"Oi, oi wait for me!" Peter cried as the other boys raced out of the dorm.
James didn't bother looking back, too busy explaining his next plan to woo Lily Evans to an inattentive Sirius.
Remus paused for a moment, torn between waiting for Peter to gather his things and walking with the others.
"Go on then," Peter sighed, not wanting to force Remus to stay back, "I'll meet you at McGonagall's then?"
Remus nodded gratefully and ran after James and Sirius.
"Bloody hell," said Peter glancing around the dorm room after Remus had left. Their "book" fight last night had somehow only involved Peter's books and he hadn't bothered collecting them before going to bed. He definitely regretted it now. He glanced at the clock, trying to figure out how much time he had before Transfiguration started.
15 minutes. Fuck.
Peter quickly started collecting his books and managed to have a sizable amount in his arms when the door suddenly slammed behind him and he immediately dropped everything.
PeTeR pETTigrEw.
The voice seemed to emanate from no one place. However, Peter Pettigrew had dealt with a lot more in his years at Hogwarts - from his roommates in particular - and he wasn't about to panic over some stupid voice. "Bloody unoriginal this is. Didn't we pull the same shit on Seb Winters back in fourth year? He might have pissed himself, but I feel like my bladder control is a tad bit better than a second year's." If he was hoping for a sign that one of the Marauders would give themselves away, he didn't get it. "James? Siri-, look if I give you a fake scream will you le-"
eNough.
YoU weRe CHosEn.
A black mist seemed to form and Peter felt a chill go down his spine.
"Re-, Moony?"
TherE WeRE mANY opTIoNS. A shamE.
The mist was most definitely taking form now. It seemed to come together as a crude humanoid figure. Something a child would draw and his parents would then share concerned glances about the direction their child's imagination was heading.
Peter felt his knees give way and collapsed to the floor. He didn't give a shit if this actually was a prank and this would be recorded in their "Dear Merlin, We Weren't Expecting That" collection of pictures. His world had narrowed and there was only one thing left: survival.
"Please. Please, dear God, I'll do anything, PLEASE!"
A glimPsE. OF a FuturE tHAT sHALL NOt cOMe TO paSS.
The figure approached him slowly, as if unfamiliar with having a form. It carefully lifted its mockery of a hand and pressed it to Peter's forehead.
Peter's eyes rolled back into his head and he collapsed in a dead faint.
He was unceremoniously dropped on the ground of a familiar place. The Shack. Why the hell am I here? Fuck that, how the hell am I here?
He reached out for a wall to steady himself and his hand went right through. "No," he gasped. "Am I-? No, I can't be a ghost, I didn't-" His train of thought came to a screeching halt as he remembered the cool touch of the thing. Oh Merlin, Jesus, and everything in between. Please, please, please NO. He felt his throat burn and tears sprung to his eyes. Why me, why ME!
He suddenly started hearing voices in the empty room. That's brilliant, am I going mad too? No, wait, it said the future! As in, the future future!
But no, people seemed to be coming to life around him. As they solidified, he noticed they looked familiar.
"James," Peter gasped as he scrambled to his feet. But no, this boy in front of him wasn't James. He was shorter, scrawnier, and his eyes an unfamiliar green. He looked around the room at the other people and saw what was unmistakably an older Remus, and next to him was a Sirius who looked like he had gone through hell and came out of it with only hatred left. He tried to wave his hand about to draw their attention and realized that he couldn't interact with anything or anyone in this place. Instead, he listened carefully, hoping to glean a clue and escape.
Everyone had gone dead silent around him, clearly he had missed an important revelation.
"You're both mental. " said a ginger boy who looked like he could be a relative of the Prewett twins.
"Ridiculous!" said a girl.
"Peter Pettigrew's dead!" said not-James. "He killed him twelve years ago!" He pointed at old-Sirius. Hang on. I'm Peter Pettigrew. What the actual fuck has happened.
"I meant to," said old-Sirius, "but little Peter got the better of me. . . not this time, though!"
No. Not Sirius. What the fuck. "WHY AM I HERE!" Peter screamed, this time wishing the figure would come back so he could punch it in its great misty face.
"Sirius, NO!" yelled old-Remus. Right, yes thank you Moony.
"WAIT! You can't do it just like that - they need to understand - we've got to explain -" he continued.
"We can explain afterwards!" was Sirius's retort. Sirius was trying to grab onto a rat clutched in the hands of a ginger boy. Peter felt his heart stop in his chest. That's me. Why, why, why.
"They've - got - a - right - to - know - everything! Ron's kept him as a pet! There are parts of it even I don't understand, and Harry - you owe Harry the truth, Sirius!"
You owe me the truth too you fucking traitors. If what Peter was getting from the conversation was correct, Remus and Sirius were trying to kill him, and that went directly against Peter's rule number one for his friends: Don't bloody kill him.
"All right, then," said Sirius, still staring at rat-Peter.
"Tell them whatever you like. But make it quick, Remus. I want to commit the murder I was imprisoned for. . . "
"You're nutters, both of you," said the ginger boy, whose name was apparently Ron. Absolutely nutters.
"You're going to hear me out, Ron. Just keep a tight hold on Peter while you listen." Remus pleaded.
