Chapter 48: Peter Pettigrew Once More

Was it day? Night? Well, certainly not night. It was far too bright. But it wasn't natural either. Peter Pettigrew was very confused. One moment, he was duelling in the snow and feeling immense relief at the arrival of Dumbledore, and the next, he was lying naked on a platform of some kind. Then he felt drawn to a train of pure white beside him and found his favourite selection of clothing in the compartment he entered. If this was one of Sirius' tricks, he had really outdone himself this time.

He felt that he should be afraid, and that wasn't difficult for him, but Peter felt more peaceful than anything else. He was puzzled and disorientated, yes, but certainly not afraid.

The train eventually stopped, and he found himself in a reflective but more beauteous version of his house. He mechanically jumped off the train and walked towards it. There at the door was his father…but that couldn't be right…his father died when he was young. He had never been able to raise his son to be a brave Gryffindor…but then again, he didn't think he had done a bad job of it in Hogsmeade today…but where were his fighting friends? Were James and Sirius okay? Did Severus get Lily and Frank away from Malfoy in time? Where were the Death Eaters? And how the hell was his dead father standing before him?

"D-dad?"

His father pulled him into a loving embrace.

"I'm so proud of you, son…many other versions of you went the wrong way out of fear. Particularly the version who was in your dreams…"

Peter didn't understand but he felt no desire to either. He was just relishing the long-lost cuddles of his father, but perhaps that was just as well because the stories Mr Pettigrew could divulge upon him were disgraceful and soul-wrenching.

He felt like he was four years-old again, which of course he was in the moment he felt the joys of a paternal hug once more.

"I missed you, Daddy," he whispered.

"And I missed you…I was so afraid I would never see you again," replied his father, not saying what made him fear that.

"But we're together again now," whimpered Peter as he cried in joy.

"And soon, possibly in five or so years, your mother will be here too," said his father with an impatient tone.

"Where is here, Daddy?" asked Peter at last, his curiosity returning to him.

He also noticed his voice was squeakier and he looked to see that he had de-aged by ten years at most.

"W-what?!"

"Calm down, Peter and let me explain," said Mr Pettigrew, "but let's go inside first. You'll need to sit down for this."

And so spoke Mr Frederick Pettigrew, explaining to his son how he died most nobly, defending his friends against the terrible Death Eaters.

The story had to be paused several times over due to the overwhelmed Peter bursting into tears at the realization that he was dead.

"Are any of the others dead?" he asked at last.

"None of those you were close to," said Mr Pettigrew, "though that Ravenclaw you had trouble befriending at first lost his grandfather in the battle."

"Severus' grandad?"

"Yes, that's the one."

"I hope he's alright," said Peter dismally.

"There is a bit of good news though," said his father kindly.

"Good news that can conquer the bad news that I am dead?" asked Peter doubtfully.

"Depends how you look at the situation, son. You see, your death didn't just help to save your friends' lives, it has also restored the life of another."

"What do you mean?"

"Your friend in the Hospital Wing, Master Lupin. The news of your death pulled him out of his stupor. He's back in the right state of mind. He, like your other friends, are heavily grief-stricken, of course, but they're trying to see the positive side, such as the boy's recovery."

"I'm so glad he's okay," said Peter with a small smile, "I just wish I could have been there to see him recover. He was my best friend."

"I know, son, and I think that's wonderful, considering what he is."

"What you mean, Dad?"

"Oh, yes, of course, you never knew…I think of all the people who did find out, Remus would have found it harder to tell you about his secret."

"What secret, Dad?"

"Ah, well, um…y'see, Remus Lupin is a werewolf."

Peter was stunned. He had certainly not expected his father to say that sentence. To Peter, there was no predicting that.

"Remus is a…a-a werewolf?"

"Yes, he contracted the disease at a young age, and has been hiding it since. Dumbledore helped him get into Hogwarts in spite of his condition and eventually had that Whomping Willow made to give Remus a place to transform safely without harming anyone."

"T-the Whomping Willow?"

The pieces of the puzzle clicked into place for Peter. The night James and Sirius really started to respect Severus was when they nearly got hurt by something inside the Whomping Willow. Could it be…?

"Yes, son," said Mr Pettigrew, "your friends had a narrow escape with Remus once in first year, but the Prince boy saved them. That's why you all became friends in the end."

"Wow…and they kept Remus' secret anyway."

"Indeed so."

"Wow…"

Peter realized suddenly that out of all the things that made him nervous in life, he had ironically been best friends with someone who would be judged by the majority of the Wizarding World as a Dark creature.

He couldn't help but smile a little at the irony.

"As it happens, your friend, Remus is not the only one who kept secrets from you and the others. In fact, his secret was hardly well hidden compared to another of your pals."

"Who else was lying to us, Dad? Is he or she a Death Eater trainee?!"

Peter sounded panicked but his father quickly appeased him.

"Nothing like that, though it is very serious and quite exceptional. I'll leave it there for now though, son…right now, I want us to get reacquainted. And you have all of eternity to learn more about your friends still alive."

In what seemed like an eternity, and yet as though no time passed at all…if that made sense, Peter had seen and reacquainted with all of his lost relatives in his family, including those he had never met. And he loved every one of them. He even found a best friend (in Heaven's perspective) in a long dead distant cousin, who had his personality traits down to a tee, Paul Pettigrew.

Peter and Paul had lots of fun exploring the Heavens together, and it was on one such exploration that Peter saw a figure ahead of him.

