Recap: Lily and her friends bond over The Beatles and Marlene and Lily are maybe on their way to becoming to being friends. On the train Dorcas Meadowes get's bullied by a Slytherin duo- only to be rescued by Micheal Duke and the new Head Boy, Lucius Malfoy. Meanwhile the Marauders have cooked a 'Pettrigrew birthday hunt' for Peter's 13th birthday where he is forced to do silly things to get the next clue. He ends up telling Mary MacDonald a secret in order for the next clue. Meanwhile Severus and Lily have a cute friendsy moment and Rabastan starts to tell Ayesha Shafiq about his feelings when Nikita Zabini interrupts.
I own nothing
Chapter 35: Defense 2001
"Minnie alert." James said nudging Sirius in the stomach. Sirius immediately threw the cloak into his bag(for it was considered dangerous to bring dark objects to Hogwarts without showing them to the Headmaster beforehand, something they had all neglected to do so) and prodded Remus and Peter. Not that Remus needed a head up to behave because he was Remus Lupin after all. Currently he was reading his copy of the Daily Prophet very seriously all while looking unconcerned at the situation at on the other hand sat up straight and immediately began stuffing himself with breakfast, for when Peter was nervous he ate.
"Remind me who came up with name Minnie again." Remus asked them when McGonagall had passed them heading over towards the girls end of the table instead.
"Sirius."
"Sirius."
"Me." Sirius finished at the same time as the others. "Oh come on, get it Minnie. McGonagall. You have to say out loud to get it."
Remus didn't look amused, but James laughed out loud slapping his mate proudly in the back. Peter, who was not one to be left behind, joined the two boys shortly.
"Mr. Black." the tall Minerva McGonagall greeted them suddenly casting a low shadow between the four of them. "If I am to see you every day twice this year I expect you to behave."
Twice? James didn't understand. Was McGonagall teaching two classes this year?
With a sigh, she dropped a neat stack of parchment between them, levitating one to each of the boys. Remus immediately snatched his and traveled his eyes down the parchment, no doubt analyzing every word within seconds.
"The block schedules are slightly different this year," McGonagall explained tapping her wand on their parchments. Ther blocks suddenly blossomed into different colors before their very eyes. "The core classes in pink are all the same albeit a few changes based on your finals last year; Defense, Charms, Transfiguration Potions and History of Magic will remain the same while Mr. Black and Mr. Potter will be advancing on to take Transfiguration 2001 with me" She gave them both stern looks pointing to the yellow block. "Mr. Lupin here will be advancing into Defense 2001 which is noted by the yellow on your schedule, Mr. Lupin."
Remus nodded eying his schedule very seriously. Peter was the only Marauder that wasn't taking any advance courses it seemed. A fact the young boy was completely okay with. He was just relieved that he had been able to move onto being a third year.
"Now the blue shows classes you can take, should you choose too. You only have two or three spaces available while one is required by the school." McGonagall stood up. "Along with that Herbology this year is only required for one semester as is Astronomy unless you choose to take the full course, for which you'll need to consult with me as your head of house. You have until the end of the week to decide what you want to take and when. Classes start tomorrow so choose wisely. Good day, boys."
Peter immediately let out a sigh of relief as McGonagall headed down the table to a few loud fourth years in the middle of a heated Gobstones tournament. Remus looked towards James and Sirius's schedules with a pout. "Transfiguration 2001...nice."
"Woah there Defense 2001." James whopped Remus, confused as to why the boy was looking so crestfallen. "You beat us both, Remus. That's no small feat."
Remus let out a small smile at that. "You're right. Although I'm going to talk to McGonagall to see what went wrong with my transfiguration scores. It must have been that question about the Badalis Method...It was the only test we didn't get to review right after too..."
Peter sighed and rolled his eyes. "Well anyway what do you reckon we should take for our extra class?"
James looked down towards the options highlighted in blue. Care of Magical Creatures, Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, Divination...Peter was considering taking Care of Magical Creatures because he claimed it sounded the easiest than the other options. Sirius hadn't chosen one and Remus was circling all of them.
