For Babyboo0968,I loved your idea with Pettigrew, so this is for you
Pettigrew's Last Deed
Harry sat thinking in the common room. The students were all buzzing with gossip. Some now knew what had happened, having received letters from worried friends and family. Hermione and Ron had decided to leave Harry alone after he had snapped at them. Emma was sitting with Rhia across the room, crying. Harry felt like digging a hole and sitting in it for eternity. He didn't want this burden. He didn't ask to be born the only one who could defeat Voldemort. Harry closed his eyes and fought off the tears. When he'd seen his dad he'd been shocked that he looked so peaceful. But, as April had said to Sirius, his main worry was his mum. Lily looked awful and weak. She had never, in Harry's entire life, looked weak. His belief that his parents were invincible had been thoroughly shattered. The change in Lily had struck Emma hard as well. Emma had nearly fainted when she'd seen their parents. While Harry was thinking he didn't notice Orion's discrete attempts to cheer everyone up. With Bo's help he had magically constructed a stage next to the fireplace. On it was a drum kit, keyboard and two guitars. He got up and put a charm on his voice.
"I know this isn't really the best thing to do and the band hasn't really rehearsed recently but can Thriller please take the stage." He said nervously. He looked at Emma and Rhia.
"What! Are you joking!" Rhia hissed at him. "We're in no condition to play."
"Please." Bo said, next to Orion. "I think it'll cheer some people up." Bo said, glancing at Emma then at Harry. Rhia looked at Emma, who got up and made her way to the stage. Kara soon appeared from the girls dormitories. Rhia rolled her eyes and joined them. Harry watched them as the common room began to fill.
"As Orion said we haven't really practiced recently." Kara muttered. She picked up a guitar and looked at Emma. Emma wiped her face with the sleeve of her cloak and began playing. Harry was joined by Hermione and Ron.
"I don't think this is a good idea." Harry muttered.
"At least it'll keep everyone slightly happier." Hermione said. "I think it's just what we all need." Harry grumbled and watched the band. After a few songs Orion and Kara managed to coax Rhia into the front to sing.
"This is for the boy who lived." Rhia said, looking at Harry. Harry looked up. "We know what you have to go through, Emma told me everything, so this is for you." She said. She looked at the rest of the band and started playing on her own. Orion, Emma and Kara looked at each other uncertainly.
"I am a mountain,
I am a tree tall, oh,
I am a swift wind sweepin' the country
I am a river down in the valley
I am a vision and I can see clearly"
Rhia looked directly at Harry as the rest of the band seemed to improvise the backing. Harry was captivated by Rhia's stare, her brown eyes burned through his mind like she was seeing him clearly.
"If anybody asks you who I am
Just stand up tall
Look 'em in the face and say!"
She sang, her voice seemed to be getting stronger with every word.
"I'm that star up in the sky
I'm that mountain peak up high
Hey I made it, I'm the world's greatest
I'm that little bit of hope
With my back against the ropes
I can feel it, mmm, I'm the world's greatest."
She sang. Harry heard the portrait hole opening and looked behind him. A few teachers had come in, obviously with the intention of telling them off for noise but they just stood by the portrait hole. Rhia hadn't noticed and was carrying on.
"I am a giant, I am an eagle
I am a lion, Down in the jungle
I am a marchin band
I am the people
I am a helpin hand..
I am a hero"
She repeated the chorus again, this time with Emma and Kara being backing singers. Everyone seemed to be drawn into the song, Harry included. His faith was slowly being restored to him. The person he had hurt the most still had the most hope in him. She still loved him, that much was clear.
"I'm that star up in the sky
I'm that mountain peak up high
Hey I made it, I'm the world's greatest
I'm that little bit of hope
With my back against the ropes
I can feel it, mm, I'm the world's greatest."
Harry felt the tingling in his scar subside as the song progressed until he noticed a subtle change in the lyrics.
"You're that star up in the sky
You're that mountain peak up high
Hey you made it, You're the world's greatest
You're that little bit of hope
When our backs against the ropes
We can feel it, you're the world's greatest."
The song seemed to end there but everyone was silent, including the teachers who had come in to tell everyone off. Harry looked up, feeling Rhia's eyes on him. Rhia looked straight into his eyes. Harry gave her a smile, which she returned.
