(Disclaimer: I own nothing.)
Chapter Thirty Five
Sirius sat up looked around. What he heard were anguish filled sobs that tore at his heart and what he saw just as he opened his eyes was a bright flash of life. He could have sworn he saw Lydia's face, but shook his head to push the thought aside. Slowly, he sung his legs of the side of his bed and crept to the one across from his. "Remus? Are you all right?" he wondered softly.
Remus turned over and stuffed his head under his pillow. "Leave me alone!" he yelled and fell into more sobs.
Sirius, hearing the pain present in his friend's voice, knew that he should wait a while before trying to console Remus. Feeling wide awake and as if he wouldn't be able to fall asleep again, he quietly made his way out of the dormitory and down the steps to the common room.
Coincidentally, he heard footsteps on the opposite steps and looked up to see who it was. Hallie he looked at him drowsily. Her cheeks were rosy from sleep and her features still pale. "What're you doing up?" he asked.
She smiled. "Just – um, looking for-for my dad," she replied. She was level with him now and he put his arm around her waist. Slowly, she leaned her head on his shoulder. "It seems so strange to say it," she said with a sigh. He nodded and leaned his own on hers.
"Aren't you tired?" he wondered softly. She nodded and a chuckle escaped from his lips. "Why don't you go back to sleep then?"
She shrugged and closed her eyes. He led her over to the couch. Then his eyes started to droop and feel unusually heavy. He heard her breathing become even and slow; she had fallen asleep. With a smile upon his face, he too, fell asleep.
~*~
Requillo sat up and looked around. His eyes were moist with tears and he brushed them away. Slowly he stood up and made his way down the hall. The sun was just starting to rise and a streak of light was in the sky. Then he saw someone walking down the hallway. He was about to run and hide when he found that it was the professor he had met the other day. "Er, hello," she said. "What are you doing up this early?"
He covered his mouth with his hand to stifle a yawn. "Looking for Hallie," he responded.
She nodded. "The common room is down this hall and the password is Flobberworms." He grinned and thanked her. Then he continued down the hall. He saw a down the corridor many paintings, and, from his years here at Hogwarts, he remembered which one was the Gryffindor entrance painting.
"Flobberworms," he said to the Fat lady. She yawned loudly and permitted him in. "Thank you." He stepped in and felt a smile tug at the ends of his mouth at the sight. His daughter was sprawled on the couch next to the boy whose name he recalled as Sirius. Deciding not to awaken them, he turned to go but he heard a voice call out.
"Er – it isn't what you think."
With a broad smile, Requillo turned back around to see the boy looking at him out of wide yet groggy eyes. "What isn't what I think?" he asked looking at Sirius steadily.
The boy squirmed uncomfortably under the older man's gaze, but when Hallie yawned and then buried her head into his shoulder; he stopped moving to look at her gently. Then he looked up at Requillo and blushed. "Um – well, this."
The older man laughed inwardly at the 'caught' expression upon the younger man's face.
"No, I believe that this is exactly what I think it is," he said.
Sirius looked at him in question. "What do you think it is?" he wondered.
Requillo just smiled and left leaving Sirius watching after him.
~*~
The next morning, James awoke bright and early. He sat up and opened his curtains to see Sirius' empty bed and Remus sitting up, looking out the window next to him. "Hey, Remus, you okay?"
Acceptance was in the other boy's eyes as he turned to look at James. "Yeah, I'm fine."
James licked his lips and averted his eyes. "Look, Remus – I-I'm –," but Remus cut him off.
"Sorry?" he asked softly. James looked at him sorrowfully but forced a smile and nodded. Remus shook his head. "It'll take time for me to be all right again…I doubt it'll ever really leave though. But I'm – I think, I think I'll be okay." He paused and then looked at James squarely. "James, you and I both are thinking of the same thing, aren't we," he said in an almost inaudible voice.
With tears in his eyes, James nodded and in a choked voice, he said, "Do you think he's okay?"
