A 10-year-old boy hid under his bed, his fingers in his ears and tears freely running down his face. The yells grew louder as the insults became worse. He was unable to block out the words. They stung him, they hurt him, and they were engraved into his mind for eternity.
He heard a slap, followed by a bang indicating that she had hit the floor due to the force. The next sound was that of a pop signalling the end of this argument with the disappearance of the abuser. His mothers sobbing grew louder in the house, which was almost completely empty. Realising this argument was over, but for how long he didn't know he slowly crawled out from under his tiny bed, and stared around him. The sobbing became louder still and the boy couldn't take the sound so climbed into bed, placed a large pillow over his head to stifle the sound and drifted into an uneasy sleep.
When Peter Pettigrew got up the next morning, it was as if the night before had never happened. He was use to it; his father would beat his mother up and then disappear.
When he entered the kitchen his mother was sitting, drinking something that was much stronger than her usual coffee, the smell embedded itself into the boys mind and he knew it was fire whisky. Carefully he moved towards his mother and discovered what he wished he could hide, a large bottle of the whisky, empty although Peter knew it had been full the night before.
His father hadn't come home (which was usual) and was probably now in work, his father worked almost everyday, including weekends and evenings, but Peter thought that was usual as the Minster of Magic was an important job. Peter hated his father being the minister that was how their problems had begun. He had been elected when Peter was four and since then the arguments were common to the house, yet outside they were the prefect family, the family everybody wanted to be.
As usual Peter got himself a piece of fruit and then went to sit in his bedroom. Peter was an only child, with no friends. He didn't go to school because he was brought up in the wizarding world. Peter knew few wizards his own age, although they went to dinner parties Peter was never allowed to mix with the children even though they were from rich, pure blood families. Peter felt so alone all the time, and wished for just one person to notice him and be his friend.
He hoped to go to Hogwarts in September and he didn't care what house he'd be in, he just kept thinking about not having to listen to his parents fights and actually being able to get food (he'd heard his father talking about Hogwarts food.) His thoughts always came back to that, his stomach lurched an answer telling him it was hungry, but it was no use. His mother was drunk and would not cook for him and he didn't know how, it seemed it would be another day of hunger for the boy.
Peter was short and was incredibly thin, thinner than any child should be. He had never been a thin child, he had been quite large at one point, but due to his constant hunger and little food, he was a boy who had lost too much weight. His meals were never filling and that was down to the fact he would only have fruit for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, beans on toast for dinner and then biscuits for supper.
His parents never cooked. He remembered a time when they had been happy, then his father would stay out later, then there were arguments about where he had been and somebody named Alyson. This increased the number of arguments and it became common for his father not to come home at all some nights. Next his mother started drinking, she had been somebody that had never before drunk any alcohol, she had always been careful about it, but now she drunk through out the day until she passed out. It was with these reasons that Peter Pettigrew was now left to fend for himself.
On this summer day however, things started to change for the better, but only slightly. This was because this very morning something wonderful happened. Peter ignoring his mothers sobs headed back into his large room. It was filled with anything a small boy could ever want, he was spoilt in that sense and he knew it, his father tried to buy him. However when he entered the room something was out of place, there on his small desk sat an owl. Edging closer to the large bird Peter spied a letter addressed to him tied to its left leg. On a closer inspection he found that it had been sent from one of the best wizarding schools in the world, it was from Hogwarts.
Peter quickly pulled the letter out of the envelope and read through it, three times before it really sank in that he had been accepted. Shaking he stood up and looked around, he gave the bird a pat and spoke to it
"You should go back to Hogwarts, I'll send my reply with a ministry owl."
Peter watched as the owl gathered itself and flew out of the open window, Peter's heart sank with the departure of the owl but he quickly decided that he should go tell his intoxicated mother.
Peter ran out to the kitchen to find his mother unconscious. He watched as she breathed in and out very slowly and watched the drool slide out of the corner of her mouth. He carefully pulled the chair out from opposite the table and sat down, thinking about what would happen when his father turned up.
The hours passed slowly for the lone child. He counted the ceiling tiles, re-read his letter until he knew it word for word and then sang to himself just waiting for his father. It was close to 5.30 when his father finally arrived home from work.
"Boy why are you sitting there, you should be in your room."
Peter looked up at his father. Simon Pettigrew was your typical politician. He companied for hours, and was seen as the prefect man. However, the man behind the mask was very different, he relied on brutality rather than brains to win his battles and he was especially nasty when it came to his own family.
Peter however saw none of his father's faults. Like many young children he wanted to be like his father and earn the same respect. His father could talk to him any way and he would never mind as it showed his father noticed him. Peter knew the violence, it was common for him to be at the other end, and yet the boy still loved his father.
"Father, I need to show you this, it's my letter from Hogwarts!"
Peter felt the letter fly out of his hand by a wave of his father's wand. He watched as his elder read through the letter, and watched the smile play across the man's face.
"Well done, my boy I'm proud that you haven't let the family down, unlike my good for nothing brother."
