To feed the rat
In hindsight, it could have been Star-Racing instead of PitSnake ambushing their test days. It was no secret Sirius’s encounter with his brother was doomed to be awful, and Peter was dreading the moment of the confrontation. Although, as a strategist, Peter had to give it to the Blacks’ wits. They surely were choosing the most inappropriate moment for Sirius to meet Regulus again. And Peter could only prepare for damage control when it came to that.
Since the Malfoys’ wedding article, Peter had to reconsider everything. From the moment last year’s season finished, he had been preparing. While the definitive lineup had yet to be announced, Peter had been fairly certain of who would race. Well, Peter’s predictions had been shattered just like that. But that wasn’t what had bothered Peter the most. In truth, adding Regulus to the equation posed two challenges: first, Sirius had to be treated as a liability; second, there was no information regarding Regulus.
Peter had spent two weeks researching relentlessly anything he could find about Regulus. He would have even settled for a single picture, but nothing. Even Rita, the one person in this world who always had information and pictures about anyone – though she was quick to turn the truth however she wished – had been weirdly silent about Regulus. She did not release a single picture from the Malfoys’ wedding in which you could spot Regulus, even if that was remotely in the background. One would wonder if the kid even existed.
Honestly, Peter had always been extremely good at collecting information. Growing up, he had wanted to be an investigator. As a matter of fact, Peter never truly grew out of it. Until James raced in F1, he would stay, but as soon as that was over, Peter wanted to follow his own dream. Not that James and Sirius thought about an after the “Big Plan,” but Peter liked to think of himself as a strategist, and a strategist was always planning his next moves.
Anyhow, information is Peter’s best friend, and right now, Peter is getting frustrated over the absence of information about Regulus. The Black family has a lot of leverage, but how it’s possible to have control over the whole internet is a mystery. Agreed, a picture is not going to change anything, is it? Peter cannot even predict Regulus’s height and weight, which are important characteristics in choosing the asset of a car.
So yeah, Peter is stuck. Not to mention, Sirius is proud as a peacock, and if Regulus turns out to be some handsome suck-up guy, it will be chaos, as Sirius gets so wounded over his pride it’s almost comical.
Nonetheless, during the two weeks of nerve-wracking dead ends about Regulus, Peter was able to stumble upon some interesting stuff. For example, the weirdest thing happened when Peter was looking up NASCAR’s races. Indeed, at some point, he suddenly recalled an almost-deadly collision that happened sometime four years ago. Peter’s memory never failed him once, and he could remember vividly how three drivers were fighting for first position until one lost control, crashed onto the second, and as contact was about to happen with the third, the driver had been able to make an incredible move at the last second, avoiding the accident altogether.
It wasn’t Regulus-related, but Peter had wanted to search it out and show it to Sirius and James, you know, for educational purposes. But nothing could be found. Even when Peter looked for the driver’s name, who back then had gained some popularity, some Alan White – or was it Allen White – there was nothing. A dead drummer, an actor, but no driver, no video of the crash. It was odd. Peter suspected maybe NASCAR had wanted to avoid complaints. And perhaps, that driver’s name was something else, even though Alan White got stuck. Still, when asking James and Sirius, they shrugged, confused about what Peter was talking about.
Anyway, it’s not as if Peter can worry about some long-lost kid when he should focus on the present situation: getting through three days with the snakes. Though, despite Sirius and James’s complaints, Peter is kind of enjoying himself. The situation is not as terrible as they make it. Quite the opposite, it is almost refreshing to be challenged by competent opponents so early in the season.
Usually, strategists aren’t truly needed during test days, but Peter is always adamant about being present. He needs to observe and take notes – you can never trust the others – and most of all, he wants to know how James and Sirius drive, almost as if he is the one on track. Well, not only them, as Peter has taken it upon himself to know the driving style of the major drivers in the championship.
Also, with the snakes in the pit and the tension at its highest, Peter might be able to learn one or two useful things. Really, when the air is so tense, people tend to pay less attention to their surroundings. In particular, to Peter’s presence. Back in the day, that would have been a reason for discomfort, but eventually, it became an asset. Peter got to overhear or see things he wasn’t supposed to. For a strategist like himself, this is a superpower.
