--The usual standard disclaimers and warnings apply.

Italics indicate Flashback

Chapter Four

Mr. Wormtail Is Kind of a Bitch…

It was easier than he'd thought, being so close to Harry.

The Dementors seemed to have a strange effect on this boy. He'd fainted dead away as soon as they'd gotten within a few yards of him. That was more than peculiar. He'd heard of people having strange side effects from these ghouls, but never anything to this extent.

Remus stared down at the unconscious boy as his two friends helped him up into the compartment seat. At least he had someone to look after him, Remus thought slightly relieved. He stared at Harry's face and hair. There was an uncanny resemblance between father and son, but this boy was nothing like James. Remus could see that even though he'd just met this young man.

For one, he was very small for his age. Almost a malnourished look about him. It worried Remus and he made a mental note to ask the Headmaster about Harry's housing arrangements as soon as he got off the train. There was obviously something very wrong. Harry also appeared to have a quieter and more reclusive side. Remus knew that Harry was far from the loud boisterous boy his father had been. His eyes were almost exactly like his mother's with one exception. This boy's eyes were haunted. A boy that was barely thirteen shouldn't have those shadows lurking about. He shouldn't have a past that haunts him. He was far too young.

If anything, this boy reminded Remus more of himself than anyone else. They both had too large of a burden too early in life.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Remus quickly rummaged through his briefcase for some chocolate. Chocolate always made things better. He handed it to the boy who just sort of stared groggily at him. Remus smiled in a way that he'd hoped was reassuring, but he wasn't sure that he managed that expression. It had been too long since he'd had anything to smile about.

Eventually, his friends convinced him to take it. Smiling in thanks, Harry ate the chocolate bar slowly. Remus was grateful when some of Harry's color came back into his face. It was with great effort that Remus managed to repress his curiosity over what Harry had seen. After a few moments of thought it occurred to him what it must have been.

After all, he'd said that there'd been a woman screaming…that poor child. Remus felt a tug in his chest followed by a fierce wave of protectiveness towards Harry. The wolf inside Remus that had been yearning for his pack for so long now had a person to protect once again, a cub.

Prong's cub.

If there was one thing that Remus was sure of, it was that Sirius wouldn't get his hands on this boy.

No matter what.

He'd made it.

After a few long months of traveling, he'd finally made it.

Hogwarts.

He'd settled into the Shrieking Shack. No one would think to look there. They all thought it was haunted.

Good old, Moony had seen to that. He always thought of everything. Even if he didn't intend to or even realize it.

Padding his way through the tunnel that took him to the Walloping Willow, Sirius tried not to think about all the memories that this place dug up. They were practically strangling him with their strength. Even as Padfoot, this place was hurting him.

He should leave.

Just leave right now.

Nothing good was to come of this. Sirius wasn't sure why he was here. Coming to a halt right before the exit of the tunnel, Sirius stared blankly at the dim light coming from the small opening.

Shaking his shaggy hair he tried to remember why he was here. Why couldn't he leave?

Oh, yes.

Peter.

Peter was here.

He had to protect Prong's child. His godchild if he remembered correctly, but then again he might have made that bit up. Too many years and too many emotions had brought him to the brink of insanity. Sirius was sure that he couldn't take much more. His chest felt like it was collapsing. He couldn't deal with this amount of stress so soon after his imprisonment. It was too soon. It would always be too soon to deal with reality.

Just as Padfoot peeked out of the stump, a streak of bright orange fur dashed past him.

Cat, Padfoot thought without much enthusiasm. A few years back he'd have been right after that cat, chasing it up a tree and barking like an idiot.

But that was years ago…lifetimes ago.

Blinking vigorously as his eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight, Sirius tried to recall all the details of Hogwarts and its layout. When all of the sudden, that same orange cat was standing in front of him. It just stared at him with glowing yellow eyes, as if it wasn't quite sure what to make of him.

Padfoot stared back without any intensity. Besides the fact that he didn't fancy chasing this fur-ball around all afternoon, Sirius didn't need some student to find that their familiar had gone missing. That would just create unnecessary obstacles and Sirius didn't need those at the moment. He had enough problems as it was. Especially, the part of how we was going to penetrate the Gryffindor common room. The rest would be cake. They'd done it a million times, a million different ways, but he needed that password.

The cat sniffed the air and tilted its head curiously. Seeming to sense that Padfoot didn't pose any serious danger, the cat crept closer and put its front paws on his nose. It meowed in question batted at his face and then took off into the bushes. Sirius stared back in confusion.

The cat rounded back into view and swooshed its tail as if he should follow. Padfoot got the hint and curious to see what this little creature wanted, he quickly trekked behind, his black tail wagging in anticipation.

Thus, an unlikely partnership was born.

That was too close, Wormtail thought as he scrambled into Ron's bag.

Way too close.

