Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything related…it all belongs to J.K. Rowling. Blah, blah, blah…if I wasn't so tired I'd think up something extremely witty to say.
AN: This is my first fanfic. I know that it's not organized, but, it just popped into my head and I couldn't get it out of there…as empty as it is. I know that I should organize before I write it, but you're talking to the girl who had a HUGE essay test and, instead of studying, went out to party with her friends. Needless to say, I bombed it…I'm a true partier.
You know the drill…READ AND REVIEW.
Chapter One.
What if?
The fire blazed bright, resonating with heat. The tall walls of the room were filled with endless dark books. Books with names like Banished Curses and How to Use Them by Ana Keda, Dark Creatures and How to Control Them by York Banshee, and the most recent, 1,001 Ways to Resurrect Yourself From the Dead by a certain Mr. T. Mindtwister. In one far corner of the grand room surrounded by books, there was a mahogany desk covered with vials containing questionable liquids.
Across from this magnificent desk in a bare uncomfortable looking chair was a shivering, pudgy, pale man with watery blue eyes. If one were to walk into the warm room, they'd be puzzled as to why this man was shaking. However, if they were to walk into the room and noticed the laughing- yes, laughing-snake at the bottom of this man's chair, they would most certainly agree with this man's course of action, in fact, they might even join him themselves, probably very far away.
The door to the grand room opened and a dark chill passed over the pale man's features. The snake hissed with glee at the site of its master. The man almost cried out in disgust, but held his tongue.
"Ah. My Nagini," a reptilian voice whispered. "Torturing old Wormtail? I don't blame you. After all, he is a poor excuse for a servant."
"M-most hum-humble master," the pale man, Wormtail, began. "I-I watched N-Nagini for you. I eve-even fed her her favorite food. Rabbit entrails."
"Yes, one can't say that you try, Wormtail," the voice whispered then moved over to the fireplace to sit in an overstuffed chair. "Bring me the virgin unicorn's blood from the desk, will you? I'm tired after all that plotting of deaths." Wormtail picked up a vial and walked over slowly to his master, for fear of Nagini. "It seems that Lucius is quite the diligent follower these days. He's recruited many off of the street, and pretty soon, I'll have another Malfoy in my grips. It's hard work getting back into power. Now that that stupid curse is lifted from me I can finally destroy that Potter boy."
Wormtail's hands shook as he handed his master the vial. In that moment, when he handed the vial to Voldemort, a feeling passed over him, a not so unfamiliar feeling of loneliness. He spaced for a second and let the feeling passed. Voldemort stared at him with those red eyes. Those soulless red eyes that knew his betrayal, and would taunt him forever.
"Well, Wormtail, are you going to give me the blood or am I going to have to take it from you? You know you don't want that."
"S-sorry, oh hum-humble mas-master. I am terribly tired and I—I would like to retire."
"No, you will not retire. I have some use for you right now," Voldemort turned toward the third bookshelf on the wall and pointed to the top. "There is a book that I require from there. You will fetch it for me, Wormtail."
Wormtail hated it when he said his name like that. His master had known what he was thinking earlier and was taunting him. He watched Voldemort uncork the vial and drink it in one gulp. If only it was poison, then he would be free of his bad choice of path. Wormtail shook his head and grabbed the ladder, beginning the long climb to the top.
A strangled scream stopped him mid-way up. He closed his eyes and prayed Nagini had went mad and attacked his master, but he knew that, given his track record, whoever was up there would never answer any of his prayers, no matter how desperately needed or how much good it would do the world.
"Pettigrew, you damned fool! You gave me virgin essence of shark." Voldemort let out another anguished scream. "Get me the unicorn's blood, NOW!"
Wormtail jumped off of the ladder, shaking visibly. If Voldemort wasn't going to kill him before, he sure was going to now. He reached the desk and, reading the labels, grabbed the unicorn's blood and tossed it to Nagini, who caught it in her mouth and gave it to Voldemort. He drank it greedily, all the while glaring at Wormtail.
"Go. GO, YOU INSUFFERABLE FOOL!" he erupted. "I will deal with you tomorrow. I am too tired. On your way out, send Lucius in."
Wormtail, still visibly shaking, nodded and headed for the door. But, his master's voice stopped him.
"Oh, and Wormtail, old friend." Peter Pettigrew turned around to face Voldemort's wand. "Crucio."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Peter Pettigrew lay in bed crying that night. His body still felt as if it was on fire, the aftereffects of the Crucio curse. His thoughts turned to happier times. Hogwarts. But, no, that even turned to bitterness after he remembered what he did. He betrayed his friends. His only true friends. And for what? Glory? No. Not that. It couldn't be. Yet, he remembered when Voldemort approached him.