"All of them? Remus you know you can't take all of them." James told the sandy haired boy as he looked down at this already packed schedule "You don't even have that much room in your schedule. And besides we're only third years."
"I know!" Remus said looking slightly panicked. "But I don't know what to drop! All of them are great in their own ways! Ancient Runes sounds fascinating and I've had my mind of Arithmancy since first year and Peter wants me to take Care of Magical Creatures with him. And then Muggle Studies-"
"Only half-bloods take that." Sirius laughed as he played around with levitating the salt and pepper shakers on the table. "So that's one class you don't need."
James turned to his friend who was laughing too busy to notice the aftermath of his words. Remus turned a shade of faint pink around his cheeks and Peter looked towards James for help.
"Mothers says it's a waste of time too. As if we cared about what muggles do when we've got wands. Not that Peter's parents toaster wasn't fascinating, but my wand can do it in less than five seconds- OYE MEADOWES THAT'S MY OWL!"
The blond who had been frantically trying to pry the small box from Sirius's owl promptly dropped it. She looked apologetic as she handed him his owl and turned back to her friends, looking quite dejected.
"What's with Meadowes anyway?" Sirius asked setting the box down and sending the owl away with a crumb from Peter's plate. "She's been nicking peoples owl's all week. If you ask me we ought to have a class on etiquette. Now that would be handy-guys?"
Remus was looking intently at his parchment while Peter pretended to read the excerpt of each of the classes once more. James quickly turned to Sirius. "I'm thinking of trying out for Quidditch this year, what do you think?"
"Go for it James, the team doesn't know what they're missing. You know I've actually got this idea about pranking the Ravenclaws this year.."
James smiled glad to have diverted Sirius's mind from the topic of classes once more. As he listened to Sirius prattle on about pranking Liam Carter James realized for the first time how much of a Black Sirius was. Yes he was sorted into Gryffindor, but he was nonetheless still a Black. A Black who had grown up learning that Muggleborns and Half-bloods were inferiors, a Black who was taught that blood was important than the people who existed, A Black who had been raised to believe that blood was what counted. James was a Pureblood too but he had been taught that blood didn't matter. And perhaps that's why Sirius often spoke without thinking, without imagining what the other person must have felt-
"Where's Remus?" Sirius asked looking around. James blinked, he didn't even realize when Remus left.
"I think Remus said something about asking the prefects about what to take." Peter lied.
"OH MY GOD YOU LITTLE GRYFFINDOR!"
Kiara Knightshade was stomping towards them like someone had taken her most prized possession and destroyed it. If her face wasn't livid, Lily figured the stomping of her heels was enough for them to get the message. A few Ravenclaws walking by had stopped to stare and Lily resisted the urge to roll her eyes. No matter what anyone said Lily truly believed that Ravenclaws were the noisiest of all the houses. Kiara's stomping was getting significantly louder and Lily, realizing that she had paused, nudged the blonde. Dorcas sighed and dropped Kiara's owl, and the two girls stepped back, running towards the stairs before they decided to shift passages.
"Collinspurg!" Lily spoke loudly, yet breathless when she arrived at the pink portrait, Dorcas trailing behind her.
The pretty pink lady in the portrait smiled at them and swung open revealing the entrance to the common room. Meanwhile Lily turned to Dorcas, hands on her hips.
"Fine!" Dorcas sighed. "Maybe I'm a bit paranoid. But I was so sure it was for me!"
Lily shook her head. "Dorcas, I'm sure it'll come when it's supposed. There's no use wasting your time and having the entire Hogwarts population hate you because you'll be known as the owl- stealer."
"Maybe just Kiara Knightshade." Dorcas muttered, crossing her arms. "Why did it have to be her owl?"
"You also nicked Liam's owl and Aria's owl just this morning." Lily reminded her thinking about the Ravenclaw, Liam Carter, who had pompously told Dorcas that she had just invaded his privacy and that he would be contacting the ministry to see what steps needed to be taken after that. Aria Griffins the Hufflepuff captain was humble and kind yet even she had been a bit freaked out over Dorcas's breakdown when the blond realized the owl wasn't for her.
