Chapter III

The Spy

Peter

Staying in the same house as Bellatrix Lestrange was starting to get on Peter's nerves. The whole wizarding world was out to get her, but sure, she threw a fit because she was not allowed near Hogsmeade. Peter was still mad at her for sneaking out and attacking Longbottom like that. She should have expected Remus getting in the way. The rest of the Death Eaters ignored Remus, but Peter knew better.

Lucius was more focused on getting his heir than reviving the Dark Lord, and honestly in all that time he could produce another heir in Peter's opinion.

The trial was long and tedious and Lucius attended his son's games and rebuilt his manor. Maybe Peter shouldn't waste that much time on him after all. Bellatrix would have been a lot more proactive, but she was locked up till the fire dies down.

Sirius had been around a lot and that niece of his was snooping as well. Peter didn't think they suspected him of something, but maybe he should attend more events and calm them down. So he accepted Lucius's offer to accompany him to one of his son's games. He was playing Seeker for Slytherin. Peter really liked Quiddich, but hadn't been to a game in a long time.

Lucius was having a seat at the teacher's lounge with someone from the Board of Governors; Peter didn't really care since Hogwarts was not important to the Plan at the moment. The pale blond boy flying in a Green Quiddich Robe was the key to Lucius though. Peter checked for Harry as well, a habit at this point; he was in the stands with some friends in a mismatch of house colors. James's son a Slytherin, Peter smirked at the irony.

The Longbottoms' son was in the Gryffindor stands, scrawny, pale and reeking of fear and indecision. He was nothing like Alice or Frank. Bellatrix would love to hear that once he gets home. Peter didn't look at the game; he checked the teachers' lounge. Severus was staring at them intently. Peter didn't approach him yet, but he never put the same trust in him his Master did.

On the seat next to him, Remus was looking at the pitch, Padfoot at his feet. Peter wasn't surprised by the change in their relationship; in a way having them distracted might work to his advantage. Keeping them apart could have as well, but now it was past the time to intervene. Sirius was a stubborn bastard and Remus was pinning since forever, he better stay away from that for now.

He didn't indulge it in a long time, but Peter loved to play chess. Right now, the pieces were moving to his advantage, if only the stubborn Rook that was Lucius could get on with it, it would be even better.

Draco Malfoy was a decent player; the team was not amazing though. The heir seemed particularly vicious in out doing the Ravenclaw seeker, a girl, pure-blood, minor house, not much political influence, unimportant.

The game was done and Slytherin team lost. Draco did catch the Snitch, but they didn't have enough points to win. Lucius seemed angry at that, hopefully that would speed up the process. Remus asked Peter to stay for a drink at the Hog's Head, Peter accepted.

Sirius turned back in the loo of the pub. He didn't kiss Remus, since as far as Peter knew they were keeping their relationship a secret, but he could bet they were holding hands under the table.

"So you came to the game with Lucius?" Sirius asked.

Remus raised an eyebrow at him.

"Yeah, he wanted to show me his son."

"It's not like you haven't seen the boy before. Draco is a pretty good player," Sirius beamed.

"I heard Harry was asked to be Seeker in his first year. What happened to that?"

"He didn't like the game," Remus smiled tightly.

"Are we sure he is James's?" Peter joked.

"The jury is still out; he does have his hair though."

Remus rolled his eyes. "It was kind of hard to be the milkman's since they were fighting a war at that time"

Mentioning the war removed all the good fun they managed to muster. Remus was usually a kill joy like that.

Peter took a big gulp of his drink. "So how is teaching?"

"Was, I signed my resignation."

"Why? I heard about fighting Bellatrix Lestrange. That was impressive," Peter supplied.

"I lost my way a bit," Remus huffed.

"You saved Neville," Sirius said and moves even closer to Remus. Peter wanted to Scourgify his eyes.

"So are you Padfoot all day?"

"Not all the time," Sirius said and eyed Remus.

Remus blushed; he was approaching Gryffindor red colors now.

"I hate you," He hissed.

"No, you don't," Sirius grinned.

"You two are giving me a sugar rush" Peter moaned.

"Good, you look like you need it," Sirius said taking his eyes off Remus finally.

"How have you been, Wormtail?" Remus asked.

Fucking name.

"Same old."

"Helped Lucius setting in I see" Sirius commented.

"He needed some help."

"You two were never friends" Remus pointed out.

"Well, people change. He needed someone now and it may be good for Draco as well"

"The boy certainly likes him," Sirius hissed.

"He is his father," Peter said.

"Sirius is just jealous, ignore him," Remus said petting Sirius on the shoulder.

"I should go," Peter drank the rest of his glass. "See you!"

"Bye!" Remus and Sirius shook his hand. They used to hug, but that had been in another era.

