Helloooo all!

So, I am absolutely tickled pink at how excited this last chapter got you all. The amount of people thrown through a loop is very entertaining to me.

Now, I know right now this might seem like it came out of left field, given Peter's lack of a spine or skill. But trust me, things will be made clear.

Starting...

Now!

If Someone Cared Enough

Chapter Eighty-Three: Into the Snake Pit

There must have been a silencing spell on the bathroom when they entered, because Severus could certainly see a crying Marlene slumped against one of the sinks but he couldn't hear her. The normally upbeat and cheerful girl was littered with tiny cuts and bruises, sitting in a puddle of toilet water and crumbled plastered.

Mary crouched next to the distraught girl, speaking soundless words of comfort as she rubbed Marlene's shoulder.

Remus stood by the broken sink they all knew concealed the entrance, his brow furrowed in deep thought, a hard expression on his face.

Lily swiftly dropped to Marlene's side, startling the two as they couldn't hear her approach.

Catching movement out of the corner of his eye, Remus turned to Severus with a brief look of relief, waving his wand. As he did so, an ear splitting wailing filled the air.

Not wanting to draw attention to the bathroom, Severus quickly cast his own spell, preventing anyone outside from hearing the awful din.

"Sorry about that," Remus apologized, approaching Severus, "Couldn't remember your spell and I didn't want anyone coming in here that wasn't a part of the group."

He gestured towards the furthest stall, presumably where the awful racket was coming from, "Figured she'd call a lot of attention to us."

"Indeed," Severus deadpanned. He gestured towards Marlene, "Care to explain what's going on over there?"

"Peter attacked her," Mary answered, surprising Severus as this was the first time she'd spoken to him since their falling out, "He hit her with a blasting charm, knocked her out cold."

"H-he didn't mean t-to," Marlene whimpered, tears running down her cheeks in thick mascara trails. A trickle of blood was dribbling sluggishly down from her hairline.

Remus turned to Severus, "The chamber was already closed by the time I got here, but Marlene says he opened it."

"Not to be harsh or anything," Simone spoke up, "But if the chamber was opened, why isn't Marlene dead? Surely she'd be the first living thing the Basilisk came across."

"Basilisk?" Marlene croaked in dismay, before her face crumpled and she dissolved into fresh sobbing, "Oh Merlin, he's dead. He's dead!"

Davis took over, "That's the thing. From what we can tell, nothing came out of the chamber. Somebody went in."

Severus frowned, "The least skilled wizard in Hogwarts waltzed into the Basilisk's lair?"

Davis nodded, "Seems like it."

"But that doesn't make any sense," Thea piped up, kneeling next to Marlene to console her, "There's little chance Peter's a Parselmouth, he wouldn't be able to control the Basilisk if he tried."

"None of this makes sense," Severus shot back, "Least of all Pettigrew being the Heir of Slytherin. He's a great many thing; cowardly, spineless, foolish, pathetic—"

Remus cleared his throat, "A point, if you please, Severus."

Severus almost had it in him to look apologetic. Almost, "He's many things…but I wouldn't count murderer to be one of them."

"That's 'cause he's not," Marlene cried out, hiccupping, "Peter isn't a bad person; just easily led; that's why I don't like him hanging around Potter and Black."

"So what, pray tell, led him to this?" Severus asked.

"Marlene," Lily said tenderly, smoothing her hand over Marlene's curls, "Maybe you should start with why you and Peter were in this bathroom to begin with."

Marlene sniffled, "I followed him. Peter's been acting off for weeks. Months even. Real jittery and pale. I thought it was just stress from his friends breaking up, but he's been getting worse lately. There are times he just disappears on me and when he comes back he doesn't even have an explanation for where he's been. He just gets this blank look on his face, almost like he doesn't know either."

"Today he was supposed to meet me for a walk around the lake," Marlene went on, "But he never showed. So I went looking for him. I saw him ducking into this bathroom and followed him. He was talking funny; it didn't sound like him at all. Before I could confront him that sink started shaking," she pointed to the broken sink, "It just sort of started moving. It opened up into this big huge hole."

