A/N: Another "What if?"
Chapter 25: The Weasley Twins Pay Attention To The Map
They had been back at Hogwarts for a fortnight, and third years Fred and George Weasley decided the time was ripe for the first of many pranks and tricks they planned to carry out through the year. From its hiding place beneath a false bottom in Fred's trunk, they pulled out their greatest tool in the field of mischief making.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." The now familiar lines of the Marauder's Map bloomed into existence on the enchanted parchment. Who the Marauders were, beyond the names Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs, they had no idea. "Now, Fred, who shall be the first recipient of our talents this year?" "Perhaps Professor Quirrell, George. A good shock might be what he needs to get rid of that stutter." "I quite agree, but conversely, it might also make it worse." "So, what shall it be? Fireworks in his office? Arranging circumstances such that his turban goes missing? Or perhaps –" "Hang on, check this, George. Ickle innocent Ronniekins is not so innocent. There is a "Peter Pettigrew" in bed with him."
The twins started sniggering, but as they wondered as to who Peter Pettigrew might be, they came to a realisation that made them feel sick. "Whoever Pettigrew is, he isn't a first year." "Ronniekins doesn't know anyone older than him – besides us and Percy, of course." "I think Mister Pettigrew needs to be caught in the act, Fred. "Definitely."
Carefully, they crept down through the tower to the first years' dormitory. Using the Map as a guide, they found Ron's bed, and slowly pulled open the curtains. The only person in the bed was their brother, but the useless rat Scabbers was lying on top of the blankets. "Mister Pettigrew has the means of becoming invisible." "No he doesn't." "How do you know?" "If he was invisible, the blankets would show where he was." "Wait, George. I've got an idea. Grab Scabbers."
Gingerly, George inched his hands towards Scabbers and picked the rat up, thankfully without waking him or Ron. "Now move somewhere," hissed Fred, "and if Pettigrew moves too, he's Scabbers – somehow." Fred looked at the Map in horror as the dots labelled "George Weasley" and "Peter Pettigrew" moved to the dormitory door. Wordlessly, he turned the Map to show his twin. Both their faces were pale. "Scabbers is a person, Fred!" "It's worse than it seems, too." "How could this possibly be worse?!" "Ron's only got Scabbers because Percy got Hermes for becoming a prefect. Scabbers belonged to Percy last year." "So, for the last four years…" "Pettigrew was sleeping with Percy."
The twins withdrew to the silent common room to make a plan. "So now we've got him, what do we do with him?" "We can't rat him out – heh, rat, pun – or the teachers'll want to know how we found out, and it would be betraying the Marauders if we were to hand over the Map." "Could we post him somewhere?" "Eh, he might escape." "Or the owl might eat him." George looked over at the portrait hole. "There is one option, but it's a bit dark." "What?" "Drop him down the Grand Staircase. He hits the bottom, breaks something, dies, turns back into a person. Nobody knows it was us, all they care about is how he got in." "Whoever he is, he's disgusting. I can't think of anything better that doesn't have risks and won't implicate us, so it'll have to do."
Forty-seven seconds later, the rat known as Scabbers hit the floor of the Grand Staircase with a snapping thud, transforming as he died into the man called Peter Pettigrew. The corpse was discovered the next morning by an early-rising Hufflepuff second year girl. Her scream was of sufficient volume to reach the seventh floor.