Chapter 21

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the Harry Potter series, only this story. So, enjoy!

It was extremely early in the morning when Peter decided that it was safe to leave the cabin for his meeting that nigh. Carefully slipping out of the bed that he was sharing with Remus, Peter quickly and quietly picked his way through the cabin until he had safely arrived outside and shut the door behind him. Breathing a deep sigh of relief, Peter looked around the small clearing that he was in.

Getting his bearings straight, thanks to the brighness of the crescent moon, Peter turned to his left where the thick wooded forest began, and plunged himself through the trees and brush as fast as he could run. Because of the thick brush and many old, fallen tree trunks and the amount of the trees in his way, Peter was slowed down quite a bit, but still managed to arrive at a small, semi-moonlit clearing where the ground was covered in moss. As he arrived, Peter saw the person whom he was here to meet standing in the semi-darkness to his right. Even though he could only see her black, sleek hair and the outline of her thin, pale body, Peter knew almost immediatley who this was.

"Miss Bellatrix Black, I'm sorry that I took so long. James and Sirius were still awake at the time that I had planned to sneak out. I had to wait for them to fall asleep before I could leave." Peter explained in gasping breaths. At first, Peter wondered wether or not Bellatrix had heard him, but then he saw her step out and walk to the middle of the clearing, where he himself was now standing.

As soon as she arrived, he could tell that, though annoyed, he wouldn't be punished, this time. "Your circumstances are understandable." Bellatrix said softly, more to herself than to Peter. "Yet, next time you will meet me in time, are we understood, Pettigrew?" Laced with the civility of her words and the softness of her voice was a sinister threat that she would no doubt take joy in making true.

Knowing this, Peter felt himself become slightly more afraid of Bellatrix than he usually was. "Y-yes Miss Black. It is understood." Looking down at the younger boy-her being taller than the average and him slightly smaller than average- Bellatrix smiled a smile that did not reassure Peter, a small, conniving and evil smile that was her trademark.

"Good. Then we can now finally talk of what we are her for tonight." Turning away from him suddenly, Bellatrix absentmindedly walked around the clearing as she talked, spinning her wand in her hands as was he habit. "We were able to send a team into the Potter manor while the funeral was going on and sucessfully complete your work of creating a whole in the magical protections and sheild surrounding the manor." She began. Still walking as she talked, Bellatrix smiled even broader, and even more evilly as she continued.

"Because of this recent and unexpected succes, we will be able to move ahead schedule and attack the Potter Mansion earlier than expected. This means that we will have to change our plans qiute a bit." Stopping so that she was, again, within arms reach of Peter, she looked Peter in the eye while saying the next few words.

"We will now be attacking the Potter Mansion in three days time. And instead of only going for killing Potters' parents, we will be going after Potter himself and Lupin as well. This is inresponse to Sirius' little flight and disgrace of his old parents, my Uncle and Aunt." Peter, to say the least, was completely taken off-guard by how fast everything was happening.

Blinking back surprise, Peter nodded in understanding before asking a question. "I see, that is definitely good news! But, Miss Black, if we are to get revenge on Sirius for leaving your and disgracing them, wouldn't we kill him as well or instead?" Bellatrix rolled her eyes and gave a frustrated sigh at Peter's lack of cleverness.

"Of course we will kill him, you idiot! But instead of making it clean and easy for him, we are going to make him suffer! Killing his friends first will cause him the most pain! And, if all goes well, you will be the one to kill him!" Bellatrix answered, a small sadistic smile reappearing at the last sentence.

Petr, hiowever, was slightly confused still. "How will me killing him make him suffer, though?" Bellatrix, a bit more niffed because of his continued lack of creativity and cleverness, again proceeded to explain to Peter.

"Because , to him, you are his friend, his family still! You killing him would make him feel betrayed, nlike if I killed him, he would just laugh and die full of pride at rebelling against me and my family! Do you understand now you dimwitted chld?" Bellatrix answered, now completely annoyed at Peter's intelligence.

Nodding in submission, Peter shrank back. Somewhat more please, Bellatrixnodded curtly before looking up at the sky. There, mixed with the light from the crescent moon, there now was a small sliver of pink in the sky, signifying that dawn was drawing close. Looking down at Peter again, Bellatrix spoke to him again for the last time that night.

"Get back to the cabin and hurry. We don't need you to make them suspicious. During the battle, you are to pretend to fight us, and we will stun you, making it seem as though you are still on their side. We do not need you to reveal you true loyalties yet, Pettigrew. The time will come, and soon, but for now you will pretend to be on their side. Understood?"

Nodding, Peter signified that he understood. "Good, then go and get back into that cabin! Remember that the attack on the Potter Manor will be in three days, starting today!" And with her last words, Bellatrix was gone, having apparated away from the forest and to who knew where.

Alone now, Peter stood for a few seconds to process what he had just been told. He, Peter Pettigrew was supposed to kill Sirius Black! One of the best young wizards in school! Smiling like a child told they were to meet Santa Claus, Peter began to feel excitement at his new prospect for the near future. The attackm was to be made early, he was to take no part, something he was glad of because he hated dueling, and he was going to kill one of the best wizards in his school!

Finally, Peter realized that he was supposed to be getting back to thecabin before everyone else was awake. Breaking into a sprint, Peter one again ran as fast as his legs and the forest would allow him, though this time it tookm less time since his excitement lent him new strength. As soon as he arrived at the cabin, Peter was relieved to see that none of the other occupants of the cabin were awake yet. Opening the door quietly, Peter squeezed himself inside and shut the door crefully behind him. Getting to the room he shared with Remus as quckly and silently as he could, he was just about to open the door when he realized something- he had just ranj through a thickly wooded forest twice and was probably dirty, scratched and muddy.

Turnignaway from the door to the bedroom, Peter instead walked the short distance to the nearest bathroom and wnet in. Soon after, Peter reemerged fro the bathroom, having washed his hands, feet and face and checked for any and all noticeable scratches. Luckily for him, there had been none. Now that he looked like he had been in the cabin the whole night, Peter entered the room he was sharing with Remus and, after closing the door, slipped silently back into the bed next to Remus.

Satisfied that he had successfully pulled leaving and returning to the cabin off, Peter now happily smiled and moved around until he was comfortable and quickly fell asleep. As he slept, Peter found himself of dreaming of the fight in three days, him killing Sirius and the praise it would bring, and of a bright, powerfull future that lay ahead of him.

A/N

So, chapter 21 is up already! I love it! And thank you to the ONE person who reviewed. It was highly appreciated and I give you hugs! Anyway, thank you so much for sticking with my story thus far, and I hope that you are enjoying it. Soon, the next chapter will be up and running, so keep your eyes peeled for it!

-WolfGirl16