So, there are many reasons why Peter is content with how the three days are turning out. Before lunch break on the very first day, Peter is pleased to note that James and Sirius are focusing on their teammate’s dynamic. During their stints, they run two laps before switching cars, allowing one another to enter the mindset of the other and understand each other’s technique. Indeed, being able to anticipate the needs or moves of your teammate during races can make all the difference.
James and Sirius are considered by the team as equal drivers, and in good sportsmanship, the two best friends never intentionally sabotage the other. Something Peter considers a blessing when strategizing, as it is one less unpredictability to care about when running a probability model on race day.
The same thing cannot be said about PitSnake. Despite Bellatrix being a Black, the main driver for the team is Riddle. With good reason. Bellatrix is as insane on the track as she is outside. It is said she has a hidden criminal record, but considering the family she comes from, it is no wonder the whole thing is kept in the shadows. Plus, her husband is no better. Which is alarming as he is her engineer.
But Tom Riddle is an excellent driver. Knowledgeable in the mechanics of the car as well as for strategy, with his engineer – some peculiar Asian woman going by the name of Nagini – they make an interesting pair. They strive for perfection, entering the races as if it is a war, an art they are well versed in. Peter has always had an objective admiration for them. He never dared voice it out, lest James or Sirius hear it, but Peter has learned a good deal of useful information by studying Riddle’s records.
It’s not like he is supporting the enemy or whatever. Plus, even Sirius once admitted he found it infuriating how good-looking Riddle appeared after a race. Peter might not be interested in dating, but he cannot deny beauty and intellect, and Tom Riddle does indeed have a powerful aura like no other.
Nevertheless, so far, Peter was blind to the logic behind PitSnake’s lineup. However, looking at their practice test, realization hit Peter: Riddle wants to win, Bellatrix is here to take down the other drivers. Basically, a king descending into battle with his most loyal knight. Impressive.
Altogether, a productive morning for Peter. Apparently, Sirius and James are not of the same opinion, as during lunch break, they continue arguing with Moody and McGonagall about how distracting their practices have been so far. Peter had tuned them all out a while ago, instead looking around and making a headcount of who’s there.
At the table over in the corner of the lunch area, Tom Riddle and Lucius Malfoy are busy in some kind of conversation. Narcissa, who follows her husband like a puppet, is outside soaking in the sun with some big fancy sunglasses. Weird that Sirius has yet to comment on the fashion of his cousin, as it is impeccable.
Bellatrix is nowhere to be seen with her husband, but interestingly enough, by the engineer’s table, Crouch Jr. has made an appearance. Peter hadn’t noticed his presence until that moment. Shouldn’t he be with Meteorace? Perhaps there are some contractual obligations to fulfill. Still, Peter feels as if something is off. He can’t put his finger on it, but it is like he is missing out on that. What is that, though?
“I’m going to talk to Malfoy, I don’t care,” Peter is startled from his thoughts as James stands up.
“And what are you planning to say?” asks Moody skeptically.
“I don’t know, anything, nothing, just that they have to leave now.”
“As if Malfoy is going to listen,” laughs Sirius. James looks at him, and honestly, even Peter can feel sliced by that look.
“Mr. Potter, please sit down. There is nothing you can do. We are currently sorting things out with Albus,” interrupts McGonagall.
“Where is he, may I ask?” Sitting again, James says harshly.
“Albus does not respond to you, and unless you want to jump into politics, Mr. Potter, I suggest you focus on driving. Do I make myself clear? Now, hush, finish your meals, you lot, so we can resume the session as soon as possible.”
As uneventful as the afternoon is, Peter is glad when the day comes to an end. He is exhausted despite no fight, fortunately, broke. Somehow, they managed to evenly split track-time with the snakes, and Peter was able to gather good insights on how Bellatrix is constantly oversteering, and Riddle has impressive tires management. Sometime along the afternoon, Peter noticed Narcissa in the stands with Crouch and someone else, but the sun was blinding so Peter couldn’t identify that person.