Peter didn't like the idea. Lucius insisted on meeting Severus Snape to find some information he could use against Narcissa and also they needed to get a reading about his alliances. You never knew with Snape. Last time he had been on their side, but he had been cozying up with Lily Evans for a while and he always had a thing for her.

Peter thought it was too risky to bring him into the fold, but Lucius claimed he could be swayed. Bellatrix was also willing to try and bring Severus in, but she was clinically insane. They met Severus at Malfoy Manor.

For a place that'd been deserted for the last 12 years, it sure cleaned up nicely. Lucius employed some new house elves. Some of the previous ones had died and the rest were a bit out of their minds for being alone all this time. One of them was released by the heir, but Lucius didn't bother to call that one back, he had failed anyway.

Apparently, Lucius had left an artifact for the elf to hand over to a child last year, with the mention that it couldn't have been the heir. The elf had chosen a random Weasley spawn, but the effect had been minimal. The book should have opened the Chamber of Secrets, but apart from a petrification accident during a class, nothing had happened.

Lucius had kept the artifact for years, left precise instructions for it using the only owl he had been allowed for the whole year and this was what had come of it… It was better the elf was not here.

Severus arrived by Floo on a Saturday. He arrived exactly on time like always. Looking up at him it seemed like no time had passed at all. The same clothing, the same look of disdain.

"So glad you could join us," Lucius started.

"I am sorry it took me so long to congratulate you on getting out."

"It is better that you did, had enough time to get my things in order," Lucius smiled cold.

"I heard about the trial. Draco is an exemplary pureblood heir."

"He is, too bad Black thought the same."

"I am sure the jury will see who is better fitted to take care of the boy."

"About that. I wanted to enquire about my son's education. You've been a close friend to the family over the years."

"I had kept a close eye on him, like I knew you would have wanted me to."

"Of course, on him and that mudblood and her family."

"They are mingling a lot among themselves it couldn't be helped."

"I am sure you didn't mind!" Lucius smiled tight.

"We want anything you have on Narcissa," Peter burst in. Pureblood discussion, they could take days.

Lucius and Severus turned to him. Lucius glared; he hated being interrupted.

"Not much, she is a recluse like you stated in the trial."

"Does she have a lover? She and Evans are spending a lot of time together… or her and Lupin… maybe Black?"

"Both gay," Peter piped in and rolled his eyes. "And if Evans was attached he wouldn't be sniffing around still."

"Gay?" Lucius turned to Peter surprised.

"For each other no less, disgusting I know"

"A werewolf? My god, how that family has fallen. Considering that, they should never let them raise any pureblood heirs."

Peter nodded his head agreeing with Lucius.

"But the jury won't see it like that, since we can't prove Sirius and Remus are involved and Remus is not registered as a werewolf."

"But what if they did?" Lucius asked smirking.

"That can be a plan," Peter agreed.

"Why are you doing this? And to your friends no less." Severus said glaring at Peter.

"Well, now I am the spy," Peter glared. "I am not sure about your motives anymore, you became a bit grey."

"A spy?" Severus asked raspy.

Peter sighed and revealed his forearm.

"I've done a pretty good job so far!* Peter said smug.

"How? Why? How long?"

"And that is why I am the better spy," Peter smirked.

"Boys!" Lucius chided.

"I am only testing the water; we need to know what side he is on for the next phase."

"I am on the same side I always was!"

"Prove it then, help Lucius get his heir, find the Dark Lord, make a move!"

Severus nodded.

It was not pretty, but it was something that needed to be done. He took care of Remus first. It was easy getting to the press, especially to Skeeter, that Remus was a werewolf. They also cited an anonymous teacher that was scared for his life and the life of the students.

It was all it needed. Spirits were already ignited against Dumbledore from previous years and now with the Dementors there. People only needed a figure to focus their anger on. Of course, Remus already left, but that didn't sway the mob. Peter was hoping to get two birds with one stone, undermine Dumbledore and also Sirius using their attachment to the werewolf.

Peter decided to visit Sirius's house to get a reading on them.

"Wormtail! What a surprise!" Sirius was the one to open the door.

"I heard about Remus… I assume he is here?"

"Of course he is! Remus, we have a visitor!" He boomed up the stairs.

Remus exited one of the bedrooms - Sirius's, no doubt – and greeted him.

"I am so sorry for what happened at the school," Peter said.

"Yeah… I quit before it anyway. Guess that curse is still around," Remus sighed.

"At least you didn't die or went mad," Sirius joked half-heartily.

"Lockhart is not mad," Remus muttered.

"Are you sure? I am positive the man has some serious problems."

"Not as serious as lycanthropy," Remus said dejected and threw himself in a chair.

"There are a lot of ignorant people out there," Peter comforted Remus.

"They are right to fear me!"

"I can't believe Severus would do this though."

