This story was written for the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition, season 8. I'm so happy I'm part of this again! It's been a while. For the first round, I wrote for Pride of Portree's Chaser 2 as a reserve. The theme for that position was: The Sage - Goal: knowledge OR Fear: deception. I have decided to go with deception.

Prompts:

(character) James Potter

(emotion) hopeful

(word) blaze

Word count: 2951

Enjoy reading! :D

Nightly Findings

He sighed for the third time within the last minute. He was bored.

He had been wandering around the castle for what felt like at least four hours already and he had yet to catch a rogue student creeping around on school grounds in the middle of the night. He hadn't even managed to catch one single snogging couple yet. How bad was that? And how rare was that? Now that he thought about it, it had never happened before. Snogging couples hiding in precariously tiny broom closets were one of the only things one could still trust to be ever present in insecure and dangerous times as these. No-one knew whether they would be hit by a lethal curse once they turned around the next corner. It was possible that the next family holiday would not host all of the family members at a dining table still in one piece. In times like these, James felt like mundane things like snogging a crush should be things to focus on, things that should be in the center of everyone's attention, at least at school, and yet...

He sighed again as he scratched his chin. This was ridiculous. He was ridiculous. He was James Potter, leader of the infamous Marauders, damn it, not some random bloke strolling through the castle in the middle of the night like he didn't have better things to do. He didn't even have his invisibility cloak on him. How sad was that? Even worse, he didn't need to carry his invisibility cloak around with him. He was Head Boy, he was allowed and even supposed to roam the castle at nights in which there weren't enough Prefects available to cover the patrols.

When Lily had told him he'd have to fill in each free patrol spot, he'd hoped it would be both of them, preferably walking hand in hand, going for a walk in the moonlight, owls hooting in the distance. The half-moon would be illuminating the corridors as they talked about everything important and unimportant that came to their minds.

Had it come to that? No.

Here he was, hand awfully empty, unable to hold its warm counterpart, slowly walking through the cold and dark corridors of a sleeping Hogwarts, wondering why, oh why, he agreed to become Head Boy. Lily, of course, was nowhere in sight. She had to cover for another Prefect who had managed to catch a cold in the middle of summer, no less. Because of that stinking Hufflepuff, he had to go through this torture alone.

It said everything that they had to go on rounds alone. The two Head students had agreed that they would split if it meant the underage Prefects could patrol in groups of two. In times like these, they were constantly in danger of being attacked, even within the halls of Hogwarts. Nobody said it out loud, but everyone knew that Lord Voldemort had started to recruit students that were still going to classes. James figured Voldy needed eyes on the inside of the school. He wanted to control not only the outside wizarding world but also everything that was under Dumbledore's protection – Hogwarts.

The Minister might not accept that he was not the main authority figure people followed and, sometimes, even looked up to. He refused to see the danger lurking in the shadows, ever growing stronger and darker. Not even Hogwarts was safe anymore.

There was not one day when the Daily Prophet didn't write about yet another unsolvable murder, wizards and witches being kidnapped, just to be found days later – dead. At least once every two weeks Death Eaters massacred one or two Muggle families, just for the heck of it. The Dark Mark ominously hovering above their empty houses, telling everyone within the magical community to stay away from Muggles if they wanted to live.

The school year was nearly over and the seventh year students were nervous. What would come after Hogwarts? What should they do? Side with Dumbledore and get yourself and your family tortured or killed, or act as if nothing was amiss?

James ran his hand through his unruly hair, tugging at its ends. Ignoring everything that had been going on was a no-go for him. He was more than sure that he would join the Order of the Phoenix, an organisation solely existing to put an end to Voldemort before he got even more power than he already had. Even without all the deaths and disappearances in the news, he wouldn't know what else to do but fight.

He had always imagined himself as a professional Quidditch player, but that just seemed superficial now. He was seventeen years old and totally on board with going out into the world, hoping not to die while he did his best to protect the Muggles, Muggleborns and people that he loved. Because someone had to do it!

Not all hope was lost yet! He was sure that, once many wizards and witches saw reason and joined the Order, they would stand a chance against Voldemort and his goons! His parents had once told him that if you weren't able to see the possibilities of the future, what reason would there be to even try. So he would try. He would try and he would give all he had to end this once and for all.

He smiled softly as he stopped at one of the windows and looked over the Black Lake. It looked so peaceful - just sitting there, not one ripple disturbing its smooth surface. They would get through this. It might take some time and a lot of energy, but they would live to see better and brighter times.

