Poor Peter had been rushed to the Hospital Wing, having to be lifted by James and Sirius so he didn't burn any more holes in anything.
As she walked to dinner with the girls, Lily became more and more agitated with them. Sure, the prank had been hilarious at the time, but she seemed to be the only one thinking of the small boy's lasting well fare.
"Did you see Pettigrew's face?" Hestia spluttered.
"Priceless." Marlene agreed.
"Another phobia to add to his list; any type of fizzing sweets." Alice grinned.
Lily glared at her but said nothing.
"What's got your wand in a twist?" Marlene asked. "You hate Pettigrew!"
Lily shrugged.
"I know, but no one actually seems to care if he's okay!"
Hestia looked at her like she was a grindylow who'd just told her it'd taken up tap dance.
"What!" Lily said. "He may be seriously injured!"
Marlene scoffed. "He's a little rat, Lily. Honestly, he's disgusting!"
Alice nodded in agreement.
Lily sighed. "Have you ever spoken to him? He might actually be nice!"
"Yeah okay Lily, I'll take your word for It."
"I might go and see him…"
"What? Why the bloody hell would you do that?"
Lily shook her head. "You three really can be horrid. The boy's hurt and I'm going to check on him!"
Hestia sniggered but Marlene seemed to be trying to find something to say.
"Fine!" She settled for. "Go see rat boy, I am going to eat my body weight in Shepherds pie."
Lily rolled her eyes and turned around, muttering her goodbyes and making her way to the hospital wing.
As she approached the doors though, she debated turning around again. She'd never actually spoken to Peter before, and the little she did know about him didn't give her much courage.
Deciding that she couldn't go back to her smug friends without saying she'd been to see him, Lily pushed open the doors.
The wing was deserted; all except for a bored looking Peter sat in a bed right at the end of the room. He was alone, something that shocked Lily. Surely Remus at least would stay with his friend? Apparently not.
Peter looked up as Lily walked in.
"Madam Pomfrey isn't here." He said gloomily. "No one is…just me."
Lily nodded, walking over to his bedside. "I know…I wanted to talk to you."
Peter raised his eyebrows, quite disconcerting seeing as his face was still bloated and bright pink. "M-me? Why?"
At that moment Lily couldn't help but feel immense pity for the boy in front of her. He'd always been shunned; part of the most popular group in school yet no one actually knew his name. Everyone questioned why James, Sirius and Remus even bothered with him.
He didn't exactly fit in with Sirius' brooding looks and James' tall, quidditch toned physique. He wasn't a brainiac like Remus. He was just Peter.
Peter, who had never quite lost the 'puppy fat'; Peter who was afraid to talk to girls and had never even dreamed of kissing one.
"After what happened in class, I wondered if you were okay." Lily said, smiling gently.
"Y-yeah, I'm f-fine." He kept stuttering his words. Lily pulled a chair over to his bed and sat.
"Where are the others?"
Peter shrugged. "Dinner, I suppose…then down to the Quidditch pitch for practise."
Lily frowned. "They didn't stay with you?"
"Why would they?"
"Well, they are your best friends; aren't they worried?"
Peter looked confused. "N-no?"
Lily sighed. This boy clearly wasn't a wonder with words, nor did he seem to have the social skills to keep up a conversation. Therefore, an awkward silence kicked in.
Peter stared out the window, and Lily looked at the jars on the shelf beside his bed.
She was searching in her mind for something to say.
"Bet you won't be eating Fizzing Wizzbee's anytime soon, eh?" Lily said, trying to break the tension.
Peter yelped.
Lily took that as a no.
She didn't want to seem rude, but this clearly wasn't going anywhere soon.
"Well Peter…It's been, er, nice talking to you. Want me to tell you friends you'd like to see them?"
"Nah, that's okay. They wouldn't come anyway."
Lily nodded slowly.
"Well, er…see you later?" She got up off the chair. "Get well soon."
"Thanks Evans." Lily looked at him. He was obviously trying to copy the famous James Potter smirk yet it just looked lopsided and creepy. Lily smiled slightly before turning around and, gratefully, leaving.
"Lily that is the funniest thing you've ever done." Marlene spluttered upon Lily's arrival in the common room.
"Oh shut up Marlene! I thought he'd like the company…"
"Tell me, how many words did he manage? Don't tell me he strung an actual sentence together?" Marlene said sarcastically.
Lily rolled her eyes.
"…Okay, maybe three sentences? None without vast stuttering and clear social awkwardness."
Hestia let out a loud laugh. "I don't know why James and Sirius bother with him!" Lily smiled sadly. In truth, she didn't know either.
Later, when she was in bed and Alice was snoring her head off like usual, Lily pondered the question deeply. Did the marauders just keep him around for a laugh? Or did they not want anyone better than them to be outshined? She could of thought of a lot more reasons…but that didn't happen because she fell into a dreamless sleep. The first, since the catastrophe in the broom closet.