Remus forced a cheerful smile. "Peter? Of course he is, he's a Marauder isn't he?" And then his voice broke and he wiped away his own tears. "We have to do something," he concluded resolutely.
James got up. "And we will. Get dressed, I'll go find Sirius." Remus nodded and they went their separate ways. James ran down the steps and if he had been in a better mood, he would have grinned or laughed out loud, but since he was particularly down and sad, he just wiped away more tears that came to his eyes. "Sirius," he whispered, shaking the other boy lightly on the shoulder.
Sirius swapped him away with the wave of a hand. James shook him harder making the boy blink his eyes open and glare at him. "I'm trying to sleep." And then the lids fell over the eyes and he fell into another deep slumber. With a small frown, James shook Sirius as if trying to wake him from death. The other boy jumped up with a start and Hallie made a muffled sort of shout as she fell of the couch.
"Ugh," she said and sat up, rubbing her side. "Who did that?" she asked with a scowl.
"Sorry, Hallie, but I need to talk to Sirius," apologized James. She gave him a look, and then went up the steps to her dormitory.
Sirius sat up and frowned saying, "Thanks a lot." He then saw the serious expression upon his friend's face. "James, go away," he said.
The other boy bit down on his lip saying, "Sirius…"
He shook his head. "Go away, I've had enough of everything. I was perfectly fine before all this was happening and now you come in telling me to jump right back into it right when I was content and asleep on the couch with a girl. That doesn't happen very often, and you know it. But still, you have to tell me to get up at this ungodly hour to shoot back to that stupid god forsaken castle! Well I won't! Just leave me alone!" And then Sirius turned over and buried his head in his pillow.
With a soft sigh, James stood up and turned to walk away with a defeated expression upon his face when he heard Sirius say, "James, wait." He turned around and saw Sirius sitting up. The other boy's face was filled with dread and heart wrenching pain that James wished he could just say 'that's okay, just stay here, I can go on my own,' but he knew he couldn't say it truthfully. It would be another dangerous journey. "When," Sirius swallowed, "When do we leave?" he asked in a whisper, looking away. In his voice was such pain that made James take one step back.
"Now, if it's okay," he replied. Sirius nodded, and without looking at him, walked up the steps to get changed and get his broom and wand. James watched after him feeling sorry. Sirius was taking this very hard.
After a few short minutes, James saw Remus and Sirius come down. They crept out of the common room and out of the castle.
They were on their way back to Slytherin Castle.
~*~
They were mounted on their brooms when suddenly there was a forceful gust of wind. James was knocked from his broom and watched as it went flying backwards. To his astonishment, there he saw Professor Dumbledore looking at the three boys sternly. "Where, may I ask, are you three going?" he asked in a calm voice.
Remus stood and helped his other two friends up. "Er –," started James. "Just-just taking a – um, ride."
Dumbledore looked at them serenely. "Please follow me to my office," he said. He then turned on his heels and started walking back into the school. The three boys looked at each other, and then they followed.
~*~
"You will not go after Mr. Pettigrew," said Professor Dumbledore, once inside his office.
James abruptly stood, looking at him out of narrowed eyes. "He's our friend!" he exclaimed. "What do you expect us to do? Sit here safe and warm while he's with Voldemort? I don't think so!"
The headmaster just shook his head. "It's too dangerous. I will not risk three of my students' safety. I have contacted the Ministry and they are doing all they can to save Mr. Pettigrew."
Remus gave him a look. "Headmaster, you and I both know the Ministry is not doing a thing. Their hands are tied with trying to actually find Voldemort. How will they help Peter when they don't even know where to look?"
Professor Dumbledore looked at him, then to James. His eyes then landed on Sirius who was looking wistfully out the window. "Do you have anything to say, Mr. Black?" he asked, in curiosity.