Peter smiled as his father praised him while watching him crumple the letter by just the mere thought of Paul Pettigrew. Paul Pettigrew was Peter's uncle but unlike the rest of the Pettigrew family, Paul was a squib and that was just not seen as right in his father's eyes.
"Thank you father, I'm glad that you are proud that Hogwarts have accepted me."
Peter looked at his father as he stood over the unconscious form of his wife looking down his nose at her.
"Have you sent back you're reply yet?"
"No father I was waiting for you to return from work and approve of Hogwarts."
"APPROVE, APPROVE OF COURSE I APPROVE"
Peter winced at the loud screaming words emitting from his fathers mouth, he watched as the spit flew from his mouth. A groan was heard followed by a grunted snore as Peter's mother turned over.
Simon Pettigrew who was now in one of his infamous bad moods moved closer to his wife. Peter gasped as he watched with horror as his father pulled a chunk of his mother's hair and pulled upwards and let go banging her head on the table.
Jumping up his mother screamed and he watched as she scrammed his father across the face. Anger radiating from every centimetre of her body.
"How dare you, you, you…"
"Peter has been excepted into Hogwarts."
Simon cut in as if what she was saying were beneath his higher level.
"Peter I will go and send you're letter now, I have to go back to the office, I will book us a table at Maria de Madame Repas Magiques (Madam Maria's Magic Meals)"
With that Simon Pettigrew disappeared with a pop, leaving Peter with a very hung over mother. Peter quickly went over to the kettle and filled it with water, and made his mother a cup of tea.
"Mum do you want me to run you a bath?"
Chloe Pettigrew looked up into the loving eyes of her only son; he was excited she knew that after all it wasn't everyday you got accepted into Hogwarts.
"Peter, why don't you go and have a bath and start getting ready for the meal, I'll find you something to wear."
Peter smiled up at his mother before heading into the bathroom and running a nice hot bath filled to the brim with bubbles.
He sat in the bath just thinking, singing some old song he had once heard. Then he heard a yell, it was high pitched and he instantly laughed. He guessed another ministry owl had flown in and broken something of value.
"Peter, you better hurry up, the table is booked for 8 o'clock and it's 6.30 now."
Peter let the water run down the drain watching the ripples near the plug. He pulled a large white fluffy towel around himself and unlocked the bathroom door and headed back to his room.
He watched as his mother ran past and into the bathroom to have a shower, Peter knew that she had taken an anti-hang over potion so that she would seem normal at the restaurant.
Peter dressed in silence and then went to sit in the kitchen, not touching anything, just keeping clean. He knew what would happen at Maria de Madame Repas Magiques, there would be a representative of the Prophet there taking pictures of the family, if there wasn't Peter would eat his dress robes.
At 7.30 Chloe joined him in the kitchen and they sat drinking tea, waiting for Simon to return. He was home by 7.35 and in the shower getting ready, they were never expected on time, they would arrive at 8.15 fashionably late.
At 8 o'clock Simon made his way out of the bathroom, dressed in his best midnight blue dress robes. He walked slowly over to the table and pulled Chloe to her feet and examined her ruby red dress robes ensure they were prefect.
He then moved onto Peter, who was wearing his best emerald green robes that his mother adored him in. Once Simon was sure they were all prefect they headed to the fireplace where they flooed to the restaurant.
The owner Madam Maria, who escorted them to the best table, met them. They sat and ordered Chardonnay to drink, which was the most expensive wine on the menu, and then ordered Peter a butterbeer.
They sat and looked over the menu for the best food on the menu. Peter however found it much more difficult to order, he couldn't speak or read French.
"Umm… Father is there any chicken on the menu?"
"Peter, you should learn French, there is."
"Minister are you ready to order yet?"
"Maria darling, we are ready I would like Filet Mignon aux Oignons - Gratin Dauphinois" (Pork filet Mignon with Onions - Dauphiné oven baked potatoes)
"Chloe would like Fricassée de Mer et sa Julienne de legumes"
(Sea Fricassée on thinly shredded vegetable)
"And Peter wants Emincé de Volaille sauce Roquefort - Pommes de terre sautées"
(Thinly sliced fillet of chicken with Roquefort sauce - Sautéed potatoes)
Within 20 minutes they're food was on the table and they were having pictures taken of their dinner party.
"Mr Minster is there a special reason why you and your family are out tonight?"
Peter looked at the Prophet's reporter and smiled at the man. Peter hated this part of his life but put up with it for his father.
"Yes, tonight we are celebrating the fact that my son, Peter has been accepted into Hogwarts."
The rest of the evening was bearable as Simon and Chloe put on happy faces trying to pretend to be the perfect couple. After two hours they went home. They had only just taken off they're cloaks when the yelling began.
Peter just shock his head and went to bed, ignoring the argument that was now raging in the living room.
Peter woke up excited. He couldn't remember why his heart was pounding until he entered the kitchen to find this father's personal assistant sitting there drinking coffee.
