Chapter 132
Hidden Skills
Peter sometimes wondered if he was the only one of his friends who actually enjoyed the summer holidays.
Three months without schoolwork was always to be enjoyed, and he only had to think about animagi training when James or Sirius made a breakthrough or something needed doing. He could stay in bed until noon and lounge around the house the rest of the day. He could eat anytime he wanted and he didn't have to watch his back everywhere he went.
His father, a short chubby man by the name of Steve, was a the table when Peter finally came out of his bedroom. He had the Daily Prophet in his hands, the front page article was the only thing Peter could see.
"They're kicking the Minister out of office?" Peter asked as he moved towards the cabinet in search of food.
His father gave an affirmative grunt. "Many believe she can't handle the 'rising Death Eater threat," his father explained in a mocking tone. Peter's parent's stance on the war was that it didn't exist. His mother believed it was just a few skirmishes or small gangs that the Daily Prophet was over-exaggerating to sell more copies while his father refused to believe it was anything less than an all-out government conspiracy. Ironic since that's part of the reason he'd left his home country in the first place. Steve Pettigrew was born in the United States and, if you ignored the fact that he used her as an excuse to get away from his 'oppressive family and government' (and by oppressive he meant they didn't agree with his peace and love mentality,) and that they were both entirely stupid, it would have been a love story beautiful enough to make Sirius gag, which didn't actually take much.
They'd been pen pals or something, Peter didn't really care.
"One of Sirius' friends' mum was killed by a death eater," he commented, pointless though it was, "by Bellatrix Black."
"Yes well, everyone knows the Blacks are in on it, Dumbledore too." his father replied without looking up. Peter rolled his eyes, by everyone he, of course, meant Xenophilus Lovegood.
"Uh-huh." Peter wasn't listening anymore. He wasn't interested in his father's pointless theories.
"Hello sweetheart," his mother greeted him as she walked in. She was exactly how a good cook should look, tall enough to reach the top shelves of a cabinet and plump enough to imply that she tries her own cooking before she serves it.
"Hi, Mum," Peter replied through a mouth full of food.
"I don't know why you read that, dear, it just makes you angry," she shook her head at her husband as she pulled an out a glass and filled it with water.
"Keep your friends close and your enemies closer," he replied. They continued talking but Peter drowned them out as he tried to decide what to do for the day.
Going to James' house was out of the question, James would just be working on the animagi stuff and Peter was tired of listening to him anyway. And he certainly wasn't going to spend the day with his parents while they were on one of their conspiracy theory debates.
No, today would be a day for his secret place.
Peter wasn't afraid to admit he wasn't very good at magic, there was little point in hiding the obvious. Unlike his clueless parents, however, he knew this threat was now a full on war, and Peter trusted no one.
The animagus process was dangerous, sure if James or Sirius messed up it could cost him his life, but it would cost them theirs also, so it wasn't trust that allowed him to follow them.
He'd hide behind them for as long as they'd let him but he wanted to be prepared for a day when they wouldn't let him anymore. He wanted to be able to fight back should James decide they're shared past was at worth the effort it took to protect him or Sirius got irritated enough to abandon him.
And if any of them outright turned on Wormtail then they'd find out this rat had teeth.
Peter had been practicing on his own, not so much at school, in case a teacher happened across him or one of the Marauders came back to the dorm. They usually had the room of requirement occupied also. When he was home there was an abandoned house just outside of town that no one ever went to. James had bullied him into exploring it when they were kids. It was perfect.
The spell book he studied from was stolen from a Slytherin. It had been right there, out in the open hanging out of her bookbag while the Slytherin took a loo break in their third-year charms class. It had been an active class so no one had seen him stuff the spellbook in his own bag. It was a dark arts centered book also, so it's owner couldn't even report it stolen without getting in trouble
As he studied it, the dark magic it contained grew on him. It was so much more powerful and required the same, if not less, effort. Peter didn't understand why James was so dead set against it, If someone was trying to murder him he didn't care if they made it through in one piece, it was himself he cared about not them.
Maybe it was pride, the stag certainly had a generous supply of that.
