The Truth About Wormtail
Disclaimer: If you wish to believe that this is J.K Rowling, I will allow you your little fantasy world. Just stay away from my family and my friends.
Author's note: Thanks for any and all reviews for this humble tale. I can only ask those who are reading it now to KEEP READING as it will no doubt get better when the real plot starts to work itself in. White Lies is a bit of a rest before I start with the darker stuff, so enjoy it now while it lasts. That's all, I think. Oh, and 'doi' was meant to mean something along the lines of 'duh' when I used it in that one disclaimer.
Chapter the fourth: White Lies
In years to come, Peter often wondered why he didn't go straight to the Order and report the meeting that he had just witnessed. He concluded that he really didn't have much information at that point, though he might still have told Sirius, who probably deserved to know if his younger brother was going to be joining the opposite side of the fight.
But Peter didn't tell anyone. When his mother asked him the following morning how the wedding had been, he didn't mention a word of his nighttime encounter; instead he lied and told her that it had been a wonderful affair. Later that same day, when Remus stopped by and asked where he had disappeared to the night before, Peter didn't say one word about Snape and Malfoy and Black, and just gave his friend some excuse about feeling tired and wanting to go home.
Remus told him rather blissfully that Alice Lancaster had been the one to catch the bouquet, which was very appropriate because she and Frank Longbottom were due to be married next week. James and Lily were on a much deserved honeymoon in the south of France, and Sirius had narrowly escaped a collision with a weather balloon while he was driving home on his motorbike - to Peter it sounded like Sirius had not been entirely sober when the incident had occurred.
'Is he all right now?' Peter asked when Remus came to the end of his story.
Remus laughed. 'That's the best part - there wasn't a scratch on him! The bike's fine, too! I don't know how he always gets away with stuff like this, you know.'
'Him and James both,' Peter agreed. 'They've been causing trouble for years, but no one seems to care.'
'Everyone knows that they're good guys, I guess,' Remus shrugged. 'It's not like they ever hurt anyone. And besides, there are bigger troublemakers in the world right now.'
Peter said nothing. Now would be the ideal time to tell Remus about the night before, but some inner compulsion forced the words to stick in his throat. Something inside warned that if he told Remus now, it would ruin all. He had never felt something this strong. So he kept his mouth shut.
'I better be going,' Remus finally sighed. 'I have to pick up a few things from Diagon Alley.'
'Oh, all right,' Peter said quickly. 'Well, I guess I'll see you later.'
'Yeah, see you,' said Remus. Then he was gone.
Peter sighed heavily and sat back down at the kitchen table. What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he bring himself to tell anyone what had happened?
Why did he want to tell someone what had happened?
Well that was easy, of course. It was the same reason he had followed Snape in the first place. He wanted recognition. Respect. Just one, 'Well done Pete. I would've never thought of that.' Preferably from Lily or James, but he wasn't too fussy.
But was that the only reason?
Yes, pretty much, Peter decided. That was all. He wasn't too worried about Death Eaters or dark wizards - they probably wouldn't bother him if he just stayed quiet and kept his head down, seeing as how he was pureblood and all. That particular fight really was none of his concern. Remus and Sirius fought because they hated the dark arts. James fought mainly because of Lily. Peter only really had his friendships with them to tie him to any one particular side.
So, was it really that important that he should bother them with it?
No, not really; he concluded. So he didn't tell them.
~
A week later, when James and Lily arrived back in England, Peter was invited around to their new house for tea with Sirius and Remus. Everyone was there when he arrived, sitting in the lounge with drinks. They all looked up as he entered the room.
'Hey, Wormtail!' James said with a broad grin. 'How's life, mate?'
Peter grinned back, though he didn't feel like it at all. He'd been seriously considering contracting a sudden and deadly cold, so that he wouldn't have to come.
'Just great, James,' he lied. It struck him that everything he said to James lately always turned out to be a lie. He wondered if it also worked the other way around.
'Brilliant,' said Sirius from the couch. 'Now the whole gang's here!'
Remus was in an armchair on the other side of the room. 'It feels like ages since we were last together,' he commented.
Lily laughed, a silvery sound that carried right across the room from her own chair. Peter gripped the inside of his pockets to stop his hands shaking from nervousness. 'What are you talking about, Remus?' she asked. 'It's only been a week since you were together at the wedding.'
'I agree with Moony,' James said, perching on the armrest of Lily's chair. 'It feels like forever. It wasn't the same at the wedding - with all those other people around too. Sit down, Pete,' he added, gesturing to the couch. Peter sat next to Sirius.
