"Remus, I'm very glad you could find me. You know, I've been very busy these days, busy giving speeches everywhere. It was only because Harry specifically invited me to watch the game that I had time to come here. Now we finally have a chance to have a good chat. [Full-text reading]" Peter Pettigrew knocked gently on Lupin's office door a few times, and then, finding the door ajar, he pushed it open and entered. He found Lupin sitting at that old, wooden table that had been used for who knows how many years, looking at him with a weary expression.
"My friend, you are still so poor," Peter Pettigrew said with a hint of pity. He kept looking around at everything in front of him. This was his first time in Lupin's office. To his left was a dusty bookshelf, a dark blue brush was automatically sweeping, but the more it swept, the dirtier it got. To his right was a gray-black trash can. Peter Pettigrew glanced at it and saw that it was full of medicine residue. Peter Pettigrew casually picked up a quill from the desk and began to play with it, using the discerning taste he had rapidly developed in recent days to examine everything.
Shabby, poor, no future.
"You could totally find a better job," Peter Pettigrew said.
Humans are very complex animals, and this was especially evident in Peter Pettigrew. He was now successful and famous, surrounded by a halo of glory, having seen a world he could never have imagined before, and receiving respectful treatment wherever he went, becoming a hero in the eyes of everyone.
The adoring gazes of others made him feel lightheaded, inflating him infinitely. He was now like a child who had received a new toy, eager to show it off to his old friends.
"Come and beg me, now that I'm so famous, I can help you, Lupin. As long as I say a word to the Ministry of Magic, your problems will be easily solved." Peter Pettigrew's heart roared so madly. He desperately needed the approval of his former friends. How much he hoped to see a hint of envy or even jealousy in Lupin's eyes, just like the original him, a follower who followed closely behind the three of them.
They would never understand the inner feelings of a follower.
People who are weak inside often rely on the recognition of others to numb themselves.
"I'm fine, Peter. The teaching profession suits me very well. I'm satisfied when I see the students' eyes full of thirst for knowledge," Lupin said calmly, seemingly not noticing the faint sense of superiority in Peter Pettigrew's tone.
"Oh, well, you're still so stubborn," the disappointment in Peter Pettigrew's tone flashed by. "So, what did you want to see me about today?" Peter Pettigrew then asked, not knowing why Lupin had suddenly contacted him.
"Just a normal reunion between old friends," Lupin said, waving his hand. He forced a smile on his overly aged, pale face and unobtrusively picked up his wand from the desk.
With a "creak," the ajar door suddenly closed, making a dull sound, perhaps blown shut by the wind outside.
"We haven't seen each other for twelve years, but everything seems like it happened just yesterday," Lupin said, looking up at the kerosene lamp hanging from the ceiling, filled with emotion. "I originally thought you were dead, but you really gave me a surprise that night, and you were so close to me, as the pet of one of my students."
"Justice may be late, but it will never be absent," Peter Pettigrew said, patting his chest with a righteous expression. This was a sentence that Malfoy had taught him, so that he could use it during his speeches. Whenever he said this sentence, the audience below would always look at him with tears in their eyes, moved by his words.
But Peter Pettigrew would not know that this sentence was actually directed at him. Only when he was brought to justice would this sentence be truly realized.
"I've always thought so too," Lupin nodded, answering weakly, "Evil will never triumph over good. Voldemort brought it upon himself, he dug his own grave."
Hearing the name of his former master so directly, Peter's short, fat body trembled, and he almost stumbled and fell.
At this time, a continuous rattling sound came from the bookshelf beside Peter.
"Remus, your bookshelf should be replaced. Look, it's been shaking all the time. I don't even doubt that it will fall down in the next moment. Do you want me to give you one? It's a gift to strengthen the friendship between old friends." Peter Pettigrew was now holding his chin with his thick palm, his small eyes narrowed as he carefully looked at the unstable bookshelf, trying to hide the nervousness he felt after hearing someone's name just now.
The shaking of the bookshelf became more and more violent, and the books inside seemed to jump out at any moment and hit Peter Pettigrew on the head.
"Look, it's really going to fall! Remus!" Peter Pettigrew said in panic. A ominous premonition suddenly rose in his heart. He always felt that something hostile to him was hidden behind this bookshelf, and it would rush out to deal with him at any time.
Lupin ignored Peter Pettigrew's words, not even looking at the crumbling bookshelf, but shook his head and said, "But the information I got from other people's mouths is completely different from what you said those days, and also different from your subsequent speeches."
The ominous feeling in his heart rose even more. His premonition of danger had always been very accurate. Peter Pettigrew warily drew his wand from behind and pointed it at the bookshelf. This was a wand that Ollivander had specially made for him—using chestnut wood and dragon heartstring, nine and a quarter inches long, and of a brittle texture, very suitable for him.
The halo of heroic deeds brought to him even allowed the world's best wand maker to make a special exception for him. Thinking of this, the hand Peter held the wand with involuntarily became even stronger.
"Expelliarmus!" A figure suddenly Channel out from behind the swaying bookshelf, raised his wand and suddenly fired a spell at Peter Pettigrew, the scarlet light shot out from the wand without hesitation. Even though Peter Pettigrew was prepared, he still couldn't resist this swift disarming spell.
The wand was blasted high into the air by the spell, and then returned to the figure's hand.
Peter Pettigrew was knocked back many steps by the powerful impact. He stared with his small eyes, and with just one glance, a chill ran straight from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.
Sirius Black!