Oh, what he would do to bust open a delightfully occupied broom closet right now, just to make two students jump, scream and run before he had the chance to dole out detentions, just to get his mind off the dark reality and bring some normality back...

He sighed wistfully. Hands buried deep in his school robes' pockets, as to not concentrate on the lack of Lily's hand in his, he turned around the corner without noticing the muffled voices ahead of him.

"I told you they see it differently."

James froze as he heard the squeaky voice he only knew too well. "Wormy?" he muttered, eyebrows pulling together in a deep frown. What was Peter doing alone outside the tower so late after curfew?

Hazel- eyes narrowed as the young Gryffindor hurriedly hid in the shadows to his right and cautiously peeked out from behind the suit of armour giving him enough coverage to not be seen.

"The Dark Lord's orders were clear, Pettigrew," one of the two cloaked figures looming over Peter hissed and pushed him back into the wall.

James winced as he heard the loud thud as his friend's body collided with the hard stone.

"But I don't know how to sway them!" Wormtail was trembling all over. His head held low, he stared at his feet. "They are very adamant in their beliefs and nothing can change that."

"Then you haven't tried hard enough," the other figure growled as he grabbed Peter's throat. The terrified Gryffindor whimpered. His hands shot up to pull the other's away. "What do you not understand? It's an order, Pettigrew! An order from the Dark Lord himself! You are to bring him more pureblooded recruits for his mission and there is no leeway in there, do you hear me?"

James' eyes widened as he stood in the shadows of the suit of armour, staring at his friend and the two Death Eaters, unable to move.

"I will try to persuade them, I swear!"

"Trying isn't enough, rat!"

The person who had spoken first pulled out his wand and shot a nonverbal curse at Wormtail, who wheezed and collapsed on the cold stone floor.

James' muscles jerked, but he forced himself to stay where he was as the second figure bent down, grabbed Peter's blond hair tightly and pulled him towards himself.

"You will do as you are being told, understood? We might let you roam free after this, but the Dark Lord will not show any mercy towards cowards and people who willingly disobey them."

He pushed Peter's head away from him, causing the boy to hit his skull against the stone floor. The first figure nodded at the second, and both strode towards James' hiding place. The young wizard inhaled sharply and pressed himself against the wall behind the suit of armour, not daring to move a single muscle. He didn't know who they were but he knew what they were and that was more than enough to stay well out of their reach.

As the two cloaked wizards turned around the corner, James jumped out of his hiding spot and ran to the whimpering bundle lying on the floor.

"Peter!" James skittered to a halt next to the slumped boy and feverishly started to check him over. "Peter, are you okay? Who was that? Why did they attack you?"

He might have heard what had been said among those three wizards just a few seconds ago, but he wanted to hear it from his friend's mouth. He couldn't believe what he had just witnessed. He refused to accept that one of his friends might have joined the wrong side of the war.

"Peter? Talk to me, mate."

Slowly, the blond boy picked himself up and looked at James. His eyes were red, his hands were still trembling and he was biting down on his bottom lip so violently that it was an angry red.

As James tried to help him stand, Peter shoved him away and stumbled into the wall. "You don't need to know that, James."

"What? Yes! Yes, I do need to know what is going on. Peter, who were those people? Are you in trouble? Please, I can't help you if you don't talk to me!"

"I have talked to you and yet you haven't helped me. What would be so different now?" The blond glared at the brunette, daring him to answer back.

James frowned as he took in the sight before him. "What?"

"See? You don't even remember! You have been too busy smooching Evans and running off with her to hide in whatever broom closet was free at the time and suck her disgusting face off! That isn't normal, James! You of all people should know that. It isn't normal!"

James' eyes blazed dangerously. "Now, wait a second there, Peter, hold your breath, will you. First of all, don't bring Lily into this. This is between you and me. Second of all, insult her one more time and you'll regret it."

"Oh, regret it, I will? What? Will you hex me? Lock me in an empty class room and sick a teacher on me? Grow up, Potter, this is so much bigger than you."

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't you get it? A war is going on outside of these walls and we have to choose which way we want to go. Even you have to choose, James."

The black-haired Gryffindor could see the usually shy and nervous boy in front of him change into someone he didn't know. His pale blue eyes were glistening madly, his podgy face was pulled into a manic grin. James couldn't do anything but stand there, shocked, and stare at the boy he had called his friend for the last seven years. His heart was hammering in his chest, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

"It's just a matter of choosing the right side, isn't it? Everyone needs to make sacrifices at least once in their lives. We all would make sacrifices, even big ones, if it meant that we'd survive. Say James, don't you want to survive?"