Lily rolled her eyes. 'James; by, 'all those other people,' do you mean our friends and family?'
James blinked.
'Prongsie just means that it's been a while since it was just us,' Sirius clarified quickly. Lily smiled and James shot Sirius a grateful look when she wasn't looking.
'I suppose,' said Lily. 'We should probably get together more often.'
'So, what's been going on, you lot?' James asked. 'These days, you go away for a week then come back to find that the whole world's changed again.'
'Regulus joined the Death Eaters,' Sirius informed them, his face suddenly black. Everyone looked at him, surprised. Peter was shocked too, but not for the same reason as the others.
'How do you know that?' he asked.
'Dumbledore told me,' said Sirius. 'He's got contacts right inside the organisation. I bet my parents are just thrilled.'
'Dumbledore told me that they're amassing an army. Soon they'll outnumber the Order twenty to one,' Remus said, still staring unbelievingly at Sirius.
Peter kept his mouth shut. Dumbledore never told him anything.
Lily gave a little shudder. James looked horrified.
'I'm sorry I asked,' he said. 'This is getting really serious. I think I'll need to have a chat with Dumbledore myself tomorrow.'
'I'm going with you,' said Lily.
James's face tightened slightly, but he said nothing. Remus, ever the peacemaker, took one look between them and spoke up, talking louder than he normally would have done.
'Let's not talk about that stuff tonight,' he suggested. 'It's so rare that we're all together like this, let's not spoil it.'
'You're right, Moony,' Sirius agreed.
'Yes, of course,' Lily said, her smile returning; but Peter noticed that it had become rather fixed. 'I suppose I'd better go check on dinner.'
She got up and went into the kitchen, and James followed her. 'I'll give you a hand,' he muttered as he left. The three remaining exchanged a knowing glance.
'One patented Lily and James argument, coming up,' Sirius murmured. 'He won't want her to go with him to see Dumbledore. He'll want her to stay here and be safe.'
'And she'll go berserk at him for treating her like a helpless little girl,' Remus continued. 'She hates being left out of things, Lily.'
Peter felt he could relate to that.
'And he'll get mad because he's only trying to protect her,' Sirius went on.
'And she'll start yelling because she doesn't need his protection,' added Remus.
By this time they could hear shouts coming from the adjoining room. Peter found himself hoping that this would be the fight that would break them up once and for all.
'And then they'll start threatening each other,' Sirius said quietly, as a loud bang issued from the kitchen.
'As long as they don't start throwing things,' Remus said, cringing as Lily screamed a particularly long stream of insults and curses mixed together.
'And here we thought that them getting married might put a stop to all this fun,' Sirius sighed.
'Well, I suppose that some people have relationships like this,' Remus said wisely, though whether he was saying it for Peter and Sirius's benefit or for his own, no one could be sure. 'They really do love each other, deep down.'
They all jumped as somebody in the kitchen slammed a cupboard door with enough force to knock over a troll.
'Of course they do,' agreed Sirius, slightly shaken. 'I can't see Lily marrying him if she didn't love him. And we all know how James feels about her.'
Then, just as the argument in the next room reached its crescendo, all went silent.
Sirius sighed and smiled a relieved smile. 'Thank Merlin,' he muttered. 'This is the part where they kiss and make up.'
'Who do you think won?' Remus asked. Peter shrugged.
Sirius smiled. 'Oh no, Moony. You're not dragging me into this trap again. You'll put a bet on it, and you know that I'm obliged to go for James.'
Remus grinned. 'But Lily always wins.'
'Yeah, and I always end up ten galleons poorer,' Sirius said. 'Well, not this time, mate.'
'Dinner's up, guys!' Lily called. To Peter's silent disappointment, she sounded happy again.
'Coming, Lil!' Sirius called.
~
Frank and Alice Longbottom were married that same week, with Lily acting as chief bridesmaid. Peter went, and came home again, much like last time; except of course that there were no more late-night adventures involving old enemies and shady tumbledown storerooms in Knockturn Alley.
That night, as he lay on his bed in his tiny bedroom counting the cracks in the ceiling even though he knew how many were there (thirty-seven), as he contemplated the uselessness of his existence and how he was no help to anybody, Peter had no way of knowing about the latest horror that the Dark Lord was inflicting. Peter was oblivious to the nightmare that was unfolding miles away in the house of two of his best friends.
Peter had no knowledge of James and Lily's second narrow escape from their enemy.
And he would not find out about it until the next morning, when Remus came and banged on his door.
