Peter couldn't do this anymore.

The Ministry still hadn't caught Sirius, and he'd already nearly broken into the Gryffindor dorms once. Everyone else seemed to think he was looking for Harry, but Peter knew that he was the one Sirius was really after. Somehow he'd figured out that Peter was at Hogwarts, disguised as Ron's pet…how he could have learned that, Peter had no idea.

And then there was Crookshanks, Hermione's Kneazle-cat; he wanted Peter dead, too, so much so that he kept sneaking into Ron's dorm when the others were away in order to come after him. He was working with Sirius—he had to be. And between the two of them, Peter thought that it wouldn't be long before they succeeded.

He had to do something, now, and there was only one thing he could think of. He'd faked the death of the human Peter Pettigrew once; now, he was going to fake the death of his rat self.

Peter chose a still night in early February to put his plan into action. Ron and the rest of the third-year Gryffindor boys were out studying and enjoying the night, so he was all alone in the dormitory, perched atop Ron's bed. He spotted a few stray ginger cat hairs strewn across the room, and realized that for once, Crookshanks and his vendetta against Peter might actually work in his favor. Carefully he crawled off the bed and went to collect the hairs, compiling them into a clump that he laid out just beside Ron's bed skirt. Then he climbed back into the sheets, twisted around, and sank his teeth deep into one of his hind legs.

Warm blood filled his mouth, and pain screamed throughout his tiny body, but Peter held on until he couldn't take it anymore. Watching the blood seep from his wound, he rolled around among the sheets until they were stained bright red—he ripped out a couple tufts of his thinning fur and left them with the blood for good measure.

Peter studied his work for a moment before limping his way off the bed. He'd been Scabbers for over twelve years, and he'd enjoyed it much more than he ever thought he would have. He was going to miss being Ron's pet, just as he missed being Percy's. He hoped that Ron wouldn't be too upset over his fake-death.

But Sirius was on the loose, and Crookshanks was after him, and he had no other choice than to leave like this. It was the only way he'd survive the year.

Goodbye, Ron, he thought miserably. Maybe I'll see you again someday.

Then he scrambled to hide within the mouse hole by the dormitory door until it was thrust open by a laughing Dean and Seamus. He scurried out underneath their feet and headed down the crimson mahogany stairs towards the common room, leaving Gryffindor Tower for what he was sure would be the last time.

Chapter Management