"Marlene, think carefully," Severus prompted, kneeling down in front of her, "Did he have a diary with him? It would look like a worn out leather book."

Marlene blinked, "Is that what that was? He was holding it open in front of him, but there didn't seem to be anything written in it."

Marlene's lip quivered, "he was staring at it so transfixed; I thought he was in a trance. I tried to take it from him, maybe snap him out of it and he turned his wand on me. H-he knocked me into the sinks. Next thing I knew, Mary was waking me up and Peter was gone."

"So he's had the diary all along," Simone muttered sourly, "He's honestly the last person I'd suspect."

"I was placing my bets on Sirius Black," Severus ignored the shocked and hurt look Remus shot him.

"Maybe we should have suspected Peter," Remus said guiltily, "Peter's animagus form is a rat…he could have easily snuck into the Slytherin dorms and hid somewhere to cast Fiendfyre. I don't think the wards on the dorms protect against animals entering freely."

"Which would also explain how he got the diary out unnoticed," Severus said with a scowl, "A rat is big enough to drag it out and everyone would be too preoccupied to pay attention to him."

"Because no one would see a rat and instantly think it's an unregistered animagus," Davis sniped, glaring at Remus, "Why the hell didn't you mention that little ability of his before?"

"To be fair, I knew as well," Severus admitted none too proudly, "I underestimated him though; I never would have pegged Pettigrew for someone dangerous or capable of harming others on his own."

"He's not," Marlene refuted through a fresh wave of tears, "Pete's not like this at all."

"He could have given you a concussion," Mary pointed out, "That doesn't sound harmless to me."

Marlene sobbed fretfully into Lily's shoulder, "That's because it wasn't Peter!"

"Come again?" Severus asked, puzzled.

Marlene sniffled into her sleeve, "Peter wasn't himself. He was acting funny, like a different person. Not even the voice sounded the same."

"What did it sound like?" Mary asked.

"Deeper somehow," Marlene elaborated, "More mature, confident. It didn't sound like him at all."

Thea squeezed her shoulder, "Have you ever heard the voice before?"

Marlene shook her head, "Never. I didn't recognize it. But Myrtle started screaming the minute she heard it."

"It was awful," Myrtle voice came from her favorite cubicle.

The ghostly teen floated through the stall door, her translucent face noticeably puffy from crying.

"It was his voice," she whispered ominously, "I'd recognize it anywhere."

Everyone looked warily at each other.

"Myrtle," Lily started gently, "Do you mean Tom Riddle?"

Myrtle nodded, sniffing remorsefully, "It sounded just like him…he even said the same thing he said last time…in the funny sort of language."

"The password's in parseltongue," Severus said in realization, "That's how you open it."

"I don't understand," Remus said in wonder, "Riddle was speaking through Peter? How?"

Simone's eyes lit up in understanding, "The diary."

Everyone turned to her.

"Remember how it felt when one of us used it?" Simone reminded her friends, "It made you feel foggy…confused. It was almost like it was trying to compel you somehow."

"But we resisted it," Severus mused, "What if the diary fell into the hands of someone who's will wasn't as strong?"

"And he's a pureblood," Remus pointed out, "Riddle only seemed to want to talk to them or half bloods."

Davis scratched his head, "Okay, that explains what it did to him after he got hold of the diary, but not why he sought it out in the first place. He didn't have the diary when he cast the fiendfyre; how could that be Riddle's doing?"

"Maybe he already had his hooks in him," Severus said lowly, "The duel in the bathroom. Peter got hold of the diary during the scuffle. Maybe that's all it took for Riddle to begin controlling him."

"And me and Severus took turns carrying it around with us while studying it," Thea added, "it probably kept whispering to him in all the classes he shared with you, Severus."

"So he's possessed this whole time," Simone concluded, "Yet Riddle didn't use him to summon the Basilisk. Why make him go inside?"

