Chapter Three -

No Light No Light

xxx

Through the crowd, I was crying out

And in your place there were a thousand other faces

I was disappearing in plain sight

Heaven help me, I need to make it right

You want a revelation

You wanna get right

But that's a conversation

I just can't have tonight

You want a revelation

Some kind of resolution

You want a revelation

No light, no light in your bright blue eyes

I never knew daylight could be so violent

A revelation in the light of day

You can't choose what stays and what fades away

xxx

Florence + The Machine

xxx

Harry stared from Draco Malfoy, to his companions in the lounge, then back at Draco Malfoy. "Okay," he said, a hint of hysteria setting in. "Are we friends?"

"Potter," said Malfoy, glancing anxiously around the dimly lit porch. "Please – let me in." He was filthy, which Harry hadn't thought he was capable of being. But there he was, hair dishevelled and skin covered in grime. He clung defensively to the strap of a threadbare satchel slung around his neck.

"No, seriously," Harry tried again. "Because the day I'm having I honestly couldn't guess either way."

Malfoy had one foot on the step and one still on the gravel, his body angled like he wasn't sure if he wanted to run away or not. "Please," he said again, his grey eyes wide with apprehension. "Please, I need to talk to you." He ran a hand through his matted hair, rocking between the step and the pathway. "I realise I have no right to ask, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't important. But I need your help."

Harry looked down at the boy he had always considered his enemy, and thought about how when they'd last spoken in his own world, it had resulted it Malfoy's broken nose. How he'd gloated about Sirius' arrest, delighted in Harry's despair. This Malfoy – this alternate version if Hermione was right – did not have that arrogance pulsating off him. There was hollowness to his eyes, a tension visible in his whole body.

"Um," said Harry, glancing back to the living room and thinking of Hermione, considering how altered her life was here. What differences could have lead to Draco Malfoy coming to his home, asking for his help in this tattered state? Malfoy looked anxiously over his shoulder again, his hands gripping onto the fraying satchel strap. Harry had no way to know where his loyalties lay in this world; they were dark enough in the life Harry knew. "I don't know," he said. As far as he'd experienced today, nothing was what it should have been. But it just seemed a step too far to trust Draco Malfoy.

The blond boy on the step wavered back and forth. "I can't," he stammered, then he took a deep breath in. "If you don't help me, hundreds of lives will be at risk." He straightened his spine, and lifted his bottom foot to stand fully on the step. "I know that might sound crazy, but I didn't travel all this way for a 'no'."

This was more like the Malfoy Harry knew, but his words were still contradictory. "Hundreds of lives?" Harry repeated.

"Probably more," said Malfoy. His tone was serious. He was still fretting with the bag strap, but he was staring down Harry defiantly. "So are you going to let me in or not?"

After all the surprises Harry had experienced today, he had to admit he was curious as to what Malfoy was talking about. Since he had woken up, he had tried to convince himself everything he was experiencing was some sort of trick, but Hermione's theory about parallel universes had shaken him through and through. If this was a real world, a reality that ran alongside his own, those lives would be just as real as anybody he knew in is actual life. Surely that was worth hearing Malfoy out for, even if his gut instinct was screaming to tell him to leave.

Harry reached over to his coat, and got his wand out from the pocket. "Alright," he said cautiously. "I'll let you in. But nothing funny, you understand?"

Malfoy looked from his face, to his wand and back again. "Okay," he said, with a nod. Harry stepped back, and the two boys watched each other like hawks as Malfoy crossed the threshold and into the Potters' house.

"What now?" asked Harry as the door swung back, shutting out the cold November air. Now he was in the light, Harry could see just what a state Malfoy was truly in. He was covered in cuts and bruises, his clothes were ragged and torn, the shadows under his eyes were practically purple and his fingernails were caked in dirt. "Crikey, what happened to you?"

Malfoy looked totally thrown by the question. "There's not much time," he said instead. He was having trouble keeping his eyes on Harry and kept flicking them away. "I, um…" He glanced up in surprise as the piano playing started up again from behind the door to their right. "Who else is here?" he asked. "Can we talk somewhere in private?"

It had been enough to let Malfoy inside the house, Harry wasn't keen on taking him any further unless he had to. "Here's just fine," he said. "There's quite a few people here as it turns out."

As if on cue, Parvati Patil's voice piped up. "Harry, who is that?" she demanded. Malfoy jerked like he'd had an electric shock, and he turned to Harry.

"Who else is here?" he hissed again.

Harry could see Parvati as she stomped around where Hermione was standing towards the hall, but Malfoy had remained hidden from their view. He guessed he was about to find out whether the two of them were really friends or not.

Parvati had her hands on her hips as she sauntered out, but it took less than a second for her to clock Malfoy. She gasped and tripped backwards, hands flying over her mouth before she snatched her own wand out, aiming it into Malfoy's face. "Get OUT!" she screeched, bringing Seamus running, his own wand raised.

He stopped short at the sight of Malfoy, who had backed away in horror upon seeing Parvati. "You," snarled Seamus, and launched for Malfoy, seizing him by the lapels and slamming him into the front door.

Definitely not friends then.

Harry expected Malfoy to swing for him, but he just held his hands up. "I just came to talk to Potter, Finnigan, I swear!"

"What?" spluttered Parvati, dancing on her toes as Hermione peered out from the living room in shock. "What could you possibly have to talk to him about!"

The door opposite the living room creaked open, and Sarah Potter poked her head through the gap. "What's all the racket?" she asked, looking at Seamus and Malfoy with an open mouth.

"Hang on," said Harry, holding up his hands. "Everyone just calm down. Sarah…" she raised her eyebrows at him, but his instinct told him to keep Malfoy away from her. "Maybe you should go back to the piano?"

"But I've done it all," she protested, excitement and intrigue clear on her face. But Harry already felt very protective over her, this miracle sister he never thought possible. Even if that meant being a spoil-sport.

"Then, do it all again," he said, hoping he sounded firm enough. Sarah huffed and rolled her eyes, but obligingly banged the door shut and stomped audibly away. Within a second an aggressive version of Au Clair De La Lune began punctuating the air.

"Right," said Harry, addressing the people in the hallway. Hermione had remained in the lounge, unsure, and he couldn't blame her. This was not what he'd had in mind when he'd asked her to come back to his house. "Malfoy, let's start with what you are doing here?"

"Don't call me Malfoy," he snapped in response. "And I'm not saying anything until Finnigan lets go of me."

"I can let go of you outside?" said Seamus accommodatingly. "Or I'm sure there's a nice ravine or cliff side somewhere near here-"

Harry waved his hands. "Seamus, just let him go," he said, much to the Irish boy's surprise. "I don't know why he's here, but he said it was important, and I don't think shaking it out of him's the way to go about it."

