Author's Note: Thanks to those of you who review my chapters! It means a lot. And just to show how much it means, I have acknowledged all constructive criticisms and used them to improve my latest chapter! I've only gotten one so it wasn't too difficult but um, yeah. Barefoot Bohemian should be pleased to know that this chapter is almost double the length of the other chapters. Enjoy!

Chapter 4: Misplaced Trust

It was common knowledge in the wizarding world that Albus Dumbledore was the only one whom Lord Voldemort had ever feared. Whether it was his immense magical power, his profound mind, or his insurmountable, charismatic charm, there was something about the school headmaster that made Voldemort uneasy.

But being the only person that the Dark Lord feared wasn't all that it's cracked up to be. Dumbledore was the leader in the fight against Voldemort's rise to power and was, therefore, frequently needed in about six places at once. He was a man of many talents and abilities but cloning himself was not one of them. As a result, Dumbledore was forced to spend his time constantly traveling from one place to the next using his magical touch to remedy the world's problems. This made him about as easy to track down as a Squibb in a Muggle village.

Sirius knew all of this but it was not enough to deter him. He was on a mission; a mission so urgent that failure could mean loss of a life… or three. Though he could handle having the guilt of a lifetime of faults, he could never bear the burden of death on his conscience. Sirius gently shook his head to clear his mind of any thoughts of what might happen if he couldn't find Dumbledore in time. At any moment he could be surrounded by death eaters. He had managed to fight off Bellatrix's Imperius curse but there was no way he could fight the curse of several dark wizards at once.

Sirius looked out at the magnificent castle that loomed ahead of him. There really wasn't any reason for Dumbledore to be in the famous wizard school at this time of the year but Sirius couldn't think of any other place to look for him. At least, if Dumbledore wasn't at Hogwarts, then Sirius could stay temporarily behind the castle walls until the headmaster appeared. Hogwarts had a reputation of being one of the safest places in Britain. Sirius hated the idea of going into hiding but it wasn't his life that he was trying to protect.

A light, warm breeze sped across the Hogwarts grounds and gently ruffled the fur of the black dog outside its gates. Sirius slowly raised his head and tried to catch the sent of the headmaster in the passing wind. His sensitive canine nose quickly deciphered all of the smells distributed in the night's summer air.

If dogs could show facial expressions, Sirius would be displaying a look of disappointment. Dumbledore was not at Hogwarts. He growled in frustration. Spending the night locked up inside the old school waiting and wondering what was happening in the real world was not his idea of fun.

Feeling defeated, Sirius slowly made his way up to the castle gates. To add to his annoyance, the wind shifted and a large gust swept his fur in the wrong direction. Sirius snorted to express his displeasure but then stopped.

For a few minutes he remained completely motionless except for the spastic expansion and contraction of his lungs as he sniffed the air enthusiastically. A tingle of excitement ran down his spine and ended in the involuntary of his tail.

In a moment he was off, racing in the opposite direction of the castle. A group of shops lay within his field of vision. The tiny buildings gradually grew to normal size as Sirius continued closer and closer.

Soon he was on the cobblestone road that ran between the buildings. A quick inhale confirmed that he was going in the right direction. He made a sharp turn to the right and entered the pub in front of him.

A long bar stretched from one end of the pub to the other and a chalkboard sign hung above it displaying the specials for the day. Tables were scattered about the spacious room, each surrounded by a small cluster of chairs. An elderly man sat at a table in the far corner, calmly sipping a mug filled with Butterbeer. Sirius exhaled deeply, sending a wave of relief through every tensed muscle in his body, and he slowly approached the old man.

Dumbledore smiled a kind but wary smile at the large black dog padding towards him.

"Sirius! How did you know I was in Honeydukes?"

By the time Dumbledore had finished his question, the dog had turned into a fully grown man with black, shaggy hair, much like the fur he had worn moments ago.

"It's a gift," Sirius responded, not wanting to relive the panic of the past hour.

