A/N: Two chapters in one day? Don't get used to it haha. Hope you enjoy!

Wormtail

Peter Pettigrew stood off to the side in the large drawing room in Malfoy Manor. He watched with wide eyes as the boy, Draco, marched a goblin over to Bellatrix Lestrange.

Peter had always been intimidated by, yet strangely attracted to Bellatrix. During their years at Hogwarts, he had lusted after her, yet he was always careful to hide his feelings from his friends, especially Sirius, Bellatrix's cousin.

No, not his friends. He had betrayed them all. Peter was dim, but one thing he knew for sure was that his old friends would never take him back. Not that Peter wanted to go back, of course.

Peter's years with his Master were great and glorious. He was given power that he'd never had before. At Hogwarts, he was always overshadowed by his friends. James Potter, the Quidditch extraordinaire, and Hogwart's golden boy. Sirius Black, the school's designated resident 'bad boy'. Remus Lupin, who's nice guy persona always had girls fawning over.

Peter Pettigrew was always the other Marauder that people seemed to forget about. When Bellatrix had given him the chance to be special, to be the one everyone feared, he had lept at the opportunity. The girl he'd always wanted had given him her attention, and who was he, little Peter Pettigrew, to refuse?

He had joined the ranks of the Death Eaters, content with his secretive life as a double agent. He would show his friends that he was not just little old Peter who would always follow them around.

And then, the fateful day came when James and Lily Potter had made him their Secret Keeper. He had scorned them for their foolishness in trusting their friends.

Within a week, they were dead. Sirius was put in Azkaban, and Remus was nowhere to be found.

Peter had felt a twinge of guilt in letting down his friends, who had always protected him from bullies. But, he reasoned, it was for their own good. The Dark Lord would win eventually, why couldn't they see that? He, Peter, was just clever for seeing reason first.

Peter was brought back to the present when a loud crack sounded through the room.

"What was that?" shouted Lucius Malfoy. "Did you hear that? What was the noise in the cellar?"

Peter looked around at the Mudblood girl lying unconscious on the ground and Bellatrix interrogating the goblin. Nothing seemed out of order.

"Draco- no, call Wormtail!"

Peter jerked up at the sound of his nickname that his friends had given him. Although Peter benefitted from the newfound power that came with serving the Dark Lord, every now and then, Peter wondered if he had made the right decision in betraying the boys who had been his best friends.

It was, of course. Otherwise, Peter would be dead.

Peter was comforted by the thought, and assuaged his guilt.

"Make him go check!" Lucius barked.

Peter obligingly trudged across the room and descended the stairs to the cellar.

"Stand back," he said. "Stay away from the door. I am coming in."

Peter entered the room. It was empty, where was everyone?

The next second, he was attacked by the redhead boy and James' son. Harry. Peter was awash with a new flood of shame and guilt as he gazed upon the boy, who was a replica of James.

Except, he had Lily's eyes.

Peter's silver hand closed around Harry's throat, his wand lying helplessly in the Weasley boy's hand.

As his hand tightened, the boy said, "You're going to kill me? After I saved your life? You owe me, Wormtail!"

Peter saw the pain in Lily's eyes. Her eyes that had sparkled as she had shared chocolates with him. Her eyes that shone with compassion as she had helped him with their N.E.W.T. homework.

Lily had always shown Peter nothing but kindness.

Peter's hand slackened.

His eyes widened in surprise and fear. He had shown mercy to the Dark Lord's enemy. Some way, somehow, Peter would have to pay.

His eyes caught sight of his own silver hand defying his brain and moving towards his own throat.

This was the payment for his hesitation.

Peter Pettigrew was going to die, and it was going to be by his own hand.

He was afraid of death. Peter knew he was a coward. Deep down inside, he knew that joining the Dark Side was not out of jealousy or hatred or wanting to be special. It was out of cowardice. Peter had just wanted to survive the war.

He was not smart, cool, loyal, brave, determined, chivalrous, funny, or admired like James, Remus, and Sirius.

He was scared, cowardly, petty, jealous, and unworthy.

Peter Pettigrew deserved to die, and he knew it.

As his hand closed tighter and tighter around his own throat, the world faded to black.

In his last waking moment, he saw James' face staring down at him.

Peter felt scared.

He felt ashamed.

Peter Pettigrew felt regret.

A/N: This was a really hard chapter to write. Like most fans of the Marauders, I don't like Peter for obvious reasons. But I tried to write this realistically and portray him as feeling guilty for his actions. Leave a review?