Disclaimer: See Prologue

November 1981

"Lily." Lupin licked his lips. "Lily was highly opinionated, highly talented, and highly thought of. She never really cared about the technicalities of a thing. Lycanthropy, for instance. Lily never really worried about the side effects. Generally fear is what makes people hate me, and I am genuinely struggling to think of anything about me that she was afraid of. My temper is somewhat infamous and Lily was the only person I have yet met who would shout back in my face on the rare occasions we argued. I know - and I've met - plenty of people who wouldn't let a werewolf within a mile of their son, let alone babysit him. Lily was someone who I felt very strongly for. She was my close friend for years before she was duty bound to be nice to me having married into our little family. I admired her. I think you would have quite some difficulty finding someone who didn't. Certainly, there were some who didn't appreciate her as they should have and I'm sure that even they will miss her presence in their lives. There was something about Lily Potter. She lit up a room. It seems very dull without her. I am finding it difficult to comprehend that twenty-four hours ago, she was alive and well and I will never see her again. It's…I…Listen, thank you. Thank you for coming here today and for helping me to celebrate both their lives. I'd like to also thank my constantly obliging mother for all her help today and her hospitality. Um…I'm not very good at wrapping up these sort of things so…I'd like you all to raise your glasses to Lily and James Potter."

The occupants of the living room, and those that had over spilled into the kitchen-cum-dining area, chorused it back to him.

Peter downed the contents of his glass. "Listen, Remus, I've got something I have to do but um…thanks for everything you've done for me, all right? I er…I owe you big time. Lovely service, by the way. I know it's not been long but we should probably get all the funeral stuff out of the way so we can start partying, eh?"

Lupin looked at him, his expression blank. "I don't feel like partying."

"Well, you will soon. Have a good one."

Lupin frowned. "Where are you going?"

"Oh, I have to get back. My mother needs seeing to."

"Will you come back?"

Peter nodded noncommittally. "Mmmhmm."

"OK. See you later."

"Bye, Remus." He turned to Mrs. Lupin, who was topping up two glasses simultaneously. "Excellent grub, Mrs. L. Sorry I have to dash off. I'm supposed to be with my mam. She gets awful neurotic when I do disappear."

Mrs. Lupin, much like her son, pursed her lips but didn't have the heart to correct Peter's Wenglish grammar.

"Bye, Peter. Will you be coming back?"

Peter gave her the same tight lipped smile he had offered Remus. "Mmmhmm."

"See you later then."

"Mrs. Lupin?" Peter wrapped her into an awkward embrace. "Thanks a bunch."

"You!"

Black met his eyes. It had been roughly eighteen hours since James had been killed, but looking at Black it might have eighteen years. His hair was lank, his eyes were sunken in, and he seemed to be able to pass for a Death Eater well enough. Peter smiled. This just might work.

"You son of a bitch!"

Black gawped at him. "What?"

"You betrayed them! You murdered them!" He turned on Black and, wand in hand, walked towards him, sobbing. "Lily and James, Sirius! How could you?"

Black was speechless.

"You ruined everything!" Peter screamed, his voice trembling with emotions that had been suppressed for over ten years. "You always ruined everything!" His ice blue eyes were wild and he almost seemed to foam at the mouth.

Black said nothing. It was an unanswerable charge. He did ruin everything.

Peter raised his wand. Black whipped round.

"Come on then, Peter. Let's see what you can do. Make my fucking day."

Peter smirked and aimed his wand at the cobbled pavement. Black frowned at him but Peter met his eyes and held his gaze.

Black didn't hear the spell as the street seemed to implode. A crater had formed in the middle of the road and all that was left of Peter Pettigrew was a pile of bloodied robes and his index finger.

The smells of blood and raw sewage seeped up to his nostrils and almost made him physically sick.

All around him were mangled bodies, screaming Muggles, and members of the Ministry's elite. Black peered into Peter's crater, watching the rats scamper around the sewer.

And he laughed.