Chapter 154 Harry's Choice
"Children, I'm helping you, protecting you from harm!" pleaded Peter. "Don't listen to Black, that madman wants to kill me!"
"Protecting us?! This is ridiculous; you didn't say that back in Professor Lupin's office a moment ago!" Evan whispered. "Do I need to remind you, Wormtail? This is what you were going to do to the four of us. You used the Imperius Curse to control Ron, planned to use the Memory Charm on Harry and Hermione, and only wanted to kill me with the Killing Curse. That's how you've been protecting us, isn't it?!"
"God!" Upon hearing Evan's words, Black, Harry, and Hermione exclaimed.
They gazed into Peter's eyes, and any compassion they had for him vanished from their hearts. All that remained was horror and anger.
"How could you do this, vile companion?! How dare you treat these children like this?!" growled Black savagely, trembling as he lunged towards Peter once more.
"No, don't come closer!" Peter's face paled at the sight of Black.
He knelt on the ground, quickly crawling on his knees towards Evan, his hands clasped together as if crying and praying.
"Evan, Evan, there must have been a misunderstanding between us. Even though I said those things, I didn't do anything, right?!" Pettigrew cried. "Believe me; what I just told you was just for you to understand, for..."
"I already know!" Evan narrowed his eyes, looking at Peter. "Using Ron under the Imperius Curse to falsely incriminate Professor Lupin, and after obtaining the Marauder's Map, informing Snape to catch Sirius Black. You secretly contacted Lucius Malfoy and other pure-blood families dissatisfied with Dumbledore, allowing them to join forces to control public opinion and pressure the Ministry of Magic, thus giving you the right playing field and helping you cover any unreasonable loopholes. When everything is over, you can re-emerge as the hero who captured Black and protected Harry, and all the other young wizards."
"No No, it's not..."
"You don't need to tell me anything, Pettigrew! And don't touch me with your dirty hands!" Evan avoided Peter and approached Hermione.
Hermione looked frightened, her body slightly trembling.
Evan gently took the girl's cold hands. Feeling the warmth of Evan's palm, Hermione gradually regained her composure.
Watching the boy beside her, despite his body not being particularly strong, Hermione felt an inexplicable relief. She had the sense that as long as Evan was there, no matter how chaotic things were, she shouldn't feel the slightest hesitation in her heart.
"Good girl, clever girl, you can understand, help me, you won't let them..." As Evan rebuffed him, Pettigrew looked at Hermione.
He seemed to want to approach, but upon seeing Evan standing next to Hermione, he coldly pointed his wand at him. He was afraid. He hesitated, trembling uncontrollably, and slowly turned his head towards Harry.
"Harry, Harry, you are truly like your father, as he was..."
"How dare you say that to Harry?!" Black shouted. "How dare you confront him? How dare you mention James in front of him?"
"Harry!" Black's roar made Peter even more frightened. He hurriedly crawled on his knees towards the boy, arms open, whispering, crying, and pleading, "Harry, James and Lily wouldn't let them kill me, they would show me compassion!"
"But I'll never know what they would think, they were both murdered by you!" said Harry sadly.
He wiped away tears forcefully, but they kept flowing uncontrollably.
"No, I won't!" Harry said, as if he had sentenced Peter to death.
Peter sobbed; his facial skin all twisted and tangled together. He looked terrifying and strange.
"It's time to end all this; I will kill you to avenge James and Lily!"
Sirius Black approached, rolled up his sleeves, and a gleam of joy lit up his slender face.
"Sígueme ahora, tu lealtad puede demostrarse de otra manera, lejos de la traición pasada", Sirius uttered firmly as Peter struggled to hold onto Black's cloak.
"Step aside. Touching me is unnecessary. My cloak bears enough tarnish!" Sirius pushed Peter aside with a forceful kick.
"I admit my fault, my mind was clouded by fear. You must understand the dread that consumed me. You, who didn't face the Dark Lord and his formidable arsenal, cannot comprehend it. Fear consumed me, Sirius," Pettigrew shivered, attempting to convey his turmoil. "I have never possessed the valor you, Remus, and James have displayed. Believe me, it was not my intention, I was coerced by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."
"Dissemble not, Peter!" Sirius growled. "Before James and Lily met their demise, you were feeding him crucial intel. For a year, Dumbledore suspected a traitor in our midst, and James and I vouched for you. I was blind, even suspecting Lupin!"
"You fail to grasp the depth of his reach. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named infiltrated every crevice. I was powerless," Pettigrew gasped. "And what profit is there in defiance?"
"What gain is there in confronting the vilest, most heinous figure in history?" Sirius's countenance bore fierce anger. "To shield blameless lives, Peter!"
"You understand nothing!" Pettigrew lamented, "He would have slain me, Sirius!"
"Then your path is clear!" Sirius thundered, "It is better to meet death than to betray a friend, as we would have done for you."
"No, death I cannot face. A multitude of undone tasks await. Unfulfilled destinies call my name..." Pettigrew protested vehemently, yet Black's resolve remained unswerving as he advanced towards him.
Black walked step by step towards Peter, and each step meant Peter was a little closer to death.
Ron looked pale, observing everything happening before him. It moved him so deeply that he seemed on the brink of breaking free from the Imperius Curse's control.
Pettigrew pleaded desperately, and Hermione averted her gaze, gently leaning on Evan's shoulder.
Witnessing Black in a frenzy, Evan hesitated.
In his view, it was rather inappropriate to let Black kill Pettigrew. They should hand Peter over to Dumbledore and the Ministry of Magic for them to judge him and pay the rightful price for what he had done. That was the wisest decision.
However, Evan did not budge. He saw Harry approaching. When it came to Peter, Harry had more right to voice his opinion than him.
Harry ran and stopped in front of Pettigrew. Gasping for breath, he said, "Sirius, you can't kill him!"
"Harry, do you know what you're doing? This scum took your parents from you!" growled Black. "This despicable wretch could watch you die without feeling a thing. You heard what he just said. His own miserable hide matters more to him than your family's lives."
"I understand!" gasped Harry. "He killed my parents. Framed Professor Lupin. Controlled Ron and tried to kill Evan. I'll never forgive him for all these things, never! But you can't kill him, Sirius. I don't think my father would want his best friend to take a life. Especially that of such a contemptible person!"