AN: Well, here it is. A chapter completely devoted to Peter. I don't necessarily like the idiot, it's just that he's such a complex character, I can't *help* but write so much about him.

Hope you like it. Next chapter will be very rushed - just a warning.

AHHH! Voldemort makes his big appearance!

*shuts up*

~~

Peter still lived in his mother's house, and she gave him little time to contemplate the things happening in his life with all the chores he had to do. The only time he had to rest was when he was sleeping - and even then, he couldn't find any relaxation or comfort with all the thoughts swimming in his head.

Peter lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling, Antonin Dolohov's words echoing his mind, "a bunch of dunderheads who think they can bring down the Dark Lord."

Of course, he couldn't help remembering the letter Dumbledore had sent him proclaiming he had "strength of character" and asking if he was ready to fight.

Was this really a war? Of course it was - people were dying already. Well, if it was a war, he supposed he should be on the right side.

But, he asked himself, what exactly was the right side? The side with the best odds, or the side worth fighting for? He remembered the look on James's face when he had lost his parents, and the pain that he, Peter, had felt as he watched his friend suffer in agony and grief.

He also remembered the irony. The Potters died because they had chosen the wrong side, which, in turn, motivated James to fight against it with Dumbledore.

Really, maybe they should have listened to the Death Eaters, and nothing would have gone wrong.

The sharp looks from his friends when he had tried to voice this out loud were so accusing, he couldn't help but shut up about it.

Were they really his friends if they wouldn't let him speak up for himself? It took him four years of 'inner soul-searching' to find out that he was a rat, and then 'harness' that inner animal, only so Remus wouldn't have such a hard time. What did he, Peter, gain from it?

But then he remembered how it had only taken James and Sirius two years to master the animagus spell, and how they had waited tirelessly for him to figure it out. They never left him at the full moon until he could go with them. That made them true friends.

Strength of character, that's what Dumbledore was talking about. Sure they had character, but would that save them when it came to facing death?

~~~~~~~~~~

As if as an answer to all his problems, a letter came the next day, providing Peter with an alternative.

If you're still interested, meet with the rest of us at the Malfoy Manor August 20th, 11 pm. No questions. Don't make a big scene when (and if) you do come. Be sure to think it over first, and don't even think about bringing the whole Ministry with you, it'll just make a mess of things.

~~~Antonin Dolohov

Peter held the note in his hands a long time.

Sure, he was ready to fight - but maybe he didn't have to.

Forget strength of character - at least he wasn't a dunderhead, and wouldn't be killed for it.

~~~~~~~~~~

All those years - the awful things he had done. The awful things that had happened under his orders. Despite the apparent lack of mercy the man had, Peter had always imagined Lord Voldemort to look more - human.

However, he looked like a tall, pale. . . creature. . . with an unnaturally smooth face, and long, spidery fingers that looked as if they could completely wrap around your throat.

His eyes were merely red slits in which to see through. The narrowed, slitted pupils made him seem like a cat, watching them imperiously as if they were all mice that were alive only at his mercy of not killing them.

So, naturally, Peter could not help but cower back in fear when those eyes rested upon him.

"Who is this, Dolohov?" he said as if the mere sight of Peter were an annoyance to him.

"A recruit."

Peter felt incredibly out of place.

The Dark Lord appraised him, and Peter noticed a severe dislike already even though he hadn't said anything.

"What good is he?" Voldemort asked coldly.

Dolohov turned to Peter, and that's when Peter realized he should have come up with a reason why he shouldn't be killed on the spot. He racked his brains for any knowledge he might have that these people did not.

Dumbledore? Nobody knew anything about Dumbledore, let alone him.

Sirius? Remus? James? Panic rose in his chest. He couldn't.

And plus, what use were they to the Dark Lord?

Names ran through his head. Peter was aware that Voldemort was watching him intently - yet, almost as if he could look right through him.

Moody, Hagrid, Fenwick, McKinnon, Longbottom - were these names of any use? They were just people in the Order.

"The Order?" came the high cruel voice of Voldemort in intrigue.

Apparently, he could see through Peter as much as it seemed.

"The Order of the Phoenix," he replied numbly.

"Are you in the Order?" he asked, the dislike quickly being replaced by interest.

Peter looked around him. All the Death Eaters had their masks off. Snape? Lucius? Regulus? Crabbe? Goyle? Rodolphus?

Peter Pettigrew?

Wormtail?

Voldemort knew exactly what Peter was thinking even if he wasn't exactly sure himself.

"Yes, familiar faces aren't they? A bit of a shock to you, is it - knowing how many people are here?" Voldemort smiled, if it were at all possible, but his smile was full of evil satisfaction instead of joy.

There was no happiness here.

"I'm afraid there are more than you may think. Four hundred without counting the odds and ends," The Dark Lord smiled again, and there was no satisfaction in the smile this time - only a sort of anticipation at what he was about to say next.

"I am afraid you know too much by now, however. Can't you see? We've taken our masks off for you." Snape grinned maliciously, and Lucius was chuckling.

The Dark Lord, however, was having his own fun, and didn't need to turn around and see his followers wearing the same smile he was wearing now. "Do you honestly think, that after revealing so much to you, we'd let you go? If we find you to be, in fact, obsolete, we will kill you."

Now Peter knew why Voldemort was smiling, and why the Death Eaters were having so much fun with this. He was trapped in a corner between death and betrayal, and it was entertaining to them.

Voldemort's eyes set on Peter again, full of satisfaction and determination. "Now, I ask you again, are you in the Order?"

Peter closed his eyes, shutting out the voices of James, Sirius, and Remus screaming with horror when they found death staring them in the face.

He swallowed his regret, and nodded. "I will be, my Lord."

~~~~~~~~~~

There ya go. He's a git now, and I'm allowed to hate him. Yay! *dances the funky chicken* So, yeah.

I like reviews. They make me very happy.

Ok. I have a humongous confession. I'm currently on chapter 21.

Do you want me just to update EVERYTHING all at once? I mean, it's easier only updating a little bit at a time, because if I get writer's block or can't write for some reason, I can still keep updating.

Or do ya just want the chapters all at once?

Oh, and did you like chapter 14? *smiles nervously*