Testimony of a Traitor
Rating: R
Rating Reason: language and morbid scenes.
Ship/s (if applicable): Slight Peter/Dorcas
Summary: This takes place about six years after Harry graduated from Hogwarts.
Disclaimer: All of the characters here belong to J.K. Rowling. The only thing unique is my opinion.
Chapter 1: The Apocalypse
The wizarding world has changed. Families can roam the streets of Hogsmeade safely, not needing to worry about He Who Must Not Be Named and his Death Eaters. Only recently an event so horrible, and so great, occurred. It could only be described in one word.
Apocalypse.
The entire Forbidden Forest was burnt to the last charred stump. An enormous battle took place between Dumbledore's Army, and Voldemort's Death Eaters. There were many losses. From both sides. One of them being the Hogwarts Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, of whom died at the hands of Lord Voldemort. Alas as it was heard in the prophecy, only one of the two, being Voldemort and Harry Potter, could live. The other had to be murdered.
When Dumbledore fell to the ground, it seemed like Harry was struck with a rage so violent, so determined, that he slew Voldemort with an enormous curse, which shuddered the heavens. Now Harry was free of the monster that lurked within his mind. The only thing that he had to remember Voldemort was not the troubled nightmares, but the scar that still lay on his forehead.
It seemed that all the Death Eaters had been slain, but they were forgetting one.
Peter Pettigrew was captured by Aurors shortly after the murder of Lord Voldemort. He was sentenced to be hung, but he was allowed testimony first.
Now on the eve of August the 1st, one day after Harry Potter's 21st birthday, the Hearing was to be held. Witches and wizards began to sit down, the Wizengamot already being in place. Mrs Amelia Bones was the new head of the Wizengamot, the new Headmistress being Hermione Granger. As Mrs Bones sat quietly at the head of the table, she watched, emotion not stirring her eyes, as Peter Pettigrew was dragged into the room by burly guards, all the Dementors being vanquished with Voldemort's side at the battle.
He was very thin and pale. But there was something about him that was different. Maybe it was a little bit of life in his eyes, but he looked less like the servant of Lord Voldemort, and more like the shy little boy that let three Marauders welcome him with open arms. He sat down, and let the chains go around him, and it was understood what the look was in his eyes.
He was ready to die.
As Peter looked up at the Wizengamot, he saw hatred in their eyes, and he had a flashback to when he was bullied in his first year. He felt their hatred towards him, and he hated himself for how his life turned out.
"Mr. Pettigrew," Mrs Bones' voice rang out in the echo-filled hall, "You have been allowed to give testimony on this day. Please begin when you are ready."
Peter looked up once again at the jury, and felt a new feeling in his heart. It was courage. All his life he had been a weak, shy, nervous little boy, and now he was ready. If he failed to convince the jury that he deserved to live, he was ready to rot in Hell.
He felt that after all the pain he had caused, he deserved it.
He had felt like this after he had known Lord Voldemort was dead. He didn't know it, he felt it. He felt like he was gaining control again. He was in his mouse-form at the time, but he saw the battle going on between Harry and Voldemort. When Voldemort slumped lifeless to the ground, Pettigrew also slumped to the ground, returning to his normal body before he did so. He let the Aurors take him, because he wanted to world to know the pain he had gone through.
He deserved to die. And he was ready to tell his story.