Dedicated to Ehwies, because she's awesome. And my gosh, I love her. She's my online adopted sister and just... yeah.
She also loves the Marauder era, so here's to her!
Images of a past life
There was a picture, you know. Good quality. Black and white. Bent at the edges, mostly due to age.
It was of the marauders, and sometimes Peter would look back at the memories and smile. Back when they were the ones that he looked up to the most, back when there wasn't a war going on and sides to be chosen, back when he was naïve and innocent.
Back when he was just Peter Pettigrew the underestimated one.
The picture didn't move, it was a muggle picture, after all and sometimes Peter would say that it was symbolic of their friendship, how none of them would move out of the frame. How they would all be in it forever, like they would be friends forever.
Back when he wasn't going to betray James.
Now Peter just assumes it was going for irony. No matter how many die, how many betray, how many arguments are had, they'll all be there together, smiling like they're best friends.
It was a lovely picture, really. Sirius was on the far right, handsome grin on his face and all, arm wrapped securely around Remus's shoulder, like how teenage girls would do in their pictures. Remus wasn't even looking too ragged or tired that day, he looked happy, accepted, young. His arm was around James, who was trying to look like he didn't particularly care that a picture was being taken, presumably to impress an unseen Lily. His right arm was on the shoulder of Remus and his left arm hung limply at his side.
Then there was Peter.
He was a few inches on the other side of James, their shoulders not even touching. He was smiling like he was so happy to be there, but the others didn't look like they particularly cared.
The final time Peter looked at the picture, he looked at it for proof.
Proof that he wasn't wanted or needed by his so-called friends, the Marauders.
He found it.
(He betrayed James the next day.)