Chapter 32:

You Have To Mean It

The following day Peter missed all his lessons. Instead he spent the whole day in the Forbidden Forest with Regulus and Lorx. "You've got to really mean it," Lorx was telling them.

"It's too difficult," Peter complained.

"Get over it," Lorx replied angrily. They had been trying for hours and Peter just didn't seem to be getting it. "Just think about all the times he's embarrassed you… He's not your friend… he's just been using you and putting up with you for the last five years."

"Imperio," Peter tried again, this time Regulus felt it. His mind emptied completely until he heard a little voice telling him to jump onto the table.

Ten minutes later after several successful attempts, Regulus grinned, "he's ready."

The sixth year Gryffindors sat around the fire in the common room. Remus was reading the day's daily prophet with Katie half asleep on the sofa next to him. Sirius was sat in an arm chair with Marlene sat on its arm. Frank was sat in a second armchair with Alice at his feet, whilst James and Lily shared the other sofa. "Where do you think he is?" Lily asked.

"Who?" Kate asked drowsily.

"Pettigrew," Lily answered her sleepy friend.

"Oh," Kate snored.

"No idea," Sirius replied. "Haven't seen him all day."

"I haven't seen him since his little blow up last night," James added bitterly.

"I wonder where he is," Alice frowned. "Do you think it's because of Mary?"

"No," Remus shook his head, "I don't know… he's been growing distant all year…"

"First Mary died," Frank said.

"Then he didn't get into the same classes as us," Remus added.

"Then everyone paired up," Sirius nodded. "And he was left alone."

"Hey!" Lily frowned, "we're not together!"

"Yet," the entire group replied.

"Whether you're in a relationship or not, you two spend a lot of time together… it's kind of couply…"

"Then he has to work harder than we do because he's failing…" Alice told them.

"What?" James and Remus frowned. "Since when?"

"Since about Christmas," Alice told the group, "he asked me not to tell anyone…"

"Shit," Sirius shook his head. "He really is going awall."

Peter returned to the dormitory at about half two the next morning. He crept over to James' bed with his wand raised. He pointed it at the person in the bed. He pulled back the curtain as quietly as he could. James was fast asleep with his wand under his pillow, "IMPERI…" Peter began to cast the spell as the door opened. Sirius entered the room, he'd been up to the astronomy tower with Marlene making out. He was made up with himself because he'd almost gotten her to go all the way. He stood in the open doorway, shocked at what he saw. Peter was stood over James' bed with his wand raised, half way through casting a spell. Sirius didn't know what spell Peter was using, he had no idea that it was an unforgivable curse but he knew something was wrong.

It took him a second to pull out his wand when he finally got over the shock of what he had seen. He started flinging curses at Peter. Peter somehow managed to block a few of them. One of the deflected curses caused Remus' bed to set alight, "shit!" Sirius thought out loud as he made his way over to Remus' bed, "wake up mate…" He pulled his sleeping friend away from the flames, waking him in the process. Peter tried to get out the door, "You're not going anywhere Pettigrew," came a voice from the doorway. Frank had woken up and was stood in the doorway with his wand pointed directly at Peter's heart.

Remus had woken up and was now spluttering, "what the hell is happening?"

He looked around the room until he spotted James sleeping peacefully in his bed. He frowned, "Sirius, Frank, what are you guys doing to Peter?"

"I'm not sure it's Peter," Sirius answered.

"We caught him trying to hurt James," Frank explained.

"We're taking him to Dumbledore," Sirius added as an afterthought.

"Should we wake James up?" Remus asked.

"Nah, let the poor guy sleep," Sirius told him, "better that than he think one of his best mates has betrayed him."

Regulus ran to the owlery as he watched Peter enter the Gryffindor tower. He quickly chose an owl to send to Rebecca;

Rebecca,

I'm so sorry. Let me into your common room so we can talk. I need to see you… I'm so sorry.

Regulus x

He then rushed back, just in time to see Sirius, Remus and Frank escorting Peter away. He thanked Merlin that James wasn't with them. Rebecca opened the portrait hole and Regulus took in the sight of her. She had her arms folded and her expression was fixed in a glare. "I'm so sorry love," Regulus told her, "I didn't mean what I said… I was just having a bad day…"

"I know…" Rebecca smiled sadly, "you can't come in though…"

"Why not?" Regulus teased, stepping forward a little.

"Because you're a Slytherin," she whispered.

"So…" Regulus rubbed her arm with his fingers, "please…"

Regulus pointed his wand at her and used a stunning jinx on her. "Sorry love."

He sat her on the sofa before running up the boys' staircase. He found James alone and very much asleep in the sixth year dorm. He stepped forward, "stupid git… didn't even cast the spell…"

"Imperio," Regulus cast the spell himself, but something was wrong. He tried again, "Imperio…"

He turned around on the spot when he heard a cough, "you have to mean it Reg…" Sirius was stood in the doorway with his wand out, ready to strike, "you have to want to do it…"

"I do want to do it," Regulus retaliated.

"No brother," Sirius shook his head, "you don't."

Regulus lunged for his brother before running down the stairs and out of the Gryffindor tower.

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