Peter Notices
They think that he doesn't notice things. That is where they are wrong. He notices things – more clearly than any of them. He knows that he has a weakness.
He has lacked skills and talent all his life. He is plain. Flat. Uninteresting. He is like a book with no words. He is like a broom that doesn't fly. He is useless. He doesn't want to be that way. He never wanted to be himself. He wanted to be the boy who others wanted and worshipped. And if he couldn't be wanted and worshipped, then he wanted to be with people who were wanted and worshipped.
So, he found a way, early in his life, to overcome his uselessness. He found a way to hide his monotony. He found a way to be with people who were wanted and worshipped.
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It is his first time riding the train to Hogwarts, and he is walking down the corridors, trying to find a compartment. He passes many that are already full. He stops at the last one, hoping that this one at least had space for him. He looks into the glass windows, and finds three boys and a girl.
Opening the door, he says rather timidly, "Hello, I – I was wondering if there was room for me here." The statement is more of a question, and in his voice is hesitation and a slight fear of rejection.
Two of the boys, the two dark-haired ones, shrug, while the light brown-haired one smiles politely, and makes room for Peter. The girl seems to be concentrating on something outside the window.
"What's your name, then?" the black-haired, bespectacled boy demands with an air of someone who liked to lead everything.
"Peter." He says, his beady eyes darting from the bespectacled boy's face to his expensive-looking maroon robes. "What – what about you?"
"James." He says confidently, his chest puffing out. "James Potter." Peter wonders if he could ever be so bold.
"Sirius Black." The other dark-haired boy says almost carelessly. Peter finds himself staring at the boy's emerald robes. They have emerald stones for buttons…
"Remus Lupin." The light brown-haired one says smiling.
They all sit silently for a moment, when a lady with a food cart full of candies and pastries comes by. James and Sirius buy almost everything on the cart, and Peter watches, amazed, his mouth watering, as James opens a chocolate frog and exclaims, "Yes! Nicholas Flamel!"
"I've got about a hundred of those," Sirius says lazily.
James raises his eyebrows and says, "Well, I don't eat too many chocolate frogs. I don't like them much … they tend to jump out at me… you want one?"
And Peter realizes that James is talking to him. He turns crimson.
"Here, have 'em all…I don't even like 'em." He says, and pushes a whole pile of chocolate frogs towards Peter.
Peter gobbles them up instantly, and Sirius laughs, "You would think he didn't eat for a week."
When a shabby looking boy comes and talks to the girl who is sitting by herself, James' attention shifts.
"Slytherin?" He says, disgusted, his head swiveling around to face the shabby boy. And an argument ensues. In the end, the boy and the girl walk out in a huff, with Sirius and James yelling, "See ya, Snivellus!"
They all laugh. Well, except for Remus. But James and Sirius almost fall off their seats, imitating the grungy boy. And Peter, after watching the other two, laughs, too. He laughs almost as an after-thought. And it dawns on him that these are the people he needs to hold on to. They will be the ones to give him the boost in his social standing. They were powerful – or at least, that's the conclusion Peter drew from James' and Sirius' clothing –, unabashed, and confident people. These were the people Peter needed to survive.
He notices that he is the weak link…he can live with being one, too, even if he doesn't like it. But, he also knows that he doesn't want to be a weak link with no pillars to lean on.
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He looks down at the rubble that was James and Lily Potter's house. Fear is evident in his beady and watery eyes. He looks around as if afraid that any moment now, James and Lily will come after him for betraying them. But then, when nothing out of the ordinary happens, he chuckles softly… He will be rewarded extraordinarily by the Dark Lord… He will be called the Dark Lord's most faithful and dependable servant…And above all, he'll have the Dark Lord to support him – yet again, he had found someone to lean on…
The task of telling the Dark Lord about the Potters' hiding place was frightening at first. Not because he didn't want to betray them, but because if the information didn't help the master, Peter would be killed.
Death – that he was afraid of. He would do anything to stay alive. And he did. When the Potters foolishly changed their Secret-Keeper from Sirius to him, he knew exactly what to do.
And now, it was over. The Potters, and most importantly, the toddler, were dead. Although he had not received any news yet, this rubble in front of him was evidence enough that they were all dead. No one could survive the Dark Lord's wrath. His master was the most powerful sorcerer in the world… and Peter was his most loyal servant.
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He walks away from the ruins, towards a Muggle village. There is a bounce to his walk. He is in high spirits, when suddenly, in the middle of a busy intersection, there is a pop. Peter jumps around in surprise and fear, and comes face-to-face with Sirius Black. Peter gulps. "Sirius." He squeaks, and trembles all over.
Sirius lunges forward, his long fingers curling around Wormtail's fat neck. Sirius' face shows a mixture of utmost rage, deep sorrow, and mild disbelief.
"Pete, you vile traitorous wretch!" He growls, and Peter gasps for air. "Damn you! James and Lily! They treated you as their family, and this is your thanks to them, is it? Killing them off, and leaving Harry as an orphan? You cowardly sewer rat! I'LL KILL YOU!"
And Peter, even as he is struggling to get away from Sirius' strangling hold, freezes. Harry, an orphan? It dawns on him, and he squeaks. He realizes what this means – he will get protection from no one. The toddler isn't dead…the Dark Lord will be angry with him…he will kill Peter…and if he doesn't, the rest of the Wizarding community will kill him for helping the Dark Lord…put him in Azkaban… Unless…unless, he pretends to have died by the hands of Sirius Black. If Peter could just put the blame of the Potters' murder on someone else, and then pretend to be dead…
Yes, that could work.
When Sirius lets go of Peter's neck, to retrieve his wand, Peter thinks fast, and takes the opportunity to yell out the first thing that comes to mind, "YOU KILLED THEM! YOU KILLED LILY AND JAMES! LILY AND JAMES, SIRIUS! HOW COULD YOU?"
"WHAT?" Sirius yells. "You little vermin!" He points his wand at Peter, but by the time Sirius yells out a curse, it is too late. Peter has cut off his index finger, blasted off the whole Muggle street with his wand behind his back, and has turned into his animagus form. Peter has joined the other sewer rats…
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Wormtail is still trembling when he reaches his hiding place. His hand is bleeding, and the blood drips on the apartment's white tiles.
He slides down a wall, and realizes that he is sweating profusely. The baby isn't dead?
He could either be in hiding forever (and there is a chance that he could be found), or he could… be an animagus for the rest of his life. Peter considers this. Well, he wouldn't have to be an animagus for the rest of his life. No, only until he could find another support… another pillar he could lean on.
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Note: So, this character was requested by one of the reviewers. Initially, I was actually not planning on writing one about Peter, because I just never really considered writing anything from his point of view. I had no idea how Peter would think and act in a situation. But, I took it as a challenge... and I have to admit, his point of view was hard to take on. I would really like to know what everyone thought of it. So, anyway, this is for Twinkie. I hope it was okay:)
Once again, I really appreciate reviews!