Sirius turned to look at him, then to his two friends, and then back at the headmaster. "You can't stop us from trying to save him," was the simple reply. Albus' eyebrows shot up and his eyes twinkled with humor. "I mean you no respect, but all of us in here now that Peter can't withhold whatever Voldemort is throwing at him, no matter how brave he tries to be, he will crack, if he hasn't already. Professor Dumbledore, if he's going to be saved, we have to go now." His voice was soft, yet determined.
"What he says is logical," said James and Remus nodded.
"Though it may be, gentleman," said the headmaster, "It is not at all safe. You don't know the extent of the Dark Lord's powers. If you know not what he can do, you know not what he will do. I forbid any of you to try to escape the boundaries of this school to find Lord Voldemort and I will have you closely watched. I am doing all I can to get Mr. Pettigrew back. Knowing him, he will be fine for the time being, I assure you." The three boys looked enraged.
James was clenching and unclenching his fists. The headmaster dismissed them and they walked out. Once they were out of his office, James made a noise of aggravation. "The nerve of him! He-he can't – who does he think he is?" he wondered loudly, looking at his friends. He took note that Sirius' midnight black eyes were stormy with anger.
Remus placed a consoling hand on his shoulder. "We've got the Marauder's Map, he doesn't," he said softly.
James looked at him for a second before grinning broadly. "Remus, you're a genius." He licked his lips and rubbed his hands together. "Tonight, at eleven thirty, in the common room, all right?" Remus nodded.
They looked to Sirius who didn't look at him but faced ahead with a poker face. His eyes still burned with fire. "You know you don't even have to ask," he said quietly.
James smiled and with a resolute expression, he said, "Tonight then, we'll leave tonight."
~*~
Hallie sighed and sat up from her bed as she turned to Lily who was reading. "Lily…" she started.
The other girl looked up from the book she was reading and looked at her friend. "Hallie…" she said with a smile. The other girl sighed in melancholy. "How's your health?" asked Lily.
Hallie shook her head. "The worst." She ran a hand through her hair. "I'm bored."
Lily laughed. "Well, let's go find the guys then."
They went down to the common room where the three boys were huddled in a far corner, discussing something or other. When they stepped in, however, their hushed whispers immediately ceased and they looked up.
"Er – hi," said Hallie. Secrets, secrets…she thought.
James looked at them both and swallowed. "Hey, guys. What's new?"
Lily grinned and shook her head. "Nothing, come on, Hal, let's go." The other girl shrugged and followed her out of the common room.
James leaned in to the others when the two girls were out of the room. "So how are we going to get out?"
Remus smirked in his own mischievous way. "I know a way, no one will be the wiser."
~*~
"They're hiding something," stated Lily.
Hallie grinned and rolled her eyes heavenward. "Gee, I hadn't noticed…" Lily swatted at her playfully. The other girl's face sobered. "You know what they're talking about, don't you?"
Lily nodded. "And we're going to follow them out. Meet me in the common room at 11:00 tonight. We're not letting them go alone."
~*~
Peter blinked his eyes open and immediately shut them. It even hurt to see out of them. To be more precise, pains were all over him that he could barely move, let alone breath.
And then he felt something nudge him.
"Open your eyes, boy," said a cruel voice. Peter groaned and turned over but gasped when his left shoulder hit the ground. "I will not repeat this again, open your eyes, Wormtail." The boy flinched when the Dark Lord pronounced his nickname.
He opened his eyes and a moan escaped his lips. Voldemort smirked down at him and flicked his wand. Peter was levitated into the air and onto his feet. His legs felt as if they would give way at any moment for they were as solid as Jell-O. It amazed him that he didn't collapse.
Voldemort looked at the small plump boy before him. Peter looked pathetic. His eyes were feverish and flaming with illness while he was as white as a sheet and still paling. The boy's clothes were in rags and there were cuts and bruises all about his body.
Voldemort placed a black opal into Peter's hand and immediately, the boy felt as though his hand was pulling him through a portal. He was half-unconscious so he barely knew what was happening.
And then he was at Hogwarts.