"Ok, everyone be quiet now." Said McGonagall after everyone had recovered. The band jumped off the stage and scattered as McGonagall made the stage disappear. Harry felt Hermione hug him from the side.
"Are you ok?" She asked. Harry nodded.
"I have to do some thinking" Harry said getting up and going to his room. Rhia followed him silently and when Harry had sat on his bed and was staring at the hangings Rhia pushed the door open.
"Harry." Rhia said softly. Harry turned to look at her.
"Hey." He said.
"Emma told me everything Dumbledore said to you" Rhia said. Harry sat up properly as Rhia sat on his bed.
"I noticed." Harry said. "Thank you." He said.
"For what?" Rhia asked.
"For everything." Harry asked, "And I'm sorry." Rhia raised an eyebrow. "I've been an idiot. I'm sorry for being so short sighted and not noticing that everything I need is right in front of me. And I'm sorry for treating you the way I did. No one deserves to be treated like that." Rhia smiled and got closer to Harry.
"Firstly, I knew you were short sighted, that's why you need glasses Harry." She said with a smile, "And secondly, I don't care how you treated me anymore. I know why and I know you still love me." Rhia said. Harry smiled and placed a kiss on Rhia's lips. He pulled her closer and drew her into a deeper kiss.
Jenny hid behind the sofa. Not only was Dwight after her, but he had managed to turn Remus against her as well. She wasn't sure where her grandmother was but Jenny knew that she could look after herself. She trembled as she watched the door in the dark. She saw a figure enter the room.
"Jenny." Remus said. Jenny closed her eyes and tried to stop her heart from thudding so loudly. Remus, with his werewolf hearing no doubt knew where she was already. "Come out Jenny. I'm not going to hurt you." Jenny wanted to go to Remus but she couldn't. Her body wouldn't work with her heart. Earlier that evening she had just been having a meal with Remus and her grandmother when Dwight had come into the house to tell them about James. Jenny already knew about James, all the order had been informed about it the previous night. That was when he had thrown a curse at Jenny. And instead of stopping it Remus added another one for Jenny to avoid. She had dodged both curses and run for her life. She was stunned beyond words that her husband, Remus, would attack her. Her Grandmother was right, Bo was right. Remus wasn't the same person he had been.
"Remus, you should be able to find her straight away." Came Dwight's voice.
"Go and get the grandmother, you idiot." Remus snarled at Dwight. Dwight sniffed and walked off. Jenny listened carefully as she heard the sounds of Remus' transformations. A cold dread came over Jenny. Remus was using Moony to kill her. Moony would never harm her but then, Jenny had thought the same about Remus. Jenny pressed herself against the wall and stared at the door. The dark shape of a wolf filled up the gap and Jenny screamed as Moony squeezed his way through to try and get her. Jenny threw a few hexes at him and climbed over the back of the sofa. She rolled onto the floor and held her wand in front of her as Moony jumped onto the sofa and growled at her.
"Remus, please. Moony, it's me. Jenny. I love you, you can't hurt me. Please." Jenny said shaking. Her wand wasn't steady anymore. She really didn't want to hurt Moony but she knew that when time came she'd have to. Moony stepped closer to her. She heard the fighting between Dwight and her grandmother upstairs. Moony leaped at Jenny and caught her in the chest. Jenny rolled with the wolf and scrambled to her feet. She threw another hex at him but Moony jumped out of the way. Jenny's wand stayed trained on Moony.
"Remus, please." Jenny pleaded, "Remember me, please. Don't do this. Remember I helped you through coping, when you bought me that necklace in fifth year. When we went to the dance together in seventh year. The walk in the woods in sixth year, when Bo was born, please, Remus you have to remember." Jenny begged. Moony continued to growl. Jenny knew then what she had to do. She didn't want to do it but she had to. It may send her to Azkaban but it was better then living with the knowledge that Remus had turned evil. If she pulled it off, she knew she'd kill herself. She couldn't live without Remus any longer. Even if he was evil, it was Remus. Moony leapt at Jenny again. Jenny held out her wand and summoned up every bit of hate she could muster. Hate for Voldemort for tearing apart the world, her family. Hate for her father who had always disapproved of anything that Jenny ever did. Hate for anything and anyone who had ever hurt her. Just as Moony was about to reach her Jenny screamed the only spell she knew could put Remus out of this insanity
"AVADA KEDAVRA!" She screamed. A jet of green light struck Moony in the chest and he fell backwards onto the floor. Slowly he began to turn back into Remus. Jenny fell to the floor sobbing hysterically. She couldn't believe what she'd just done.