She looked very familiar and yet he didn't recognise this woman who seemed to be in her early twenties, though she had a striking similarity to his fellow Gryffindor, Lily Evans.

"Hello, Peter," she said.

The woman looked slightly apprehensive at the sight of Peter, which puzzled him.

"Do I know you?" he asked shyly.

"Not strictly speaking, no…but I kinda know you."

"How?"

"Well, Peter…I am Lily Evans…or rather Lily Potter."

"Whaa?!"

"It's very hard to explain," said Lily Potter, "but there is more than one universe in Creation and um, well, I come from another one. All life from all universes come here upon death. It's the union of Existence here in Heaven. I died at the age of 21 in my universe protecting my son, Harry Potter."

"Potter…so you married James Potter in your world?"

"Yes," replied Lily with a smile, "our universes have specific differences."

"So…why are you…here? Is your world's me here?" Peter looked around with interest at meeting himself.

"You met him before…in your nightmares…" said Lily gravely.

"Wait…that dream when I was on fire…that was your version of me?" Peter shuddered at what that implied.

"Yes…he made terrible mistakes and it cost him his chances of coming here…but he was given a chance of saving you from making the same mistakes. He may well be granted forgiveness too one day…but his efforts in helping you came with the cost of your own life. You took his advice a little too far."

"I don't really regret dying for my friends," insisted Peter.

"Spoken like a true Gryffindor," said Lily approvingly.

Peter blushed and his cousin chuckled.

"Why did you die? Why would your son need saving?"

"Voldemort was destined to fall by my son's hand…he ultimately did fall seventeen years after my death. Harry won."

"So…are you destined to die in my universe too?" asked Peter despondently. "Was my death in vain?"

"Nope…your universe has an advantage that mine did not," said Lily confidently.

"Oh?"

Lily smiled like a detective about to reveal the murderer.

"Severus Snape."

At that moment, Mr Pettigrew appeared.

"I thought you'd find them by yourself, son," he said.

"W-what does Severus have to do with all this?" asked Peter puzzledly.

"The Severus you knew…is my Severus from my universe. Like your alternate self, he made many mistakes, which for now shall remain undisclosed…but he made amends but was left here without a happy afterlife to come home to…so the Higher Ones granted him a reward…find his happiness in a new universe…your universe."

Peter was not at all sure how to comprehend all of this information, and the revelation that Severus Prince was in fact, a soul from an alternate universe took the biscuit, or certainly the Acid Pop.

"He…but…"

"I get that it's a lot to take in, Peter," said Lily. "The only reason that I've come at all is because…well, Sev has his ways of contacting the dead. I have a feeling, considering how badly he feels for the deaths in Hogsmeade, he will be more than keen to meet with you."

"How can he?" asked Peter in astonishment.

"Did your mother ever read you The Tales of Beedle the Bard?" asked Lily.

"Yes?"

"Well, the Tale of the Three Brothers is actually partially true. Specifically, the objects made by Death. The Resurrection Stone is amongst them. It's real and Severus has been using it to contact us and obtain information on how to defeat Voldemort for good."

Peter flinched at the name, but Lily giggled.

"You've nothing to fear here, Peter. Not ever again. Voldemort can't touch us up here. He fears coming here…not that he ever will."

Peter felt some immense relief at those words. Lily was right. He could literally never feel pain, torture or despair in Heaven. He had nothing to fear in Paradise. It made him feel very happy.

"It would be nice…to see my friends again…I thought I never would."

"It's never goodbye forever, Peter," said his father.

"And even without the Stone, our friends and loved ones will always inevitably come here one day. I still await the reunion with my son. The true one. But time is not much of an issue up here. It could seem like forever one minute and then when you see and get what you want, it'll be as if no time passed at all."

Lily looked beyond Peter in a dreamy way.

Peter smiled some more.

"I think I will like it here," he said quietly.

Paul and Mr Pettigrew smiled appreciatively.

"There's just one thing…"

"What's that?" asked Lily.

"I wish I could have been of more help to my friends. I may have died to protect them…but that just means I can never help them again."

"Actually…there may still be a way…"

"Huh? How?"

Mr Pettigrew frowned. This Lily Potter has a sort of Dumbledore-ish quality about her. Recruiting a pawn to help her achieve her own ends, whether or not it was for the good of others. The only consolation in this is that it would ultimately make his son happy, and unlike the Dumbledores of the universes in life, Lily wasn't placing Peter in danger for the sake of her mission, since in Heaven, there wasn't anything to fear or be harmed by.

Lily explained how she, Ariana and Helena were helping Severus destroy Voldemort by hunting and tracing the Horcruxes. Peter was fascinated and was keen to help. It was decided that he would join in this quest. He had no qualms about it. Once upon a time, he couldn't see himself being brave enough to speak Voldemort's name, let alone play a role in his destruction. And now, although he was now able to avoid conflict by dying in battle, quite painlessly, he might add, he was now being able to show courage by helping take down the Darkest Wizard of all time, and of all universes too.

After a while, he, Paul and his father went back home. He had plenty of time, all eternity, to catch up and work on the mission. And right now, after all the information he had just digested, he decided it was time to step back for a short while and sleep on it. If he could sleep in Heaven, that is.

A/N: Sorry that this chapter is long overdue and rather small. I've had some writers' block after graduating from university. Trust me, you tend to find writing to be more of a chore than a pleasure after dedicating 3 years to fulfilling writing assignments that suit lecturers more than yourself! I hope this will be a good enough compensation, along with the promise that I will update quicker next time! Enjoy! Thanks for reading! Please review! Chapter 49 coming soon-er!