"And that 7th year kid with the-"
"Pink hair- yeah." Lily laughed remembering the tall aloof 7th year Gryffindor who had been horrified when Dorcas had unraveled the contents of his post. Needless to say both Lily and Dorcas were quite scarred.
"Well at least they weren't Slytherins." Dorcas said finally. "Kiara Knightshade is going to make all the Slytherins hate me now, if they didn't already."
"I'm sure she's not going to any such thing." Lily told her.
"That's not what Mary said."
"Mary's in detention because she hexed Kiara Knightshade in the corridor last year." Lily told her quite plainly. Her best friend had been quite miffed over the fact that McGonagall had given her detention the first week back, and so was Lily. She now had to spend her evenings alone- or with Dorcas who had been sabotaging people's owls.
"Mary said-" Dorcas started when suddenly she caught sight of something brown in the window. Lily peered closely at it realizing what it was-
"Dorc-"
But Dorcas Meadowes gasped and was already running back the way they had come to get to the owl.
Lily sighed watching her friend leave. Quite alone, and quite bored she dropped down onto Gordric's couch- to find it was once again occupied.
"Hey Remus."
"Hey Lily." the sandy haired boy replied.
"Where's everyone else?" Lily asked referring to the rest of the Marauders. It was quite a rare occasion to see one without the others, and lily was quite unused to it.
"They're- I don't know."
Lily looked closely at Remus who was idly looking over the class schedules McGonagall had passed out that morning, the ones that were due tonight.
"Can't make up your mind?" Lily asked.
Remus shook his head. "Nah. I want to take everything but there's not enough room."
"May I?" Lily asked peering over his schedule. "Woah Defense 2001. I think only 5 of our class got in. Congrats Remus."
"Thanks." Remus smiled, but it wasn't a full smile so Lily knew something was wrong. She set the schedule down and looked sternly at Remus. "Why are you sitting alone on a perfectly fine Saturday evening Remus Lupin?"
Remus sighed and Lily waited patiently.
"I just don't know if I fit anymore. I thought I could be like everybody else, but I'm still different."
"And since when did different become a bad thing?" Lily asked, blinking up at the sad look on Remus's face. "Everyone is different. I don't think it would be the same if everyone was just like the other. If everyone was James Potter for instance, the world would be in chaos."
"It's not like that, Lily." Remus put down his quill. "I try so hard to be the best I can be- shouldn't that be enough?"
"It is." Lily told him earnestly. "Who say's it's not?"
Remus looked down. "I don't know. Just something someone said- it just made me feel like I'm not good enough, I'm not what they want me to be, that somehow I'm not the right..." he trailed off uncertainly.
Lily shrugged before looking sternly at Remus. "Did Potter say something?"
It had to be James. He often spoke without thinking about the consequences, just one of the reasons he and Lily didn't get along.
Remus laughed. "Actually no- it was Sirius."
"Black?" Lily didn't talk to the Black heir much, but she had heard plenty of things from others. Sirius came from a long line of important wizards- those of which were usually sorted into Slytherin. She had heard whispers of the Black name and the tiniest of hints of their doings to know that Sirius wasn't exactly an angel.
"I don't think he meant it," Remus quickly explained. "it just affects you sometimes."
Lily nodded and smiled, putting a hand on Remus's shoulder. "Well if it helps I'd want a world full of Remus Lupin's than Sirius Black and James Potter's any day."
"Thanks Lily." Remus smiled. He looked down to his schedule. "Say what extra classes are you thinking about taking?"
"Muggle Studies." Lily smiled brightly. "I know it's odd but I'd love to see it from the perspective of a wizard-you know?"
Remus nodded. "You're right. You're absolutely right. So that's that-" he ticked something off "And I think that's it."
"You should get that in quickly, the deadlines next week." Lily reminded him checking the time.
Remus stood up. "I'll just need to owl it to McGonagall- come with?"
