The Stone in the Ring

Christmas at Hogwarts was solemn, to say the least. With Remus and Peter gone, the small banquet with the remaining students and teachers had been a bore, and the absence of Dumbledore was felt perhaps most of all. Once McGonagall had called it a night, James and Sirius had hidden themselves under the Invisibility Cloak and used the secret passage of the One-Eyed Witch to make it into Hogsmeade.

There, Petunia and Eileen were waiting for them inside their room at the Three Broomsticks. 'How was it?' Eileen asked.

'An absolute waste of time,' James spat bitterly. 'Is everything ready?'

Petunia and Eileen had kept themselves busy by organising all of James' supplies for the journey. His Silver Arrow was polished and ready, and a small trunk containing everything he needed was attached to it.

'D'you still think this is a good idea?' Petunia asked.

James' desire to go to Little Hangleton had significantly decreased the moment he had learnt from Petunia what a Horcrux entailed. The Ring he knew to be in You-Know-Who's possession, and which held the Resurrection Stone, may very well have been turned into one. Defiled by a dark magic that no liquid luck could save him from. 'At this point I don't have much of a choice,' he said. 'If this is what it takes to learn more about what is going on – then it needs to be done.'

'Spoken like a true Gryffindor,' Sirius said as he gave James a pat on his back. 'I put the two-way mirror in there for you, as well as some Invigoration Draughts. Your Silver Arrow may be fast, but Yorkshire isn't exactly around the corner. It'll take you some time before you get there, and you better stay awake for it.'

'Stay in contact through the mirror as much as you can,' said Eileen in a motherly tone. 'We'll be here, trying to figure out a way to destroy a Horcrux. Now, go, before anyone sees you've left the castle.'

With a swish of his Invisibility Cloak covering himself and his broomstick, he made his way out of the Three Broomsticks and flew off into the starry night. Once Hogsmeade lay far behind, he dared to light the lantern dangling at the tip of his broom. From below, he would look like nothing more than a shooting star across the sky.

...o0o…

The first rays of the morning sun had arrived by the time James had reached Yorkshire. He took an Invigorating Draught and downed it in one gulp, feeling his senses change to a state of high alert. With the two-way mirror he called out to Sirius, who answered with a disgruntled hmpff from being rudely awakened, and gave him the thumbs up to show that he understood James had arrived at his destination. Once he had reached a great height over what had to be Little Hangleton, he pulled out the small phial of Felix Felicis from his pocket. 'Bottom's up,' he mumbled to himself. 'It's now or never.'

Taking the bottle between his teeth, James let the Felix glide down his throat, which left the warmest glow and a sense of unbreakable happiness instil into his heart. The world has never seemed so bright as it did in this very moment, and as he lowered his broom, he knew that he would land in a place that would lead him to his destiny.

James landed softly on the snow-covered ground. He heard a voice coming from his pocket, and pulled out the two-way mirror. 'Keep it down, Padfoot,' he said with a finger pressed against his lips. 'I've just landed in Little Hangleton's graveyard.'

'A graveyard?' It was Petunia who spoke. She had shoved Sirius aside and looked equally dishevelled by the early morning. 'What on earth are you doing in a graveyard?'

'To find this,' said James as if it were the most normal thing in the world. He flipped the mirror around and showed them the grave he was standing in front of. The grave was large, and a statue of the angel of death holding a scythe surrounded a slab with names and a single date. Thomas, Mary & Tom Riddle it read. All deceased on the very same day.

'I remember that date.' It was Eileen who answered. 'It was in the Daily Prophet that three muggles had died under magical circumstances, but since not many cared about what happened to muggles in general, it was forgotten about soon after. I was still attending Hogwarts at that time, and so was You-Know-Who. I think we know what truly happened now.'

'Are you implying that he killed off his muggle relatives?' Petunia squeaked.

'That's exactly what I think what happened,' said Eileen. 'But James, what do you intend on doing now that you found this?'

'It's not here,' he said. 'You see that large manor up the hill there? Yeah, I don't think it's there either.'

'You took the Felix, haven't you?' said Sirius with a tilted eye. 'Next time, save a bit for me will you?'

