Hey there random person! This is basically what I think happened to Peter in the afterlife. It's reasonably short and an easy read.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Wait, let me check. No, still don't. The Rings of Hell thing is from Inferno. I don't own that either.
Yours in demigodishness,
Juliet (The Marauders' Angel)
Trial of P. Pettigrew
"Calling Case 107139109 to court!" Judge Rovan called. "This hearing determines the fate of"-Maya Rovan glanced at the file in her hand.-"Peter Edwin Pettigrew! I call this court to order! First witness, take the stand!
"Sirius Black please take the stand!" Pettigrew visibly flinched. "How long were you friends with Mr. Pettigrew?"
"About fifteen to twenty years," Sirius's grey eyes flicked to Peter and back to the judge. "We met on the Hogwarts Express, first year."
"Why did you insist Mr. Pettigrew be the Potter's Secret-Keeper?"
"I thought it would be the perfect bluff…Voldemort would come after me, but I wouldn't know."
Not a single person flinched at the name. Why bother? He couldn't touch anyone here. No one could. They were all dead.
"Thank you…that is all Mr. Black," Sirius nodded and stepped down. "Mrs. Lily Evans Potter to the stand!"
A pretty redhead got up and took the stand. "Now, Mrs. Potter, how did you meet Mr. Pettigrew?" Judge Rovan asked.
"Through James. When we started dating he introduced me to his friends. We stayed friends…or so I thought." Lily's green eyes looked shiny with tears.
"I see. What did you think of him?"
" He seemed shy. Not as mischievous or loud as James or Sirius. Not as smart as Remus."
"Were you surprised to find the traitor was Mr. Pettigrew?"
"Yes. I thought we were friends. I'd known him so long…"
"How long were you friends with Mr. Pettigrew, Mrs. Potter?"
"Oh, about ten years," Lily said. She looked like she was trying not to cry. "Maybe a little longer."
"Thank you, Mrs. Potter," The judge said. "Mr. James Potter, please come to the stand."
A tall, dark-haired man stood and started towards the stand.
"Now, please, tell me how you met Mr. Pettigrew…" Judge Rovan started the questioning.
Peter was now considering making a run for it. There was no way he was going to Heaven. He might as well run, and be a fugitive of the Court of the Dead's Justice.
Plus, he would need to take the stand, say why he betrayed them. He would need to act sorry! And…he wasn't. Why should he be? Those friends never payed him any attention! He was the tag-along! The one no one talked about!There was Remus the Smart One, Sirius the Funny One, James the Athletic One, and Peter. Just Peter.
"Thank you, Mr. Potter," The judge broke through his thoughts. "Mr. Lupin, come to the stand."
"Mr. Lupin, did you suspect Mr. Pettigrew was the Secret-Keeper for the Potters?" Judge Rovan asked.
"No. I thought it was Sirius."
"When did you realize it wasn't Mr. Black?"
"In Harry's third year at Hogwarts. I was shocked to hear that Peter betrayed James and Lily. We had been friends for years. I trusted him."
The judge asked Remus a few more questions before saying, "Mr. Pettigrew, please come to the stand."
Peter stood unsteadily. He knew what he was going to do, even if it wasn't the smartest choice. Then again, who said he was smart?
"Now, Mr. Pettigrew, how did you come to work for Voldemort?"
Peter answered each question carefully. Then came The One. The One he knew they were going to ask. The One that would probably decide his fate-good or bad. And. He. Didn't. Care.
He was so full of anger, he was glad to throw something in everyone's faces.
"Mr. Pettigrew! Answer the question! Do you regret betraying Mr. and Mrs. Potter and their son, Harry James Potter, to Voldemort?"
"No. I don't." He laughed silently at it all. The gasps of everyone in the court. The stunned face of the judge. The mixture of pity and horror on Lily's face, the fury in James's and Sirius's.
He didn't regret saying it. Sure, he might later, but for now he didn't.
"I see," The judge tried to quiet the court. "Thank you, Mr. Pettigrew. You may step down."
"Now I will decide Mr. Pettigrew's…fate," Judge Maya Roven said. "I will tell you when I decide."
"These are the things I have taken into account," Judge Rovan said ten minutes later. "Everyone seemed to think he was rather shy and caring. However, Mr. Pettigrew showed no remorse for some…unforgivable actions he took while living," The judge looked coldly at Peter. "Such as betraying his friends-and their infant son-and getting one thrown in Azkaban."
The court turned to stare at Peter. He remained expressionless. Deep in his mind, he knew he was going to be sorry for everything that took place in this court, but it wasn't now. He was still angry and ready to fight.
"Also, Mr. Pettigrew seems to still have loyalty to Voldemort, even when dead. I find this…somewhat disturbing. He did, in fact, spare Harry Potter. This seemed to have led to his death. On the other hand, Harry Potter would still have parents if not for Mr. Pettigrew," Judge Roven shifted in her seat. "I therefore have Mr. Pettigrew's fate decided."
Peter could faintly hear whispering. It sounded like, James, what will happen to Harry? His right in the middle of a battle right now! Oh, I hope he's okay…
Lily, I'm sure he's fine. He's gotten this far hasn't he? Sirius, I got it! Your 20 Questions answer was 'Polyjuice Potion.' Am I right? Well, am I? Peter had known James long enough to know he was worried. He just didn't want to show Lily that he, too, was terrified for their son.
Be that way, James! I thought it was a good one…Remus helped me think of it!
No, I didn't! I said 'Eeylops Owl Emporium!'
Remus! Why did you say it front of James? I could have used it next time…
It was a good one! I'm just better.
Remus, please think of a new one. Sirius, that one was kind of easy. I got it two hours ago. James, deflate your head. And be quiet! The judge is going to say the verdict soon!
"Furthermore, Mr. Pettigrew willingly helped raise Voldemort in Harry Potter's fourth year. He immediately fled to Voldemort after escaping Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Remus Lupin, and Sirius Black. This was Potter's…third year," Rovan double-checked her file. "Yes. His third year."
Peter sat still, remembering those days. Remus and Sirius had wanted to kill him that year. His friends had wanted him dead…No, he thought, his old friends. He had barely escaped them. It was complete luck that it had been a full moon. He fled immediately. He was good at running. Good at hiding. Except eventually you get found. And he wasn't good at confronting what he was hiding from.
Harry Potter's fourth year…that was an interesting year. He really hadn't raised him willingly, despite what the judge said. He had a choice: Raise him, or die. So he helped Voldemort form a body. His master's new form scared him. He pretended it didn't. He pretended he was still that twenty-year-old enticed by the promise of power.
"I find Peter Edwin Pettigrew…evil! He is sentenced to The Ninth Ring of Hell and to Antenora." The judge said.
A collective gasp swept through the courtroom.
There were Nine Rings of Hell. Ring Nine was for the traitors.
There were four sub-levels of Hell: Caïna, for traitors to family; Antenora for traitors to their community or country; Ptolomaea, for traitors to guests; and Judecca for traitors to lords and allies. Each had their own unique punishment.
Right about…now he was regretting his choice. Saying those things had made him feel good, but now he was facing the effects. He was being sent to a nightmare he would never be able to wake up from.
"Guards…please escort Mr. Pettigrew to Antenora."
Two guards led Peter away. As he left he could just make out Lily whispering, He won… James, Harry won! He defeated him! Voldemort is gone…Gone forever!
Gone forever…The one person Peter had sacrificed everything for-and was the very reason Peter was sentenced to Antenora-was gone.
Peter was probably going to see him soon.
And then Peter realized something about Voldemort's death and Harry Potter's triumph:
He had betrayed his best friends for…nothing.