Lily stood up. Mary had gone to her detention, Dorcas had left with Annie, there was nobody else she could hang to with. "Sure. I've got a few letters to mail anyway."
"So," Remus started a small smile forming on his lips as they headed down to the owlery. "What is this whole thing with Dorcas snatching people's owls that I'm hearing about?"
"It's a long story." Lily grinned.
"I hope my owl is safe." Remus laughed turning the corner towards the lower towers.
"Somehow," Lily laughed. "I sincerely doubt that."
Remus had never felt nervous to enter a classroom and as he walked towards the 4th year Defense class, that he had scored high enough to attend, he couldn't calm the thumping of his heart. Why should he be nervous? He had earned his place to attend this accelerated class- there was no reason he should feel like he didn't deserve it. He deserved it just as much as the next person. As he turned the corner, he calculated he had about 2 minutes till he reached the classroom, two minutes to collect his thoughts...
Hopefully he would see a familiar face, Lily had mentioned that a few others were taking the advanced class...
"Excuse me," Remus tapped the little girl who was looking around the corridor nervously, like she was lost. "Are you lost?"
The girl blinked up at him, curiously. She was a tiny thing and her long blond hair seemed to make her even tinier. "I'm looking for the Defense classroom- I can't seem to find it."
Remus studied the girl for a moment. She wore the Hufflepuff emblem on her robes, which had been marked with two tick marks in yellow, identifying her a second year.
"Third floor. First classroom on the right." Remus told her vividly remembering his 2nd year Defense class. James had been given the dare(courtesy of Sirius black) of hexing the first student who had the misfortune of walking in. Of course the first student had been Lily Evans, but Professor Weildman had the most unfortunate timing of walking in right before her...you get the idea.
The girl thanked him and skipped off. Remus smiled and took a deep breathe eying the door of the 4th year Defense classroom. He suddenly felt self conscience of his tattered robes and the hand me down books he was carrying. A cool gust of wind greeted him as he stepped inside the classroom. Instinctively everyone in the room turned to look at him, and Remus felt his cheeks burn up. He never did get used to the attention that James and Sirius loved to brag about. Even Peter seemed to like it- if his goofy grin was any indication of it.
"Mr. Lupin, I presume?" A dark skinned wizard in blue robes questioned. Remus nodded. He had attended the third year Defense class that morning but this wasn't Professor Heathen...
"Right here Mr. Lupin." Professor Heathen smiled pointing Remus towards an empty seat. (Remus realized he was still standing awkwardly in the middle of the classroom.)
"Professor why are you-" Remus started but the professor put a finger to his lips, inviting Remus only to sit and not ask any questions.
Puzzled, Remus took a seat and looked back at the professor a heavy weight settling down in his stomach. There was only one Defense Professor at Hogwarts and so all the years took Defense Against the Dark Arts at different times, and if professor Heathen was here.. where had he sent that second year girl?
The door opened once more and as if summoned, she appeared, looking flustered. "Sorry I'm late! I was suddenly misdirected." She turned immediately to Remus and let out a small laugh before skipping in.
"Ms. Fortecsue." The wizard smiled tapping his wand on the board. "Well it seems we are all here!"
To his surprise she took a seat at the desk next to him. He waited for her to yell at him, humiliate him, somehow blame him for all this but she only set her bag down and sat down, setting her hands on the desk much like a proper student.
"Now that we're all settled," the dark wizard smiled. "I'd like to introduce myself and entertain you all the to this new idea that Hogwarts has graced with. This is the first year that Hogwarts has allowed those with certain aptitudes in certain fields move up and take higher level classes. You can see around you that this 4th year class now includes underclassmen who have proved that they can handle 4th year material as well as a couple 4th years here who will also be attending a 5th year Defense class right after this."
There were a few cheers and murmurs from the students who were advancing into the 5th year class.
And 2nd years. Remus thought to himself looking at the blond girl who had trained her eyes on the speaker, not blinking once.