'You're more than welcome to come and trade places with me mate,' said James. 'For now, I'm going to follow where that scythe is pointing towards.' Without warning, he shoved the two-way mirror back in his pocket and ran into the woods. The sun had started to peak out over the hills and he knew he had the fast. Dancing around a few trees, he kept walking until he had hit what appeared to be a wall.

It turned out to be a shabby little house. Half-hidden by the trees and plants that grew around and over it. After shoving off the snow and pulling away at some of the overgrown leaves, James discovered the front door. There was a skeleton remain of a snake nailed against the door, and despite the Felix, it still made him feel a bit queasy inside. 'Look what I found,' he said as he held up the two-way mirror again.

'Well there's the sign of a true Slytherin's residency,' Eileen answered with a shrug.

'Are you saying you got one of those nailed to your door as well?' said James nonchalantly. He gently pushed against the door, and the hinges creaked as it flung open.

Eileen hurled her brows together in annoyance. 'Of course not,' she answered stiffly. 'The Gaunt's were related to Salazar Slytherin. I suspect they could speak Parseltongue as well.'

'What's Parseltongue?' Petunia asked.

'It means you can talk to snakes,' said James. 'Usually the mark of a dark wizard.'

Petunia threw her hands up in the air. 'Of course. Makes total sense. Please continue.'

'Lumos,' James whispered, and held up his wand. The inside of the house was so far covered in filth and grime that no light could escape through the windows. The dinner table was set with chipped cups and plates, and any leftover food had long turned to dust. Spiders had taken up residence in all corners, and coward away from the light of his wand.

'Looks about the same as our dorm I'd say,' said Sirius, which made Petunia do a double take on him. 'Anything in there that's not completely covered in a layer of neglect?'

'Good one,' said James, and lowered his wand to the floor. 'The rot is not so bad here on the floor as everywhere else. Guess I'm not the first one to enter it after its abandonment.' He stomped around and found a particularly creaky spot. 'I think I got something here. Accio floorboard.' With a wave of his wand, James pulled out the floorboard from its hinges and discovered a golden box, shimmering and untouched by any filth. He sank down on his knees and mumbled 'revelio,' but nothing happened. 'I think it's just a box,' he said to the two-way mirror.

'Just be careful James,' said Eileen. 'I've got a bad feeling that this is not the end of it.'

'It's almost too easy, isn't it?' said James as he gently placed a finger on the box, and waited for a moment to see if anything would happen. Since the air remained still, he took the box out from underneath the floor and opened the hinge. There, on a black velvet pillow, lay the Gaunt's ring adorned by a stone James never believed he would ever lay his eyes on. He reached out for it, but a loud 'NO!' coming from the two-way mirror stopped him from touching.

'Close the lid,' Eileen demanded. 'I could recognise that ring from a mile away. Never have I seen You-Know-Who without it during my years at Hogwarts, and it could very well be a Horcrux you were about to touch.'

'It's so strange,' said James, sounding distant, and almost eerily. 'As soon as I saw the Stone I thought about my grandparents, and how much I wish I could've met them. But I suppose you're right, Eileen. I better keep it shut.'

'Leave no trace and get out of there,' said Eileen. 'The Felix is not going to last forever. Who knows what traps you've walked into when you entered.'

James shoved the golden box in his pocket, lowered the floorboard and moved dust around to make it seem no one had ever entered the house. He tossed the Invisibility Cloak back on, and just in time, as he heard the voices outside approaching the house. He tiptoed out of the door and let the door fall back into its lock.

Hiding behind the trees where he had hidden his broom, James looked at the two people who had approached the house. 'Trap's gone off again,' he heard a disgruntled voice say. 'Blitherin' critters can't seem to stay away from this forsaken place. C'mon Goyle. Better get out of here.' With the wave of a wand the trap was reset, and the two people, who James assumed had to be some of You-Know-Who's followers, disappeared from sight.

'I better get going,' James whispered into the two-way mirror. 'I can feel the Felix is starting to wear off. 'I'll meet you all at the Three Broomsticks. From there – well, we'll see what happens.'