"That's what we're going to find out," Severus announced with finality.

"How?" Mary questioned, "None of us have the password."

"Yes, but one of us heard it," Severus stated, turning to Marlene.

"Sev…" Lily began warily.

"You need to trust me, Lily," Severus said seriously, "All of you need to trust me."

Severus crouched down in front of Marlene again, looking the girl square in the eyes.

"Marlene, I need you to listen to me very carefully," Severus told the weeping girl, "We can save Peter, but we need to get into the chamber. In order to do so, I need to see your memories."

"My memories?" Marlene repeated tearfully, gazing up at Severus in confusion.

Severus nodded, drawing his wand, "I'm going to try and enter your mind. Whatever you do, don't try and fight me, Marlene. Let your mind be an open door."

"Are you sure you've mastered this, Snape?" Simone asked nervously, "It takes a lot of practice."

"Trust me, I've practiced plenty," Severus replied, thinking back to all those drunks in his hometown.

He turned his attention back to Marlene.

"I need you to trust me, Marlene," he told her, "If I can get the password from your memories, we can get into the chamber."

Marlene stared at him with red, puffy eyes, "And you can save Peter?"

"I'll drag him back by his hair if I have to," Severus promised, "Do you trust me?"

Marlene took a deep, shaky breath.

"Do it," she said.

"Look into my eyes," Severus instructed, carefully taking Marlene by the chin, "Legilimens."

All at once he was surrounded by an assortment of sights and sounds, emotions bombarding him from all sides as he took his first glance into the mind of a distressed teenage girl. It was a lot more active than a drunk or a bum's, he noted, full of stress and fears known only to adolescence, wrapped up in the broiling hormones and passion of a spirited teen.

Thankfully, the memory pushing at the forefront of their linked minds was the very one Severus sought, the matter still so fresh and prevalent to Marlene.

Severus shook off the chills it gave him to look at Peter in Marlene's memory. The boy's eyes were unnaturally cold and distant. There was an unsettling disconnect from humanity in them. It unnerved Severus.

Severus pulled out of Marlene's mind with a gasp, "Got it!"

"You have the password?" Remus asked.

"Here's hoping I don't bungle the pronunciation," Severus replied, "Are you alright, Marlene."

Marlene rubbed her head, "I think I have a headache."

"That's normal for first timers," Severus informed her.

Turning to the broken sink, Severus took a deep breath, bringing the words he heard to the forefront of his mind and focusing on them, "Open."

What came out of Severus mouth was a far cry from the inhumane hiss he'd heard fall from Peter's lips, but it did the trick. The sink rattled and shook, a tremor going through the floor.

Steadily, slowly, the sink slid forward and to the side, rotating to reveal a large, gaping tunnel straight down into the darkness.

Simone stepped forward, wand at the ready, "Shall we?" she asked Severus.

"Wait," Lily said, "I'm going with you."

"Me too," Thea added.

"Absolutely not," Simone said harshly, glaring at Thea, "You've been through enough today."

"I don't believe that's your call, Sim," Thea said challengingly, "You need all the man power you can down there. Here we have some of the best students in our collective years; you need us."

"She's right," Remus agreed, "It's difficult for one trained wizard to take on a Class XXXXX creature, you can't expect just the two of you to handle this."

Severus looked to Lily, "I suppose nothing I say will keep you from going?"

Lily nodded seriously, "I've heard the password now, so I'll just come after you if you leave me behind."

Severus sighed, "Of course you would. Fine, just stay close to me. The main goal is to get Peter and get out; if we can avoid fighting the beast, do it. No one plays a hero."

"Got it," everyone agreed.

"Now," Severus went on, "We still need someone to stay behind with Marlene and to—"

"I'm going too," Marlene announced.

Severus glared at her, "Out of the question. You don't know what you're up against."

Marlene glared right back, her eyes still red rimmed and wet, "As if you know enough more than me to really help you against a bloody Basilisk. Look, Peter's down there and he needs me. I'm going. End of discussion."