"Yes, yes quite an achievement. On that note I'd like to introduce myself, Kingsley Shacklebolt. Some of you may know me as the captain of the Gobstones club, but from today onwards I'm your -well Professor Heathens assistant for all upper classes."
Professor Heathen slowly made his way towards the front of the room, smiling at the class. "Kingsley here is being modest. As of 6th year he has already successfully completed all his Defense classes and will graduate early to become an Auror."
There was a slow applaud from the class that somehow turned into a loud cheer. Remus noticed Kingsley looked proud yet humble at his accomplishment and the attention he was getting. It was that humbleness that set him apart from James and Sirius when it came to attention.
"Thank you, Professor Heathen." Kingsley smiled. "Now despite all that I am still a student so please just call me Kingsley. I'll hex the next student to call me Professor Shacklebolt."
There was a small laugh at that and then Kingsley passed out the syllabus for the course. Remus immediately made a mental note to make a schedule tonight regarding the class and how he was going to keep up two defense classes at the same time. All in all it would have been a perfect day had Kiara Knightshade not raised her hand.
Thinking back to it, Kiara Knightshade should have never opened her mouth.
"Mr. Kingsley," Kiara spoke loud and clear. "Since you are a sixth year I was wondering if you could tell us what exactly happened to Maya Angus Hillbard."
Remus turned to look at the Slytherin girl who spoke so brazenly. There were a few murmurs and Remus heard words like murder and Hufflepuff being tossed around. Remus recalled the small article in the Prophet about the 6th year girl who had somehow ended up being found dead on the Hogwarts Express. No evidence of a struggle had been found but the general consensus was that Maya Angus Hillbard had committed suicide.
"She wasn't killed she committed suicide." Someone shouted from the back. "Hogwarts was too hard for her."
"She was a Hufflepuff, wasn't she?"
"I heard a lot of Hufflepuffs were getting sent to the Hospital Wing last year because they couldn't handle the stress."
"Hey! That's not true!" A Hufflepuff in the back protested.
"ENOUGH!" Kingsley's deep voice echoed between the four walls effectively silencing the talking students. "Ms. Hillbard was an excellent student, in fact she was offered an internship by the Minister himself. What she did and didn't do shouldn't be decided on mere speculation and assumption. Death has claimed her, so let her leave in peace. Don't taint it even more."
The class was silent after that as they read over the syllabus and answered questions regarding the material.
And when class ended the first one to leave was the only 2nd year in the room, a girl whom Remus had misguided on her first day.
Frank Longbottom had been sitting in the back of the classroom when the topic of the dead Hufflepuff girl had risen. The third year Slytherin girl who had raised the question was looking straight ahead like she was owed an explanation.
"Third years are so annoying." Lucas muttered. "Why couldn't we have had a perfectly normal class for once?"
"Normal?" Aviva Bond laughed. "When has class with you ever been normal, Luc?"
"Okay but come on look around us." Frank waved a hand around. "Don't you feel stupid sitting around with these third years while we're taking a normal Defense class. It's bad enough that we have to be smart within our year, now we've got to compete with underclassmen."
Aviva cocked her head. "Oh come on Frank, you're like the only guy I know that doesn't care about that stuff. What's changed?"
"Nothing." Frank said turning back to his syllabus. "Forget I said anything."
In reality, Frank was concerned. Aviva and Louis had been promoted to 5th year Defense this year leaving him and Lucas behind. Truth was, he was ashamed. It was a feeling he had never felt before and it confused him. He had seen a few third years he knew personally walk into the class and it left him feeling angry that they were taking the same classes at him despite him being older. Remus had always been smart so it didn't surprise him that he was in this class but a second year? A second year was taking the class? Everyone ought to have been ashamed a little right?
"I think I saw her before we went on the train too." Aviva was saying "She helped me with my bags- and now she's dead. It's all a bit unsettling to be honest."
"They say she committed suicide." Lucas informed them. "Irma probably won't let me do a piece on it but I just know it's so much more than that."
"What, like you think someone killed her?" Aviva asked passing the syllabus around to him.