Seamus ran his gaze up and down Malfoy, then flicked his shirt out from his grasp. "Fine," he said. "Talk."

Malfoy swallowed. "Not to you, just Harry. It's important."

"Oh, yeah," scoffed Parvati. "I'm sure you have a very important little mission to kill us all."

"You weren't supposed to be here!" retaliated Malfoy, raising his voice for the first time. "I was only supposed to speak to Potter, this doesn't concern you!"

"If it concerns Harry," said Seamus coldly, shoving Malfoy back into the door again. "It concerns us."

"Hey, hey," said Harry, making Seamus turn and look. "I know it's Malfoy, but let's not beat him up just yet, hey? At least until we hear what he has to say?"

"Harry, you can't be serious?" asked Parvati. ""You can't believe one word that traitor has to say, you should kick him out right now!"

The word traitor made Harry pause, and he glanced at Malfoy who was still bunched up against the front door, his jaw and fists clenched.

"If I'm honest," he said tiredly. "This day has been one bizarre event after another. So I am willing to entertain Malfoy for five minutes if he wants to talk about something he says is urgent. Now how about we just all calm down and go back into the living room?"

Seamus and Parvati glanced at each other, then at Harry. "Are you sure?" Seamus asked.

Truthfully, Harry wasn't sure about anything, and every minute speaking with Malfoy was a minute taken away from investigating Hermione's parallel dimension theory. But he was so earnest and insistent Harry couldn't help but be intrigued. He had never seen his Malfoy like this before.

He just hoped it wouldn't come back to bite him.

"Yeah," said Harry. "We'll give him five minutes, not a second more."

Parvati went to protest, but Harry's conviction must have shown on his face. "Fine," she said, begrudgingly, but did not lower her wand.

"Okay," mocked Seamus, stepping out of Malfoy's way and extending his arm out to the living room. "Be our guest," he said with a little bow. "I promise not to touch you whilst Harry says not to." Malfoy flicked his narrowed eyes at him, but said nothing as he moved cautiously into the lounge. Seamus leant over to Harry. "The second," he whispered. "You say it's okay, I'll knock his bleeding lights out." He patted Harry on the back and followed Malfoy in.

"Thanks?" he said, raising his eyebrows before following. Parvati waited until he'd gone through, keeping the most possible distance between herself and the blond Slytherin boy.

Hermione had backed up by the fireplace, and Malfoy was stood, staring at her. "Do I know you?" he asked, his voice hoarse. Again, it was lacking the usual hostility Harry had come to expect.

"No," said Hermione. "I mean, I don't think so?"

"She's my friend," said Harry, stepping in between them both. "That's all you need to know. Now what did you want to talk about?"

"Uh," said Draco, his gaze moving between the other three in the room. "I really think we should talk in private?"

"Tough," said Seamus with a tight smile as he perched on the sofa arm. Parvati had curled herself on the cushions beside him, biting her thumbnail. "You've now got four minutes."

Malfoy seemed to want to argue back, but he changed his mind. "Okay," he said. "Whatever. But this is classified information I'm about to tell you, I'm only offering plausible deniability."

Harry wasn't the only one taken aback by that. "What are you talking about?" he asked.

"I, um," Malfoy said, and then he appeared to stagger a little where he stood. "I couldn't get a glass of water could I?"

Harry didn't know what to say to that, but Parvati did. "No you may not!" she snapped, scrambling to her feet. "What do you think this is, the Ritz? You tell us what you have to say and then you leave."

"Sorry," mumbled Malfoy, and Harry couldn't quite believe he'd heard him properly. Had he just apologised?

"I'll get it," said Hermione, and everyone looked at her.

"What?" asked Seamus.

"A glass of water," said Hermione. "For him. He looks half dead."

Seamus spluttered. "Okay," he said. "I know you're new to all of this, but we don't get Death Eaters glasses of water. We get them the hell out of our homes before they kill everyone."

"I'm not a Death Eater," said Malfoy quietly. "Not anymore."

"Oh sure you are," said Seamus, pretending to be cheerful. He crossed over the room and reached for Malfoy. "It says so right here on your arm." Malfoy snatched away from Seamus as if he'd been scalded.

"Don't you touch me!" he cried, gripping his right wrist, presumably where his Dark Mark tattoo was. Harry wasn't sure if he was surprised or not that in this reality Malfoy had already become a fully fledged member of Voldemort's army. "I said not anymore!"

"What, so that makes it okay?" cried Parvati. "You, what, reformed? So now you want to come make friends with Harry?"

"Here you go." Harry hadn't realised, but Hermione had slipped behind him and got Malfoy a glass of water anyway. He looked at her and the tumbler dubiously, and she shifted uncomfortably. "Look, Harry and I have something really important to be getting on with. Here's your water, so you can talk, and then you can go." She glanced at Seamus and Parvati. "I think that would be best for everyone, don't you?"

Malfoy was still looking uncertain, but his eyes had lit up at the water like he was dying of thirst, and after a moment he reached out slowly and accepted the glass from Hermione's hand. Tentatively, he took a sip, then began gulping it down as fast as he could. "Thank you," he breathed once it was all gone, and wiped his face with the back of his hand. He then looked down at the glass, unsure what to do with it.

"You're welcome," said Hermione, leaning over and plucking it from his hand.

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Are you sure I don't know you?" he asked. "What's your name?"

"Hermione Granger," she said with a smile, placing the tumbler on a coaster on the coffee table.

Malfoy blinked in surprise. "The Mudblood?" he said. It just popped out of his mouth, he didn't even seem to realise what he'd said.

Seamus did though. His fist moved like lightning, slamming into Malfoy's face in the blink of an eye, showering blood all down him. "Don't you EVER!" he roared as Hermione screamed and stumbled backwards, covering her mouth with her hands. "Use that WORD!"

The piano faltered, and Harry glanced over at the closed door hoping Sarah would have the sense to stay put. She did. "Whoa, whoa," he cried, pulling Seamus away from Malfoy, as he looked like he might punch him again, and Malfoy was already bleeding quite heavily onto the Potters' carpet. "That's enough."

Parvati took Hermione by the shoulders. "Are you alright?" she asked, searching her face.

"You're going to stand for that?" demanded Seamus to Harry, breathing heavily through his mouth. He thrust his finger at Malfoy, who was pinching the bridge of his nose and shaking from the shock.