"Severus?" Sirius turned to Peter shocked.

"Yeah, didn't you figure out he was the anonymous teacher?"

They both looked at him with shocked expressions.

"That man was never trustworthy," Peter sighed.

"Apparently," Sirius glared at no one in particular.

"Are you sure?" Remus whispered.

"I dug a bit to find out who it was," Peter admitted.

"Thank you for telling us," Sirius said tight.

"Of course, you are my oldest friends."

"How about some wine? Narcissa did her best, but we still have plenty in the cellar," Sirius said.

"I would love some."

The next step was easy as well. Whisper to Skeeter, open Pandora's Box. She trailed Sirius a week and ended up with a pretty good report. Bachelor Black unregistered animagus, Head of the Black family together with a werewolf!? Imperius or dark perversion. The last one made even Bellatrix smile.

Of course, Sirius was only fined for being an unregistered Animagus, but his relationship with Remus was a new can of worms. Even if the wizarding society was not openly against gay relationships, you can't legally marry or produce an heir. So many people regarded it as a phase, or in some circles a hobby, a past time of the rich purebloods with wives and heirs at home.

Peter listened to the whispers from the high circles. Someone like that was incapable of raising an heir right. Not only gay, but with a werewolf? Was the other one even considered human? Why was he an Animagus as well, was that all connected? Some sick game?

Peter carefully planned the bomb with a week before the last hearing for the custody trial. No one thanked him as usually, but he did the most work.

Severus did testify for them at the trial, painted a pretty nice picture of Narcissa and her alcohol problem. Not enough evidence to sustain it, but enough to plant a seed of doubt in the mind of the court.

Next was Lily testifying for Narcissa, of course. She still had a lot of sway, Peter was tempted to go with the mudblood route that didn't understand their customs, but the topic was too sensitive at the moment. Next would have been Remus, but he was removed from the witness line swiftly and promptly with no reason given whatsoever.

Andromeda took the stand instead. A Black speaking for her sister and cousin, but they were all a ragtag team of misfits, the muggle lover, the mudblood. Peter hoped it was going to be enough.

He should have known better. Dumbledore was Chief Warlock, of course being gay for a werewolf had no sway on him; he was the one who loved Grindelwarld for fuck's sake. Lucius was inconsolable when the sentence was announced.

Draco would remain under Narcissa's care. Lucius would get half of the holidays and a weekend a month to see his son on summer. Draco would remain the Black heir, since all the purebloods still gashed at the name. Peter didn't understand why, the family was in shambles and away from what it was as its core. The Black family, they always aligned with Dark Magic, pureblood values and then Sirius showed up.

Peter would have killed for that legacy, for that money to fall on and all he had to do was marry someone, have a kid and keep your head down. It was so like Sirius, get the money and the title anyway in the end, get an heir and the person he wanted. The only question was for how long?

With nothing to hold him down anymore, Lucius and Peter were free to begin searching. They knew the Dark Lord's spirit was alive and could attach itself to living being, like it did to Quirell two years ago. They only needed to find him.

Severus managed to provide the traveling map Quirell followed in his sabbatical year. A lot of places, three continents and an absurd number of countries.

"He can't just be anywhere," Lucius snapped.

"Maybe one of these places meant something for the Dark Lord," Peter pointed out.

They all looked at the dotted map again.

"His muggle dad's family was from Albania," Bellatrix's voice said after a long pause.

"Do you think he is at his muggle dad's place?" Lucius turned to her surprised.

"Well, he may not have a choice… The spirit should draw its energy from the previous life. Since it can't at Hogwarts because of Dumbledore and the Gaunt family home is completely destroyed, it makes sense," Bellatrix pointed out.

Peter looked at her shocked; he overlooked her for so long as being insane, but she was the second in command among the Death Eaters for a reason.

"Yes, we should begin our search there." Peter concluded. "I will go with Bellatrix. Lucius should remain; there is too much attention on him at the moment."

"Agreed."

Peter didn't know much about the Dark Lord's family. He knew plenty about the Gaunts since they were purebloods, but nothing about the Riddle line. He knew his parents meet in England, but nothing else was him. Apparently, Bellatrix knew more, Riddle Senior was an immigrant, his parents owned an estate in Albania and had ties with rich families from Europe, but no drop of magic blood.

But that was the extent of what Bellatrix was willing to share. According to Peter's research, Tom Riddle Senior and his parents all had died on the same day by the hand of Morfin Gaunt that was trialed and sentenced to Askaban. Another old pure-blood family that died out, since the Dark Lord chose to use his muggle father's name than the one of his pure-blood mother.

They took a Portkey to Albania. Peter knew someone who worked in Transportation that helped him. They landed in a forest that was on Quirell's route, not too far from the Riddle house.

"Someone is trailing us," Bellatrix whispered while they were walking towards the house.