"Why?" Frank asked. "Wasn't she like a Hufflepuff? What could she possibly have done to make someone hate her so much to kill her?"
"Hey be careful," Lucas whispered "You're making it seem like a student killed her."
"It's plausible." Aviva told him. "The only people who ride the train are Hogwarts students and the occasional professor." she turned to Lucas. "Who was the professor on duty last year anyways?"
"Professor Weildman, the Defense professor." Lucas answered. "But she left the post this year... oh I see what you're saying."
"But all the Defense Professors only stay for a year before they leave anyway." Frank pointed out. "The year before Weildman we had Cogsworthy and then Gulfem and- see I can't even remember. We've had that many."
"You're right." Lucas stroked his chin. "It is odd now that you mention it. Why do they only stay for a year?"
"I heard one of the older students talking about a curse..." Frank remembered hearing something from the older Ravenclaws that usually took over the Astronomy tower with their silly clubs.
"On the position of the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor?" Lucas finished. "Yeah I heard that as well but I hadn't thought about it much until now."
"Hey," Aviva punched him playfully. "Luc you've got your story. Even Irma can't say no to that."
Frank laughed. "Irma can find a way to say no to anything. I remember first year she told me no to sitting on her couch, and somehow I believed her."
Aviva laughed. "That's hilarious. Little Frank Longbottom being told-"
"Mr. Longbottom, Ms. Bond are you two having fun up there?" Kingsley asked raising his wand towards the pair of them.
Lucas grinned as Aviva and Frank let out mumbled apologies and the class settled back to the way it was.
"The one time he doesn't talk, we get in trouble." Aviva whispered glaring at Lucas who shrugged. "What can I say, I'm used to it."
"Now can anyone tell me the correct wand motion for a pausing spell?" Kingsley asked looking pointedly towards them. "Mr. Longbottom, Ms. Bond- Mr. Anderson?"
Frank's mind was scrambling with different spells that he had learned over the years. Aviva and Lucas were looking at each other nervously- they didn't know. And then Frank was thinking about the third years in the class and how they were on the same level as him- no he had to prove he was smart too.
"Stupefy!" He shouted before he could form his thoughts.
As soon as he shouted the name, he realized he had given the incantation for the stunning spell...He opened his mouth to quickly take it back but words are funny that way. Once spoken you can never take them back.
"Unfortunately not the one I was looking for." Kingsley said kindly turning away. "Anyone else?"
The 2nd year girl raised her hand. "Impedimenta."
"Yes." Kingsley smiled. "Yes, so with this incantation the user can momentarily pause motion. Like Mr. Longbottom mentioned Stupefy is similar but by using the stunning spell the victim is more stunned therefore unaware of the presence around them that they could feel with Impedimenta..."
"Stupid. Stupid, stupid." Frank muttered shaking his head. Why couldn't he have just said nothing. Now everyone must think he was stupid if they didn't already-
"Frank." Aviva was shaking him. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah." Frank nodded turning back to look at Kingsley who was demonstrating the spell on a volunteer, the 2nd year girl herself.
"What did she say her name was?" Aviva asked craning her neck to look. "I can't remember."
"I think it was Alice." Lucas answered. "Emma's mentioned her once."
Emma Anderson was Lucas's little sister. A real pistol if you ever met her, Frank recalled.
"And she's a second year?" Aviva wondered out loud. "I couldn't even remember the spell and we learned it last year."
Frank looked towards the second year who was momentarily paused in mid- smack on a pink droobles gum. How easy the world must be for her, he wondered. She was only a second year and already taking advanced classes. Her parents were probably some rich couple who could afford the best tutors in the entire Wizarding world and yet despite being the same in that aspect she was ahead and he wasn't. He hoped his Grandmother never found out about her- he would never hear the end of it.
"Anyway I was thinking we should go check on Louis during lunch." Aviva said smacking Lucas who was trying to aim a ball of rolled up parchment at one of the third years up front. "He's never been sick before and he's probably so bored in that infirmary by himself."