"Why aren't you dressed yet, we'll be late for Diagon Alley."
It was more a statement than a question.
Peter ran back into his room and rummaged through the cupboard. Within minutes he pulled out a pair of black jeans and a white T-shirt. Then he headed back into the kitchen ready to go.
"Clean you're teeth and brush you're hair"
Peter rubbed his teeth with his finger; they felt a bit dirty he guessed he should brush them. He opened the bathroom door to find his mother sitting against the radiator. Her shoulder length blonde hair was thrown all over the place and there was something brown running out of her mouth.
Peter met grazes with his mother seconds before she threw her head towards the toilet. He could hear her straining herself as she brought up whatever alcohol she had consumed this time.
Peter wanted to go and clean up but he couldn't bring himself to ignore his mother, so instead he sat behind her rubbing her back to try and help her. When she looked back up he passed her a flannel to wipe her face with, before going to clean his teeth. He then brushed his hair.
"Mum, I'm going to Diagon Alley, I'll be back later"
Waving to show she understood Chloe threw her head over the toilet as Peter left the bathroom. He met Lucy back in the kitchen and she looked him up and down.
"You'll do, now take a handful of powder and say the Diagon Alley."
"I know what to say."
Peter then stood forward with a handful of floo powder and whispered "Diagon Alley"
The room began to spin, Peter closed his eyes as tight as possible and held his breath wishing for this to be over soon. Then almost as soon as it had began the spinning stopped.
Peter stepped out of the grate and looked around. Instantly someone's hand fell onto his shoulder causing him to jump. Behind him stood Lucy
"Come on now we'll put everything on the Minister's credit and it'll be paid later, so first stop the Apothecary."
The two made they're way into a shop that smelled slightly on the rotten side. Well to say slightly would be putting it mildly, Peter's eyes watered due to the smell of rotting eggs and cabbage.
They quickly gathered the supplies that Peter would need before giving the owner a slip from the ministry with the amount written on in unchangeable ink and leaving the store.
"Peter I think the next stop will be Madam Malkin's Robes for all occasions, you need you're school robes."
So there they went and Peter was fitted for robes, then they went on to Flourish and Blotts were they gathered Peter his books.
"Can we get my wand next please?"
Peter smiled up at the older woman who gave him a look that would have made any descent witch blush, but as he was the minister's son it was to Ollivanders shop they next went.
Peter gasped as he entered the shop, it wasn't the nicest shop it was dusty and smelt funny. It was empty and Peter thought it was a bit shabby, yet he had heard through various dinner parties held at his own home that it was the best for wands.
"Aw Mister Pettigrew, I have been waiting to see you."
Peter jumped a mile in the air when he heard the voice behind him. Turning he saw an oldish man with greying hair come out of the stacks.
"Which is you're wand arm then"
"This one, I think" Peter said waving his right arm about.
Instantly a measuring tape was up his arm, across his chest, up his leg, between his ears.
"Try this centaur tail hair pine 8 inches"
Peter waved the wand but had it pulled from his hand
"No, no not good at all, let me see, umm"
"Try this Hippogriff tail hair, maple 12 inches"
Again Peter waved the wand and it was pulled from his hand. This was the pattern with 26 wands. Peter's arms began to ache as he waved his 27th wand "unicorn heart string pine 10 inches"
"No, you are a tough one Mr Pettigrew, lets see try this one Dragon heartstring cedar 9 inches"
Peter waved it and felt warmth run up his hand and down his spine. In front of him was a stream of yellow sparks came flying out.
"That is the one Mr Pettigrew, that is the wand you're destined to carry."
Waving goodbye (with an aching hand) Peter left the shop much happier that he finally had a wand to help him on his way.
Their last stop was somewhere that Peter's father had told them to visit Eeylop's owl Emporium. Simon had decided his son would have the most expensive owl in the place.
"Mr Pettigrew, yes that's right the Minster has reserved this fine owl for you."
The assistant brought forward a snowy white owl with large amber eyes.
"This is Arwen, the best owl we have."
Peter wrinkled his nose towards the owl. He didn't want this owl; he wanted something that was his, something that he picked. Turning around he noticed a rat staring at him. The rat was black with white spots around its paws creating a boot look.
"How about that rat over there, is it for sale?"
The assistant gave Peter a funny look
"Don't you want the owl?"
"Umm… I think I would rather have that rat."
Shaking his head as if the boy was a mad man, the assistant collected the rat and put it in a cage for Peter to take home.
"Hello, umm… what should I call you? I know Nibbler"
The rat wrinkled its nose towards Peter squeaking a response. Peter assumed that the rat liked its new name.
When Peter got home he made certain to stay away from his father in case he was mad about Peter getting the rat instead of the owl. Within minutes Peter had made himself a chart to count down the days until he could leave this house and go to school.
Peter couldn't wait; he'd have food, maybe a friend but best of all to him no parents fighting. This was the best part of all although Peter was worried that with him not around the arguments could become worse.