Peter shivered, "Who?"

"Don't know yet."

They continue walking. Peter tried to resist the urge to look back. When they moved under some trees, Bellatrix dragged him behind a large one and signaled him to shut up. They cloaked themselves and waited. Peter didn't see anything for a while, but he heard the leaves crunching under some light steps. The tracker was using a Cloaking spell as well.

Bellatrix pounced. The person following them lost focus and the cloaking spell broke revealing Bertha Jorkins; she worked for the Ministry. She was not a fighter. Bellatrix overpowered her in a matter of seconds.

"You said you had someone in Transportation," She hissed when Jorkins was apprehended.

"I do, but someone swayed by money can easily do it again."

"Do you think she is a spy?"

"Too bad at combat, maybe a do-gooder that was asked to keep a close eye on me"

"That means you are not that good of a spy, are you?" Bellatrix glared. "Help me with her, we are taking her to the house."

"Why not kill her now?"

"She may have information," Bellatrix rolled her eyes.

They made their way to the abandoned house. Bellatrix was levitating Bertha's unconscious body behind them. Peter entered the house first. They both felt it the second they walked past the threshold. Their Marks pulsating, seeking their master.

Peter and Bellatrix let themselves be lead towards the center of the house. There, waiting, was the Dark Lord himself. Bellatrix dropped Bertha and kneeled at his feet. Peter bowed his head.

From what it used to be, his Master was now but an Empty Husk. Peter swore he would return him back to power. Being a Death Eater was the only time he felt strong.

The memories flashed before his eyes…

Growing up with the brightest of his year was hard on Peter, but he loved them; they were inseparable.

Being a pure-blood he knew more people from Slytherin and never hated the whole house as much as Sirius and James did. He followed his friends into war which was not what they had expected. No glory or honor.

Peter wanted it to be over by the first month. He was captured by the Death Eaters in one of the raids. Sirius, who was supposed to protect him ran after Remus instead, even if Remus was paired with James.

Peter thought this would be the end. But the Death Eaters didn't kill him, no; they took him to Voldemort himself. Later on he would be remembering the Dark Lord in his mind, thumping away over his memories and his most intimate thoughts.

"You are not in this war because you believe in the spew Dumbledore throws at you," The Dark Lord said.

Peter remained quiet observing him.

"They have deserted you. Was Black supposed to protect you? They didn't even notice you were gone. You are a smart man, Peter Pettigrew; do you want to be a pawn for your entire life?"

Peter raised his eyes and stared into Tom Riddle's eyes, blood red. He used to be a handsome man, Peter remembers his Slytherin friends saying, but something happened. Some said he sold his soul for the power he now possessed.

"Do you want to die, Peter?"

"No," Peter said in a small voice.

"Then the only way you can survive is by allying yourself to us."

Peter promised he would, with the intention of only returning home. He did with no other problems from the Death Eaters. When he got there, the others didn't even notice he was gone. They were all around Marlene McKinnon's body; she was found after the battle.

They buried her and all Peter could think about was that it could have been him. That the friends he relayed on didn't save him. Voldemort did. He didn't give the other side any information, but then James did something stupid.

In the middle of the war, he decided to have a kid. Their strongest fighters, Frank and Alice and Lily and James, all decided, selfishly, that this was the perfect time to have a spawn. And if they were gambling their lives like this, Peter was not about to let them gamble his.

The first information he ever gave them led to James and Voldemort having a duel.

Hopefully, the Dark Lord was not blaming him for what Lily did. He couldn't have known she would use blood magic.

"I knew you would come for me, Bellatrix," Peter heard Voldermort say.

"Oh, my lord."

Peter looked over at the remains of the man in front of him, he was literally and figuratively a ghost of his former self. In the last years, Voldemort's appearance started to shift, from the charismatic Heir of Slytherin, to what it was today. Peter remembered the dark-brown eyes, the black curly hair, but it got harder and harder to pair that to the image in front of him. The scarlet eyes were glaring at him from the dark.

"Peter, I am glad to see you here."

"My lord," Peter bowed.

Peter heard a hiss behind him and turned to see a huge snake making its way towards them. He had his wand out and was ready to cast when the Dark Lord's voice stopped him.

"Do not harm her, she is the only reason I am still here"

The snake crawled towards the chair Voldemort was sitting in and coiled around the back of it staring at them and hissing softly into her master's ear.

"Oh, Nagini says you brought me a present."

"Yes, my Lord," Bellatrix levitated Bertha's body further into the house.

"Excellent, she will serve my purpose just fine."

"There is something we can help you with, my Lord?" Peter asked.

"Bellatrix, I need to preform another ritual, bring me the necessary supplies."

Bellatrix nods and apparates away.

"As for you, Peter, I have a special mission for you!"

"Anything, my Lord!"