Disclaimer: The bright side is this is one of the last disclaimers for this! I don't own HP peoples.
AN: Alright...because I want to make it all the more heart-wrenching for poor Remus, I'm going to make him the one facing off against Wormtail, instead of Harry. I'm quite evil, aren't I?
To the last
One
Remus sighed as he watched the terrain fly by him from the window of the train. Normally he would try to rest when he was on one of these trips, but not this time...he couldn't handle any more nightmares about his closest friends.
Of course, he had to sleep sometime, but for now, he found that watching the terrain slip by helped take his mind off of the fact that he was now well and truly alone. Sirius, James, Lily, Peter, Dumbledore...even Tonks was off on some mission alone. Not that he could ever believe she truly cared for him as much as she claimed--admirable sentiments, but quite impossible...she simply did not understand what he was like when he did not get his potion.
James knew, and Sirius...they were always there even before that wolfsbane potion...they risked so much for me, and how did I repay them?
He shook his head. The window had stopped working, he'd drifted back to thinking of his deceased friends. Plan B would have been a dreamless sleep potion, but he had not been able to get his hands on one since he'd left his teaching position in Hogwarts several years back. Perhaps he would resort to humming? Lily would do that when she got bored.
Remus sighed in irritation and shook his head, Scratch that plan, haven't even started and I'm already thinking about them.
It wasn't like he was obsessive about his late friends, or always dwelt on the past--really, he'd managed two full hours the other day of not thinking about them fairly easily. The problem was that at the end of this train ride, he would be facing off against the last remaining 'friend' he had from those days, Wormtail, the betrayer.
He shook his head and looked out the window again, maybe it would work if he just didn't think at all, just watched the scenery pass by in a blur, disappearing behind him as the train zoomed along at incredable speeds. It reminded him of time, slipping through his fingers no matter how he tried to hold it. Friends and family there one moment at your side, and then vanished in a blink.
Remus shook his head. Definitely not working anymore.
They had gotten news from a Death Eater they captured, that Wormtail was to meet with a Death Eater here, McGonagall had decided to send Remus in his place, to reason with Wormtail, or...
He sighed and put his face in his hands, how was he supposed to fight his own friend? He'd always wondered why Wormtail--Peter Pettigrew as he was now known as--had betrayed them, he'd occasionally wished bitterly that Peter would suffer the same fate as the friends he betrayed...but kill the poor man himself?
Remus sighed, I can't do this...McGonagall shouldn't have sent me on this mission, I'm falling apart before the train has even stopped...
The train screeched to a halt as he was thinking, as if it wanted to make him a liar.
With a grim frown, Remus stood and slid his hand in his robes pocket, where he had stowed his wand, and walked out of the compartment into the hall. There were few people on the train as he made his way to the exit, most people did not dare travel after the terrible hijacking of the Hogwarts Express by several Death Eaters.
If Remus heard correctly, they had been thwarted in whatever they were planning by a group of DA members, but not without heavy losses. Remus winced at the memory of Ginny Weasley sobbing over the body of a blonde girl by the name of Lovegood. It was a horrifying event, one that would never have happened if Dumbledore, or even Harry, were still in the school.
Now, however, was not the time for 'might have beens' or 'if onlys', now was the time for him to finish what Peter started.
--
Peter lifted his tiny nose into the air slightly, sniffing nervously, and wringing his hands. Many habits from his 12 year stretch as a rat were hard to break, and he often found himself trying to twitch whiskers he no longer had.
Bellatrix Lestrange had broken into a fit of mocking laughter when she had heard about his problem, remarking that he was lucky he could transform back at all after so long.
Maybe I didn't want to... Peter thought sadly, watching for the train, Life was easier as a rat...no one bullied me anymore...except for the occasional prank involving me by the twins...but...it reminded me of the days when I used to be with James and Sirius...
Peter gave a sniffle at the thought, wiping away tears, I didn't want to join him! I wish they would have understood...I had no choice...I'm not strong like they were...I'm not strong...
"Evening Wormtail." chimed a pleasant and all too familiar voice from behind him.
Peter leapt a full five feet in the air, and spun around to face Remus, "H-H-How did you get here!"
"I don't think that's the issue here, Peter." Remus said with the same pleasant smile plastered on his face as he always had. However, the wand he had pointed at Peter suggested the meeting was less than pleasant.
"P-Plese don't k-kill me!"
"Oh don't worry. I won't kill you for no reason." Remus said, "I'm not like Voldemort."
Peter cringed slightly. He had never been brave enough to hear that name, let alone speak it.
"Tell me, what were you supposed to meet Dolohov here for?"
"You know I c-can't tell you!"
"Peter, we can protect you, you don't have to fear Voldemort anymore." Remus said, face softening.
Peter cringed at he name once more, "N-no you can't! No one can! Even D-D-Dumbled-dore couldn't!"
Remus frowned. "Peter..."
"I c-can't!" he cried, making a break for the exit.
"PETER!"
--
Remus sighed. He had known this was going to happen.
Reluctantly, he fired several jinxes at Peter's retreating form, but 12 years as a rat seemed to improve Peter's natural agility, and Remus couldn't score a hit. Cursing under his breath, Remus chased after his old friend.
It seemed like Peter had to be trying to reach a Portkey, as he raced out of the building, into the forest.
"Peter! Stop!"
The man only kept running.
Remus sighed and sent a curse at the man, this time it connected, and sent the man spinning several feet through the air. Peter screamed in terror, then landed with an audible crack.
Eyes wide, Remus raced to where Peter lay on the forest ground, umoving, unseeing.
"Wormtail, no! I...I didn't mean to--" Remus bit back a sob, and fell to his knees, clutching his last friend. "I'm sorry..."
Time had slipped by once more...and now...he was truly alone.
AN: Once again, terrible ending. Dang, sometimes I just can't seem to do it right...
Next chapter will be the last...
-Yusagi