"No," said Harry, trying to keep his voice calm. "But I don't want the house trashed either. Malfoy, you use that word again, and I will punch you myself. But for now." He rolled his eyes and got out his wand. "Episkey." The bleeding stopped immediately, and Malfoy looked at him in confusion.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't think."

"What just happened?" asked Hermione aghast.

Parvati gave her shoulders a squeeze. "Oh, you wouldn't know!" she said sympathetically. "That's a really horrible word for someone who's Muggle-born."

"I was just surprised," protested Malfoy. "That's what they call them, I just." He let go of his nose, and looked at her. "What is she doing here? I mean you two I can understand-"

"Enough," said Harry as Seamus flexed and curled his no-doubt throbbing hand. "You have one minute left, and you haven't told us anything. Why are you here and what do you want?"

Malfoy's chest was rising up and down visibly. He blinked several times and rubbed his face, getting most of the blood off. His skin was so dirty though it didn't actually stand out all that much. He glanced at Hermione, then stuck his gaze on Harry. "We need your help," he said again.

"I'm sorry," said Parvati, letting go of Hermione. "But did you just ask for our help?"

"Not you, Harry," snapped Malfoy.

"After everything you did," said Seamus, shaking his head and practically vibrating with rage.

"You turn up here," shrieked Parvati. "Unannounced, starting fights, insulting this poor girl." She grabbed Hermione again and shook her, much to Hermione's disquiet. "After what you did-"

"I know what I did," flared Malfoy, clenching his fists by his side. But then he softened. "I know. And I can't ever undo it. But he is out of control and there are people who have had enough, people who want to stop him."

"Who?" asked Harry. "Vol-"

Before Harry could remember to stop himself there were three very loud voices screaming at him to shut up. He stepped back, waving his hands. "Sorry, sorry," he told them. Parvati in particular looked like she might faint. "Okay, so you mean You-Know-Who, he's the one out of control."

"Who else?" said Malfoy.

Harry didn't want to admit that when it came to this reality, he really wouldn't have bet on anyone at this stage. Instead he locked eyes briefly with Hermione, then looked back to Malfoy.

"Define out of control?" he said, hoping that was a vague enough question. Apart from Sarah telling him Voldemort was still alive and had attacked the school, he wasn't quite sure what the situation was. From his parents' over-protective behaviour he guessed not great.

"The killings you know about," said Malfoy, his voice tight. "People from the Ministry, whole families."

"The school," interjected Seamus with a scowl.

Malfoy just swallowed, then looked back to Harry. There was obviously something going on between the three of them, but Harry felt like he couldn't ask without blowing the fact that he wasn't really their Harry, and that would give him too many problems to deal with right now.

"The Muggle attacks have increased too," Malfoy continued. "That bridge in Bristol, the football game." He closed his eyes. "That orphanage."

"That was You-Know-Who?" cried Parvati in horror. "They said it was a gas explosion?"

"Well it wasn't," said Malfoy. "It was him, something personal they said, like he went there."

"All those children," said Seamus grimly.

"And it's just getting worse," insisted Malfoy. "We think there's going to be all out war, that he's going to rise up against the Muggles and anyone that tries to stop him, take Britain for himself." He shook his head. "Anyone who tries to talk sense into him is just…he just…"

Malfoy clamped his jaw down and stared at the floor.

"So," said Seamus scathingly. "You are still a Death Eater, if you know all that?"

"Not anymore," said Malfoy firmly. "I can promise you that."

"Oh, well," cried Parvati and throwing her hands in the air. "That's a relief, I guess we can all rest easy knowing you've promised us you're not lying!"

"I was with them three weeks ago," said Malfoy, his eyes still on the floor. "But only because I had to be. Now there's something happening, something big and Harry can help us."

"Help how?" asked Harry. "And who's us?"

The back door slammed, making everyone jump, especially Malfoy who looked like his heart was in danger of stopping. "I'm back!" Lily Potter called out happily. "I had to walk into the village, didn't want Mrs Jones spotting me apparating like last time."

Harry's head snapped back to look at Malfoy, then towards the kitchen entrance just in time to see Lily walk through.

She could only have taken a second to register who their latest visitor was. But her face dropped and her wand was out in a flash. "What is he doing here?" she hissed and Malfoy raised his hands defensively.

"He said he wanted to talk to Harry," said Parvati indignantly. "That he wants his help! But he won't elaborate on any of the details!"

"I'm trying," said Malfoy breathlessly.

"You leave my house right now," snarled Lily, advancing into the living room, her wand trained on Malfoy's chest.

"No, please, you don't understand," said Malfoy, backing into the corner of the room. "Harry's the key to it all, that's what they said. He needs to come with me so he can stop You-Know-Who."

"Harry?" spluttered Parvati. "How can Harry do anything against You-Know-Who?" Harry found that statement odd, but he guessed in this reality, he never had done anything against Voldemort.

"What are you talking about?" Lily asked as she came to a halt in the middle of the room. "He's just a child?" She shook her head. "And you're a Death Eater, you're Malfoy's son, you're in the Dark Lord's inner circle?"

"My father," said Malfoy through his teeth. "That's my father, not me. I want him gone, I'll do anything. That's why I'm here."

There was a few moments of tension where everyone just stared at Malfoy, and he stared back at Lily and her wand. "So, what?" she said, the milk still dangling from her other hand. "You just…" she let her eyes flick up and down the blond boy. "Walked here?"

"Seemed the safest way," said Malfoy. "No magic, harder to trace, and I had protection spells put on me, to mask my location."

Lily's expression was calculating. "So you're saying no one knows you're here?"

"A couple of people," admitted Malfoy evenly. "The ones who sent me, they're one our side."

"There is no 'our side'," spat Seamus venomously.

"Who," demanded Lily. "Who sent you, and why? What on Earth can Harry have to do with this?"

Malfoy gave a little frown. "Well, he's the key?" he said. "You know about the prophecy, right?"

Lily's whole body tensed. "No one knows what the prophecy said," she told him, her voice low. "That's why we went into hiding, why we've been protected all these years."

Harry's stomach flipped. "That was because of a prophecy?" That was news to his ears.

Lily went to say something, then shook her head at him. "How do you know about it?" she asked Malfoy. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Malfoy was sweating, beads pricking on his dirty neck and forehead. "All I know," he said as calmly as he could. "Is that something's happened. Right now, there's something going on and Harry can do something to stop it, stop You-Know-Who."

"How?" demanded Parvati again. "He's just a kid."

Malfoy shook his head. "I just had to get here, by Saturday night, and bring Harry back with me. That's all they told me." He glanced meaningfully at Harry. "Plausible deniability."

