Chapter 3
Hope Springs Eternal
Pettigrew sighed heavily, leaning his head on his palm whilst staring absentmindedly out of the window. He was coming today, to visit, to make plans. He would see him again and this time, maybe, just maybe...
No, he couldn't.
He walked away from the window and sat at his desk, going through the scrunched up bits of paper littered across its surface. Love letters, each and every one of them.
But they couldn't possibly describe him in all his wonderful, glorious magnificence.
"Oh, Lucius..." he sighed to himself, "why must you belong to someone else?"
Narcissa. She was in the way of their happiness together! Why, why couldn't Lucius see that he was meant to be with him, not her?
Pettigrew even dreamed about Lucius at night...
"Peter, I have made a terrible mistake," Lucius' eyes pleaded with him, "I have left Narcissa for you. I will do anything for you!"
"Prove it."
"Run away with me tonight! We'll go somewhere no one knows us and begin a new life!"
"Oh, Lucius..."
They leaned in...
And Pettigrew woke up.
Every spare minute he had – when not being ordered about by the others – he'd sit and write poems about his love.
Your long golden hair
Ignites a fire in my heart
Your icy eyes pierce my very soul
And your voice calls to me
Like a saving grace
A warm fire on the coldest winter night
Or a lifeline as I drown
In this sea of heartbreak
He kept small treasures in a chest at the back of his room, underneath a couple of loose floorboards. No one would find them there, no sir.
He was walking up the stairs one day, when he heard loud, obnoxious guffawing coming from his room. Pettigrew's heart began to race. Had he been found out? Had he forgotten to put something away?
He sprinted the last few metres, and opened his door.
Bellatrix, Greyback and Snape were gathered in his room. Bellatrix wielded a hefty looking crowbar.
"W-what are you doing?" he stuttered.
"Bella saw something suspicious under the floorboards at the back of the room," Snape's lip curled, as though he found it hilarious, but his face couldn't be bothered to show it.
"Yeah, so we've decided to dig it up, an' take a peek," Greyback grinned toothily.
They were going to find out.
"No, you mustn't!" he positioned himself between his precious letters and three of the most dangerous Death Eaters you could ever come across. It was the single bravest thing he had ever done in his life.
"Why, is it valuable?" Bellatrix cackled.
"It's dirty, is more like it!" Greyback replied loudly. An idea struck Pettigrew.
"Yes, alright, alright, it's porn!" he lied. Anything but them finding out about his dream of taking Lucius to the beach, splashing in the surf, and rubbing in suntan lotion...
"In which case, I have no desire to see anything Wormtail could...have fun to," Snape turned and left. Bellatrix followed closely behind, sticking two fingers in her mouth and gagging.
"What is it, then? "Wonder Witches – the Christmas Edition"?" Greyback slapped him heavily on the shoulder, "talk about Naughty or Nice, eh?"
Pettigrew chuckled nervously, praying the werewolf would take his alibi and go away.
"A bloke, just like the rest of us, eh, Wormy?" Greyback grinned at him, gave him another hearty slap and walked out the door.
Wormtail sighed with relief. No one had found out today. He hadn't brought up the courage to tell Lucius, either, but maybe one day he would. That day, Lucius would love him too, perhaps.
"Hope springs eternal," he told himself. He sat down at his desk and began to write.