The second day passes pretty much the same as the first. Peter keeps mostly to himself the whole morning, as restless people make him nervous, and James and Sirius are all but two energy balls. At lunch, everybody seems content to leave Peter by himself. He doesn’t mind; it is nice to get some time in silence. Staying in the box, he finishes running some data – the asset of the new cars must be adjusted to improve tires’ endurance and brake efficiency – but all in all, Peter is satisfied with the engineers’ work. Compared to the car of the snakes, he’s positive the championship will come down to the drivers’ talent rather than the car’s advantage.
While Peter is only minding his business, he hears some shushed voices nearby the pit lane. It’s not like he is invading any kind of privacy by not making himself known and choosing to silently stop anything else Peter is doing.
“… drive the car … nobody can know it is … same car … doesn’t matter … eight … shouldn’t care,” the first voice says. It’s hard for Peter to make out exactly what it’s saying.
“… imagine the fit… pay to watch … fuck him up … get to crash,” the second voice has some kind of maliciousness that freaks Peter out.
“Don’t… never mind.” Footsteps indicating the people are leaving conclude the conversation.
So much for that. Peter sighs. It’s not like he knows anything more now. Although the thing about the same car is interesting. Which cars are the same? For sure, the voices didn’t belong to either Riddle or Bellatrix, so they couldn’t refer to their cars. Perhaps Pegasus and PitSnake? Who gave the information away? Both teams are keeping to themselves. Right now, interacting with the opposite team is treason.
Instead of circling around useless thoughts, Peter saves the information for later and heads toward the pit lane. He’s contemplating walking part of the track, but as Peter is taking in the fresh air, he notices that in the stands there is the same person that was with Barty and Narcissa yesterday. Looks like a guy. It’s odd; it’s like you really need to pay attention to see him; otherwise, he could escape your gaze. Peter thinks that’s how he must look when people don’t pay attention to him.
It's hard to make out the shape of the guy from so far. Unmoving, he’s just looking somewhere into the void. The guy must truly be lost in some thoughts because, when Riddle approaches, the poor kid seems startled but holds himself together. That’s the clue for Peter to return to the box; it’s not like he wants someone to think he is spying on Riddle. Not that he is. Nevertheless, Peter would likely prefer turning into a rodent before being caught fake spying by Riddle. Call it survival instincts.
The thing about instinct is that it usually leads you somewhere unexpected. Surprisingly, Peter is grateful he decided to head back to the box, as when he gets there, someone is shuffling through the equipment. Now, if Peter was James or Sirius, he would certainly overreact. But Peter is a strategist. And he is tired of keeping up with the sour mood of the last 36 hours – actually, two weeks. So, Peter waits and observes the small woman with jet-black short hair.
It takes a couple of minutes for the woman to notice she isn’t alone. She should be mortified as she meets Peter’s gaze, but all reaction he gets is a wink before the woman dismissively waves a goodbye and gets out.
Unexpected: Peter is mildly attracted. Sure, he is aromantic, but one does not deny attraction. Peter is still not sure if he is also asexual. He did have some adventures, both with men and women, all of whom he admired for their strong auras. That woman checked the boxes in Peter’s standards. Yet, would it be enough for sex? Not at the moment.
Unimportant: the woman didn’t take anything with her. Peter’s notes don’t have vital information. And it’s not like Peter wants to chase after the woman. Definitely no, no chasing after her, just imagine the misunderstanding. Yet, wouldn’t it be nice to have a head? Not at the moment.
Unlucky: before Peter can decide if he should at least make sure the woman poses no threat, everybody is back from lunch and the rush resumes.
No one cared about bringing lunch to Peter. Joys. Hence, going for a useless trip just to get leftovers, just as James and Sirius complain that Peter is leaving now that they are back. Well, he is not there to entertain them; the mechanics are already a hassle to deal with. Sometimes it feels like being a dad with a child.
As he is back with a half-destroyed piece of quiche and a disturbing-looking ham sandwich – it’s gross the amount of butter they put there – Peter stumbles upon Rabastan Lestrange. While Rodolphus, Bellatrix’s husband and eldest, is a wild individual – for lack of better words to describe him – Rabastan is, in comparison, pleasant, or as pleasant as one can expect a Lestrange to be. Compared to the average human being, it would be a stretch to define Rabastan as slightly tolerable, but he is harmless and was nice enough with Peter when they were attending University.