The front door banged, and everyone stood in the living room jumped for a second time, including Lily who dropped her bottle of milk. "And then I said!" came the voice of James Potter. "Try it again, and then we'll see who's laughing!" He was obviously with people, and Harry barely had time to process who before they came tumbling into the living room, cavorting and peeling coats off.

He felt like his whole world had reduced to just that moment. As there, by his dad's side, was none other than Sirius Black.

All that emotion, all that anguish he'd felt knowing his godfather had been recaptured, was most likely going to be subjected to Dementor's Kiss, it flew over him again so fast it made him dizzy.

The two of them came to a halt under the archway leading from the hallway into the lounge, and paused, their smiles fading as they took in the scene before them. James looked like he had at dinner, but Sirius…well Harry was shocked. The Sirius he knew had been on the run for the last couple of years, and had spent a decade in Azkaban before that; he was gaunt, malnourished with yellow bitten fingernails and tangled shoulder-length hair. This man was a fuller, muscular build, with clear skin and a crop of healthy hair that shone under the lights. Harry had seen so many photos of him and James stood side by side like that in their youth, it instantly brought a lump to his throat to witness it for himself.

Was his own Sirius okay? he couldn't help but fret. He had just abandoned him in their world, what had happened to him whilst Harry had been here? He didn't have time to dwell though, everything was happening so fast.

"What's going on?" said James, frowning as he took in all the teenagers and Lily, her wand raised, the milk pooling on the carpet by her feet.

"Huh?" came another voice, and the familiar face of Remus Lupin also came into view. Harry's old teacher also looked far healthier in this reality, the shadows under his eyes were gone and there was less grey in his hair.

"Sirius," said Harry dumbfounded. "Remus." He could see Hermione give him a meaningful glance, obviously having remembered their names from Harry's account of his life in her bedroom, as she turned back and studied the two men. It wasn't necessary to tell her who his dad was, the resemblance was uncanny.

"You alright mate?" asked Sirius as James turned to Lily expectantly. But Remus beat him to any question he might have asked.

"Hey," he said as he stood next to James. "That's Draco Malfoy?" He pulled his wand out in a flash, and like Lily, pointed it at Harry's school nemesis.

"Lucius' son?" cried James, and both he and Sirius followed suit, grabbing their wands out and aiming them at Malfoy.

"Wait!" cried the blond boy again. "You don't understand!"

"Draco Malfoy?"

It was a fourth voice, from the hallway, and Harry froze. He may have thought his world had reduced at the sight of Sirius alive and well, but it was nothing compared to the icy clarity that came from hearing the man who was still hidden from view.

He sounded stunned from the squeaky tone of him, and then he stumbled into sight behind the three taller men, struggling to unwrap the oversized scarf from around his head. All that could be seen was small and chubby, dressed in corduroys and a brown leather jacket, he even looked rat-like in his human form.

But Harry didn't need to see his face, he could tell who the fourth man was, who he inevitably had to be. He finally broke free of the scarf, what was left of his wispy hair standing on end with static, and he hurriedly pushed between James and Sirius, his eyes wide on Draco Malfoy.

Harry felt his whole world crumble.

The forth man was Peter Pettigrew.

xxx

Harry didn't even know what he was doing. The moment seemed to stretch on forever, and then in a flash his feet were scrabbling against the carpet, not moving fast enough for him to close the gap and lunge for the man who had betrayed his entire family.

He let out an animalistic snarl as the two collided and his fist landed square on Wormtail's face, crashing them to the floor as everyone around them screamed and bellowed.

"Harry Potter!" shouted his dad, grabbing him by the scruff of his neck and hauling him off. "Have you lost your mind?"

Harry stumbled backwards, his breathing fast and shallow as his eyes found Hermione. "It's him," he breathed. "It's Wormtail."

Hermione's face dropped in horror, and she darted to Harry's side. Seamus and Parvati were looking at them stunned as James and Sirius helped Wormtail to his feet, blood and tears running down his face.

"Harry," he bemoaned. "I think you broke my nose!" His voice was thick with congestion and blood was running into his mouth.

Lily was still pointing her wand at Malfoy, but her expression was bewildered. "Harry what were you thinking?" she asked.

Harry looked at Hermione, who understood the implications of Pettigrew's being there just as well as he did it seemed, but Harry doubted her heart was racing quite like his. She hadn't had a lifetime of bereavement, years of knowing the wrong man had been punished for his family's death, that someone they had considered a friend had betrayed them to save his own skin.

But was it the same? So much else was different in this world; if Pettigrew was still here, and his family still alive, could he still be a Death Eater, spying his unsuspecting friends for Voldemort?

The direction of Lily's wand lead Harry to turn and look at Malfoy, the other potential Death Eater in the room. He hoped maybe he would have a reaction to Wormtail that might give him a clue as to both of their loyalties, but to his surprise Malfoy was staring right at Harry. "You know," he breathed in disbelief, glancing at Wormtail. "Don't you?" He studied Harry and then Hermione meaningfully. "How do you know?"

"Know what?" asked Lily.

"Don't believe a single word that boy tells you!" shrieked Wormtail at Harry as Remus fixed his nose. "He's a Malfoy, you know they only lie!"

"He hasn't told me anything yet," growled Harry. What did Malfoy think he knew? Was he telling him what he suspected, that Wormtail was with Voldemort?

"He just keeps saying he wants Harry to come with him," piped up Parvati in a bossy tone, apparently pleased to have some information amidst all the commotion. "That Harry can stop You-Know-Who or something ludicrous."

The expression of shock, no matter how fleeting, was undeniable on Wormtail's face as his head snapped towards Malfoy. "Well, that's absurd," he stuttered. "What would Harry have to do with anything?"

Malfoy was shaking his head. "Don't," he spat through clenched teeth. "Don't you dare just stand there, don't you talk like that-"

"Hey!" shouted James, raising his hands. "Everybody stop, right now. We are going to answer some questions, starting with why Lucius Malfoy's son is in my living room of all places."

"No we're not," breathed Harry. Everybody became quite still. His vision was boring into Wormtail's fixed but still bloody face, but he could tell all eyes were on him. He was shaking he was so full of adrenalin, his fury bubbling under his skin.

"I'm sorry, what?" said James, not angry, just confused.

"We are going to ask Malfoy," said Harry, choosing every word with great care. "Just how well he knows our friend Wormtail here."

Wormtail let out a funny little squeak. "Why would I know Lucius' boy?" he said. He was trying to be calm, but he kept touching his nose where Harry had hit him and blinking too frequently. "Never met him before in my life, no idea why he's here."

"Harry," said Lily, looking between the boy she thought was her son, and the man she thought was her friend. "What are you talking about. Peter doesn't know Draco."

