This was written for Tani Smiles's First Sentence Challenge. I had to start my story with, "What's it going to be then, eh?" (First line of A Clockwork Orange, which, regrettably, I've never read. It's on my list though). As always, JKR owns Harry Potter. If I did, I wouldn't have to worry about college loans.
"What's it going to be then, eh?" Sirius demanded with wild eyes. "Are you in or out, Wormtail?" With James out on a midnight date with Lily and Remus out doing rounds, he knew this was the one time that he'd have Peter alone long enough to get him in on his latest plan.
"I don't know, Padfoot," Peter whined, shrinking deeper into the armchair. "We've done some crazy stuff in our time, but don't you think this is a little dangerous? He might die!" He looked around nervously. Peter cast a quick Muffliato to make sure that anyone sleeping wouldn't be woken up.
Sirius threw his arms into the air. "All the better! Then we'd be rid of the greasy git!"
"Sirius! You can't mean that!" Peter whispered, eyes widened in obvious shock. Peter hated Snape as much as anybody, but Sirius' suggestion was crazy!
"Oh, yes I do!" Sirius began pacing like a madman in front of the fire place, casting manic shadows around the Gryffindor common room. "Think about it! We'd never have to watch our backs walking across the grounds! Never have to worry about getting random howlers or jinxed broomsticks! Never have to carry around bezoars and check our foods for poisons!"
"But can't we just tell McGonagall that he's giving us trouble? Sending him to the Shack is a littleā¦"
"No!" Sirius slammed his hands on Peter's armrests and leaned in to look his friend in the eyes. "We're not tattling like little first years! Grow up, Peter!" He violently pushed himself away from the chair and almost stumbled into the fire.
Coughing, Peter accused, "You've been drinking!"
"And you're a coward!" Sirius spat back as he used the mantelpiece to pull himself up. "So what's it going to be, Peter? Are you a Marauder⦠or a mouse?" That made Peter recoil. He was self-conscious about being a rat, and Sirius knew it. Peter looked down at his hands, twisting over each other anxiously in his lap.
"Fine," Peter said in a defeated tone. "I'm in." He let out a small sigh and looked slightly ashamed of himself as Sirius grinned wolfishly.
Just then, the portrait hole opened. In walked Remus Lupin, looking utterly exhausted and rather ill. Sirius looked at Peter and said, "Full moon's in two nights." With that, he flicked his wand and lifted the Muffliato charm. As Remus headed towards them, Sirius tossed himself onto a couch and softly called out, "How was your night catching juvenile delinquents, Moony?"
"Lots of couples out for late-night rendezvous," Remus replied as he moved Sirius' feet, dropped onto the couch, and eyed a paler-than-normal Peter Pettigrew. "Alright, Wormtail?" Peter mumbled a reply, but, knowing what he and Sirius had just planned, he couldn't bring himself to look his friend in the eye.
A/N: If you haven't picked up on it yet, Sirius was trying to convince Peter to be in on the plan to trick Snape into going into the Shrieking Shack whilst Lupin is having his 'time of the month'