That wasn't to say he didn't like James, on the contrary, the older teen had helped him many times since they were kids, protected him from bullies or his own ineptitude, taught him things, encouraged him to try harder... No, Peter liked James well enough, but it was a selfish relationship on Peter's part.
Peter also liked Remus, a lot, maybe even more than James lately. Remus was kind and patient, and a really good teacher. It was too bad he was a monster, which by default made Peter uncomfortable with considering Moony a friend.
Sirius, on the other hand, was useful at best. He could keep the bullies away but Peter was terrified of the hound and thought he was a little annoying too if he was being honest. The incident with Snape near the end of last year has solidified his fear of their resident death omen (James could roll his eyes all he wanted but Peter knew it wasn't any regular dog he'd seen in James' tree house that Christmas holiday and even Sirius couldn't figure out what breed it was,) and that was before James had told them that Sirius' defense exam had involved the killing curse.
Then there was the fact that it seemed like the drama queen was always whining about something; his parents, his brother, his transfiguration grade (which was higher than Peter's on a regular basis,) Remus' condition, that girl he never actually talked too... Sirius was brilliant and good looking and everyone wanted to be him, what right did he have to complain about anything.
Peter continued to muse on his three friend's faults as he approached his hideout but was interrupted when he reached the dilapidated building there were a couple bicycles out front.
Someone else was here, that never happened before. He hadn't put any security charms on the place because he'd thought no one ever came out this way. No doubt they were muggle children exploring e creepy old building looking for some cheap thrills.
Well, they were going to find some. He'd been in a hurry last time he'd left the place and left everything out. His spell book, cauldron, ingredients, notes, everything. Those notes had Peter's name on them, if they mentioned anything to his mum he'd be in a lot of trouble, and he wasn't going to let that happen.
He entered the house, silent as his animagus, he was frightened but all his other options were scarier. He could hear voices through the thin walls the moment he entered the house, individual words were indistinguishable but it sounded like a couple of boys.
"For the last time, Kaleb, witches aren't real. I know you're just trying to scare me." Peter heard as he slowly approached the sounds.
"Then how do you explain these, Andy?" another voice said, two bikes were outside so there were just the two of them.
He could handle two muggles.
"Pettigrew? Didn't he go to our primary school?" the first one asked and Peter suppressed a groan. There was nothing for it if they left now they'd tell their parents who would, in turn, tell his parents and he'd get in trouble. What would the others do in this situation? He thought about it for a moment. James would go make friends with them, teach them so e bogus magic sounding rubbish and convince them to keep quiet by making them like him, Sirius would scare them away and not care who they told, and Remus...
Remus wouldn't have been stupid enough to get himself in this situation to begin with.
He'd have to modify their memories. It was the only thing he could do, he wasn't as charming as Prongs or as scary as Padfoot, and he didn't have a snowball in a dragon's nest chance of being as smart as Moony, but he'd been practicing memory charms. And they were only muggles.
He stepped into the room as they examined the completed potions he had on the bookshelf.
"Is that one glowing?" Andy asked pointing at one.
"Yes," he answered hoping to scare them off their guard, not that it was necessary as they were muggles and they were now looking at him. Memory charms were easier when you could look the victim in the eyes.
"Who are?" Kaleb started to ask, but Peter didn't let him finish.
"Obliviate." Peter was quite satisfied with the bright light that came out of his wand, he'd gotten it right on the first try, or so he thought. When the light in the room faded both boys were unmoving on the floor.
That wasn't supposed to happen,
He decided that he couldn't just let them wake up and find is stuff all over again, so, with much difficulty, Peter dragged both boys outside far enough that the abandoned building was out of sight. He chose to ignore the morbidity of the situation as he returned and immediately put up every warding spell he knew. Though it wasn't many it would be enough to shoo off muggles at least.
And when he was finished there was time to practice his failed memory charm again now that his secret was safe.
A/N) What do you think? Too soon for him to be branching off? Or is it alright?
I honestly have no idea what Peter's family would be like, so I made them kinda incompetent. I thought maybe it would be funny, I might be wrong. I was going for some kind of hippy with Peter's dad. I dunno...
Next chapter will be great though, I'm really happy with how it turned out and I'm really anxious to upload it. ^_^