Disclaimer: If you wish to believe that this is J.K Rowling, I will allow you your little fantasy world. Just stay away from my family and my friends.
Author's note: Thanks for any and all reviews for this humble tale. I can only ask those who are reading it now to KEEP READING as it will no doubt get better when the real plot starts to work itself in. White Lies is a bit of a rest before I start with the darker stuff, so enjoy it now while it lasts. That's all, I think. Oh, and 'doi' was meant to mean something along the lines of 'duh' when I used it in that one disclaimer.
Chapter the fourth: White Lies
In years to come, Peter often wondered why he didn't go straight to the Order and report the meeting that he had just witnessed. He concluded that he really didn't have much information at that point, though he might still have told Sirius, who probably deserved to know if his younger brother was going to be joining the opposite side of the fight.
But Peter didn't tell anyone. When his mother asked him the following morning how the wedding had been, he didn't mention a word of his nighttime encounter; instead he lied and told her that it had been a wonderful affair. Later that same day, when Remus stopped by and asked where he had disappeared to the night before, Peter didn't say one word about Snape and Malfoy and Black, and just gave his friend some excuse about feeling tired and wanting to go home.
Remus told him rather blissfully that Alice Lancaster had been the one to catch the bouquet, which was very appropriate because she and Frank Longbottom were due to be married next week. James and Lily were on a much deserved honeymoon in the south of France, and Sirius had narrowly escaped a collision with a weather balloon while he was driving home on his motorbike - to Peter it sounded like Sirius had not been entirely sober when the incident had occurred.
'Is he all right now?' Peter asked when Remus came to the end of his story.
Remus laughed. 'That's the best part - there wasn't a scratch on him! The bike's fine, too! I don't know how he always gets away with stuff like this, you know.'
'Him and James both,' Peter agreed. 'They've been causing trouble for years, but no one seems to care.'
'Everyone knows that they're good guys, I guess,' Remus shrugged. 'It's not like they ever hurt anyone. And besides, there are bigger troublemakers in the world right now.'
Peter said nothing. Now would be the ideal time to tell Remus about the night before, but some inner compulsion forced the words to stick in his throat. Something inside warned that if he told Remus now, it would ruin all. He had never felt something this strong. So he kept his mouth shut.
'I better be going,' Remus finally sighed. 'I have to pick up a few things from Diagon Alley.'
'Oh, all right,' Peter said quickly. 'Well, I guess I'll see you later.'
'Yeah, see you,' said Remus. Then he was gone.
Peter sighed heavily and sat back down at the kitchen table. What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he bring himself to tell anyone what had happened?
Why did he want to tell someone what had happened?
Well that was easy, of course. It was the same reason he had followed Snape in the first place. He wanted recognition. Respect. Just one, 'Well done Pete. I would've never thought of that.' Preferably from Lily or James, but he wasn't too fussy.
But was that the only reason?
Yes, pretty much, Peter decided. That was all. He wasn't too worried about Death Eaters or dark wizards - they probably wouldn't bother him if he just stayed quiet and kept his head down, seeing as how he was pureblood and all. That particular fight really was none of his concern. Remus and Sirius fought because they hated the dark arts. James fought mainly because of Lily. Peter only really had his friendships with them to tie him to any one particular side.
So, was it really that important that he should bother them with it?
No, not really; he concluded. So he didn't tell them.
~
A week later, when James and Lily arrived back in England, Peter was invited around to their new house for tea with Sirius and Remus. Everyone was there when he arrived, sitting in the lounge with drinks. They all looked up as he entered the room.
'Hey, Wormtail!' James said with a broad grin. 'How's life, mate?'
Peter grinned back, though he didn't feel like it at all. He'd been seriously considering contracting a sudden and deadly cold, so that he wouldn't have to come.
'Just great, James,' he lied. It struck him that everything he said to James lately always turned out to be a lie. He wondered if it also worked the other way around.
'Brilliant,' said Sirius from the couch. 'Now the whole gang's here!'
Remus was in an armchair on the other side of the room. 'It feels like ages since we were last together,' he commented.
Lily laughed, a silvery sound that carried right across the room from her own chair. Peter gripped the inside of his pockets to stop his hands shaking from nervousness. 'What are you talking about, Remus?' she asked. 'It's only been a week since you were together at the wedding.'
'I agree with Moony,' James said, perching on the armrest of Lily's chair. 'It feels like forever. It wasn't the same at the wedding - with all those other people around too. Sit down, Pete,' he added, gesturing to the couch. Peter sat next to Sirius.