"Remus." She cried as she went to the body. "Remus?" She said. She picked up Remus' head. It just rolled in her arms. She held Remus' body protectively and started crying. "No." She cried. Grandmother Chang limped into the room at that moment and stood silently over Jenny.
"It was for the best Jenny." She said in Chinese
"No. I didn't mean to kill him." Jenny replied in English. "Remus, no, please don't be dead." Grandmother Chang put a hand on Jenny's shoulder as she shuddered with sorrow.
"It wasn't Remus when he came back, you knew you had to do it Yue-yin." Grandmother Chang said. She wanted to say comforting things to Jenny but part of her felt relieved that Remus was dead yet again and permanently.
Voldemort smiled to himself as he returned back to his headquarters. The curse had hit Potter right in the back. It would at least keep the most highly prized Wizarding family out of the way for a while. While James and Lily Potter would be out of the way there was the thing concerning Harry. Voldemort felt the connection with him fading. Harry was getting stronger. Something had changed within him. Voldemort had been hoping that by slowly killing James Potter Harry would get weaker. Voldemort couldn't understand the change within the sixteen year old. He frowned slightly and walked through the halls of Death Eaters. He cheered himself with the thought that Hogwarts was now under siege. No one would be able to enter or leave the Hogwarts grounds without Voldemort knowing. Voldemort had given orders that anyone seen leaving the grounds would be killed on sight, be it adult or child. He knew that stirred some unease within his supporters but he didn't really care too much. His top Death Eaters were leading those around Hogwarts. Voldemort's next target would be the ministry. He needed that weapon in the Department of mysteries. With James Potter indisposed at Hogwarts with Dumbledore. April and Sirius Black trapped there as well, the magical community was without leaders. At that moment there was a knock at the door.
"Enter." Voldemort said. The door opened and Wormtail came in with his head bowed. "What is it?" He asked.
"Lupin has been killed, master." Wormtail asked. Voldemort stood up.
"What!" Voldemort demanded, "How!"
"Jenny killed him." Wormtail said. He was breathing deeply and faster. "She used the killing curse on him"
"How? She can't kill anyone, she's too….good." Voldemort spat.
"Dwight managed to get back. He told us master." Wormtail said. Voldemort swore and got out his wand.
"Crucio!" He said, sending the curse at Wormtail. The mere pain that Wormtail was experiencing seemed to comfort him to some degree.
"Fine, we'll have to find another way to get to them." Voldemort said. "Lets just hope the Black girl delivers that message."
Harry threw curse after curse at April. All of which she easily managed to dodge. They were going through another one of their training sessions. Classes had resumed, with one exception. Harry now spent his days with his godmother and Headmaster.
"Harry you have to concentrate!" April said. She sounded tired.
"Fine. What do I concentrate on?" Harry asked, throwing his wand on the floor. April picked it up and handed it back to him.
"Think of what you want to protect." April said. "That's how I always survived, the thought of my children. I' hate for them to live and grow up in a world of darkness."
"Some good that did." Harry grumbled. April smirked slightly.
"If you haven't noticed, Harry. Death Eaters are as scared of me as they are of Dumbledore." April said. "I'd say that's good."
"Yeah but I don't have children." Harry said. April looked into Harry's eyes and smiled knowingly.
"Not yet you don't. But if you don't aim to preserve what you love then you won't, neither will your friends." April said. "Can you imagine Ron and Hermione's children?" April said with a twinkle in her eyes. Harry tried to picture it. Tiny red headed children with tempers of Hermione and Ron combined, smart yet stubborn. Harry smirked slightly.
"Yeah, that's ho I picture them too." April said with a smirk.
"Can you teach me to do that?"
"Do what?"
"Read other people's minds." Harry asked. April sighed.
"Sorry, I can't. I was born with it. Much like Jessie, but unlike Jessie I was one loud mouthed little child."
"A bit like Kaylee then" Harry asked. April thought for a while.
"Yeah, I was actually." April thought. "Ok, anyway, back to your lessons."
"How's dad?" Harry asked. April rolled her eyes.
"He's as good as he can be."
"Mum?"
