Author's Note - I don't own Sirius Black or his world. I do own the words here so please don't pinch...
All criticism is welcome, honesty is the best policy and all that. But cruelty for cruelties sake is offensive.
"An you know what Black did then? ... Laughed ...Jus stood there an' laughed. An' when reinforcements from the Ministry of Magic got there, 'e went wiv 'em quiet as anyfink, still laughing 'is 'ead off."
He watched the tail disappear, watched the blood soak into the dry dirt. It felt like hours before the screaming started, before the scene came back to focus.
Smoke, blood, Peter's smirk as he finally got the better of his old friend. He would remember that smile for the rest of his life. Remember the smell of charred concrete and flesh.
The rest of his life. What life? What could there possibly be? Hadn't he been through enough? He stared dumbly around him. Bodies were lying all around him, littering the ground like confetti.
None were moving. His hand was still raised. Pointed at the place were Peter had been.
Sirius had felt too shocked to speak; too shocked to utter the killing curse he so desperately wanted to scream. To see Peter crumble as James must have. Too see the terror and the realisation that that was it.
Those two words held so much power in Sirius' mind. Yet he couldn't move his lips, he could hardly breath in the face of that smile.
Not Remus; Peter. It had been Peter. All along. Peter: the weakest. Peter: the pathetic side kick to him and James. Peter who he had always thought of as an untalented wannabe. Peter who had protested so earnestly to being given the responsibility of secret keeper. Peter who had cried as he promised he would rather die than give James, Lily and Harry up.
Harry. Harry. Harry. That name. That smile. The smell of talcum powder and happiness. The eyes. Green like Lily's. The cut which marred his once smooth forehead. Harry's little face had swum infront of Sirius' eyes as he had starred at Peter. As Peter had smiled back, pulling out a knife.
He could still hear James' laugh echoing in his ear. Hear Lily's scolding for taking Harry for a ride on his bike. Harry had loved it, giggling in his warm blankets.
And as Peter; that same travesty on his lips, cut his finger off. Sirius could only look on; frozen as the finger dropped onto the ground. Blood seeping into the dirt. Blood on Peter's hands. Blood. Sirius couldn't get the sight out of his mind.
The realisation had hit him so hard that it felt as if Peter had stuck the knife in his heart. It hurt so much. He hadn't believed it. Not even upon seeing that smile. Not until Peter had given a little wave. His face elated.
Then he had shouted. Loud enough so all the muggle's turned. Shouted that Sirius had killed James and Lily, and then appeared to cry. All the time with that hateful smirk fixed on Sirius.
Sirius was still frozen in time and space as Peter gave a flick of his wand and the world exploded. But Sirius could see nothing but Peter, Peter disappearing. Transforming to the rat which Sirius knew he would recognise anywhere.
The tail was the last he saw, disappearing into the drain with a twitch. Escaping. And then the scene came back to him. The smell of charred flesh. The sound of screaming. The sight of lifeless bodies.
And the reality that he had caused all this. It had been him. He was the one who had underestimated Peter. Never once believed he would have the courage.
His arm fell to his side. Gripping his useless wand. He should have finished it. But he couldn't. Despite all the rage and the anger and the thought of Lily, James and Harry…
Harry gurgling in his arms as he held him for the first time. So tiny. So small. He had promised that day to protect Harry from all harm until the day he died. He had failed spectacularly.
And yet, he couldn't do it. At last Peter had proven himself better. He had killed at least a dozen people and he, Sirius had been unable to kill one.
So he laughed. There was nothing else he could do. Tears were streaming down his face. He had nothing. James and Lily's laughing faces joined him. Laughing at the sheer ridiculousness of the fact that Peter Pettigrew had out smarted Sirius Black.
He was still laughing when the Magical Law Enforcement Squad arrived. And when they asked if he had caused this? He told them the truth. Yes he had. He was to blame.
Lily and James were dead because of him. And then he finally stopped laughing.
A/N - If you liked it or disliked it, please R & R.
