Chapter 33:

I Trust Him; He's My Brother

The following morning saw Peter locked in with Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall. The other marauders sat at the breakfast table with glum expressions. Sirius hadn't told his friends about seeing his brother in the tower. James was in complete shock, "why? I just don't get it… we're mates…"

"I know James," Lily frowned, "it doesn't make any sense…"

"It was definitely Pete?" James asked again.

"We told you James," Sirius replied, "it was him… it wasn't polyjuice or anything…"

"What do you think Dumbledore will decide?" Lily asked.

"No idea…" Remus replied.

"I hope they expel him," Lily commented heatedly.

"I'm sure we can work it out," James thought aloud.

Peter was sat in the Headmaster's study, "what I don't understand Mr Pettigrew is why you would attack one of your closest friends."

"I was under the imperius curse," Peter squeaked, saying the first thing that came to mind.

Dumbledore's eyes were doubtful, "and whom do you believe put it on you?"

"I… I…"

"You are lying Mr Pettigrew," Dumbledore cut in angrily.

"No! No, I'm not… it was Black."

"Why would Mr Black attack his best friend? Do you take me for a fool, Mr Pettigrew?"

"No; Regulus Black…"

"I see…" Dumbledore pressed the bridge of his nose with his fingers, "you will return to class for now… you will have detention with Mr Filch until I feel you have been suitably punished."

Peter entered the common room later that night to find his friends together by the fire in their usual spot. He made his way over to them, "hi."

"Piss off," Sirius replied.

"What do you want?" James asked angrily.

"To apologise…"

"We don't want to hear it," Lily said arrogantly.

"Please… I wasn't myself…"

"Whatever," James went to stand up.

"I was under the imperius curse," Peter blurted out.

That caught James' attention, "who?"

"Sirius' brother," Peter replied.

Sirius frowned, "I don't believe you."

"Neither do I," Lily added.

"Well…" James sighed, "for what it counts I do."

Peter grinned, "I'm so sorry James. He came at me in the library… I couldn't defend myself…"

"Don't worry about it," James sighed.

"James?" Lily was shocked, "you can't just trust him like that!"

"Sure I can," James grinned, "he's been my friend since I was eleven…"

"Can I talk to you alone," Lily replied angrily.

"Sure," they made their way up to the sixth year boys' dorm room, "I don't trust him."

"I know," James smiled, "but I do."

"But what if…."

"It doesn't matter," James replied, "You don't get it… we're the marauders… we risk our limbs for each other… heck we risk our limbs on a monthly basis for Remus…"

"That's not the point," Lily tutted.

"It is," James countered, "I trust him; he's my brother."

Sirius saw Lily's face when she returned a few moments later with James. He grabbed a scrap piece of paper and wrote her a note;

It wasn't my brother. I caught him trying to put the imperius curse on James moments after. He couldn't do it! Peter is lying. S.B.

He handed the note to Lily discreetly as he made his way up the stairs to go to bed. Lily went to bed a few moments later herself. The second she closed the door behind her, she uncrumpled the note and read it. "I knew it!"

The following morning Lily wrote a note to Sirius and gave it to him at breakfast.

We need to find out what's going on. I'll watch P today and keep J safe. You find R and find out why they wanted to curse J. Thanks. L.E.

They all had transfiguration first so they'd be able to watch Peter together but after that Peter had the whole day free, "are you planning on skipping class?" Sirius whispered to Lily.

"If I have to," she answered without a second thought.

"If McGonagall asks where I am," Sirius told her, "I was feeling sick so I've gone to the hospital wing."

Sirius looked up at that moment and saw his brother leave the hall, "got to go…"

He called his brother back just as he was beginning to mount the stairs, "Regulus!"

"What do you want?" Regulus turned.

"To talk," Sirius answered calmly.

"No thanks," Regulus turned away from his brother and proceeded up the stairs. Sirius grinned, with a flick of his wand his brother was on the floor.

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