His breath came in rapid pants. Whimpers escaped his lips involuntarily. He was weak. A coward.
Why oh why couldn't he be as brave as James?
"Crucio!"
He heard screaming, not quite linking the sound to the strain he felt in his throat. Their jeers and laughter mingled with his cries, malicious and taunting, and all he wanted was for it to end.
"Stop! Please!"
To his surprise, his request was granted to him, and he'd never experienced such sweet relief. He slumped onto the polished mahogany floor, whimpering and curling into himself to protect from the eyes boring into him, flickering with undiluted madness.
"Begging for mercy? And only ten seconds into a cruciatus? Where's your Gryffindor courage, boy?"
His silky voice received laughter from his loyal followers, making Peter's heart sink even further.
"I suppose if you're not interested in entertaining, you have no use to us."
Voldemort raised his wand just as Peter scrambled away from him in fear, hands shaking as he held them to his face.
"No wait! I can help you!"
He screwed his eyes shut, waiting for the brillant green light of the killing curse to fill his eyelids, but it never came.
"And how do you suppose you could help me?" the Dark lord spoke tauntingly, a vicious smirk on his face.
"I'll, I'll join you!"
He paid no attention to the desperation in his voice, too concerned for his life to care. Everyone circled around him, tall, dark and cloaked, jeering and menacing.
"Join me?"
The Dark Lord's eyes flashed red, triumphant and purely evil. For he had finally gained a Gryffindor, from right under the Order's noses.
He striked fast like a viper, gripping Peter's arm and pressing his wand into the untouched stretch of skin. Wormtail screamed again in agony, however it was a completely different level of pain he was experiencing. The mark burned as it etched into his skin, the blackened skull spreading like his guilt as the snake glided from its mouth.
The pain mixed with his self-hatred was what broke Peter Pettigrew.
He was a coward, he was weak, he was pathetic.
He was well and truly, a rat.
The next time he seen his friends, two day later, they did not notice any changes to his demeanour. Sirius didn't ask where he had been, James didn't care about the bags under his eyes or his sallow skin. Remus took no notice of his long sleeved jumper, even though it was mid June.
Their ignorance brewed a bitter rage in Peter's stomach, and without realising it, he anticipated their downfalls. It served them right for not caring about him. Where was the oh so brilliant James Potter when he had the cruciatus curse tearing every nerve he had apart?
Where was Sirius Orion Black when he was being ridiculed by the very same people Sirius claimed he was nothing like? His own family?
It was easier than he anticipated, to go behind the Order's backs.
His bitterness boiled and soon overflowed, his fear and slight awe of the Dark Lord bringing forth his eagerness to subtly sell the Order's secrets to the devil.
He wasn't really doing anything wrong. They had no chance against the power of the Dark Lord. He was merely making their deaths quicker. He whimpered to himself when Marlene and he rest of the McKinnons were slaughtered, raised his glass with the rest of the Order to the Prewett twins.
It had to be done.There was no need for remorse for these people. Besides.
He had better friends now.
Written for the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: Challenges and Assignments forum.
Prompts:
Assignment #5: Astronomy Task 3. Write about a character entering into a lifelong service.
Insane House Challenge: Spell- Crucio.
365 prompt challenge: location- Malfoy manor.