A room in a space, warm and comforting, dark reds and gold over stone and wood, a fire crackling merrily in the grate, a table in the center with five chairs, all occupied, around it. Four on one side, all facing a lone one. A sigh. "Can we please finish this?" A woman asks, attracting the attention of the three on her side.

A bark-like laugh from the opposite end. "I don't get what the hold up is, we should just throw him back out for all he's done."

"Padfoot. No." The man next to the woman said, looking sharply at him. "We can't do that."

"After all he's done, you're still going to say he deserves to be here! If it weren't for him, Prongs, you'd be-"

"Enough, both of you." A calm voice said from between them. "You're so busy arguing about it that you haven't asked him why he should be allowed in."

The woman nodded, glancing in half-pity at the dejected figure across the table. "I have to agree with Remus, Peter should be allowed to try."

Peter looked up in half-hidden hope. "I…"

Remus's amber eyes met Peter's blue. It was rather disconcerting, in death they had aged down, he now was only a few year older than Tonks. As the younger face of his former friend stared back at him, Remus felt his heart break slightly. "Peter. You betrayed Lily and James, you got Sirius arrested and stuffed in Azkaban for 12 years, you allowed me to live in grief for four friends, three I believed dead and one that I would have preferred dead. You helped revive Voldemort and have done countless other heinous things against humanity. Why should we allow you to continue forever in comfort?"

"…I… I couldn't…" Peter's gaze fell to his hands, the instruments of his death. "Harry… I could never… I don't deserve anything, Remus. I don't… I deserve all the hatred I get from Sirius and from you. All I can say is… That I'm really truly sorry, even if it'll never cover it…"

"But Peter," James's voice was rough, "why did you do it? Lily, Harry, and I; why?"

The rat animagus stood, moving toward the fire. "I was… I was scared and stupid and jealous, James. You and Sirius had everything I'd ever wanted, love, charm, family, brain… And I was always just that Peter fellow, following around the great Potter and Black duo. And I couldn't go to Remus because, well, he was just as popular, good looking, smart, clever and I was just Peter."

"Pete… I always envied you." The room fell silent, everyone turning to Sirius. "You were a good wizard, you may not have been as adept at things as the rest of us, but you had something I'd always wanted. You had a family, a doting, kind family that cared for you. The closest relatives I had were Andy and Reg. But then Reg and I fell out and Andy graduated and I was alone."

"Pads…"

Sirius stood, closing the distance between himself and Peter quickly. "I can't say that I forgive you, Peter. But you know what, I've made some really stupid mistakes that risked lives too, just as maliciously. So, think of yourself as on probation."

Remus joined the two, smiling. "I agree with Sirius. After all, we made a promise. I solemnly swear that I am up to no good…"

"And as long as I exist…" James added, now joining the others.

"Mischief shall never truly be…" Sirius trailed off, meeting Peter's eyes.

He smiled uncertainly, before finishing. "Managed."

The room around them melted away, grass sprouting below them as the Hogwarts of their memories appeared around them. A few others ran over to them, vividly pink Tonks at the lead.

…

I was in a Marauders reunion mood. My friends and I call us the Marauders, I'm Padfoot. But looking back, I can't bring myself to hate Peter. I feel like he jut got the really shitty end of the stick.