Written for round 13 of the QLFC
Team: Pride of Portree
Position: Seeker
Prompt: Demiguise: Write about someone who is treated like they're "invisible" or don't belong
Peter had never had any friends before coming to Hogwarts. His mother was rather overprotective and never allowed him to play outside with the local Muggle children. Really, he hadn't been at all sure how one would go about trying to make friends.
Luckily, it turned out he didn't need to know anything. James, Sirius and Remus adopted him the moment they entered their dormitory.
"If we're to share a room for seven years then we'll just have to be friends!" James declared. Admittedly, he had been looking at Remus when he said it, but of course the statement logically included Peter, too.
The next few years were like a dream come true. Peter's friends rarely complained about him following them around, and occasionally even included him in their pranks. James and Sirius even tutored him through the animagus transformation after he caught them researching it. And when they created the Marauders' Map, they put Peter's nickname on it with the rest of them, despite him doing little to earn it other than taking the rap on a few dozen occasions for pranks which he had no hand in.
Frankly, Peter thought it was brilliant. He may not have been treated like an equal, but he also wasn't alone, and that was plenty for him. That is, until his last train ride home from Hogwarts.
"So, Remus, you'll come over on the twentieth of August, and you can transform in the basement. Sirius and I will be there to make sure nothing goes wrong, of course, " James said.
"What about Lily? Won't she be there, too? It is her home, after all," Remus replied.
"She's staying with her parents that weekend. It's her sister's wedding, so she won't be back til the Monday."
Peter listened to the plans being formed with a heavy heart. Of course, with the seven years of room-sharing over, James' declaration on their first day no longer applied. They didn't have to be friends any more.
Peter was often a little socially inept, but even he could see what was happening. He was no longer wanted. He hadn't been invited. Wormtail wasn't needed to open a secret passage when they had a perfectly good basement with a normal door. There were no professors that needed distracting, and no Slytherin's that needed luring away from, or sometimes into, whatever the Marauders were setting up. There was no need for Peter Pettigrew any more.
Peter slunk out of the train carriage without a word. No-one noticed him leave.
He spent the next couple of months feeling rather sorry for himself, until he landed a reasonably decent administrative job at the Ministry which took up some of his time. His colleagues were nice enough, but they weren't exactly friendly. Still, the interaction was close enough to the friendship that Peter craved that he clung to it, offering his help and input in every situation that he could, hoping that it could lead to something more.
"Hey, Pettigrew, wanna grab a drink with us after work?"
Peter didn't know the man who was asking him. He was a good ten years older, large and balding. Not the kind of person Peter would usually choose to spend time with, but beggars can't be choosers.
Later that evening, Peter found himself in the Hog's Head with a couple of people he definitely knew, and had never particularly wanted to spend time with. The man who had invited him out was nowhere to be seen, but Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Black had waved him over to the table.
"Francis will be joining us shortly," Lucius had said, gesturing Peter towards a chair. He sat stiffly, feeling rather self-conscious in the presence of the two rather intimidating Purebloods.
Lucius regarded Peter over the rim of his glass. Neither he nor Bellatrix spoke a word for what felt like forever, and Peter happily followed their lead. Eventually, Lucius leaned forward and spoke.
"We've been hearing rumours about you, Pettigrew," Lucius remarked. "Nothing bad, but certainly a few things that have caught our interest."
Peter gulped.
"It seems you have abandoned your Hogwarts friends, is that correct?"
Peter nodded, unable to vocalise any kind of coherent response.
"And I am told that you appear to be rather lonely," Lucius continued. "As such, we'd like to offer you a rather remarkable opportunity."
"Our Master believes you would make a good addition to our ranks," Bellatrix added, her high pitched voice making Peter shudder.
Of course, Peter knew exactly who this 'Master' was. He was not oblivious to the events currently taking place in the world. However, he was less sure whether he wanted to be a part of that.
"He just wants a little something from you before he'll let you join our little group of friends. Just a small show of loyalty..." Bellatrix continued.
Friends... The word floated around Peter's mind like a moth around a flame. It was the one thing he wanted. He had no particular moral objection to this Dark Lord, as the people at work referred to him. Peter had no personal problem with Muggle Borns, as the Dark Lord seemed to, but he had no great love for them either. He could pretend to hate them if that's what it took to not be alone any more.
"What do I have to do?" Peter asked.
"We need you to convince Dumbledore to let you join his little army. That's all," Lucius said
"Then, you tell us who is in it. Once that's done, we'll initiate you into the group."
"We'll be best friends forever!" Bellatrix added happily.
Peter wasn't stupid, no matter what Sirius had told him repeatedly at school. He knew there would be more. He knew it would be worse than some simple spying. But he desired so desperately to belong that, in that moment, he truly believed it would be worth it.
"I'll do it."