Peter Pettigrew stared in terror at the man before him. This was someone he never expected to see here. A tall figure with fanatical eyes and a mass of dirty, matted hair hanging down to his elbows. He might have been a corpse if it weren't for the glow in his eyes, set deep in their dark sockets. His waxy skin clung tightly to the bones of his face, making him look like a skull. He grinned, revealing yellow teeth, while in Peter Pettigrew's memory, this man should have been in a cage as a dog, powerlessly watching him.
"Lupin! What does this mean! Are you in league with him? Have you forgotten? This is the man who killed James and Lily, and nearly killed me!" Peter Pettigrew screamed, looking frantically at Lupin, his terror causing him to switch from using Lupin's first name to his last.
"I truly regret not killing you then," Sirius Black licked his lips, a glint in his dark eyes, like a hunting dog that has found its target and is ready to pounce.
"Calm down, Sirius," Lupin said, trying to soothe Sirius Black's emotions.
"I'm just curious. I've heard some very different things from Black," Lupin said, slowly rising to his feet, his eyes fixed intently on Peter Pettigrew.
"One of you must be lying," Lupin said slowly, after glancing around at both of them.
"Remus, my old friend, how can you be swayed by the sweet words of a Dark wizard? I remember you as the most upright and rational of students. Quick, let's subdue him. There are two of us now; this traitor won't escape," Peter Pettigrew said, his body trembling, his small eyes darting around in their sockets. His mind was racing, trying to figure out how to resolve the current situation.
Since Lupin was acting this way, it meant he must have become suspicious of him, but that didn't make sense.
Peter Pettigrew couldn't understand why Lupin would be willing to listen to Black's explanation. Even if he was gentle, that was how he treated friends. Once they met, Lupin would definitely try to subdue the traitor Sirius in his eyes, or vice versa. Even if it was the latter, Peter Pettigrew didn't believe Sirius's empty words could earn him so much trust from Lupin, even to the point of persuading Lupin to set a trap for him.
After all, the outside world saw him, Peter Pettigrew, as a hero who had avenged his friends and nearly lost his life!
It was impossible for Lupin to trust Sirius Black so much based on just a few words.
Just as Peter Pettigrew was struggling to figure out what had made Sirius Black gain Lupin's trust, Lupin spoke.
"Sweet words? Peter, if you can still use sweet words on me after drinking Veritaserum, then I'll trust what you say," Lupin said in a hoarse voice, a light suddenly igniting in his eyes.
"Veritaserum?" It felt as if a large, strong hand had suddenly gripped his heart. Peter Pettigrew felt the blood in his body begin to flow backward, and fear permeated every inch of his bones.
A name flashed into his mind!
Draco Malfoy!
Why had Sirius escaped his cage? He was supposed to be securely locked up in Malfoy's cage. Where did he get the Veritaserum? In Peter's memory, that potion had only ever appeared in Malfoy's hands.
"I'm giving you one last warning, Peter. If you continue to be so evasive, you'll suffer the consequences." Peter suddenly remembered the warning Malfoy had given him during their most recent meeting. The boy with the pale blond hair had a detached look in his eyes, and his voice was chilling.
But he hadn't taken it seriously at the time?
Another scene flashed in his mind.
"Peter Pettigrew, what are you going to do with this black dog?" Peter Pettigrew's mind suddenly recalled these words, the last question Malfoy had asked him after explaining the plan.
"My suggestion is to kill it. That way, it'll be done with once and for all. Only the two of us will know this secret," Malfoy had tempted him with a devilish smile. "That way, you'll have no more worries," he had said, and Peter Pettigrew's heart had turned cold.
Human nature was complex. In his secure situation, Peter Pettigrew had actually felt a pang of pity. Looking at the skinny black dog, he had felt a twinge of compassion.
"Let me think about it," Peter Pettigrew had stammered timidly, his eyes full of struggle and hesitation. Someone like him could only unleash his power in desperate situations, willing to hurt anyone to save his own life, but he was incapable of making such a cruel decision in times of peace.
He could betray Voldemort and indirectly cause the death of James, who had treated him like a brother, but he could never bring himself to kill him with his own hands.
Sirius was the same.
Now he remembered how good Sirius had been to him and chose to spare him.
So, was this situation all his own doing? His momentary softness had allowed Sirius Black to seize the opportunity, escape from his cage, and even persuade Lupin to set a trap for him.
Peter Pettigrew was filled with regret. He wished he could go back to that moment and be more decisive, more ruthless, so that today's events wouldn't have happened.
Of course, he didn't know that it was a test Malfoy had deliberately set for him, to see if his personality was complacent and not ruthless enough, and whether he could be controlled. If he had chosen the latter, he would have been reported and sent to Azkaban for being useless.
"Peter, you still have one chance to gain my trust, and that is to drink this potion and answer my questions," Lupin said, holding the clear bottle in his hand, slowly approaching with Sirius. Peter Pettigrew retreated in fear, backing away until he was cornered in the dark corner of the wall.
"What a joke! This might be poison specially concocted by this traitor to kill me. Lupin, be sensible and don't be fooled by his ridiculous claims!" Peter tried to put on a sneering expression. He could only stall for time now, hoping that it might give him a chance.
"Then Black and I will die first. We'll both drink it," Lupin said in a slightly weary tone. "This is the only way I can think of for you to prove yourself. I sincerely hope that there's just some misunderstanding between you two, and that neither of you is a filthy traitor." Lupin stared intently at Peter Pettigrew, his inner turmoil hidden beneath a seemingly calm exterior.
Even Lupin himself couldn't have imagined that the situation would take such a dramatic turn in such a short time.
He had previously thought that everything would be settled with Peter's appearance, and all he needed to do was capture Black, and everything would be resolved.
For more chapters
patreon.com/Jackssparrow