Harry turned back to Malfoy, who strangely looked like Harry felt. Incensed, his whole body vibrating and his glare directed straight at Wormtail. "Do you know him?" Harry asked, speaking earnestly to Malfoy for the first time in his life. "Is he who I think he is?"

Several people spoke at once.

"Of course he doesn't know me!" squawked Wormtail.

"What has he told you?" demanded Sirius.

"Who do you think he is, Harry?" asked James with concern.

Harry tried to steady his breathing, but it was hard. "I think he's a traitor," he said.

Everyone in the room apart from Malfoy, Hermione and himself exploded in indignation. Roaring, shouting and waving arms. But Harry didn't budge, he just watched the look of fear creep onto Wormtail's face.

There was no doubt.

Harry could feel the tears pooling in his eyes for the second time that night, and he sagged a couple of steps towards Hermione, who put her hands on his left arm and shoulder.

"Harry that is an unforgivable thing to say!" bellowed James, livid beyond reason. "Peter is one of my oldest friends!"

"That's what Sirius thought too," Harry said, knowing he wasn't going to make any sense. "That's why he trusted him, why they switched. But here…here you didn't did you?" he addressed his godfather.

Sirius was all flustered, his chest puffed out and his breathing fast, but Harry's question threw him and he calmed down a bit. "Didn't what?" he asked.

Harry shared a glance with Hermione, who looked wrought with tension. "That's what's different," he told her, and she nodded. "The one change, between the two worlds."

"What?" said Sirius.

Harry turned back to him, to his dad. "When I was a baby, you knew you were in danger, so you got a Secret Keeper, didn't you?"

"Harry," said Lily urgently. "How do you know that?"

"You asked Sirius," Harry continued, ignoring her and turning to his godfather. "And you said yes. But what if you'd offered to switch, to let everyone think it was you, but really it was him." The last word came out as a snarl as he turned on Wormtail.

"But I didn't," said Sirius in confusion, looking at James and Remus for help. "I mean, I considered it-"

"And you saved our LIVES!" yelled Harry in anguish. "If you had chosen Wormtail he would have handed us to You-Know-Who and you would have both DIED!"

"No!" cried Wormtail as Lily gasped. James, Sirius and Remus were standing shoulder to shoulder, all frowning in confusion at Harry. Parvati's mouth had gotten stuck in a permanent 'O' shape, and she had grabbed hold of Seamus' hand as the two of them watched the carnage unfold.

"No," said Wormtail again, shaking his head, sweat running down his neck. "No, Harry, listen to me. I don't know what that Malfoy boy has told you-"

"I haven't told him anything!" yelled Malfoy, moving stiff legged to Harry's side. "Don't you stand there, don't you lie to them you piece of dirt! I know, I know."

"You're the traitor," countered Wormtail, jabbing his pudgy finger at Malfoy. "You and your father, we all know what you did! Don't you try and turn this around on me!"

"Peter's right," argued Lily. "Why would we listen to you over him!"

"Then listen to me," said Harry. He could feel his face was wet, and he kept clenching and unclenching his fists. "I am telling you that this man is loyal to You-Know-Who."

"Why?" snapped James, shaking his head. "Tell me Harry, why tonight have you decided that my friend is a Death Eater!"

"Ask him," said Malfoy, pointing his own shuddering finger. "Ask him how they found Arabella Figg, the Clearwaters?"

Harry's stomach dropped. They were dead too?

"I don't know anything about that!" cried Wormtail.

"You're lying," countered James. "That's insane."

The meekness Malfoy had been displaying when he'd entered the house had evaporated, replaced a righteous indignation that practically radiated off of him. "What reason would I have to lie?" he asked.

"We don't even know why you're here!" shouted Sirius. "You're the enemy! We should just take you straight to the Ministry!"

"You cannot," said Malfoy, pointing his finger to emphasis the word. "Let that man leave this house. Do you understand me?"

"I've had enough of this," said James, shaking his head. "Malfoy, you're coming with me."

"No!" said Harry and Malfoy together. The moment might have stunned Harry if there hadn't been more going on. "Look I don't know why he's here," Harry continued in his next breath as James' expression darkened. "But he's right, if Wormtail leaves, we'll all be in danger."

"Harry," said Lily. "Listen to what you're saying! Peter can't be some sort of spy, he's been our friend for years. If what you're saying had any truth to it, he could have given us up at any time."

"No," argued Malfoy. "No he couldn't, because the Secret Keeper is still in place." He jutted his chin at Sirius. "And you're protected yourself aren't you? So he's just been giving You-Know-Who what he can, drip feeding him enough to save his own skin."

"Lies!" whined Wormtail.

"If that's true," said Remus, piping up for the first time. "How did you get here Draco?"

Malfoy threw out his hands in exasperation. "Severus Snape," he said. "You know he's in there, undercover. He was able to guess a rough location with information from Dumbledore or something, then I've been walking around for three weeks just hoping to get lucky!"

"To what end?" asked Lily. "Why are you here, why are you accusing Peter like this?"

"Is it some twisted ploy?" demanded Sirius.

"I didn't accuse him!" shouted Malfoy, shaking his head and thrusting his finger at Harry. "He did! Don't ask me how he knew, but he's right!"

"I don't have to listen to this," said Wormtail indignantly, and moved backwards, towards the hallway. "James, I'll come back when your son has calmed down."

"Don't," snarled Harry, snatching his wand and pointing it at Wormtail's back. "Even think about it!"

"Harry lower your wand," said Lily, her voice cold. "I don't know what this is about-"

"It's about saving your lives!" he interrupted her. "Why won't you listen to me!"

Wormtail had slowly turned back around, but frustratingly Sirius had stepped in between the two of them, so Harry couldn't get a clean shot.

"Are you really going to fight us mate?" asked Sirius disbelievingly. Seamus and Parvati were still watching on the whole scene, mute and stunned. "Come on Harry," Sirius continued. "What's this about? You've known us your whole life?"

Harry tightened his grip on the wand in his hand, feeling light-headed and trying to keep hold of what he knew to be true. "It's complicated," he said, glancing at Hermione. "But I'm telling you the truth. If you let Wormtail go now his cover is blown, they will find a way around the Secret Keeper protection and they will kill us all, just like You-Know-Who wanted all along."

"Oh it's complicated," griped Wormtail from behind Sirius. "James said you were acting funny today, I think he's been compromised!" He gestured to James. "You need to get his head checked!"

"We already had a Healer look at him," said Lily. Her tone was almost defensive of Harry, but her wand was still up and her face still scowling. "He said there'd been no foul play."

