Chapter 7
betray \Be*tray"\ (b[-e]*tr[=a]"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Betrayed (-tr[=a]d"); p. pr. & vb. n. Betraying.] [OE. betraien, bitraien; pref. be- + OF. tra["i]r to betray, F. trahir, fr. L. tradere. See Trator.] 1. To deliver into the hands of an enemy by treachery or fraud, in violation of trust; to give up treacherously or faithlessly; as, an officer betrayed the city.
Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men. --Matt. xvii. 22.
2. To prove faithless or treacherous to, as to a trust or one who trusts; to be false to; to deceive; as, to betray a person or a cause.
But when I rise, I shall find my legs betraying me. --Johnson.
3. To violate the confidence of, by disclosing a secret, or that which one is bound in honour not to make known.
Willing to serve or betray any government for hire. --Macaulay.
4. To disclose or discover, as something which prudence would conceal; to reveal unintentionally.
Be swift to hear, but cautious of your tongue, lest you betray your ignorance. --T. Watts.
5. To mislead; to expose to inconvenience not foreseen to lead into error or sin.
Genius . . . often betrays itself into great errors. --T. Watts.
6. To lead astray, as a maiden; to seduce (as under promise of marriage) and then abandon.
7. To show or to indicate; -- said of what is not obvious at first, or would otherwise be concealed.
All the names in the country betray great antiquity. --Bryant.
Rebecca apperated onto the Potters' front doorstep. She rang the bell and stood, petrified with fear. What would she do if James answered? Or if no one answered? She could not even begin to imagine which would be worse.
The door swung back, and Lily stood there, holding her infant son in her arms. She looked surprised to see Rebecca, but quickly invited her in, saying, "Don't worry, James isn't home. You won't have to talk to him. What's up? You look very pale. Are you all right?"
How ironic, thought Rebecca, Voldemort's planning her death, and she asks me if I'm all right. She only shook her head, saying "I'm fine."
While Lily made tea, Rebecca went over in her head what she wanted to say. When she spoke, though, it was not in the calm cool voice she had planned. "Lily, do you trust me?"
Lily looked startled at the question, but she only smiled and said, "I've never known you to lie, nor have you given me any reason not to trust you."
Rebecca scoffed. "James would disagree."
"James can be a bit closed minded, Beck. He has a right. We aren't the same person, though."
Abashed, Rebecca fell silent for a few seconds before she plunged on. "You love James." It was more of an accusation than a question.
As she poured tea into Rebecca's cup, Lily's hands shook. "Of course I love James. What are you trying to say?"
Taking a deep breath, Rebecca whispered, "You have to trust me. Don't ask me any questions, because I will tell you everything I can. I don't know much, but I would never have come here was I not certain about what I'm telling you. Your husband's life and the life of your son are in danger. Voldemort is plotting to kill them. I don't know why or when, but I think I know how. There is a curse that he has developed. It kills instantly. It is unstoppable, and there is no counter-curse. We've looked for one, trust me." She closed her eyes, unable to meet Lily's stare any longer. "You probably have a while; even the Death Eaters don't know of this plan yet, but please don't wait. You've got to hide, leave town, transfigure yourselves, do something."
Sounding slightly breathless, Lily demanded, "If the Death Eaters don't even know, how do you?"
"I can't tell you; you've just got to believe me!" Rebecca opened her eyes. Lily was looking at her strangely.
"How do I know you're telling the truth? You could be a Death Eater yourself!" Panic was rising in Lily's voice.
"Lily!" gasped Rebecca, but Lily stood up, her eyes blazing, holding Harry protectively. Rebecca stood also. "Would you like to interrogate me? Prove that I'm who I say I am? Or does it not matter? Has James poisoned your mind against me? Will you raise Harry to think that his godmother is an evil person? Or will he even live for you to raise him? Will you live? Lily, put aside your stupid Gryffindor pride and suspicions. I'm not asking you to tell me where you're hiding. I don't want to know. I don't want to leave any doubts in your mind that I could betray you. But mark my words, be careful who you chose to tell. One of your friends is a Death Eater." Using that as a dramatic exit line, Rebecca dissapperated.
Her heart ached. Betrayal was a familiar feeling by now, but her fellow Gryffindors having never been close friends, it had never been this painful. She wished she could have told Lily that Peter Pettigrew was the Death Eater, but she had sworn to Voldemort never to reveal his secrets unless someone she loved was in immediate danger by her keeping those secrets. The slight love she had been beginning to feel for Lily had been so obscured by the rage she felt at Lily's disbelief, the closest thing she had been able to say to Peter's name was "one of your friends."
She didn't know, even now, why she had been so angry. She had expected to be disbelieved. She supposed it had to do with the way Lily had held her baby, the look on her face - as if Rebecca might do something horrible to them.
She had apperated into her flat, at the same time wishing desperately that she could go to Hogsmeade. At least there, she could have a strong drink and the chance of running into a friend. But as she could count her friends on one hand, and her enemies took both hands, both feet, and them some, she felt it wiser to stay away from the magical community. Which was why she had taken a flat in muggle London, with a muggle flatmate, in the first place.
With a sigh, she entered the magical room behind her wardrobe and fished through her boxes until she found what she was looking for: a powerful sleeping potion. She drained the entire bottle, and barely made it to her bed before collapsing.