He stumbled and fell. The mixed colors of green, blue, and purple swirled together until it all became blackness.
~*~
Lily stood up and walked over to Hallie's bed. There, she shook the girl. "What do you want?" asked Hallie drowsily. Lily grinned. "Is it time already?"
"Yeah, come on." With a sigh, the other girl did as was told. They crept down the steps just in time and quickly hid in a crook towards the right side of the common room. They were just in time for the three boys were just coming down the steps that led to the boys' dormitories.
"Ok, let's go," said James. The other two followed him out of the room and once they stepped out of the portrait hole, the two girls crept out of the nook and followed.
Then they were walking down a hallway and were led outside. There, they saw the boys in front of the Whomping Willow that had been planted in their first year. Remus stood before it with such an expression of pain and dread of it, that the other boys put their hands on his shoulders. He smiled at them and then turned and walked away from it.
They mounted the brooms they held until a voice suddenly called out of the darkness. "Do not leave yet, Mr. Potter, Mr. Black, and Mr. Lupin." The three boys suddenly turned around with wide eyes.
"H-Hello, Professor," said Sirius with a shaky yet charming smile. Professor McGonagall came walking towards them.
"The headmaster said you would be here," she said with a stern look. "You will not leave the grounds of this castle."
James looked at her evenly but with a fire glowing within the depths of his gaze. "Yes, we will. Peter's our friend."
The professor looked compassionate, but her stern look remained. "That he may be, but the journey you are wishing to make is one far too dangerous for children of your age."
"Children! We're fifteen years old!" said Remus indignantly.
Suddenly, there was a fierce gust of wind and then when it had passed, there was a groan some few feet away. Professor McGonagall's eyes widened and she held out her arm to stop the boys from moving towards the figure that was sprawled upon the ground. "E-excuse me," she whispered. "Are-are you all right?"
The person tried to sit up, but sank back onto the ground in pain. James rushed forward and knelt down beside the figure and gave a yell of surprise. "Peter!"
Lily turned to Hallie and they rushed out of the shadows that they were hiding in. "Peter?" they said simultaneously.
Professor McGonagall came forward and conjured a stretcher. "You'll be all right, Mr. Pettigrew." And to the rest she said, "Let us go back into the school. He needs to go to the hospital wing."
~*~
They sat silently, listening to Peter tell his story to the headmaster. When the poor boy found he couldn't speak well, he broke into sobs. When he tried to control himself, and found he couldn't, he sobbed all the more. Hallie and Lily stared at him with wet and wide eyes while the boys gaped at him in horrified sympathy.
Professor McGonagall shook her head and told them to leave. Once they were outside, she told them to 'run along to the common room'. They did so and once there, Lily gaped at James. "What did they do to him?" she asked.
He just closed his eyes as he shook his head and sat down. "I don't know," he whispered. "But he's here now, and he'll be fine."
~*~
A week passed by and they were not allowed to see Peter who remained in the hospital wing. They were in their potions class when they saw him on his first day out of his isolation. "Peter!" exclaimed James, jumping up.
"Mr. Potter, take your seat. Mr. Pettigrew, you're late," said Professor Rosier.
"Er-I-I came from the hospital wing and-," stammered Peter.
"Yes, I know that, and under the present circumstances, I will not take any points for tardiness. Now take your seat."
As they started their potions, Hallie leaned over and said, "Peter, are you all right?" He smiled and nodded. She gave him a big hug.
Lily then leaned over and said, "We were all so worried about you." And she too gave him a hug.
Sirius looked at him gravely. "They tried to make you one of them, didn't they," he said.
Peter nearly choked, but nodded in assent. Remus grinned. "We're proud of you, Peter, for holding out like you did."
James nodded. "And you're back too! Safe and sound!"
Peter smiled and tried to look happy, but inside, he was in torture. Was he still the same Peter Pettigrew he was before they tried to turn him? Did he hold out?
No. He did not.