"Then why," cried Wormtail in indignation. "Is he standing there, spouting hateful nonsense with some Death Eater and a Muggle-born!"

His face was red and he was breathing hard and heavy through his nose. Nobody said anything for a moment, but there was a change in the atmosphere, a tangible taste of confusion in the air. Harry felt Hermione grip harder onto his shoulder, and Malfoy actually gave him a look of solidarity, excitement altering his features.

"How," said Lily slowly. "Did you know the girl was Muggle-born Peter?"

Wormtail's face dropped, and Remus, who had been watching on in contemplation for most of the drama folded his arms. "Is she?" he asked.

Wormtail spluttered. "Well, I mean she's not a normal witch, is just what I meant. She's not one of Harry's friends, I just assumed."

"But she could have been from another school house, someone you've not met before," countered Lily. "What would lead you to guess she's Muggle-born? That's pretty far-fetched."

"Lily," said James, his brow creased. "What are you saying?"

Harry's heart was in his throat. Was his mum coming round?

"Harry wasn't at Terry's," Lily informed them. "He was going to see this girl. She is Muggle-born, Harry said he saw her on the news so went to find her."

"Why?" asked Sirius.

"That doesn't matter right now," replied Harry firmly. "She is a Muggle-born; Malfoy said he knew her too, by reputation from the Death Eaters."

"They taught us," Malfoy chimed in bitterly. "So we'd know the enemy. But you know all that already don't you, Wormtail?"

"Stop it!" squawked Pettigrew, still cowering behind Sirius. "You don't know me! I don't know why you're here but you're just lying and Harry should know better than to listen to it!"

"There can only be a few dozen Muggle-born children around Harry's age in the whole country," said Lily. Her attention was on Wormtail fully now, her eyebrows knotted. "How could you have known what she was?"

"Lily," said James sternly. "You're obsessing over a slip of the tongue! It's the Malfoy boy we need to be worrying about, we need to get him to the Ministry."

But Lily didn't say anything, she just kept looking at Wormtail.

"Lily," said James, horror creeping into his voice. "You're not seriously listening to this are you?"

"It just doesn't make sense," she said looking stricken.

"It makes perfect sense," said Remus quietly, much to the abhorrence of the other Marauders.

"Moony!" shouted James as Sirius bristled and Wormtail paled.

"No," he whimpered, shaking his head at Remus. "No, Moony, how could you say that?"

"The Weasleys," he said simply. He looked heart-broken, and Harry glanced at his mum to see if she might be able to give him a clue what Remus was talking about, but she looked just as confused.

"Oh," said Malfoy however softly from his side. "Oh yeah."

"What about them?" demanded James as Wormtail went from white to green. Remus sighed, and swiftly pulled his wand out. "Whoa! Whoa!" cried James and Sirius together, both yanking their own wands out of their pockets as Wormtail stared unbelieving at Remus. Parvati jumped backwards into Seamus' arms, and the two of them moved up against the wall as the adults threatened to duel.

"We never understood," said Remus sadly. "How they were found. They had some of the best protection there was. And Peter personally assured us he had sent his patronus to warn them."

"I did!" Wormtail squeaked desperately. "It wasn't my fault they didn't evacuate in time!"

"Molly once explained their escape route to me," said Lily. A tear was rolling down her face. "It would have taken them a split second to get out." She took in a shuddery breath. "Unless someone knew about their wards. Knew how to block the charm."

"This is madness!" yelled Wormtail, looking to James and Sirius for help. "You knew their defences as well, we helped install them together!"

For the first time, Harry could see a flicker of doubt grace over his father and his godfather's faces. "Of course," said James. "We did it together."

"But they did know precisely which wards were in place," said Malfoy gravely. "I heard my father gloating how-" he faltered. "How easy it was."

"Shut UP!" roared James swinging his wand round to Malfoy and making him flinch. "This isn't true, it can't be!"

"I didn't do it," pleaded Wormtail, but he only had James and Sirius by his side now. Remus and Lily had moved their feet, angled their bodies to bring them closer to Harry. "Lily, how can you say this? Remus?"

"Because it's true," said Harry through his teeth. "You're a spineless liar and you'd give anyone up to save your own SKIN!"

Wormtail grabbed his wand and thrust it towards Harry. "You spoilt BRAT!" he screamed. "You're always tormenting everyone else for your own amusement! What, did your new pal Draco put you up to this, or perhaps your little Mudblood girlfriend!"

He was blasted off his feet and sent skidding into the hallway. "Don't you ever," growled Lily, stalking forwards. "Use that word!"

James was confounded, snapping his head between Wormtail and his wife. "What are you doing!" he pleaded at her.

"You never liked me!" snivelled Wormtail as he pushed himself back up onto his feet. "You were always jealous of James' friends, taking him away from you, from your kids." He snarled the last word like it was dirty, flashing a glare at Harry. "You and your perfect life, you always hated me!"

"No Peter," said Lily firmly. "I never hated you." Her face darkened. "But if this is true. If you are a mole that's been spying on us for more than a decade, you can believe I'll hate you then. There won't be a word to describe my fury."

"Lily," said James again. "This isn't evidence. This is an accusation from some traitorous little Death Eater spawn!"

Harry saw Malfoy flinch beside him, but he didn't protest. He just kept his grey eyes fixed on Wormtail standing between James and Sirius, still out in the corridor where Lily had blast him.

"No it's not," argued Harry through the lump in his throat. "I am telling you that if Sirius had made Wormtail your Secret Keeper instead, he would have handed you over to You-Know-Who personally, then framed Sirius for your deaths." Harry felt something physical and painful run through him as the grief reached up and twisted his insides. "They gave him the Order of bloody Merlin!" he cried bitterly.

"Harry," said Sirius. "You're talking nonsense."

"I don't care," replied Harry, knowing he couldn't explain without revealing he was from an alternate universe.

And then it hit him. Last night, in the old History of Magic classroom. He had been so beyond angry, so incandescent with rage thinking how everything Sirius had been through was all Wormtail's fault, how if only he hadn't switched places and made him the Secret Keeper, everything would have been okay…

And here he was, in a world where that really was true, where Sirius had considered changing, but had then decided against it. A world for every yes and every no, that's what Hermione had described in her parallel dimension theory. In one world Sirius had said yes to trusting Wormtail, and in this world…no.

Had Harry willed himself here? With his insatiable desire to save his godfather's life, had he reached out and found a universe where that had really happened?

Whatever the case he wasn't going to make the mistake of trusting Peter Pettigrew a second time. He had seen everything he needed to prove his guilt, and he wasn't going to let him slip off into the night like he had outside the Shrieking Shack.

