A/N: I mentioned a few chapters ago that there would be 45 chapters in all. This was when this chapter was part of chapter 39. However, I wanted to make it a chapter of its own, therefore there will now be 46 chapters in total. Have a nice day :)
Remus looked down at his former friend, his brother, the traitor. The stout man pushed himself up with his one arm and gave an involuntary groan. Lupin crossed over to where Pettigrew's wand lay unattended on the common room floor.
"Get up," Remus commanded. He was rather surprised at the calmness of his own voice. Peter remained on the floor. Remus grew impatient. He kicked out at the man, causing him to reel in pain. "I said get up!" he snapped. Ok, perhaps the kick hadn't helped but it had sure felt good. Pettigrew managed to scramble up, and turned to face Remus with a sardonic smile. Remus raised both wands to him.
"Are you going to kill me, Remus?" he asked derisively, though Remus could see the flicker of fear in the man's eyes, he could smell it. He took a step forwards and the shorter man flinched.
"I thought you'd be begging me to, Peter. After all, it's not the first time you've failed to give your Master what he wants," Remus said dryly. Pettigrew licked his lips. He had only just realised that Nymphadora and Harry had gone. They were all alone; the remaining Marauders.
"You won't kill me," Wormtail spoke up, though he didn't seem too sure of himself. Remus raised his eyebrows.
"No? And why's that? Give me one good reason not to blast you were you stand, you filthy traitor!" Remus demanded. "You've taken everything I've ever cared about. I trusted you Peter, we all did. James and Sirius." The man flinched as he heard their names. "The Marauders," Remus laughed the name bitterly. "Friends to the very end…well it's the end Peter, and you are certainly not my friend," he spat in disgust.
He moved towards Pettigrew, jabbing the tip of the man's own wand under his chin. "You remember this common room, Peter?" Lupin asked casually. "Of course you do, it hasn't been long since you were in it," he mused; recalling all of the years Pettigrew had crept around Harry in the form of a rat. "Remember our Christmas in 6th Year?" he asked, almost pleasantly. Peter swallowed nervously. "Well? Do you?" Remus barked and the now-timid man nodded as much as he could with the wand still under his jaw. "Sat in front of that fire, all four of us…do you remember what we said?" Remus paused, allowing the man chance to speak. He didn't. "I know you remember, Wormtail," he said his old nickname with obvious revulsion. "I can see it in your face! Tell me!"
"Remus, please…" Pettigrew pleaded. Lupin looked as if he wanted to be sick.
"Say it!" he shouted in his face, taking a step towards him to close the gap between them.
"The oath," Peter mumbled feebly.
"Which was?" Remus snapped impatiently. He knew. Of course he did. He just wanted to hear it from the one who had broken the pact. "Word for word, Peter."
Pettigrew's mouth was dry. He gave a small cough, which sounded more like a choke and looked his old friend in the eyes.
"Through the bonds of fraternal friendship I, Peter Pettigrew, do solemnly swear that I will honour, protect and remain a faithful companion to Ja…James Potter, Sirius Black and … Remus Lupin," he mumbled the final name. "I will fight for them, beside them and live my life with them. My life is our life, and I would willingly give it to them and lose it for them," he finished. Remus blinked at him, taking a step away and relaxing his wand arm slightly. He gave a slight laugh, though he really wasn't sure why. Beads of sweat were forming on Pettigrew's forehead. He knew that laugh, he'd heard it before, and he'd laughed it himself. Lupin broke eye contact for a second. Taking a deep breath, he looked up to the man whom he had once trusted with his life. He had loved him once.
"You know what Peter," he said quietly. "You broke that pact. But I will have you keep one last promise…You will die for me you murderous son of a bitch! AVADA KEDAVRA!" he shouted. Pettigrew's eyes widened in terror before a bolt of green light emitted from his own wand in a whoosh. He didn't even feel the curse hit him. Perhaps he had died from fear, before it reached him. The traitor's body flew across the common room, colliding hard with the far wall. The body slid down into a heap on the floor with a thud.
Remus let out a sob, dropped both wands, and fell to his knees with his head in his trembling hands. He had done it. He had killed the man who had betrayed him, who had caused him so much pain. And yet, as he braved a glace across the empty room towards the corpse, he was filled instantly with shame and regret.
"Sirius, James, forgive me," he cried. The final Marauder was left to remember his friends alone, the memories, the grief, and the pact that he would continue to uphold for as long as he remained alive…for them, his brothers.