"Does everyone woman here have a death wish or something?" Severus groaned.

Mary stepped forward, "I'll stay behind," she looked at Severus, "You were going to say someone needs to alert the Headmaster, weren't you? I'll go; I'm the least skilled with defensive spells anyway."

Severus sighed in relief, "Finally someone with sense. Thank you, Mary. Remember, you've got the password now, be sure to pass that on to Dumbledore so he can come after us."

"Wait, wait, wait!" Nesme cried, stumbling into the room with a bag slung over one shoulder, "Cancel your spell, I can't hear anyone."

Severus lifted Muffliato temporarily so that Nesme could hear, "What have you got there?"

"Supplies," Nesme answered back, "Healing potions, notes, anything really that might be of use."

Severus nodded approvingly, "Probably a good idea."

Lily placed a hand on Severus's shoulder, "Speaking of potions…Sev, if there was ever a time for luck, it would be now."

"What?" Severus tilted his head at her, "Oh! Oh right."

He fished a vial out of his robes hurriedly.

"Only enough in here for us each to have a sip," he explained, brandishing the Felix Felicis, "That should give us about an hour or two to work with, so we have to be quick."

Breaking the wax seal on the vial, Severus gathered everyone in a circle to pass it around. First was Lily, followed by Remus, Thea, Simone, Marlene, and Nesme.

Davis paused when the vial got to him, "You know, it's really not sanitary to share drinks, or potions for that matter…"

"Would you rather be unlucky enough to be eaten by a basilisk?" Severus asked sarcastically.

Davis sighed, taking a quick swig with a grimace, "I better not catch something from one of you."

"Mary, you drink some too," Severus said, offering the brunette the bottle, "You'll need extra assurance that you can get to Dumbledore in time."

Mary nodded, taking a sip without a fuss.

"Now there's just enough for me," Severus said, "Bottom's up."

With everyone so distracted staring down the tunnel in trepidation, no one noticed Severus cover the opening of the vial with his thumb before raising it to his lips. He mimed taking a drink before stoppering the bottle and swiftly pocketing it in his robes.

"Everyone ready?" Simone asked, standing by the mouth of the tunnel.

"Pretty spooky looking down there," Nesme murmured staring fearfully down the hole.

Remus patted her shoulder, "Think of it like a slide."

"A dark, scary slide that goes down at a ninety degree angle," Davis snarked.

Remus smacked Davis, intending to chide him, but instead he made the boy lose his balance and plummet down into the hole.

"Davis!" Nesme shrieked.

"Oh Merlin, I've killed him!" Remus cried, hands on his head.

A low groan came from something deep in the recesses of the tunnel, "That was not fun."

"Davis?" Severus questioned, "Are you alright?"

"Just peachy," came Davis's clipped reply, "Aside from the fact that I'm ankle deep in filth."

"I guess it's safe to enter," Simone mused.

"Just try not to land on you head," Davis called up.

Simone and Thea sat down on the lip of the tunnel.

"Here goes nothing," Simone said warily.

Holding hands the pair slipped into the darkness and out of sight.

The dull thud of their feet echoed back up moments later.

"Next," Simone called.

Face set with determination, Marlene jumped down the tunnel without a second thought.

"Okay, someone else is up," Thea shouted back up the tunnel.

Nesme approached the edge of the tunnel nervously. Squeezing her eyes shut tight, she vanished down the tunnel with a squeak of terror.

"Ow! Nesme, that was my foot!" Davis groused.

"Be glad it wasn't your head," Nesme shot back.

Someone shushed them before Simone's voice echoed up the tunnel, "Okay, who's next?"

Remus turned to give Severus and Lily a halfhearted smile.

"See you on the other side," he said with false cheer before disappearing down the tunnel as well.

Severus turned to Lily, "Are you sure you're ready for this?"

Lily's stood firm, "Where you go, I go."

"You guys, wait," Mary said just as they were about to jump in.