"We're not entirely sure how your mum is coping, just that it's badly." Harry gave her a look of confusion. He was about to asked something else when April shot a curse at him
"Protego Maxima!" Harry said. The curse bounced off the shield and hit an antique vase. April winced and pointed her wand at the vase.
"Reparo." She said. The vase fixed itself. "Nice to see you're alert. Now, think of the things you want to protect. What do you want to protect?"
"Emma, Hermione, Ron, Rhia, mum, dad, you-" Harry said counting off the names in his head.
"Me?" April asked. Harry nodded. April smiled and allowed him to carry on. She was getting thoroughly bored of the list by the time Harry had finished.
"I think you successfully managed to name everyone in Gryffindor and your year, excluding those people from Slytherin as well as almost every person you've ever met in your life." April said. Harry shrugged nonchalantly and gave April a smile.
"It's what happens when you're as popular as me." Harry said in a mock snobbish voice.
Peter sat in the Three Broomsticks with his hood over his head. He wanted to remain hidden. He sipped his firewhiskey and brooded over a certain problem that had arisen. He had seen the spell hit James in the back. Despite the fact that Peter was one of Voldemort's followers he regretted that factthat he'd betrayed James. He hadn't hesitated when it came to betraying Lily but he hadn't thought that by betraying Lily he was betraying his old best friend. Peter downed the firewhiskey in one gulp. He had to do something, who cared if Voldemort was going to kill him for helping his old friends. He wasn't sure how he was going to do it but he had to help them, he had to help James. James had befriended him without giving any sort of judgement on him, James had always been so kind, so patient and even helped Peter in times of trouble. Peter had heard whispers that the curse couldn't be reversed but transferred. Peter wasn't entirely sure how that would work but he suspected it would have something to do with a willing body to take the curse. Peter left the Three Broomsticks as discretely as he could.
"Where are you going Wormtail?" came Lucius Malfoy's voice from behind him. Peter shuddered and turned slowly.
"I am going to patrol, maybe try to spy a little." Peter said. Malfoy nodded slowly.
"You might be interested to know that Jenny Lupin killed her husband." Malfoy said with a sneer. "I never thought any of them were even capable of that curse but apparently she found enough hatred to kill her husband. What a feat that is for someone like her." Peter's eyes widened.
"I already know Malfoy" Peter said in a carefully controlled tone.
"Fine, get back to your patrol." Malfoy said before turning to go into the three Broomsticks. Peter walked a little way down an alley before turning into Wormtail. Wormtail ran for all he was worth until he reached the steps of Hogwarts. He ran around the base of the castle until he came to a small hole in the wall. He squeezed through the gap and wriggled through a small tunnel through the wall. He finally came out by the library in a silent corridor. He made his way leisurely towards where Poppy's old rooms were. He had just turned a corner when he heard a hissing noise behind him. He turned to see a bright orange cat with a squashed face hissing at him. Crookshanks! Wormtail darted into another tiny crack in the wall as Crookshanks pounced after him. Wormtail hid in the crack as Crookshanks pressed his paw into the crack to try and fish the rat out. Wormtail glanced around the crack and wedged himself through another tiny tunnel made by rats many years ago. He crawled through it until he came to the corridor but further away from Crookshanks. He ran towards the stairs where he scuttled up the banister then jumped for the floor. Soon he found himself in Lily's living quarters. On the sofa April was asleep with her head in Sirius' lap. Sirius had his head back and was snoring lightly. A door opened and Wormtail dashed under the sofa. He saw as Lily came out of a room tiredly rubbing her eyes. When she closed the door quietly April awoke with a start. Wormtail saw April's legs fall onto the floor and stay there.
"Lily, what are you doing still awake?" April asked.
"I had to make sure James was comfortable." Lily said. She looked positively miserable.
"You should be asleep. All this stress isn't good for the baby." April said. Lily shrugged. Wormtail widened his already wide eyes. Another baby?