Harry shook himself; all this had passed through his head in a matter of seconds. "I told you it's complicated," he repeated to the room. "But I am not letting that man leave this house unless he is under arrest!"

"You really think you can stand up to three grown wizards Harry?" asked Wormtail arrogantly.

"You really want to see me try?" Harry asked back, and Wormtail's brief smug facade slipped.

"No one is fighting anyone," said James, holing up his hands. "Just, everyone, put your wands down."

"Moony," pleaded Wormtail to Remus, changing tactics. "Mate, we're friends, how can you say these things?"

"Because," said Remus, avoiding looking at James or Sirius. "I'm now wondering how many times I've looked the other way because 'we're friends'. How many mistakes have been made." He closed his eyes. "How many lives have been lost."

"No," snapped James. "No, this has got to stop. Peter is not some spy, he would never endanger others, he's got a good family, good friends, why would he have anything to do with the Dark Lord!"

"Because he's weak," growled Harry.

"And he'd do anything to save his own skin," sneered Malfoy from his side. "Including give up the only people who ever liked him."

"Says you!" cried Parvati, daring to join in for the first time in minutes. "You betrayed us all!"

Malfoy turned to look at the Indian girl trembling by the curtains, spurred on by her moment of daring. "You have no idea what you're talking about," he said darkly.

"I think we know exactly what we're talking about," said Seamus defiantly. Malfoy spared him only a glower, before turning back to Wormtail.

"Harry, why are you listening to him!" pleaded Parvati. "You know what he's done, we all know Peter's a friend of your family!"

"Stay out of this Patil," said Malfoy sternly. "Before you get hurt."

Seamus stood in front of her protectively, and they both had their wands out and pointed at Malfoy, though not with half the conviction Harry and Malfoy had theirs at Wormtail.

Lily and Remus both held their own in front of them firmly, but their targets weren't so sure. Wormtail was still using Sirius as a shield, and James had his wand aimed for Malfoy too. Only Hermione stood defenceless by Harry's side, her breathing ragged as her wide, brown eyes analysed everyone.

"James," said Remus, his voice tight. "Sirius. You both read the report, you showed it to me too. The Ministry's investigation into the death of the Weasley family came up empty because they couldn't see how the Death Eaters knew precisely which wards were up? It was the only way they could have breached the Burrow."

"No," said Sirius, shaking his head, but Harry caught him glancing at Wormtail.

"Padfoot," breathed Wormtail, sensing the doubt as well. "You know me, I would never have let Arthur and Molly get hurt."

"What about their children," said Harry, feeling that lump rise in his throat again. "Ron, Ginny, the twins?"

Wormtail blinked the sweat from his eyes, and chose to ignore Harry's words. "Why would I do this?" he asked Lily and the other three Marauders instead. "It makes no sense, you're my friends, I'm loyal to you!"

Harry realised Malfoy was nodding. "That was true," he said, emphasis on the 'was'. "But the pain became too much didn't it?"

"Shut UP!" Wormtail screamed, but Malfoy looked disgusted.

"Just a few days, a few blasts of the Cruciatus Curse," he derided. "They threatened your family," he continued, and something in his voice slipped, but he didn't pause. "But it was the pain that made you crack."

James aimed his wand at Malfoy's head again. "You're a lying, serpentine, skull-stamped piece of-"

"The Dark Mark," said Wormtail suddenly, grabbing at his sleeves. "Look, I don't have a tattoo, there's no scar! How can I be one of them if I don't have the tattoo!"

He looked so triumphant Harry felt his insides flip as Wormtail showed them all his unblemished wrists where the tattoo of a black skull with a green snake coming out of its mouth should have been.

But Malfoy actually lowered his wand. "Then show them your ankles?" he said calmly.

Wormtail swallowed and dropped his sleeves. "Why would I do that?" he asked, trying to sound nonchalant, but Harry didn't miss the slight stammer.

Sirius looked at James, who's head tilted as his mouth pressed together. "No," he said to Sirius, voice trembling.

Sirius took in a deep breath. "Because some undercover agents," said Sirius as Harry felt his heart thump in his throat. "Have their Dark Mark on their ankle instead, to avoid detection."

"No," repeated Wormtail, backing away into the hallway again. "No, guys, you can't be serious? I'm not a Death Eater!"

"Then show us your ankles," said Remus sadly. Everyone now had their wands trained in the direction of Wormtail as he shook and took another step away. "It's simple Peter, you can prove your innocence right here, right now."

"You can prove you didn't betray the Weasleys," said Lily.

"Or Arabella Figg," said Sirius.

"The Diggorys too," said Malfoy with distain.

Parvati gasped. "Cedric?" she cried, and Harry mentally added yet another set of names to the casualty list.

"Just show them," said James, the only one now who seemed hesitant about aiming his wand at Wormtail. He was more holding it by his side. "Prove that it's not true."

"Why should I!" Wormtail shrieked. "My friends should just trust me! But, oh no! Let's pick on Peter again, let's torment him!"

"We're not tormenting you," said Lily moving closer, they were all moving closer.

"Stay OUT of this Evans!" Wormtail spat at her. "You always ruin things, things were just find before you came along and took James away! Even Moony liked you better than me by the time we left school!"

"This has NOTHING to do with Lily," shouted James, finally raising his wand with conviction. "Now are you going to take your sodding socks off, or do we have to do it for you!"

The door behind Wormtail popped open, and the confused face of Sarah Potter appeared in the gap. "What's going on out here?" she asked, bewildered.

Harry felt like his entire innards dropped into his shoes. Time froze as Wormtail glanced at the little girl near him, then jerked and slammed the door all the way open.

"NO!" bellowed Harry, lurching forwards, seemingly realising what was about to happen before anyone else could guess, but he was still too late.

Sarah was still clutching her sheet music from where she'd been playing the piano, but Wormtail seized her by the scruff of her neck and yanked her in front of him, his wand pointed at her temple, the paper pages flying from her grasp and fluttering to the ground.

He'd finally decided to show his hand.

And Sarah Potter was in it.

xxx

The entire room lurched the second after Harry had, but Wormtail shook Sarah menacingly. "Back OFF!" he snarled, the triumphant glint back in his eyes.

"Uncle Peter?" cried Sarah, even more confused. "What are you doing, let me go!"

"Peter," breathed James, holding up his wand in surrender. "Don't do anything foolish, we can talk about this."

"Uncle Peter!" shouted Sarah, pulling at the hand by her throat that was balled around her jumper. "Get off, you're hurting me. GET OFF!"