"I know it seems a bit selfish of me to be enjoying a glass of Butterbeer when the world is fighting one of the most terrible wars in our history but I feel it's necessary for one to have a few minutes of peace between the long periods of chaos. It helps to maintain one's sanity. Don't you agree, Sirius?" Dumbledore asked before taking a sip from his mug.

"Professor Dumbledore, sir, I can't be the Potter's Secret Keeper," Sirius said, getting straight to the point.

Dumbledore tilted his head slightly to one side, a look of concern and wonder on his face. "Sirius, I assure you, I would not have bestowed such a heavy responsibility to you if I did not think you could manage it."

Sirius shook his head. "It's too obvious it's me. Bellatrix already guessed it."

"Are you sure?" Dumbledore frowned.

Sirius nodded, "Yes. It's only a matter of time now before…"

Dumbledore held up a hand to silence Sirius. "Sirius, I stand by what I have said before that I would not have given you this secret if I did not think you capable of keeping it. I don't think there is anyone who the Potters would trust more than you. However, if you think that it's necessary that a new Secret Keeper be appointed then it shall be done. I'm sure Remus Lupin would be more than willing to–."

"No. Not Remus. Bellatrix expects the Secret Keeper to change now that she knows and she's probably already predicted that Remus would be chosen nesxt. Plus, as a werewolf, he's not fully in control of his actions every day of the month. All the Death Eaters would have to do is wait for a full moon and capture him and then the Potters are as good as…" Sirius couldn't finish the sentence. It was an outcome that simply couldn't be allowed to happen.

"Very well. Whom did you have in mind?"

"Peter Pettigrew."

"Peter? I'm not sure if–."

"I've thought it through. He's always been good friends with Remus, James and I but he'd also be an unlikely choice which is why he's the perfect choice. The Death Eaters won't think of Peter." Sirius didn't usually cut the Dumbledore off but he was very anxious to have a new Secret Keeper appointed.

"I see. Well, if that is what you believe is the best course of action, Sirius, I trust you completely. I will leave immediately to relocate the Potters and to inform Peter of his duties."

"Thank you, Dumbledore." Sirius shifted back into a black dog and quietly slipped back into the streets of Hogsmeade. He felt like a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders and now he was completely weightless. He was certain he'd done the right thing. No one would suspect Peter Pettigrew.

A low murmur ran through the congregation of Death Eaters as they waited impatiently for their master to speak. They had been assembled for over half an hour but the Dark Lord merely paced the floor, his red eyes narrowed to tiny slits and his upper lip curled in displeasure.

"Why were we called here if we're just going to stand around?" Anotonin Dolohov muttered quietly so that Voldemort wouldn't hear.

"Quiet you fool!" snapped Walden McNair in a low, gruff voice. "The Dark Lord's mood has become increasingly sour since he heard the prophecy. If those two rug rats aren't found and killed soon, heads are gonna roll; our heads!"

Dolohov winced slightly at the thought.

"You think he called us here to let out his frustration on us?" Dolohov whispered, eyeing Voldemort warily.

McNair opened his mouth to respond but was stopped short when another Death Eater nudged him to the side and entered the conversation.

"You're both overreacting. There are two Death Eaters who haven't yet responded to the Dark Lord's call. If there's going to be any head rolling tonight, it'll be theirs."

McNair glared at the other Death Eater for interrupting him but Dolohov seemed interested.

"Two Death Eaters are missing? Who are they, Crouch?" Dolohov asked.

Bartemius Crouch Jr. leaned forward and spoke so softly that his words were almost inaudible. "Bellatrix and Wormtail."

McNair grunted. "I wondered when Wormtail would finally chicken out but Bellatrix? I'd never have expected it of her."

"You're right," Dolohov agreed.

He scanned the crowd of Death Eaters and motioned for one of them to come over.

"Hey, Rodolphus, where's your wife?" Dolohov asked the Death Eater.

"She's here," Rodolphus responded calmly. The three Death Eaters around him simultaneously raised their eyebrows in disbelief.

"She arrived about two minutes ago. The Dark Lord won't punish her for tardiness; she was on an important mission." Rodolphus grinned proudly.