Mary stood there rubbing her hands together worriedly.

"What is it, Mary?" Lily asked.

Mary bit her lip, unable to meet their eyes.

"It's going to be dangerous down there," she said after a moment, "Who knows what could happen. I just…I…"

Mary fixed Lily and Severus with a meaningful stare, "Be careful down there, alright?"

Lily smiled at Mary, her eyes glassy, "You too, Mary."

"If any of you die down there," Myrtle added, "I'd gladly welcome the company."

Lily managed a somewhat genuine smile towards the ghost at that, "We'll keep that in mind."

"We won't be long," Severus assured, grasping Lily by the shoulder, "We get in, we get out."

Lily nodded, "In and out."

Without further ado, the pair clasped hands and jumped down.

They landed a tad harder than expected, grunting with the impact as they managed to stay on their feet. Taking a moment to steady themselves they looked around.

They were in some sort of alcove, a small half circle that appeared to open up into a much larger passageway with high ceilings. Cobwebs and dust hung from the stones along the wall, the damp causing a molding moss grow up from the ground and high over their heads in some places.

Their only source of light was from the tips of their friends wands.

"Be on your guard," Simone warned, wand held up above her.

"And uh…mind your step," Davis added, gesturing downwards.

Lily looked down and bit back a shriek.

The ground was littered in bones, skeletal remains of rats and mice sprawled out in every direction.

"These are old," Remus observed, crouching down to get a better look, "Must have been feeding on rodents the last time it was awake."

"Before Riddle put it to sleep," Severus said, "Let's find Peter before he wakes it and the beast has another rat to chew on."

"Don't even joke about that," Marlene warned fiercely, "Peter's not going to die. He's not dead."

Severus said nothing, lips set in a hard line.

Pettigrew had already been alone in this chamber with the beast for five to ten minutes. If the creature was already awake, it wouldn't even take half that time to have killed the boy.

"Let's get going," Simone suggested, taking the lead, "Keep an eye out for anything suspicious."

The group wandered into the depths of the chamber, wading through bones and debris from ages past. Their wands kept the inky black of the darkness at bay, though the light ebbed and faded only a few feet out from them at all times, leaving each new step a mystery until the wand light fell upon it.

"There's a light up ahead," Thea pointed out, gesturing to a growing gleam farther down the tunnel. It looked to be a round doorway of some kind.

"Everyone stay close," Severus ordered.

As they neared the opening, they found it was a circular hole cut into the wall, a bank-like vault door hanging open to the side, snakes etched into the surface in an impressive display of artisanship.

"Why wasn't this one closed?" Remus questioned, examining the door, "It must have a password of it's own. Like a failsafe in case someone gets through the first entrance."

"Maybe Peter forgot to shut it," Nesme suggested.

"Or maybe," Simone said lowly, "It's because Tom wanted us to find Peter…"

She pointed through the doorway at something.

Far off on the other side of a cathedral sized room, down the walkway in the center of two waterways was a huge face carved out of stone; the face of Salazar Slytherin.

At the base of it, rested the lifeless form of Peter Pettigrew.

Things make a little more sense now, don't they?

Ginny was capable of doing things a twelve year old wouldn't normally be able to do thanks to the diary. She could speak to snakes under it's influence, strangle the life out of multiple roosters quickly without being caught, that takes a little bit of tact, especially since roosters are violent things when they feel threatened. Ginny could do these things because it wasn't actually her doing it, but Riddle acting through her.

Peter could cast fiendfyre because it was the more skilled Riddle acting through him. And Riddle himself doesn't even need to be all that skilled to do it, as what he needed the fire to do was spiral out of control in order to create the needed chaos to smuggle the diary out.

I feel the diary only needs a moment to start to get into one's head, much like how the locket started it's work on Ron very quickly. Sure he withstood it for a good deal of months, but I think it was whispering to him right from the start...just that at the beginning it masked it's traitorous voice as Ron's own self doubt.

Review please!