What if Peter never betrayed James and Lily?
31st October 1981
Peter’s job was simple. Or at least in Dumbledore’s mind it was. But if he could see this shivering wreak sitting at a table of death eaters, people that he used to go to school with. Barty, Evan, Severus, Mulciber, Avery. The list goes on.
His job? Save his best fiends’ life's. Easy right? Wrong.
He was their secret keeper, only he could say where they were hiding and so the burden fell upon him to keep them safe.
The plan sounded plausible to him. He the Dark Lord the wrong address, somewhere in East Sussex, and when he finds out that Peter had lied, he would go into hiding, with Albus Dumbledore himself as the secret keeper. It wasn’t a bad plan but there was oh so many ways it could go wrong. What if the Dark Lord sees through his lies or doesn’t believe him? What if he can’t escape? What if he dies?
No, focus. He must get this right.
“Pettigrew?” A cold, snake like voice from the end of the table. “Are you certain this is the correct location?”
That question alone was enough to send shivers down Peter’s spine.
“Yes, my Lord. Quite certain, my Lord.”
“Good.”
Peter’s hand was shaking, he knew it. He already looked out of place enough at the killer’s table. Suddenly, everybody was getting up from the table. Sirius’ cousin, Bellatrix, was laughing maniacally.
A cold, white hand wrapped around his forearm, and they were…spinning? Oh no. They were apparating. He wanted Peter to go with him to kill Harry. How was he supposed to escape now? He couldn’t apparate. He had never been able to apparate. Why him? Why wasn’t it Sirius or Remus or even Mary? Just somebody who could do this.
But it wasn’t. Peter was here now, and it was too late to swap places. He had to go through with this plan.
The house was abandoned. They had made sure of that. If this went as planned that nobody would get hurt or killed tonight. He saw his opportunity just as the Dark Lord had his hand on the doorknob, he apparated away to the safehouse. Peter hated apparating. To him, it felt as though his body was being torn apart and then put back together again. It was awful but he had to.
Before him, stood his old headmaster, Albus Dumbledore and the safehouse. As much as Peter never liked the man, Dumbledore has proved useful recently.
It doesn’t feel like it at the time, but this night could have taken a very different turn for the worst. Now, thanks to Peter, Harry Potter will grow up with loving parents and will go to Hogwarts when he’s old enough and he will be safe.
Or, as safe as he can be…