend shouted. "You know exactly what it was!"
"But, I-"
"YOU were their secret-keeper! YOU broke the charm! You were the only person in the world who could!" The man shrunk back.
"Look, we're in the middle of the street, old friend," he said. "Just... calm down, and we'll go someplace a little more appropriate."
"CALM DOWN?" he yelled. "CALM DOWN? I don't think so! Lily and James! How could you?!" The man acted quickly. Pulling out his wand, and using a severing charm, he took off his first finger. Then, he used a confusion charm on his friend, blasted a hole in the street, transformed himself, and ran into the sewers.
Sirius Black was left standing in the street, laughing hysterically. And Peter Pettigrew, the rat, wouldn't be seen again by human eyes...
...Until, of course, a small boy named Percy Weasley found him in his garden...
But that is an entirely different story.