Rabastan was older than Peter, but during Peter’s first-year networking efforts, he met with Rabastan, who actually shared life-saving tips that would be helpful in successfully securing his position in Pegasus. Therefore, Peter was cordial.
Waving awkwardly, Peter pauses his erratic walk. “Hey Rab, good seeing you.”
“Pete, still short, but you flew high into Pegasus,” answers Rabastan.
“You know what they say, climb the mountain to reach the top, not outgrow the mountain,” Peter inwardly cringes; the joke is beyond pathetic. Indeed, Rabastan chuckles mockingly.
“Work on the attitude, then you’ll be able to join us.”
“Is it an offer?”
“It’s what you want it to be. An ambition. A goal. A dream. An escape.”
Peter is confused by the conversation. What is he supposed to answer? No, thank you, James, Sirius, and I have agreed on the Big Plan ten years ago. Yes, thank you for the opportunity, I am a strategist, and it is best for me to have all options clear in front of me. Basically, no means betraying the strategy, yes means betraying James.
“Anyways, you know who’s the best. Especially with how things have turned recently. Malfoy’s good with politics. Wife’s a treat. Not sure about my brother and his wife being so close together. It gets crazy in the manor. But working close-up with Riddle and Nagini is worthless, don’t you think? But if you need a little escape…” Rabastan winks and leaves with a dismissive wave. “Ok, see you around, Pete.”
“Yeah, see you around,” mumbles Peter.
Since when does Rabastan call him Pete, by the way? And why does everybody think sexual innuendos are the best way to fall into the good graces of someone? Well, if anything, Peter feels irritated but also pleased by Rabastan’s flattery. It’s great for the ego. So great, Peter ends up having a wonderful and productive afternoon, forgetting all about that weird feeling unsettling him since lunch yesterday.
James barges into Peter’s room. It’s early in the evening, but the hotel is quiet, and James’s sudden appearance startles Peter.
“Come on, let’s go to a bar or something, it’s boriiiiiing here!” James whines. It’s not like Peter is in a sour mood; he just enjoys resting alone very much.
“Are Moody and McGonagall aware of this outing?”
“Of course not! Moody would gladly cage me up in my room if it was legal… well, pretty sure he did now that I think about it, but with Sirius, we mostly got out through windows, so...” Sometimes, Peter wonders how James and Sirius survived their training years. Not only do they have the attention span of a fish, but their ability to put themselves in hazardous situations is beyond Peter.
“If I say no, will you leave me alone?” as if Peter has a choice. Well, at least tomorrow they’re back. Plenty of alone-time to go by.
Dragged by James and Sirius, they get to the only bar in town. Peter is grateful to be in a small village, in the middle of the week, with very few people to interact with. As Sirius goes to get drinks, James contently sighs.
“Thought you were in a bad mood with all the snakes’ chaos.” It’s good to be with James only, even if for a couple of minutes. Peter feels he hasn’t spoken with him at all since they got to Paul Ricard. Which is probably what is really happening.
“Oh, yeah,” James says distracted. “I was thinking that, like, you know, maybe I should, say, spend some time looking for, yeah, not waiting for it to come to me but seeking it out, like it would be amazing for once, don’t you think?”
Peter doesn’t think. Peter is very confused by James’s babbling. It doesn’t make sense at all. “You’re not making sense, Potter.”
“Sorry, all I was saying is you’re good at digging up info, right? And it’s been two weeks, my mind is awesomely haunted by thoughts of the redhead girl, like, even just mentioning her, I’m blushing, blushing, Peter! When was the last time that happened? And thinking about her makes me lightheaded.” Indeed, James looks a bit ridiculous. Peter is not going to say it though.
“Alright, so? Get to the point.”
“What if we look for her?”
“Nope, no way you are the one looking for her, James! Just wait one month, lest the season begins, your face is going to be all over the news.” Sirius is back with the drinks.
“But I can’t wait SO long!” And they say Sirius is the dramatic one. Peter is fairly positive James was always the worst. Or it’s the only-child syndrome. Though Peter is an only child himself, and he doesn’t share half of that drama attitude.