But Wormtail just shook her again. "Shut up," he growled.

"What are you doing?" said Lily tensely. "Peter, just what are you hoping to do here!"

Wormtail actually laughed and hauled Sarah back towards the door. "I don't know," he said. "I really don't know. Everything was going along fine, then Draco here comes along and blows my cover, I don't really have many choices!" He sounded hysterical, a breathless laugh at the back of his words.

Sarah was jerking her head left and right, trying to look at Wormtail, then attempting to get answers from the mass of people slowly following them out into the hallway. James and Sirius by Lily and Remus, Harry felt too far away stood with Malfoy and Hermione behind them. He had to get in there, had to do something.

"Uncle Peter!" hollered Sarah, lashing out with her fists. "Let me go, let me GO!" She flailed her arms and legs, kicking at his shins and trying to claw at his face like a cat in a sack.

"Wormtail, this has nothing to do with her," shouted Harry.

Wormtail scoffed, his hysteria well and truly set in now. "It had nothing to do with me either!" he cried, glaring directly at Harry. "But you were special, you had to be destroyed! No matter that James was my friend, it was up to me to deliver you to him! And when I couldn't…" He trailed off, and Sarah tried to use his lull to break free, but Wormtail pulled her back before she had a chance to even think about getting out of his grip.

"She's my baby," shouted Lily, fear alight in her whole body. "Don't hurt her Peter, please, we can work something out!"

"Oh I've already worked something out," said Wormtail viciously, and stepped backwards again. "Don't worry, I won't hurt your little angel." He shook Sarah again and she gasped, straining with everything her small body had to give, trying to fight off the grown man dragging her away from her family. "She's going to keep me alive, from you, from them."

Harry saw his whole dad's frame sag. "Who?" he asked. Their group was all in the corridor now, bunched up and entirely focused on the traitor with his wand at Sarah's head. "What do you mean?"

Wormtail clamped his jaw together and curled his lip. "You won't attack me whilst I've got her, you know at this range I could kill her before any spell hit me."

At his words Sarah suddenly went limp, tears instantly pooling in her eyes. "Mum?" she stammered.

"It's okay baby," she said, trying to sound reassuring as she reached out to her daughter. "It'll be okay." But Wormtail jerked her back again.

"So we're going to take a little walk down the path out here," he said. "Until we're far enough from the house to apparate."

"No," whispered Lily.

"And then you can let her go," said Sirius threateningly.

But Wormtail just smirked again. "You think he'll let me live, after this mess?" he asked. "You think he won't get-" he choked on the word. "Inventive?"

"You're damn right he will," growled Malfoy. "You thought before was bad?"

"Malfoy, shut up!" cried Harry, but the other boy shook his head, undeterred.

"Give up now, let her go," he said to Wormtail. "We can protect you, the Ministry can too. It doesn't have to be like this!"

"No," said Wormtail, blinking and shaking his head as Sarah trembled against his iron grip. "No I don't think so, spend my life looking over my shoulder, waiting for the ambush, I have to redeem myself."

"We're you're friends," bellowed Sirius. "We're the ones you need to redeem yourself to!"

"Please don't do this," begged Lily.

Sarah tried again to hit out at her captor, a gust of defiance blowing through her again. "Uncle Peter STOP IT!" she shrieked.

But he just groped for the door handle and swung it open, a freezing rush of air engulfing them in the hall. "I tried to protect you," cried Wormtail to the group following him. "I've been through Hell. But you always take me for granted, exclude me, belittle me. I'm always the punching bag, aren't I – AREN'T I?"

"Just let her go," said James, reaching out as Wormtail moved himself and Sarah off the step and out into the night. She gasped as the cold air bit through her clothes. "We won't stop you, we'll let you apparate."

Wormtail grinned as they moved another step down the pathway, and the group squeezed out into the night. Harry barely felt the wind, he was almost delirious with concern for Sarah's safety. He'd told her to stay in the other room. He'd told her.

"Oh no," said Wormtail. "Don't you see, if I take her with me, she'll stop the Dark Lord from laying down his wrath on me, she'll protect me from him to."

"How?" demanded Remus. "How can a little girl do that?"

"Because," said Wormtail, moving inch by inch, crunching down the gravelled path. "I know how important she is to you. I know if we give the wonder boy over there a chance to come rescue her, you'll risk it."

"What?" said James.

"They want Harry," said Malfoy bitterly. "That's always their endgame. He'll redeem himself by delivering Harry to You-Know-Who."

Harry blanched. "You want me?" he asked, but it wasn't really a question. When hadn't Voldemort wanted him? "Then take me, just take me! Let her go!"

Wormtail laughed again. "You? I've seen the nasty things Sirius has taught you, I wouldn't last a second. No, I'll take the princess here, and you can come and find her."

"You're asking us to trade one child, for another?" rasped James in disbelief.

Wormtail scowled, his features looking more and more rat-like in the moonlight as they edged down the tree-lined path towards the road. "I guess you'll have to think about which one means more?" Wormtail taunted, shaking Sarah as tears fell silently down her face. "Which one will stand a better chance against the Dark Lord's might."

"No," breathed Sirius as Lily lunged forward, but Wormtail lifted his wand threateningly by Sarah's head and James pulled her back.

"You COWARD!" she screamed, fighting against her husband's grasp. "You TRAITOR! Let her GO!"

But Wormtail would not be moved, and Harry felt a terrible sickness rising in him. "I'm just doing what I have to," said Wormtail. "To survive. It's what I've always had to do, but you wouldn't know anything about that would you?" He sneered unkindly. "It's always so easy for the Potters, never have to think about what others might be going through?"

"We can still fix this," pleaded James, and Harry was all too aware how close they were getting to the road now. Where did the boundary end? When would he be able to apparate away?

Wormtail shook his head. "Too late," he snarled. "Send Harry to us, the Malfoy boy knows the way. And who knows? Maybe if he gets him there in one piece he can explain what the Hell he was doing with Harry Potter in the first place?"

He gave Malfoy a wicked, gloating smile.

"Last chance," Malfoy replied. "You can still end this."

"Please," begged Harry. "This is between you and me. It doesn't have to be like this."

They were only a few feet away, the group forming a semi-circle around Wormtail and Sarah as they took another step, then another. But they couldn't make a move, not without risking Sarah's life.

"Yes it does," Wormtail told him. They were at the end of the garden path, and Wormtail stepped out onto the road, clutching Sarah by his side. "And it's all your fault. Goodbye everyone."

There was screaming, people lunged, but it was no good. Peter Pettigrew spun on the spot, Sarah Potter held firmly in his arms.

And then, just like that, they were gone.

75