...o0o…

Their old brooms had seen better days, and the harsh winter wind kept blowing them off course. Peter had been taken to Grimmauld Place to meet with Regulus after celebrating Christmas with his family, and with a deep sense of longing his mind wandered off to the hot chocolate he had had by the fireplace, and the stories about Hogwarts he had shared with his muggle grandparents. In less than a day he had stepped away from a place of comfort, and entered the harsh reality of retrieving Slytherin's Locket from the cave by the cliffs of Dover.

They managed to land by the edge of the cliff. The waves of the sea were crashing hard against the shore, making it hard to hear what was going on around them. 'Okay, now what?' Peter asked. 'I know the entrance to the caves is between those slits among the rocks, and we know from Kreacher about what lies beyond. But how to we intend to go about this?'

'You no longer have the Trace on you,' said Regulus. 'I will pay the blood sacrifice required, if you promise to heal me up right after. Also, how well can you Apparate?'

'I've never Disapparated with another person before I'm afraid,' Peter admitted, 'if that is what you're asking. But when it comes down to it I'd rather be splinched than dead.'

'Not to mention the Dark Lord still wishes to meet with you tonight,' Regulus added. 'Can't exactly afford dying before that.'

Peter swallowed hard at the thought of having to meet with the Dark Lord. He knew he was bound to be given a task to prove his loyalty, as the Dark Lord had done to all his followers. And he knew that those tasks had often resulted in the kidnapping of muggles. Torture. Political interference. The use of Unforgivable Curses. The list of terrible things went on and on. 'Let's get this over with, shall we?' he heard Regulus say, but he knew retrieving the Locket was anything but an easy feat.

Holding tightly onto their brooms, they flew their way in between the cracks of the cliffs. They were able to land on a narrow step where the waves kept rolling in over their feet, leaving them to shiver from the cold. 'Lumos,' Peter said as he raised up his wand. The walls were so dark with slick his wand was barely able to light the surroundings. 'I can sense the magic here.'

Regulus didn't respond. He had pulled a knife out of nowhere and sliced the inside of his hand, causing him to groan in pain. He slapped his bloodied hand against the stones and smeared it around by means of payment. For a moment they both looked at the wall in utter silence, when a moment later small cracks appeared and slithered around into the form of a door. Regulus held up his hand for Peter, who traced the wound with his wand to knit the wound back together.

'A payment of weakness,' Regulus said as he shook off the remaining drops of blood on his hand. 'We better keep going.'

Peter felt the hairs on his arms stand up as they entered the cave. 'Lumos maxima,' he said with a wave of his wand, and regretted lighting the way before them instantly. They were standing at the edge of a lake. In its centre stood a small rocky island with a basin, just as Kreacher had described. In the water surrounding it, the resting faces of the dead floated just beneath the surface.

'The inferi,' said Regulus, his voice laced with fear. 'Whatever we do, we must not disturb them.'

Peter felt a knot form in the pit of his stomach at the sight of it. 'There had to be a boat here somewhere, right?' he said.

'Try to summon it,' said Regulus. 'From my understanding it works the same way as Durmstrang's ship. Hidden under the surface unless called for.'

Peter pointed his wand towards the water and said, 'accio boat.' He hadn't expected that a copper green chain would come flying into his hand, and he nearly staggered into the water, were it not for Regulus catching him by the robes just in time.

Together they pulled at the chain, feeling that something was moving from underneath the surface. After a moment the ghostly prow of a very small boat came into view. Without rippling the water, the boat stopped by the bank Regulus and Peter stood.

'There's barely enough space for the two of us,' Regulus said as he carefully stepped into the boat. 'Try to cram yourself in here if you can.'

Peter felt his knees shaking as he entered the boat, and looked down as to avoid seeing the inferi on either side. There were no oars, but it was clear enough that the boat was sailing itself towards the centre of the lake.

With a gentle nudge the boat stopped by the edge of what appeared to be a platform made out of a flat dark stone. A greenish glow came from its centre, and as they stepped out of the boat they soon found that the greenish glow came from the stone basin, just as Kreacher had described.

'This has got to be it,' Regulus whispered as they stood around the basin. 'And this has got to be the potion that Kreacher spoke of.'

Peter lowered his wand and tried to touch the emerald coloured potion, and found that no matter how hard he pushed, he could not touch it. 'Kreacher had to drink it, didn't he?' he asked.

