A/N: I hate Peter. The little wimp had no reason to give away his friends that way, because I can't even think what he would have gained from it. Peter was weak and this drove his thirst for power which he could never attain for himself. This is just a short about why he joined the Dark Lord. RxR. FxF.

Submission for: Fanfiction Scavenger Hunt Competition: A character you hate - Peter :(

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

He was weak. He knew that. He was weaker than everyone and in this world and people preyed on the weak. He had been bullied at the muggle school his parents had sent him to before Hogwarts. He was a round boy, had rat teeth and beady eyes, which caused his classmates to call him 'Fat Mickey Mouse', or when they were less imaginative, 'rat-teeth boy'.

When he finally left that school and was about to go to a school of magic, Peter thought to reinvent himself. At this school everyone would start out just like him. They would all be new and all be weak, just like him. Peter could even be stronger than the muggleborns.

Peter was wrong. Just walking through the train, he realized they were all stronger than him already. Some could do little tricks they had learnt from their parents. Others had already read their textbooks because they were so excited. Peter had done none of that. His mum hadn't shown him any magic (not that he had asked) and he didn't read his textbooks (he was too busy eating sweets).

He locked himself away in a compartment and then they came. They hadn't really seen him at first. Who would? They just fell into the seats around him, their voices loud and their arms full of sweets. They were both handsome and obviously very likeable. After just a few words, they had pulled him in. And Peter saw their use: If he was friends with some of the most popular boys in school, then he would be popular. He would pick up whatever they had and people would like him too.

It didn't work that way. Even when they picked up Remus, purely by accident, who was even quieter than he was, he was no stronger than he was when he started Hogwarts. The other three grew: they all got the girls, the grades and the grins. Peter followed along like the rat he was, feeding off the scraps they happened to leave behind.

No one sought him out, no one saw him really. He was still weak, but through them, Peter knew he didn't have to be strong. He helped out with their pranks and was seen as one of the Marauders. He was their friend and when the others would pick on him, the three ran to his rescue. Peter was satisfied with living on their coat-tails. He was happy with feeling strong, even if he wasn't.

But Hogwarts was soon finishing, and Peter realized that after Hogwarts, he could no longer pretend to be strong. James and Sirius had no power outside the castle walls and Remus was a werewolf. There was nothing they could do for him. And Peter had gotten so used to them around, that he knew someone as weak as him couldn't survive out there.

He heard the whispers: a man with great power. A man believed to be the most powerful wizard of the century, surpassing even Dumbledore and Grindelwald. A man who was recruiting the most powerful witches and wizards from across the world but concentrated in Great Britain. He was around, hoping to get the newest graduates of the prestigious Wizarding school.

This man would be Peter's survival. Anyone opposed this man would definitely be weaker, would be killed on the spot. By siding with this man, glory and power would be bestowed upon all his followers. And you would be safe, on the winning side.

And it was this, when Malfoy and Black happened to be talking a bit too loudly, that gave Peter the courage to approach them. He never told the others. They would never like what he had done, they would never side with this man. But it didn't matter, they would be on the losing side. He just hoped they got away before the man set his eyes on them.