Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Peter began to rise from his chair, but quickly sat back down after receiving a chilling glare.
"I know you are startled. I believe I would be too," Dumbledore said to him calmly, "But Peter, this is of the utmost importance. The other Order members would be too obvious, however you Peter, you would be perfect." He said it like a compliment, but Peter couldn't help but feel offended, and honestly down-right insulted. What was his headmaster insinuating? Him betraying everyone would be the most believable?
"So you want me to be a death eater." Every word left his mouth slowly as if it was forced out, his uncertainty reflected in his speech.
"Merlin Peter, are you stupid? A spy!" Snape snarled at him condescendingly and whipped his head around to face Dumbledore, "Professor, this isn't going to work," he continued, "everyone knows how obsessed he is with Potter, it's just utterly unbelievable."
"Obsessed? Snivillous I know you won't understand but that is a thing called friendship." Peter knew the marauders would be proud of him for that one. He scoffed, however the insult cut deep, not that he'd ever show Snape that, but Peter had always feared that's what his relationship with the fellow marauders was. A one-sided obsession. He knew the boys cared for him, they told him many times, but self-doubt constantly flooded his veins, drowning him. As the years passed by in Hogwarts, he had begun to wonder if they really were friends with him out of pity, especially James. James was a soul too kind for the world, a boy who would never have the heart to reject him.
"The Dark lord wouldn't even want him. I mean look at him. It's just so blatantly clear he doesn't have it in him to be a death eater. It's going to blow my cover and drag me down too." Snape had carried on, interrupting Peter's trail of thought with his constant refutes.
"I do hope you boys aren't questioning my judgement." It was a stern voice and immediately Peter felt reprimanded, and it was obvious by the look on Snape's face the feeling was a mutual one.
"No Sir." They both mumbled, knowing their place in the situation, even if they didn't agree.
"It is settled then." He said firmly, then turned his head to look directly into Peter's eyes, and somehow, what felt his soul, "You cannot tell anyone about this Peter, anyone," Dumbledore emphasised, "We wouldn't want anything to go wrong and something bad to happen now would we?"
Peter shook his head violently. The marauder's, or anyone's, deaths on his conscience was something his feeble heart simply couldn't handle and something his feeble mind couldn't even comprehend. Not that Peter believed it would happen, no one pays attention to him enough for him to even cause damage.
"Oh would you look at the time. I've kept you long enough," the headmaster stated and then stood up to take his leave, "I trust you'll make this work Severus. And good luck Peter, I have no doubt you'll be of great use." He was out the door just like that, leaving the Slytherin and Gryffindor alone in the room of requirements.
Without even a second of waiting, Snape stormed over to Peter and pointed at him threateningly.
"This makes no sense to me Pettigrew, but hear me now, you won't be the death of me."
"So you're a death eater then. I knew it, of course you are," Peter replied in an attempt to piece together the information that had been thrown at him.
"Merlin," Snape sighed, his patience wearing thin, "Do you think you'd actually still be standing here if I was?"
The dots still weren't connecting.
"A SPY PETER. I'M A FUCKING SPY!"
"Oh."
"Yes, oh. Now we need to use that small pea you call your brain and figure out how to make this believable."
"You've actually met You-Know-Who then." Peter was shocked to say the least, the war always felt so distant from him, but it was so much closer than he ever could have imagined.
"Obviously, and it's the Dark Lord to you now seen as though you're meeting him too apparently."
Peter felt sick to his stomach and he swore he could feel his skin paling (if that was even possible).
"Look, I'm going to need time to think of a plan for this mess, but you need to start playing a subtle part too."
"How though? I can't raise suspicion against the Order members, but I need to be believable to your lot." Peter's brain was spinning as he tried to come up with a solution. It just made no sense.
"Try to make yourself appear slightly more distant, more distasteful towards their behaviour. I would say try to look like the odd one out, but you don't need to try for that, do you Pettigrew?" Snape laughed maliciously. Of course he couldn't restrain himself. Of course he had to make Peter feel even worse, "I'll try to convince Mulciber and the rest, but I can't say I have much faith."
He left after that, leaving the Gryffindor alone with his thoughts. His legs gave way and he sank to the ground, weighed down by the processing occuring in his brain.
"What am I going to do?"
**
"Merlin Pete that took ages" was the first thing he heard when he entered his dormitory that night.
Peter shrugged - he wasn't in the mood to talk any longer after the event he'd just experienced.
But of course, the marauders being the marauders, had to know everything.
"Wormy, what did he say?" Sirius began the interrogation.
"Was it what I thought Pete?" James interrupted.
"Come on, tell us."
"Is it a secret?"
"You know we won't tell, Wormy."
"Has he upset you? We'll go straight to his office."
"We got your back mate."
"Yes, yes we do."
James and Sirius continued and quickly it began to feel as if they were having a chat between themselves (the way they bounced off each other was truly admirable) instead of Peter. The latter stood uncomfortable. He was terrified, to say the least. He didn't think of himself as a good liar at all, let alone to his friends, so he genuinely had no idea how he was going to pull it off. There was no way they could ever be fooled by him.
"No, I'm not fooling them. I'm saving them," Peter felt the need to remind himself in his head.
"Peter, you alright mate?" Remus' voice awoke him from his reasoning and he became more aware of his surroundings. His gaze was met by three expectant boys staring up at him, desperate to know the fate of their comrade, their friend.
"Er, yeah thanks Moony," he smiled, "Prongs you were right. He wants to meet with me for some extra practise, well you know how i'm lacking. So I assume I'll be a bit busier with that."
They nodded at him and went back to what they were doing before Peter returned : Remus reading his new favourite novel whilst the other two planned various wild pranks.
Peter was proud of himself. Still extremely anxious, but proud nonetheless. His lie had gone swimmingly, and he couldn't see any sign of doubt or disbelief on their faces.
He had gotten himself an alibi, the first tick on his imaginary check list.
Now it was time for phase two.