“Alright, so scenario one, I look for her.” James looks at Peter as if he said some great offense, but Peter continues unbothered. “Yes, I, because we both know you will just breathe down my neck doing nothing. Anyways, I find her, then what? You run to her when you should be preparing for the race?” Sirius is elated Peter is kind of agreeing with him.
“Scenario two, pre-season prep is training and interviews. By the way, guys, remember, when we get back, we have to plan for your official statements. At that point, given everything that’s happening, don’t you believe that anyone with access to the internet is bound to come upon you?”
“If you put it like that…”
“Cheers to the best engineer out there, to Petie!” Sirius shouts and shoots his drink. Peter hates pastis; he’s not sure why Sirius got that instead of some very normal and good beer. While he’s debating over the pros and cons of chewing down the awful beverage, Peter’s attention is caught by someone. Specifically, the short, black-haired woman he saw earlier at the track. Guess some liquid luck is currently necessary.
James and Sirius are too distracted in a heated game of What are the odds – they’ll play all night, neither is likely to back down – so Peter goes to the woman. Oddly, she’s waiting for him.
The woman is not outwardly smiling; it’s more of a passive-aggressive smirk. Nonetheless, she doesn’t look too displeased by Peter’s appearance. She’s not beautiful or anything; however, there is something powerfully elegant about the way she holds herself. She looks like a giant despite her small size. Peter, who is slightly below average in height, wishes he had that presence to look bigger.
“Hello again,” says the woman. “May I say I was disappointed you didn’t come after me earlier?”
“Glad I didn’t and instead caught you here.” Is Peter flirting? That’s inconvenient; the woman seems interested now. Ok, this is confusing. Peter is no James or Sirius; people are not usually into him at first. Like, he has to fight his way into their pants. It’s not nice, not for your average man, but Peter prefers it, at least he is always sure he wants it. Not that he would mind now. Well, figure no harm in rolling with it.
“Your name, stranger?”
“Peter, yours?”
“None you should be interested in.”
“How am I to call you once in the bathroom?”
“Don’t care, now come.”
Peter is dragged into the bathroom. He forgets himself and just rolls with it. He didn’t say no to it, right? So, it must be a yes.
Not one hour has passed, Peter is back with James and Sirius. All is normal, if not for the fact that James is peppered with red-lipstick kisses all over his face, Sirius is sporting said red lipstick and holding a plant as if it were his kid, and Peter’s shirt is upside down.
A fine evening.
The last day of test days is, by far, the most intense. Not because the team is focused on making the best out of the last hours of practice, but rather because Bellatrix’s goal of the day is seemingly getting under Sirius’s skin.
Peter stays as far off it as he can. He hates people shouting and insulting each other. He doesn’t care if it comes to fists; it’s not like James doesn’t have Sirius’s back. Apparently, Riddle doesn’t care either; he just keeps to himself and Nagini. Peter feels better with himself. Although, Riddle looks like he is quietly enjoying himself by the display, as he is currently whispering something to Nagini, indicating Bellatrix and Sirius’s screaming match. When did they start shouting? Perfect, now Crouch is getting involved. Wait, Peter has the sudden urge to go pee. And find water, yes, water is good.
Ultimately, Peter is too distracted to go somewhere specific and ends up heading towards the stands. Now that he thinks about it, the Malfoys are nowhere today. They must have left already. Good, no one is in the stands then. Or, that was the hope, but of course, as soon as Peter is there, he notices a person on the opposite side of the stands. However, as soon as the person sees Peter, they escape. Rude.
Whatever, from the stands, Peter has a great view of the pit and can still observe what’s happening, being far enough from all the noise. Apparently, there is little work to do by now; all is pure chaos. At some point, McGonagall gives directions to pack up while Moody drags James and Sirius away. Peter takes it as the signal they’re leaving. That’s cool; by mid-afternoon, they’ll be back in Monaco. Maybe he’ll have time for some groceries tonight.
It's only in the car that Peter’s mind thinks about that person in the stand. Who was it? And honestly, why did he spend three days feeling as if something is not clicking, like he’s missing something?
Probably, Peter forgot to feed his rat before leaving.