Chapter 5: And So it's Come to This
A Little Note: I know it has been forever and a day since I last updated, but here it is, FINALLY, the fifth and final installment of Sirius's story. Next, will be Peter. I think that it will be by far, the most challenging. I after all, have no sympathy for the rat. How can I write as someone that I have no sympathy for? OH well, I'll figure it out eventually. I've been dreadfully busy with school, but now it's almost over so fan fiction will be on my top list of priorities! Right under my fiction and beach! Haha. Well, I hope it has lived up to It Was Never Mentioned finale, and I hope that you enjoy reading it! Toodles, Lu.
Rating: PG-13… oh you would cuss out Peter if you found him sitting on a bench after James and Lily were murdered too…
Disclaimer: I didn't come up with these characters or the idea, but the writing is mine. You guys know that.
Thanks: Jessi Lupin – I haven't talked to you in a while! I hope your contacts don't still hurt since October ;)
Ginnygal89 – I hope I haven't lost my touch again! Thanks for keeping up with the story.
Remus wasn't quite sure why all he did was watch Sirius disappear into the darkness. He knew Sirius through and through, they were like brothers, after all. Remus knew that if he tried to stop Sirius that he wouldn't listen and would keep going anyway, and truthfully, Remus wanted Peter to get what he deserved. Sirius's form became slowly smaller and Remus nodded resolutely, it was a full moon the next night, he couldn't simply ignore that. It was going to be his first transformation… wasn't that more important than stopping his friend from going after a murderer? Yes, there was something serene about the pain that was already ebbing up from his toes and the tips of his fingers; it was as if he deserved it.
Sirius turned to look at the rubble that had once been a house and saw that it was slowly becoming smaller, slowly leaving his vision. He had a sudden impulse to turn and run back home, but was it ever his home? Yes. It had always been. Remus was slowly fading, his waving hand dripping to his side, and then Sirius couldn't really make him out anymore. His fists were clenched to his sides, and he whipped back around to face the road ahead, his perfect hair still slightly matted.
Peter's laughing face, unlike Sirius had ever seen it, was playing before his mind, he could see it taunting him as he walked. You'll never find me, I've got him on my side, the face whispered in Sirius's ear. He tried to plug them, but the voice was coming from within his head, it was almost too much to bear. He couldn't handle it. Sirius rubbed his eyes; his steps became faster, grief pulled at his limbs. He hadn't had a wonderful life, it was true, but real grief, rather than pure anger, had never really coursed through his body as it had this night. He didn't know what he was going to do, but he was going to make that son of a bitch pay for the sorrow seeping through his veins.
The sun was rising. It was clear. And harsh. The light brought on by the star revealed the scraggily nature of Sirius's attire, giving him the appearance of a bum wandering through London's streets after a night of drinking off the measly coins he'd found on the curb. He couldn't just walk through like this, something would have to be done, but being in the presence of early rising muggles, he could do nothing magical and wasn't about to waste time becoming presentable on his search for the murderer. The young November air bit at Sirius's bare arms, but he walked on.
Something was pulling him in this direction, as though he was scryeing, though he wasn't. It was tugging at him. Then he knew why he saw Peter sitting on a bench. It was as though there was nothing wrong; as though he hadn't just been guilty of a murder.
Sirius ran up, wand out, and met Peter face to face on the bench. "You thought you could get away from me you filthy, damn, son of a bitch, traitor?!"
Peter started and looked up at Sirius with shock, his eyes were wide with fear and he stood up, shaking, "I don't know what you are talking about Sirius."
"You can't lie to me anymore! Don't you see? Lily and James are dead, because of you!" he spat. People who had begun to file out of their flats and make the weekly trudge to church were staring at them.
Peter's shaking subsided slightly, "You can't do anything out here in the open look at all the people. Just waiting to turn you into the ministry of magic."
"Oh shut up. Go," Sirius pointed towards a fire hydrant and prodded Peter with his wand, making him walk. Peter did as he was told and began to walk towards the hydrant.
Peter shook his head, regaining the confidence that his master instilled in him, "What exactly do you think you are going to do?"
"Kill you," Sirius replied sharply. He gave Peter a shove and he fell to his knees in front of the fire hydrant. He stood up and turned to face Sirius, taking out his significantly shorter wand now, and pointing it level with Sirius's.
"I have more power than you could ever dream!" he said easily. "It's not too late you know."
Sirius looked at him quizzically, "Too late for what?"
"Too late to join him!"
"He's dead!"
Something faltered in Peter's expression, something flickered there, "Wha-what are you talking about?"
"He died when he tried to kill Harry! A little boy! He's still alive! Your plan has failed."
Peter poked Sirius's chest with his wand, "Shut up! SHUT UP!" He suddenly became aware of the eyes that were staring at them from all around. "God, Sirius. HOW COULD YOU?"
"What are you talking about?"
"How could you MURDER THEM? Lily and James, Sirius, our best friends. How could you?" Peter fumbled with something in his pocket and pulled out a knife. Sirius took a step back and held his wand at the ready. "Oh this isn't for you," Peter grimaced as he held the knife up to his finger and sliced it off. He bit back a scream and wrapped it in cloth to stop the bleeding. "How could you?" he said loud enough for everyone watching them to hear. Sirius suddenly realized what it was that Peter planned to do, and he began to laugh manically. Of course. Of course. Peter never had been as dim as they all thought, or perhaps he was, and his new association with Lord Voldemort had turned him cold and heartless, giving him power. Peter rose his wand and Sirius tried to counter the curse that was about to pour from the tip, but came a moment to late. He remained conscious long enough to see the blast fall from his wand, to see the muggles be thrown just as he was, to see Peter run into the sewer with the rest of the rats.
When he came to, he was in handcuffs.
"I didn't do it," he muttered, not realizing what was going on.
"Rubbish," said a husky voice he recognized as Cornelius Fudge's. It was a shaky voice. There was blood everywhere, and the street was torn apart. Pipes stuck through cement and poured out water. Dead bodies rimmed the walks and screams filled the air, muggles ran about, mixing with shocked witches and wizards. "You killed Peter Pettigrew, do you deny it?" rang Fudge's voice through the chorus of screams.
Sirius could only laugh. So Peter had gotten the best of him, and in the mean time, stripped away part of his sanity. The laugh had a distinct bark about it and Sirius was led away through the chaos.
I didn't do it. I didn't do it. I'm innocent.
Innocent.
Innocent.
I loved Lily and James.
I love Harry.
I wish I had killed Peter Pettigrew, the murderer and traitor.