'I've been dreading this moment,' Regulus said as he looked up at Peter. 'But yes, this is how the mind of the Dark Lord works. It is both brilliant and yet equally terrifying.'

'Should we flip a coin, as to –' but Regulus cut Peter off and shook his head. 'I'll be the one to do it, he said. 'It didn't kill Kreature, and I don't think the Dark Lord ever intended to kill anyone with it. Just weaken them enough to reveal their deepest darkest secrets. Promise me, Peter – and I really mean it – promise me that you will make me drink it all the way. No matter how much I struggle, or beg you not to do so. Promise me.'

'Alright, alright I promise,' Peter said, and in his mind he was already thinking about the many ways in which he could escape in case things turned out for the worst. He picked up a loose rock from the ground and transfigured it into a goblet. 'Here,' he said as he handed it over.

Regulus took the cup, and seemed to want to get it over with as soon as possible. He scooped up a large amount of the emerald liquid and drank it in a few gulps. 'How are you feeling, Reg—' but Regulus gasped for breath and waved Peter off. Quickly he scooped up more of the liquid and drank it again, this time the pain prominent in his eyes. Again and again he drank the liquid, and the more he drank the more he had to hold on tight to the basin as not to fall over.

'You're nearly there,' Peter said in a feeble attempt to encourage him.

'No,' Regulus said as the tears started flowing. 'No I can't –'

'You must,' Peter said, intend on keeping his promise. He took the cup from Regulus and filled it to the brim. 'Go on, I can see the basin is almost empty. You have to keep going.'

Regulus slumped down to his knees and started crawling towards the edge of the platform. 'I need water,' he said with a voice as dry as sand.

'No, you don't!' Peter squeaked as he pulled Regulus away from the edge. 'Come, you have to keep going. You must!' He forced Regulus' to gasp for breath and poured the content of the cup in his mouth. 'Just two more, and then I think we've got it!'

Quickly he filled the cup again, and saw the first shimmers of an object laying at the bottom of the basin. Again he forced Regulus to drink it, who struggled hard against Peter forcing it down. He filled the cup again, and now the Locket of Salazar Slytherin had been revealed, ready for the taking.

Peter saw Regulus still struggling and whimpering in the corner of his eye. 'Geminio,' he said with a wave of his wand. A duplicate sprung from the Locket, looking completely identical from the real one. He shoved the real Locket into his pocket when an idea occurred to him. 'Geminio,' he said again while tapping against the Locket's copy. Another duplicate sprung from it. He left one Locket in the basin, took the other in his hand, and brought it over to Regulus. 'We've got it,' he said as he held up the fake Locket to Regulus, and placed the goblet beside him. 'You don't have to drink it anymore.'

But Regulus was too far gone. He was acting delirious. Begging for water and for his brother to come back home, it took all of Peter's strength to stop him from crawling into the water. Through the struggle Peter managed to put the fake Locket in Regulus' pocket, but did not foresee that Regulus would kick the goblet away. With a loud metallic clunk it bounced off the stone platform, and landed into the water where the remnants of the emerald liquid dissolved into nothing.

At once the eyes of the inferi opened. Like blue ghostly lights they lit up underneath the surface, and any plans of escape shattered like glass in Peter's mind. 'I cannot disapparate!' he whimpered to Regulus. 'I'm trying but I can't. It's this cave!'

'Kreacher,' Regulus sputtered as he held on tight to Peter's robes. Rotten hands were rising up from the water, and the stench of death started filling up the space. 'We need Kreacher! Kreacher!'

With a soft crack, Kreacher had apparated into the cave. Before any questions could arise in Peter's mind, the house-elf took them both by the hand and disapparated out of the cave.

Within a flash, the chaos that had formed in the cave had been left behind, and the warm quiet comfort of Regulus' bedroom at Grimmauld Place appeared.

...o0o…

The real Locket lay heavy in his pocket. Making sure that no-one in the house had heard their arrival, Peter went to work to eliminate all traces of their absence. He even sent Kreacher back to retrieve their brooms, which were now stowed against the wall as if they had never been used.

Regulus had been tucked into bed. He looked as if he were going through the worst fever imaginable, and Peter was worried he may needed to be brought to St. Mungo's if it got any worse. But for now, all he had was the house-elf who kept fussing over him.

