Disclaimer: I am not J.K so this is not mine. J.K owns the world and the Marauders. I own some of the characterization and the original characters. That's it I'm very sorry to say. I wish I owned it but alas, I do not.

Author's Note: Three day weekend! Yes! *hops around like the childish idiot she is but doesn't like to admit to being* Ok, short one but I get them out quicker. This sort of goes with the dark themes that have been in the last few chapters. I want to dedicate this chapter to tta, she stuck with the story when even I had almost lost hope of its return. Thanks. I just want to remind you all that this is a very short one and it focuses on Peter's self doubt and some foreshadowing. I found it! If you didn't see on my main page my pc lost my files again on Friday and I just found it. Thank Merlin for back ups. I know it is very short but I had to get it up before tomorrow morning. Now without any ado, chapter 18.

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"Clouded"

It was no good, thought Peter. He couldn't get back to sleep, he had tried but he just couldn't do it. The light seemed to seep through the curtains and burn through his eye lids. He had things to do but he just didn't want to get up and do them. He had presents to wrap and assignments to start on because he knew that the rest of the week was going to be busy with Christmas and all. He remembered that Remus had already left and he was pretty sure that James wasn't in the dorm either but he wasn't sure about Sirius. Rolling onto his stomach he pulled the side of his curtain open and saw two beds empty and the other one with the curtains still closed.

"Sirius?" He questioned in a groggy voice.

"Hmm?" He hear rumbled back.

"You getting up?" Peter questioned as he started to stretch his legs out as they were in that state of staleness as far as muscles are concerned, he needed to warm them up so to speak and thus had adopted this little morning ritual of cracking his neck and ankles and them rotating his feet.

"Is there a fire?" Sirius grumbled.

"Not that I know of." Came Peters reply which was coupled with a yawn.

"Then no." Sirius mumbled back and Peter watched the shadow of Sirius pull the blanket over his head and slip back into dreams.

Rolling back and forth Peter debated getting up and facing the new day or pretending that the sun had yet to rise. He pulled all of the curtains back and sat cross legged on the bed, reaching onto his night stand he picked up parchment a quill and Remus' Care of Magical Creatures essay. Remus was very smart and while Peter wasn't stupid or even slow he wasn't bright in a scholastic sense. Sure he could fool almost anyone and he knew how to plan things out but he couldn't pass most of his classes without the help of his friends. Remus was the smart one and Sirius was the charming one and James was hard to define. While Remus smart James was just as smart and though Sirius was charming James had more of a polish to him and James was brave, braver than most. He had even saved Snape from Remus, his valor was pure and whenever he could help he would, even if it was his worse enemy. Peter was smart, and he had a bit of charm but not like the others and he wasn't that brave. Sure he would plan and scheme with the guys but he just panic at being caught he needed to have the power, he needed to be safe. While he was small and in the Marauders an insignificant part no matter what the others said he did feel powerful in Hogwarts, he was one of the leaders of the school, part of the royalty. Part of it but he didn't belong, at least that was what he thought.

Writing in a rather large round cursive he finished his essay or rather the paraphrased version of Remus' essay and got up deciding to go and have bite to eat, wrap his presents and maybe get something for Mel, he didn't think he was attentive enough to her last night and she did act like she wasn't happy, not like Arabella was with Sirius, she had been like that on their first few dates but had become colder lately and he was feeling responsible for it. He had to set things right with her he thought. Going to his closet he grabbed an old navy blue robe and slipped it on, catching a glimpse of a group photograph he noticed that the glass over his face was clouded, picking up the frame he rubbed it with the sleeve of his robe and it looked like it cleared up but as if a web of shadow was wound in the glass the cloud came back, clouding him.

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Told you guys it would be short but it got the point across I hope. I wanted to give you all background on Peter and a bit of his inner thoughts and self doubt. Now I am going to thank everyone really quickly. Please give me your e-mail address if you want me to e-mail you about updates I lost my list when my computer broke down.

Sugarmama: I'll try. Hope this one was a bit better.

x-woman: Hi! Let me answer your questions. Bella's reaction to Sirius going to Azkaban will be very hard to write and if I stick with my ideas right now very sad. I am adding something soon that will connect to canon but I can't tell you what that is yet *smirk*. Now everything you mentioned about Gwen, Remus, and Lily is very important and Remus did like her and still likes a lot about her and Gwen and Lily are opposites in a lot of ways. While Lily is more on the quiet side Gwen is a bit louder and some other differences which will play in later will put a strain on certain relationships. Good questions, they made me go through and refine certain bunnies.

Andrea: Hi! Thank you so much for the review! I don't think anyone really likes their own writing, I love other people's work but they tell me that they hate it. I think it is just perspective and expectations. I can never translate everything from my head onto paper.

tta: Make sure to check the author's note at the top *smile* I won't abandon, promise. I plan on updating more. It seems that plot bunnies only hop along to me during the school year when I have other work and because I have projects to do they will be here in full force. Thank you so much for putting me on your favorites! *huge grin* Thank you!!!!!

Kristatwen: This one was depressing too, lol, well I have a nice Sirius and Arabella chapter planned for either 20 or 21.

DracoDevil81690: Hi Pouncer! Thank you so much for your kind words, they really mean a lot to me. Here is the next chapter, very short but another is expected soon.

Liz: Well I updated pretty soon but it is far from long, I think it is probably the shortest chapter as a matter of fact. If you can't find anything on ff.net go to www.sugarquill.net and Madam Padfoot has "Not as a Last Resort," it is a wonderful fic.

JUST A GIRL: Thank you! That is so sweet. I hope this chapter is ok.

Madcowgirl: Thank you so much. I can't believe you put me on your favorites, thank you so much for that! I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint you. IluvtheMarauders!: Thank you so much for your kind words. I cried when I wrote parts myself. I do spell check but my writing programs are just bit better than writing by hand and scanning it in and I can't reread, I tend to delete like crazy and it messes up the texture of the story. I just printed a new hard copy and I am going to start going over it and fixing this thing up; it seems to have gone beyond what I had originally planned and has become a big deal in my world. Ok, I was off on a rant. I hope this chapter is ok and once again, thank you.

Everyone see those people, I thanked every single one of them and I will thank you too but I need your name so if you just click on that button that says review and put in a few words I'll thank you. Until the next chapter. ~ Katie Black