The other Death Eaters remained unconvinced. Rodolphus sighed in annoyance and gestured to his wife who was slowly separating herself from the crowd to approach an increasingly angry Voldemort.

A silence fell over the Death Eaters as one by one they realized that Bellatrix was about to say something to the Dark Lord.

"My Lord?" she said simply.

Voldemort stopped pacing and focused his reptile-like eyes on Bellatrix. His scowl softened slightly at the sight of his favorite Death Eater.

"Do you have news for me, Bella?" Voldemort asked.

Bellatrix answered with a simple smile and bowed her head in a small nod. A low, grumbling laughter erupted from the Dark Lord and echoed off the empty, stone walls.

When the room became silent, Bellatrix continued. "Dumbledore has taken the Potters and the Longbottoms to a hidden location as we suspected. My cousin is the Potter's Secret Keeper."

Voldemort grinned. "You never disappoint me, Bellatrix."

He lifted a thin, pale hand and stroked Bellatrix's cheek affectionately. Rodolphus shifted uncomfortably in the crowd of Death Eaters but said nothing.

Bellatrix's smile faltered but she tried to keep her expression optimistic. "There is a chance, however, that Dumbledore will change the Secret Keeper."

Voldemort recoiled his hand from Bellatrix and a scowl returned to his face. "What do you mean?"

"Sirius knows that I know he's the Secret Keeper. If I know my cousin as well as I think I do, he's already run to Dumbledore and demanded the title be given to someone else." Voldemort frowned and Bellatrix quickly added, "But I'm sure the new Secret Keeper will be easy to guess. It will most likely be Dumbledore or that werewolf friend of Sirius's, Lupin."

Voldemort was little comforted. He aimed his wand and wordlessly sent fatal red sparks at the center of the cluster of Death Eaters. The Death Eaters instinctively dived out of the way and a large charred hole appeared in the wall behind where they once stood.

Bellatrix thought about speaking but couldn't think of anything reassuring to say to the Dark Lord. Knowing that she was lucky that Voldemort hadn't aimed his wand at her, Bellatrix silently stepped back into line with the other Death Eaters.

Voldemort took up pacing the floor again until he noticed a chubby, cowering wizard standing in front of the hole in the wall. The wizard, who had apparated there only seconds ago, stood fidgeting; his eyes darted from the group of Death eaters on either side of him to the gaping hole in the wall and then to the Dark Lord.

Nostrils flaring in rage, Voldemort started walking toward the timid wizard who immediately became tense and wide-eyed.

"You're late, Wormtail," Voldemort said coldly.

"I'm sorry!" Wormtail fell to the floor in a low bow, his whole body quaking.

"Get up, you filth!" Voldemort spat.

Wormtail instantly scrambled to his feet but his eyes remained focused on the floor.

"I- I h-h-have w-wonderful news, m-m- m-my Lord," Wormtail stammered.

Voldemort raised his wand and said, "For your sake, I hope so."

Wormtail began trembling more violently. "I have b-b-been made the P-Potter's S-S-Secret K-Keeper, my Lord."

Instinctively, Wormtail raised his hands to block the attack though he might as well have used a paper shield for protection. The entire room fell silent; several Death Eaters even unknowingly held their breath in anticipation of what would happen next.

Moments passed and everyone in the room remained completely motionless except for Wormtail who was now shaking even more noticeably. The silence was deafening to him. Slowly, he raised his gaze from the floor and looked at Voldemort, his wand still raised.

In one swift movement, Voldemort lowered his wand and let out the samecruel, coldlaugh as before only it was stronger and louder. His frightening laugh vibrated throughout the room and carried out into the dark night where the Dark Mark glowed vehemently.

Author's Note: I start school in the second week in September and I still have a lot of college prep work to do and summer assignments to finish so I don't think I'll be able to get many updates done from now on. Since I pretty much already have the next chapter written in my head, I will try to write that and get it posted by the end of August but I make no promises. As always, the more reviews, the more motivation I get and the more likely a new chapter will be posted. And (review!) after all that (review!), you didn't get the (review!) hint... it's hopeless.