"It won't matter if James dies." Lily muttered. April stood up and Wormtail watched as she went to Lily and took her to another room. Wormtail dashed for the door that Lily had come out of. He listened carefully, Lily and April were talking in the other room and Wormtail knew that Sirius wasn't going to wake up any time soon. He turned back into a human and went into the room silently. He went to where there was a quill and parchment on a desk. This room looked as though April had been using it. Before Peter began his message he picked up a few photos. He'd seen April's children before but never how they were in the photos, and he had never seen the twins. He smiled at a look he recognised in Kaylee's face. He put the photos down and picked up the quill. He wrote his message then folded up the parchment. He placed it on the desk before going to James. He looked at his unconscious 'enemy'. There was a look of mild pain on James' face. Peter took a deep breath. What he was going to do now didn't even make up for what he'd done to James but it would be a start. He touched James' forehead.
"AAAAHHH!" came a loudmale voice. April and Lily looked up straight away.
"What was that?" Lily asked.
"James?" April asked hopefully.
"That's not James' voice." Lily said. She got up quickly and ran out of the room. Sirius was still snoring on the sofa like he hadn't heard a thing. April and Lily burst into James' room. James' shout of pain joined the one that came from the short man with the silver hand.
"Wormtail!" Both women said in surprise. April in anger and Lily in shock. Wormtail fell to the floor unconscious with a loud thud and both screams stopped. Lily went to James' side and took his head in her lap as she sat next to his head. April went around the bed to Wormtail.
"What's he done?" Lily asked in fear.
"I don't know, he's unconscious." April said, "I have no idea. Have you got your wand?" Lily nodded. "Good, I'll go and get Dumbledore, you stay here." Lily nodded again. She slipped her wand out and held it tightly. She glanced at James, his eyelids opened slightly and he let out a groan.
"James!" Lily gasped with relief.
"Lily." He muttered. Lily hugged his head suddenly tightly. "Lily." He said again. Lily let go and helped James into a sitting position.
"You're ok." She said, tears glistened in her eyes.
"It would seem like it, what happened?" James asked rubbing his forehead.
"You got hit but a curse, but you're ok now." Lily said hugging James. James held her tightly in his arms. His eyes scanned the room until they settled on Wormtail on the floor. He tensed and immediately took Lily's wand.
"What's he doing here?" James asked.
"We don't know." Lily said. "I'm just glad you're ok." James looked at Lily curiously. "We thought you were going to die, you were dying." James' eyes widened.
"It's ok, I'm going to live, you know I'm strong." James said, giving Lily a kiss.
"No, you don't understand, it kills you, no matter how strong you are, the only way to cure someone of it is if someone takes it…into…their own body, oh my god, Wormtail took the curse!" Lily said staring wide-eyed at Wormtail's body.
"What?" James asked, his mind was still foggy from his extended sleep.
"Wormtail took the curse into his own body, James he's going to die!" Lily said, holding James' arm tightly. James winced slightly but brushed off the pain.
"So?" James asked.
"We can't let him die, even if he's evil. No one deserves to die." Lily said. James looked at Lily confused.
"You always encouraged me to try and kill him. What changed?" James asked.
"You almost dying." Lily said, looking into James' hazel eyes. James brushed some of Lily's hair away then got out of the bed. Lily got to her feet as well. James slowly lifted Wormtail's bulk onto the bed and scowled slightly. He looked around the room and saw the letter he'd left. James picked it up, it had his name written on it in slightly messy handwriting. He opened it and read it. Lily came to him and he put his arm around her as he read it.
Dear James.
I hope you can begin to forgive me. I know what I've done to you cannot be forgiven but I can always hope. I have decided to take the curse from you because there is no point in me living, I am merely a pawn in this battle, I see that now. I know this doesn't account for anything that I have done but as I said, it's a start.
Before I end this letter I must tell you that all owls headed into Hogwarts will be killed by His people so you won't be able to find out that Remus has been killed. I don't know the specifics but from what I know Jenny killed him last night.
Good luck to you, Harry and your family (including the new child)
Peter Pettigrew
A/N:-Obviously, the song is by R. Kelly. I thought it seemed to fit, plus i wanted to get a song in here.Anyway, this wasn't going to happen in the first place but having Pettigrew taking the curse kinda of solves 2 of my problems...firstly, how to get rid of Pettigrew, and how to curse James (originally Lily was gonna take the curse) but Babyboo0968 suggested something absolutely fabulous tht it just kinda got stuck in my head and it totally worked! Anyway, I'm off to go to the theatre. Watched Star wars...tis fab, everyone go watch it! I was crying for most of the movie. You can also tell i've been watching a lot of charmed recently, i feel this chapter has a certain feel to Charmed.