"Alright." Frank said.
Lucas only grinned. "Sure, we can go meet dear Louis Aviva."
"Shut up Luc."
"Shut up Luc."
Peter Pettigrew had never been approached by a girl before, he had only dreamt of the day. This year he noticed more girls looking towards Sirius and James, but no one looked at him. Some girls even looked at Remus but the chap was always too busy to notice. But the fact remained that no one looked at Peter.
Sure he wasn't the tallest of the blokes, or the skinniest, or the brightest but his mom had told him he had something else.
'Girls like kind boy's, Pete.' She had told him "Be kind and true and everything will be yours."
So when Mary MacDonald called out his name, running towards him, Peter had to look back and forth to make sure she was real.
She was pretty, he noticed. He noticed the way she laughed in class, and the way she put her large glasses on when she couldn't see the chalkboard, and quickly put it away when she thought no one saw her. He watched her twirl her hair with her wand mindlessly, when she was bored and couldn't do anything else. Peter saw it all.
"Peter." She whispered tapping him on the shoulder. He blinked up at her and nodded. "Y-yeah."
"Remember what you told me on the train- about Michael. Is it- is it true?"
Peter usually struggled to remember things, but he had remembered the incident on the train clearly.
Mary blinked fast before breathing heavily. "So you saw Michael.." she trailed off uncertainly.
Peter nodded. "I saw him leave her compartment- running. And so I went in to see what had spooked him so much- and there she was." He looked up at Mary eyes wide. "Please don't tell anyone. I know I should have told the professor right then but I didn't know what to say and if I say something now I'll get in trouble- Mary?"
Mary MacDonald was already making a beeline for the castle.
Peter was getting worried. What if she told someone? Mary was known for her large mouth and love of gossip- if she wished she could very well let the whole school know in under an hour.
Peter decided he would run after her, as far as his chubby legs would take him. He lost sight of her two minutes in.
Peter was full mode panicking now. She must have told someone by now and if they asked her how she found out- she would tell them about him and he would get in trouble. No. Peter wouldn't let that happen.
In 13 minutes Peter had reached the Headmasters office. The knocker was inches away from his fingers when the door opened and McGonagall stepped out. "Mr. Pettigrew what are you doing here?" she looked at him sternly. "You should be in class- tell me Mr. Pettigrew do you want me to take house points?"
"P-professor I have something to say."
"Well spit it out then Mr. Pettigrew, I haven't got all day. And it better include why you aren't in class."
"Professor it's about Michael Du-"
"What about him?" She had her hands on her hips now. "Is he also out of class?"
"ke- and that Hufflepuff girl-" Peter continued. "I saw h-"
"Mr. Pettigrew," McGonagall was looking concerned now. "Speak up. If you know anything about this you need to tell me. Right. Now."
"I saw him walk out of her compartment and when I went it she was on the ground.."
Peter swallowed hurt. Her dead face had haunted him for days afterwards, and his nightmares had gotten progressively worse back at Hogwarts. Peter could hear someone running and their faint voice calling out his name. "Peter where are you-"
Mary MacDonald paused as she noticed Peter with McGonagall. She eyed the pair before turning to look disbelievingly at Peter. If Mary was here...she hadn't told anyone... and he had just confessed for nothing.
McGonagall put a hand to her head dramatically. "Is there anyone from my house who is in class?"
"Ms. MacDonald why were you looking for Mr. Pettigrew?"
Mary was torn. She could admit that she knew about Michael and confess or she could lie and deny knowing about anything. "I-was-"
"I told her about Michael." Peter spoke quickly. "And she was telling me to wait until class ended to tell you but I couldn't wait."
Mary nodded.
"Very well, both of you will accompany me to the headmaster and explain."
As they followed McGonagall Mary turned to look at him. "He's my best friend- and now I'm the reason he's going to-" she looked up at him. "Peter, how could you?"
And Peter remembered the look on her face the next morning when Michael Duke was called from class and escorted out with a group of Aurors for the murder of Maya Angus Hillbard.