James' mouth opened and closed, without him being able to bring out a single word. He refused to understand what the small boy was trying to do. This wasn't his friend. He had never known this person in front of him, nor did he have any desire getting to know him.

His hazel eyes narrowed dangerously as he continued to watch the blond boy getting more frantic with the second.

"You can come with me, James. Both you and Sirius can. He will be pleased with me and reward me and both of you can join the ranks. It is where Purebloods like you and Sirius belong, Prongs! You have to see that. It all makes sense! Both the Potters and the Blacks are honourable and old families, powerful families, yet the Potters have never tried to gain more power or use the power they already have ready at their hands. You could change that. You could change the wizarding world and help it become even greater than it already is. All you have to do is come with me. Please, James. You know that this is the only true option."

James' heart nearly stopped when Peter Pettigrew's words finally forced themselves through 'his thick skull', as both Sirius and Lily used to call it. All blood drained from his face, his eyes were huge as they focused on what his brain now registered as a threat.

"What are you going on about, Peter? All this pureblood supremacy? This isn't you!" he shook his head as if there were flies annoying him.

"Yes, it is, James. It's always been me, I just didn't see it. I needed help to see things in the right light and people gave me the chance to become more than I was. You guys, the Marauders, only held me back. I see that now," the Gryffindor said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

James gulped.

"You don't know what you are talking about," he whispered. Hands raised, he took a step towards his former friend. "Please, we can help you get out of there. Nobody will force you to do anything that you don't want to – "

"That I don't want to do?" A laugh that sounded wrong on so many levels erupted from his mouth as Peter threw his head back. "No, you don't get it. This is what I want, James. This is what I've chosen," and with these words, the young man ripped his right sleeve up towards his elbow, proudly showing off a freshly tattooed Dark Mark.

James jumped back as he saw the angry red skin around the black ink. No. No, this couldn't be real. It couldn't be. This was Peter! Little Peter Pettigrew, who was always eager to pull a prank, who got detention, who rolled his eyes and laughed whenever he went on about Lily. This wasn't his Peter Pettigrew. This was someone twisted, someone who was brainwashed and just not right.

"Why?" the brunette whispered as he fought against the tears that threatened to spill out of his glistening eyes. "Why would you do that?"

"Because it's the only way."

James slowly shook his head as he took a step back.

"Come with me, James. Come and join us." Pettigrew took a calculated step forward, his eyes big and begging. "Our friendship doesn't need to end like this."

"Yes," James clenched his jaw as he slowly pulled out his wand. "Yes, our friendship will end like this. You should know me better than to think I would become a Death Eater and kiss a bald asshole's stinking feet. I've never looked good wearing skull masks, so why start now?"

It was a change as broad as day and night for the second time in ten minutes. Peter Pettigrew shrank in on himself, his eyes looked sad and the corners of his mouth turned downward. He nodded slowly as he sniffed and rubbed his trembling hand over his nose.

"I get it," his voice was low. He sounded disappointed. "He will punish me," Peter forced himself to smile, but it looked painful.

James steeled himself. His heart felt as if it had been ripped into two pieces, each of them desperately trying to beat in a normal rhythm, but failing to do so. It was difficult to breathe, just standing there, holding his wand and staring at the insecure boy in front of him.

Peter had always been just that – insecure. James had known that he had always been a follower, doing stuff to make others happy and himself worth being around. That he would turn his back towards people who actually liked having him around and join monsters who wouldn't even think twice about killing him if he so much as breathed too loudly, he would never have thought. It killed him on the inside.

He couldn't believe he had been so blind to not see how Peter had changed. To be deceived in the worst possible way hurt way more than he could have ever imagined.

The young Potter took a deep breath, which didn't calm him whatsoever.

"That is what you chose, Peter. I cannot help you anymore," and with that, the devastated Gryffindor turned around, having forgotten all about occupied broom closets or warm hands.

He didn't care if he hadn't finished his rounds yet. He didn't care if he got in trouble for it. All he could think about was the manic grin spreading across Peter's face as he went on and on about pureblood supremacy and the right cause.

He needed Lily right now. He needed her to calm down and think. He needed her to organise his jumbled thoughts and to accept that Lord Voldemort had just killed a member of his family.

I hope you liked it! Please leave a comment telling me what you think! I love reading and answering them.

Until next time - see ya!