It had taken a long time, but eventually Regulus appeared to have fallen asleep. Peter found solace in the fact that the potion hadn't killed him, and told the house-elf to go away for some well earned rest.

Sitting against Regulus' bed, he pulled the Locket out of his pocket and took a better look at it. It was adorned with two silver snakes entwined. Their eyes were set with emeralds. One snake had a crown of flowers on its head, and the other had a crown of flowers it devoured. It was strange, but beautiful too.

Peter's thoughts were disturbed by a loud knock on the door. He had shoved the Locket back in his pocket just in time, as the door swung open, revealing Regulus' mother. 'Has he fallen asleep?' she asked.

'He wasn't feeling very well,' Peter answered with a shrug. 'But that's okay, I've been keeping myself entertained.'

'Come, the Dark Lord wishes to see you,' said Walburga, and beckoned him out of Regulus' bedroom and ushered him into the hallway. 'Go on. He doesn't like to be kept waiting.'

Peter was still trying to recollect himself from everything that had happened in the cave. He forced his mind to switch over from desperately wanting to hide the Locket, to having a calm and civil meeting with the Dark Lord. With Walburga strutting behind him, all he could do was to keep his head down until they stopped by the living room. 'Through here. Go!' she snapped. She turned around on the balls of her feet and disappeared by the fading sound of her clacking heels.

He opened the door, and found the Dark Lord sitting on the sofa cradling a cup of tea in his hands. The fire in the hearth lit up the room, and it would almost seem cosy, were it not for the seriousness of the situation. 'You wished to meet with me, my Lord,' Peter squeaked with a slight bow.

'Come, sit beside me,' Voldemort said as he gestured towards the empty space beside him.

Peter carefully closed the door and did as he was told. Not really daring to look the Dark Lord in the eye, he sat down properly and folded his hands on his lap. 'What is it that you wish to know, my Lord?' he asked as he kept staring at the carpet.

'Look outside,' said Voldemort as he pointed towards the snow-covered streets below. 'We are in the Borough of Islington in London. A beautiful place infiltrated by muggles long ago, and now only the House of Black remains. They're everywhere, you see. These muggles throwing around their snowballs – their shrill laughter is causing the windows to rattle.'

Peter was looking down at the road, and found a group of children playing in the snow. There was a lot of laughter to be heard, but he found no windows rattling because of it.

'Grimmauld Place once mattered in our world,' Voldemort continued. 'And I wish for it to matter again. We shall purge the streets from these filthy rats. See only little witches and wizards play and grow.'

Peter didn't know what to say, so he turned the conversation. 'Are you aware that they will light fireworks tonight, my Lord?'

'I will return to Malfoy Manor before that moment comes,' said Voldemort. 'You must be wondering why I wished to speak with you.'

'I do, my Lord,' Peter answered with a nod. 'I suspect that you wish to test my loyalty to your cause.'

'Tell me, Peter,' said Voldemort as he turned his gaze towards him, 'why were you sorted into Gryffindor?'

Peter looked up at the ceiling, wondering why the Dark Lord would ask such a question. He decided to answer truthfully. 'I was a Hatstall, my Lord,' he explained. 'The Sorting Hat couldn't decide whether to place me in Gryffindor or in Slytherin – so I made the choice myself. And then you may wonder "why Gryffindor?" – well, it's because of a boy I met on the train to Hogsmeade. I didn't have any friends, and he was nice to me. He was sorted into Gryffindor before it was my turn, and so I decided to join the House of the first friend I made.'

'What was his name?' Voldemort asked.

Peter wanted to beat himself up for saying it out loud. 'Lupin,' he answered. 'Remus Lupin. He's a good person.'

'He must be,' said Voldemort, 'if his mere presence is enough to sway you from one path to another. But it is not him I wish to speak with you about, but about Gryffindor. Godric Gryffindor, that is. What do you know about him?'

'Nothing more than what Bathilda Bagshot wrote about him,' Peter answered with a shrug. 'He was an unusually short but strong man, and he was never seen without his Sword.'

'And what else do you know about this Sword?' Voldemort asked.

'It is said to be Goblin made,' Peter continued. 'Wars have been fought over it, and it grew in strength with every battle – though I don't know exactly what that would entail.'