"HE'S NOT PETER, HE'S SCABBERS!" Ron yelled.
"There were witnesses who saw Pettigrew die," not-James (Harry?) said. "A whole street full of them. . . "
"They didn't see what they thought they saw!" said Sirius, certain as always that he was correct.
"Everyone thought Sirius killed Peter," said Remus. "I believed it myself - until I saw the map tonight. Because the Marauder's map never lies. . . Peter's alive. Ron's holding him, Harry. "
The Map. The fucking Map. This Remus is ready to betray me over the MAP. Peter prayed fervently that these reasonable children succeeded in saving future Peter's life.
"But Professor Lupin. . . Scabbers can't be Pettigrew. . . it just can't be true, you know it can't. . ." came the girl's voice.
"Why can't it be true?".
"Because. . . because people would know if Peter Pettigrew had been an Animagus. We did Animagi in class with Professor McGonagall. And I looked them up when I did my homework - the Ministry of Magic keeps tabs on witches and wizards who can become animals; there's a register showing what animal they become, and their markings and things. . . and I went and looked Professor McGonagall up on the register, and there have been only seven Animagi this century, and Pettigrew's name wasn't on the list. "
That's her defense! That we aren't registered! Peter was well and truly fucked.
"Right again, Hermione! But the Ministry never knew that there used to be three unregistered Animagi running around Hogwarts."
"If you're going to tell them the story, get a move on, Remus," said Sirius "I've waited twelve years, I'm not going to wait much longer. "
"All right. . . but you'll need to help me, Sirius," said Lupin, "I only know how it began. . . "
Remus started telling the tale of how he was bitten and why the lot of them became animagi. As he did, the children slowly looked at Remus with understanding and sympathy. Please no, please stop.
Suddenly, however, they started talking about Snape. Snape, a teacher! How truly horrible!
Peter's jaw slowly dropped lower and lower as Remus explained the story of how Sirius tricked Snape into going to the Shack during the full moon, and how James saved him, still keeping up the reasonable tone.
What the hell! That's sick! That's murder! Of course, they seem perfectly willing to murder me over what exactly? Not dying when they thought I did? Wait a minute, this never happened! Maybe this isn't my future! Maybe- no, the Shack Incident might happen soon. Peter shivered as he realized how close his friends were to committing murder.
He watched in shock as Snape burst in and the lot of them attacked him. I guess it was too much to hope that Snape would save me.
Sirius was explaining that he saw Peter's rat form in the Daily Prophet and immediately broke out of Azkaban - Azkaban! - to murder him. Naturally.
He watched as Sirius explained that Peter had cut off his finger, exploded a bunch of muggles, and transformed, successfully faking his death.
Peter then stood absolutely still as he learned why exactly two of his closest friends hated him with such a passion. This future version of him had betrayed the Potters - James and Lily! God that's a trip! - and framed Sirius for it. He had been their Secret Keeper.
Who did I betray them to?
It seemed like his question was destined to be answered soon, for Remus cast the spell at the rat Ron was still clutching and the Wormtail became Peter.
Peter stared, disgusted at the pathetic little man. Come on man! Fight!
Sirius and Remus talked circles around him and accused him of betraying Lily and James to You-Know-Who. Him! I'm on his side in the future! What the fuck!
Peter looked on as the older version of him explained that turning traitor was the only way he could have survived the war. That if he hadn't, he would have died.
Old-Peter started appealing to the children to no avail. Sirius and Remus raised their wands and pointed them at Peter.
They're really going to kill me. Just like that. Even Remus, who only just learned the truth.
The world changed around him and the figures of Remus, Sirius, and the children faded around him as quickly as they had appeared. Peter blinked his eyes open and found himself in the Gryffindor boys' dorm. He glanced at the clock, 14 minutes till Transfiguration.
The figure was still there but barely visible and it seemed to fade away in front of him. Peter had no energy in him to be afraid of the thing.
yOU hAVE sEEn. THe fUturE. cHangE iT.
It vanished without a trace.
I can't believe this. In the future, I am going to betray my best friend to the worst person alive and he'll die. Because of me. Peter's eyes burned at the thought. He sobbed into his shirt, his whole body wracked with misery. That cannot happen. I will not be reduced to a pathetic creature who willingly lived as an animal for over a decade only to be killed by his closest friends.
Peter considered his options. He could feel himself standing on a precipice. What he chose to do at this very moment would impact everyone around him. He took a shaky breath and shut his eyes, focusing entirely on his first move. The most important thing, the only thing that future me had right, is making myself the most important priority. I am going to live, no matter what.
James trusted me to be his Secret Keeper, clearly we are going to be close for years to come, he is the only one I can put my faith in. Remus and Sirius have to leave the picture, they are going to be responsible for my death. I saw them raise their wands to me. I saw them ready to cast the Killing Curse at their best friend.
Peter Pettigrew opened his eyes, this time with steely determination in them.
I'll do anything to stay alive, I know that now.
They die soon.
AN: Dialogue from Remus, Sirius, Harry, Ron, and Hermione is quoted directly from the Prisoner of Azkaban. Peter's hot takes are my input. I don't own Harry Potter.