Peter had always had a complicated relationship with food, he didn't know why it was just something he had always struggled and he couldn't understand how other people didn't worry about it, how it didn't consume other people's every waking moment. It didn't help that Peter didn't have the most attractive physique, he knew he was fat, he always had been, he was never naturally skinny like all of his friends and it had definitely begun to take a toll on him, he couldn't even bear to look at himself in the mirror without feeling extreme disgust for what stared back at him.
Everyone had just returned to Hogwarts after the holidays Peter and his friends returning for their sixth year and many things had happened over the recent months. Sirius had finally escaped his ghastly household that brought nothing but pain and misery for the boy, but this also meant that some problems of Peter's went unnoticed by his friends too busy comforting Sirius after his recent traumatic escape. One particular problem being the enormous stash of food and sweets that currently resides underneath Peter's bed in their dorm room, you see during the summer holidays Peter's mother had seen the size of her son's stomach and put him on a diet like she has for many years ever since Peter's "stubborn" fat refused to disappear as he entered his early teens. Despite these diets causing Peter to lose the weight it always resulted in rapid weight gain after finishing the whole ordeal to his mother's satisfaction.
Over the years this repetition of "yoyo" diets caused food to become somewhat of a comfort for Peter, the act of eating, the repetitive motion and the flavours that blessed his tongue as he gobbled down food helped to soothe him in the aftermath of distressing or upsetting events occurred. He began to create a viscpus cycle of bingeing and starving that he thought would never end.
This is how Peter found himself stuffing his mouth and tummy to the brim with a multitude of food including sweets after a day of exams that the boy had gotten quite anxious over. He was alone in the dorm room as Sirius and James were at quidditch practice and Remus was studying at the library, they had left only a matter of minutes ago and Peter waved them off as they slowly winded their way down the stairs to exit the common room. It was as if he was lost in a trance, his mind wasn't present and he was working on autopilot as he swiftly made his way through the stash that was slowly dwindling.
Barty Crouch Jr had just finished his last class of the day and knowing that his boyfriend had had exams that day he thought that it would be a good idea to see him while he had the afternoon off. So now he was on his way to the Gryffindor common room as he whistled a low tune to himself until he found himself just outside the portrait. At that moment the painting of the fat lady opened itself to reveal none other than Sirius, James and Remus " Well if it isn't Barty Crouch Jr" said Sirius, "Black" head replied nodding his head in greeting "We're heading out now but Peter's still in the dorm, better not see any funny business when we get back", " Ha ha very funny Black" Barty replied one last time before grabbing the portrait that was beginning to close and slipping through the crack.
It appeared no one in the noisy and crowded common room noticed him as he made his way across the room and up the spiral staircase towards the sixth-year boy's dorm. However, the sight that met him as he opened the door was certainly not expected, there was his boyfriend scavenging through a pile of rubbish for more sweets looking like a rabid rat. " Peter" he muttered with apprehension, he was very confused and worried and had no idea what had happened to his boyfriend to make him act this way.
As Peter heard his name uttered from that familiar voice that he had grown so used to his head snapped around and is eyes grew wide and soft as he came to his senses and became aware of what he was doing, as he looked around him at all the food he had eaten and the piles of sweet wrappers that lay dormant immense guilt crashed over him like a tidal wave. Tears sprung to his eyes and he began to sob uncontrollably thinking of all the weight he would gain from this and becoming uncomfortably aware of the extreme tightness he felt in his full stomach.
He heard the soft patter on the carpet that his boyfriends footsteps made as he moved closer to him slowly encasing him in a tight embrace allowing him time to pull away if he wished to. When Peter didn't refuse his hug Barty reassured his grip and sat atop the bed holding him until the sobbing subsided replaced with soft breathing.
" I never wanted you to see that" Peter said
"what happened" Barty said furrowing his brows an giving a slight pout as he pulled back to look at Peter with concern
" That was called bingeing it's this thing I whenever I'm stressed or whatever I sorta zone out when I do it and I feel terrible after it but it's just my body's coping mechanism, I was kinda stressed out by my exams today and that's why I was doing"
"Oh darling that doesn't sound like it makes you feel very good"
" ha, yeah no" he chuckled "I've tried to stop before but i just keep doing it so I don't really bother trying at all anymore"
" you know this kind of sounds like it could be some sort of eating disorder and I know Madam Pomfrey has helped people with those before"
"really"
"yeah, we could go see her and she might be able to help you"
" I mean it's worth a shot I just feel ashamed and I don't want her to judge me"
" Darling trust me she will not judge you and I will be there the whole time"
Barty pulled out his wand to vanish the wrappers before standing up and holding out his hand for Peter, Peter took it and they made their way to the hospital wing in companionable silence. When they reached the hospital wing they found Madam Pomfrey and told her all about Peters eating habits and the bingeing Barty had walked in on. Madam Pomfrey diagnosed Peter with BED or Binge Eating Disorder and with this Peter began to recovers with the help of his boyfriends and the many coping mechanisms that had been given to him. Of course there were ups and downs like there is during any recovery but eventually Peter got better, and he lost a little bit of weight but he was still not thin and he didn't think he ever would be but that wasn't important, what mattered was that he was healthy and his boyfriends loved him and most importantly he loved himself. So slowly but surely Peter got better and he learned to live life to the fullest not letting food control him in a way that he perhaps thought he would never be able to.