"So, you crave something different than your friends?"
"N-no, sir, not that at all," a young gullible Peter said.
"Yes, you do. They want to save the world. You, you want power and glory. I can see that, and I don't blame you. What's the good in dying for the world when you can't live in it? Well, Wormtail, I can call you that, can't I?" He didn't even pause for assurance. "Wormtail, I see you by my side when I rule the world. All muggles will die and all wizards and witches will bow before us and they will fear us. Side by side. What do you say, Wormtail? I promise you glory, and them? They promise nothing."
"What do you want me to do?"
So, it had been for glory. Glory and power. Well, he wasn't seeing any of it right now. He probably never would. If Voldemort ever did rule the world, it would be Lucius at his side, not him. Bitter tears stung Wormtail's eyes. He hoped Harry would succeed in killing Voldemort.
Tears threatened to spill over at the thought of Harry. He looked just like James, a carbon copy to be exact. But with Lily's eyes. Lily, she was so beautiful. He had had the hugest crush on her first year. Later on he would always laugh and joke with James that he saw her first, and Lily would always agree. James had been his first true friend. He took Peter in under his wing when nobody liked him. They would laugh for hours on end thinking up pranks to play on Lily. James, Sirius, Remus, and him-The Marauders.
His eyes wandered to a calendar by his bed. He cried out in horror as he noticed the date. June 13. Their wedding day. He had been a best man. James couldn't pick just one. He had to have three. The funny part was they had all given speeches…after Sirius, Remus, and him had played an old drinking game of theirs. James was not amused. Lily thought it was hilarious.
Sirius got up drunkenly. He swayed on his feet for a second and smiled his charming smile at the bridesmaids.
"I want to say that James…you're the best. The best friend I could ever have. I mean, you have got me out of so much trouble. Remember that time we were drunk and we streaked across this muggle store? Man, those were the times," Sirius sighed. "I'm gonna miss hitting on chicks with you, man. But, Lily doesn't have to know, right?" He executed an exaggerated wink and sat down.
Remus jumped up and sighed a real big pitiful sigh. "Man, I love you. I know that sounds bad, but you are my best friend. I'm extremely lucky I've gotten to know you. Remember that time when we went camping at my house and you got that snakebite in you ass? Man, you freaked out. You were crying and screaming, 'I don't want to die!'
Then, you almost made me suck the poison out? I had to remind you that we were wizards not muggles. Man, you're my best friend. I love you, too, Lily. You are the most beautiful girl in the world and James doesn't deserve you. But, you choose him and I don't see why. I'll forgive you though." He sat back down with a flump, and took a swig of his wine.
Peter's speech had been even more impressive. He got up. Looked at Lily and James, laughed and barfed all over Petunia, Lily's sister. Needless to say, they all remembered his very well.
Wormtail sobbed into his pillow. Why was he torturing himself like this? Nothing could change the past. He had betrayed Lily and James to their death. He had condemned one friend to Azkaban and another to solitude. What if he could go back into time? Would he make the same decisions? Would he stop all of it from happening? Would he save Harry from having to live with the horrible muggles?
Why dwell on it, Peter? You can't change it. No matter how hard you want. It won't change.
But, there'll always be that 'What if' at the back of his mind. What if?
That phrase repeated in his mind, lulling him to sleep.
~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Peter! Peter, wake up! You'll be late for class and Professor Sprouts will have your head if you're late again."
Peter groaned and rolled over. He really didn't want to be bothered tonight, especially after what his master did to him.
"Shut up or else I'll stuff you full of feathers," he mumbled into his pillow.
"I highly doubt that's possible. Hurry up, I'm not going to stand here all day and wait for you."
Peter perked up. That voice was strangely familiar. It sounded like… He rolled over and looked at the unwelcome person poking at his shoulder. His heartbeat speed up and his palms began to sweat. He blinked a couple times to make sure he could see right.
"Peter, stop staring at me like that. It's kind of freaking me out," the voice said. "Are you coming or not?" Peter nodded dumbly. "Good, I'll be waiting in the common room. The others are already eating, so hurry up if you want food."
"James?" Peter whispered.
James turned around. "What?"
"James Potter?"
"Umm…Last I checked. What?"
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AN: Bet you didn't see that one coming….Well, maybe you did, so what? Please review. This is my first story and I'd really like to know your opinion. Thanks!