Ever since that Mudblood had gotten that cat, it had been chasing him and trying to murder him. An innocent little rat, as his owner said. He'd waited thirteen long years and some mangy cat wasn't going to ruin it now. Not after he'd gotten wind that his master was on the move.

Oh, no. He'd waited much too long.

He'd been playing the part of the good little pet, but he wouldn't have to for much longer. Not much longer. That's all he had to remind himself of. It was almost over.

He hated being in this form. It reminded him of too many things. Too many memories…

Not that he regretted it. Any of it.

It was just so uncomfortable being in this form for so long. However, it was much better than the alternative. Being dead and having everyone else think you're dead are two completely different things. Well, everyone except for Sirius, but no one is going to believe him.

Even if he had escaped.

Peter had always known that he would too. Sirius had always ruined everything. He should have been James's best friend. Not that scruffy mutt. He didn't deserve James's friendship. He didn't deserve to be part of that family of Purebloods either. Sirius was given everything, but he never realized. He took everything for granted. That bastard! He ruined everything, but Peter had gotten his in the end.

Oh, yes.

He'd taken the one thing that had hurt Sirius the most, the thing that Sirius loved the most. Because he hadn't just wanted to kill him. Oh, no. Peter wanted to break him heart and soul. So, that he'd never get repaired again.

He'd taken James, the one thing that Sirius couldn't get back. He'd wanted to devastate Sirius to the point that it had ripped his soul out. Even a Dementor couldn't compare to what Peter had done to Sirius.

From the look on Sirius's face that night, he'd more than succeeded.

Flashback---Sequence---Commence

He could here the roar of that motorbike.

It was getting closer.

His heart was burning up a hole in his chest. They had been at this for hours, the dog chasing the rat. Peter couldn't last much longer. He wasn't in shape; he was never a strong runner. Besides Sirius had a mode of transportation and was quickly gaining.

All of the sudden a booming loud roar echoed through the night sky as Sirius accelerated one last time. The back wheel of Sirius's infamous bike almost skimmed the top of Peter's head. He landed quickly and discarded his bike with uncommon disinterest.

Peter kept running.

As he scurried away he tried to transform into Wormtail, but Sirius countered that too easily. Peter never realized how good and well trained a wizard Sirius Black was until that moment. Sirius quickly stupefied him and swung him into the air, dangling him without care. That was the first time that Peter had gotten a good look at Sirius.

It wasn't pretty.

His midnight black hair was disheveled into knots from the motorbike chase and from gripping it too tightly as he'd been pulling at it at the Potter's house. Well, what was left of the Potter's house.

Sirius's right arm had his wand thrust out from his body, straight at Peter's heart. It was shaking slightly either from rage or hysteria. Peter couldn't tell which one and he wasn't sure with emotion he would have preferred.

Sirius's heavy combat boots clunked threateningly with every step that he took towards "the traitor." The dark night was filled with twinkling stars and the moon was aglow with an ominous yellow color that contrasted darkly against Sirius twisted expression.

The worst thing about Sirius that night was his eyes. Those silver eyes that were usually sparkling with happiness or mischief were not to be found. In their place was a hungry haunted and slightly demented shine that only grew worse in that horrid moonlight.

"Peter," Sirius muttered softly his hair curtaining around his head, effectively blocking Peter from reading his expression.

After he got no response he changed his tone and raised his head, "PETER!" He said with such hatred and hurt that Peter glanced up. Sirius's eyes were aflame with so many emotions. Foremost, they were heavy laid with grief and sadness.

Then very softly, Sirius continued his voice cracking with emotion, "What have you done?" Sirius's left arm was gripping the left side of his chest in what appeared to be a painful way. It was twisting his shirt into awkward patterns.

He was gripping his heart, Peter thought in fiendish wonderment.

His precious heart is gone.

Sirius's wand arm was shaking violently now. Tears were streaming down his all too handsome face. Peter could see his legs buckling under the realization of the situation.

James wasn't coming back.

Sirius Black was a broken man; which meant that Peter was about to have his chance, his only chance to run and hide.

All he had to do was wait, watch, and pray that he knew Sirius well enough to know his flaw, his one flaw. His passion always got the best of him.

Just as Sirius lifted his wand slightly away from Peter in a particularly enormous flash of grief, Peter broke the spell and blasted the whole street apart. Faking his own death and sealing Sirius's fate in the process.

It was his best plan to date.

A true Marauder's plan if he said so himself.

Peter remembered this night as he was clutched too tightly in the ginger's hands. This memory always gave him a purpose. It always revived his cause.

Soon his Master would be returned and he'd be rewarded. He'd give his Master what he craved most. Harry Potter.

Then Sirius and James would be reunited again. Peter would see to that. After all, they'd always been perfect for one another. They completed each other.

It was sickening.

So, until then Peter would play the role of pet rat and bide his time. Just as he'd done for almost thirteen years now.

A/N: Hope that you liked it. Please review and thanks very much for reading.