Things were starting to go downhill for Sirius Black. It was July 1981 and his friends had had to move house twice already.
Lily and James Potter were marked for death by a man with the self-proclaimed name of Lord Voldemort. Their son, Harry, was only a year old; and soon they were going to have to move again. The other thing was, Sirius felt as though he was being drawn out, pulled in opposite directions by each arm.
He wanted to remain with the Potters and protect them but he also wanted to stay with the man he loved.
Remus Lupin had gone into hiding separately, around the same time as Lily and James – and that was the reason why Sirius didn't completely trust him timed-out boyfriend.
James had recently reconciled with an old friend, Peter Pettigrew. This was also giving Sirius a hard time. He had long-since vowed never to like the kid again, but that was when he was secretly dating Remus, and they were worried as to how his homophobia would trigger him to react.
Right now, Sirius felt that maybe Peter could be trusted at least to help Lily and James.
There was a spy in their group: Sirius knew perfectly well that it wasn't himself; Peter hadn't spoken to them in years; and he couldn't see why Lily and James would want to get themselves and their son killed – in any case, if they did, they'd simply need to go to Voldemort and hand themselves over – so Sirius could only see one possible suspect. As much as it pained him to realise, the man he loved was a traitor.
"Hey Pads," Lily said, sitting down beside him on the sofa and placing a friendly, comforting arm around him. "I'm so sorry about Remus," she said quietly.
"It wasn't him," choked Sirius. "As much as all the evidence stands against him and it seems like the only logical explanation, I know it wasn't; deep down, part of me knows he wouldn't do it. And it's not me being blinded by infatuation. I was best friends with him for six years before I fell in love with him."
"I know he wouldn't. Lily agreed, tears welling in her eyes. "I miss him."
"I miss him too." Sirius' own eyes leaked with tears. "I've been so vague with him recently and now we haven't spoken in a month."
"I was thinking," James began, entering the room and sitting in the armchair opposite, oblivious to their conversation, "when we move to Godric's Hollow we should cast a Fidelius Charm on the house."
"Great idea!" Lily enthused. "Who would be our Secret-Keeper?"
James looked inquiringly at Sirius, silently asking him if he'd do it. But Sirius had an alternate proposal: "I suggest Pettigrew." It wasn't a suggestion, it was a command. Lily and James both dropped their mouths open in shock and stared at their friend.
"But I thought you hated the guy?" Lily beat James to the burning question that had been reluctant to leave either of their startled tongues.
"I kind-of do, due to his attitude towards homosexuality. But in all honesty and fairness; strip back his egotism and you have a guy who hasn't spoken to a couple in years ever since they lost trust in each other, and still isn't very close with them – or you have their lifelong best-friend, who is their son's godfather and practically lives with them: who is the more likely Keeper? Frankly, I value your lives more than his friendship."
"Well, good point I suppose. And Padfoot? I'm touched by what you said." James gasped, he gave a faint smile then grabbed a piece of parchment and began scribbling a note to Peter, saying they had something important to discuss with him and requested he visit the following night. Without Jennifer. He attached it to the leg of their owl and sent it on its way.
The following evening, Sirius was trying to compose some sort of letter for Remus, find out how he was keeping and could he visit sometime; but he had no idea where to go with it. Eventually he managed to scrape together something rather nonsensical; but little did he know, he would never receive a reply. Because when his ex-lover got round to it, Sirius would be in Azkaban.
Just as the owl was leaving, Peter materialised.
"Ooh, I wouldn't do that!" he laughed.
"How do you mean?"
"Asking our spy to visit – yeah, great plan! You might as well–"
But he was cut short when Sirius lunged for him and slapped him hard across the face. The rat scuttled away down the stairs, towards James and Lily.
That felt good. I hate the bastard. Remus is innocent – he must be!
"I saw him talking to someone!" Peter shouted up the stairs, unconvincingly.
"Oh, bugger! Talking to someone; better not do that in case Wormtail thinks you're a Death Eater! Ha. Ha. Ha. So. Not. Funny."
But what if Peter is correct? Sirius walked downstairs slowly, lost in thought.
"He didn't do it," he pointed out blindly, looking for reassurance. "Remus will have other reasons to have gone into hiding."
Lily and James nodded their agreement and his reassurance.
"Like the new werewolf legislation," Lily offered helpfully.