Lily rolled her eyes. 'James; by, 'all those other people,' do you mean our friends and family?'
James blinked.
'Prongsie just means that it's been a while since it was just us,' Sirius clarified quickly. Lily smiled and James shot Sirius a grateful look when she wasn't looking.
'I suppose,' said Lily. 'We should probably get together more often.'
'So, what's been going on, you lot?' James asked. 'These days, you go away for a week then come back to find that the whole world's changed again.'
'Regulus joined the Death Eaters,' Sirius informed them, his face suddenly black. Everyone looked at him, surprised. Peter was shocked too, but not for the same reason as the others.
'How do you know that?' he asked.
'Dumbledore told me,' said Sirius. 'He's got contacts right inside the organisation. I bet my parents are just thrilled.'
'Dumbledore told me that they're amassing an army. Soon they'll outnumber the Order twenty to one,' Remus said, still staring unbelievingly at Sirius.
Peter kept his mouth shut. Dumbledore never told him anything.
Lily gave a little shudder. James looked horrified.
'I'm sorry I asked,' he said. 'This is getting really serious. I think I'll need to have a chat with Dumbledore myself tomorrow.'
'I'm going with you,' said Lily.
James's face tightened slightly, but he said nothing. Remus, ever the peacemaker, took one look between them and spoke up, talking louder than he normally would have done.
'Let's not talk about that stuff tonight,' he suggested. 'It's so rare that we're all together like this, let's not spoil it.'
'You're right, Moony,' Sirius agreed.
'Yes, of course,' Lily said, her smile returning; but Peter noticed that it had become rather fixed. 'I suppose I'd better go check on dinner.'
She got up and went into the kitchen, and James followed her. 'I'll give you a hand,' he muttered as he left. The three remaining exchanged a knowing glance.
'One patented Lily and James argument, coming up,' Sirius murmured. 'He won't want her to go with him to see Dumbledore. He'll want her to stay here and be safe.'
'And she'll go berserk at him for treating her like a helpless little girl,' Remus continued. 'She hates being left out of things, Lily.'
Peter felt he could relate to that.
'And he'll get mad because he's only trying to protect her,' Sirius went on.
'And she'll start yelling because she doesn't need his protection,' added Remus.
By this time they could hear shouts coming from the adjoining room. Peter found himself hoping that this would be the fight that would break them up once and for all.
'And then they'll start threatening each other,' Sirius said quietly, as a loud bang issued from the kitchen.
'As long as they don't start throwing things,' Remus said, cringing as Lily screamed a particularly long stream of insults and curses mixed together.
'And here we thought that them getting married might put a stop to all this fun,' Sirius sighed.
'Well, I suppose that some people have relationships like this,' Remus said wisely, though whether he was saying it for Peter and Sirius's benefit or for his own, no one could be sure. 'They really do love each other, deep down.'
They all jumped as somebody in the kitchen slammed a cupboard door with enough force to knock over a troll.
'Of course they do,' agreed Sirius, slightly shaken. 'I can't see Lily marrying him if she didn't love him. And we all know how James feels about her.'
Then, just as the argument in the next room reached its crescendo, all went silent.
Sirius sighed and smiled a relieved smile. 'Thank Merlin,' he muttered. 'This is the part where they kiss and make up.'
'Who do you think won?' Remus asked. Peter shrugged.
Sirius smiled. 'Oh no, Moony. You're not dragging me into this trap again. You'll put a bet on it, and you know that I'm obliged to go for James.'
Remus grinned. 'But Lily always wins.'
'Yeah, and I always end up ten galleons poorer,' Sirius said. 'Well, not this time, mate.'
'Dinner's up, guys!' Lily called. To Peter's silent disappointment, she sounded happy again.
'Coming, Lil!' Sirius called.
~
Frank and Alice Longbottom were married that same week, with Lily acting as chief bridesmaid. Peter went, and came home again, much like last time; except of course that there were no more late-night adventures involving old enemies and shady tumbledown storerooms in Knockturn Alley.
That night, as he lay on his bed in his tiny bedroom counting the cracks in the ceiling even though he knew how many were there (thirty-seven), as he contemplated the uselessness of his existence and how he was no help to anybody, Peter had no way of knowing about the latest horror that the Dark Lord was inflicting. Peter was oblivious to the nightmare that was unfolding miles away in the house of two of his best friends.
Peter had no knowledge of James and Lily's second narrow escape from their enemy.
And he would not find out about it until the next morning, when Remus came and banged on his door.