'And do you know where the Sword currently resides?' By the tone of his voice it was clear the Dark Lord was growing impatient.

'Up in the Headmaster's office,' said Peter. 'I've seen it there after my friends and I did something incredibly stupid, and were called up by headmaster Dumbledore to speak with him. It's up there on display. It's quite beautiful.'

'By now you must know what it is that I am asking of you,' said Voldemort. 'I don't care much for the House you have been sorted into – though some of my followers would like to see me do otherwise. It would be a loss of talent, to me. And a talent you are, Peter. For you, are a rat. Capable of entering many sealed off places unseen.'

'If it is the Sword of Gryffindor you want, then I can get it for you,' said Peter with a forced hint of determination. 'If that it what it takes to prove to you my loyalty, then that is what I'll do.'

Voldemort's mouth curled into an evil grin. 'Good boy,' he said with a pat on Peter's knee. 'Now, off you go. Regulus must be waiting for you.'

'Thank you, my Lord,' said Peter as he got up from the couch. Without looking back, he walked up to the living room door and closed it as inconspicuously as possible. He could still feel the imprint of the Dark Lord's hand on his knee, and it gave him a nasty feeling he couldn't quite shake off. A part of him was relieved as he walked up the stairs. No torture. No murder. All he needed to do was to steal an object of great value to the wizarding world. It looked insignificant compared to what others have had to do. It also confirmed what he and Regulus had suspected for a while now. It wasn't just Slytherin's objects the Dark Lord was tracking. He was collecting all of them.

He entered Regulus' room, and found that he had woken up and that Kreacher had been taking care of him by bringing him tea and medicine. 'Young master Regulus has been foolish,' Kreacher crooned. 'He will have nightmares for a long time just like Kreacher has.'

'How are you feeling?' Peter asked. Regulus had covered himself under his blankets, and seemed to be shivering despite the warmth in the room. Pulling away at the blanket, he found Regulus still looking feverish. The sweat of a nightmare clinging to his hair.

'I'll pull through,' Regulus answered weakly. He opened up his fist and revealed Slytherin's Locket in his hand. 'We got what we came for. That ought to be enough for now.'

'Master Peter, Kreacher has something for you,' Kreacher said as he pulled at his sleeve. From a shelf he picked up a letter and handed it to him. 'An owl came in earlier today. It must have known you were staying here.'

Taking the letter from Kreacher, Peter flipped it around and read the red ink his name was written with.

Peter Pettigrew
R.A.B.'s bedroom
12 Grimmauld Place
Borough of Islington, London

On the other side of the envelope a very small red feather was drawn in the corner. Peter knew enough. An invitation to the Order of the Phoenix had come.

A/N "James and I used to use them [Two-way mirror] when we were in separate detentions." — Excerpt from a note of Sirius Black to Harry Potter. Meaning the two-way mirror was already in use when the Marauders were in school.

A/N After writing this chapter I came to the conclusion that James in our world would look like a live vlogger on drugs entering a haunted house on a dare.

A/N I've found that the "The Trace" has been a highly inconsistent thing throughout the HP universe. Alastor Moody is very firm in his words that any magic can be detected when performed by a child under the age of seventeen, but Hermione dabbled with spells even before attending Hogwarts, and Tom Riddle killed his muggle relatives without ever receiving a notification from the ministry. Not to mention that The Trace could not distinguish between a house-elves' magic from that of an underage wizard.

A/N I had to diverge from canon here a bit when it comes to Regulus. Officially he died inside the cave from drinking the potion and then being dragged into the water by the inferi. Kreacher replaced the real locket with the fake and managed to return home while trying to destroy the locket on Regulus' orders, which he never managed to do.
With Severus and Lily's disappearance however, things are slowly changing the timeline. Especially when it comes to Peter's involvement, and his growing influence on playing an agent on both sides. It's why Peter and Kreacher save him and brings him to Grimmauld's place before anyone notices.

A/N In the books, Hermione used the Doubling Charm after they had stolen it from Umbridge, and replaced it with the duplicate so Umbridge would never suspect it to be gone. It means that the Doubling Charm works on Horcruxes, minus copying the piece of Voldemort's soul of course.