Turncoat

Peter Pettigrew stuck to the shadows and crevices deep in the dungeons of Hogwarts. It was easy for him to come and go within the wards of Hogwarts, as that daft old man had not changed them to exclude him since he had been discovered to be an Animagus a few years back.

People rarely looked down; too busy running here and there. He gave a toothy grin at how easy it truly was in this form.

His rat ears picked up the sound of a door opening, and he quickly turned his head in the direction it came from. Scurrying hastily, he made it to the door just as it closed. Cursing his bad luck, he found a darkened corner to wait. He knew he wouldn't be noticed here within the shadows.

***

Peter was waiting in the darkness when the door finally opened. His beady little eyes were glued to the exit of the Potions classroom, and his ears were straining to hear any sound in the dank corridor. He saw the door close, but he didn't see anyone exiting.

"Ow, that's my foot, Remus!" Harry whispered.

"Sorry about that, Harry," Remus replied, his voice holding a hint of amusement.

"I guess this cloak isn't big enough for the both of us," Harry joked.

Peter's heart was in his throat. So this is where Harry Potter was hiding. He nodded his little head at the brilliance of the old headmaster's plan, to hide the Potter boy in plain sight. Perhaps he wasn't as daft as he had previously thought. Peter had thought Remus was dead; hell, he could have sworn to it, as he had seen the projected image of Snivellus burning the body of the werewolf. Something wasn't right here. They had just exited the Potions classroom, which meant that Snape knew about their whereabouts and had not told their Lord.

His mind was working in overdrive as the footstep slowly faded down the passageway. Shaking himself out of his whirling thoughts, his resolve suddenly strengthened. Yes, he would tell his Lord about Snape, and then perhaps he would become Voldemort's favourite once more.

He scurried off as fast as his little legs would carry him, out of Hogwarts and in the direction of the Forbidden Forest.

***

Voldemort sat bent over at the desk in his personal study. The strategic maps of Great Britain were spread upon the desk, and he frowned lightly to himself. The fire in the hearth was the only source of light in the room. Nagini was curled up in a coil in front of the fire, seeking its warmth.

He was interrupted from his scrutiny by a knock at the door. Hissing out a profanity in Parseltongue, he called out for the intruder to enter. This had better be good, otherwise there would be one less of his followers tonight.

Peter scuttled in, eyes downcast; he was wringing his hands together as though nervous.

Voldemort's red eyes narrowed as he looked at Peter.

"Report," he hissed out, his tone menacing.

"My Lord, I have discovered the whereabouts of Harry Potter!" Peter exclaimed, looking nervously at his master's face.

Voldemort could hear the excitement and anxiety fighting against one another in Peter's voice as he focused on him.

"Tell me," he demanded, his red eyes boring into Peter's features.

"He is at Hogwarts, my Lord, and Snape knows about it. I overheard them talking when they left his classroom. It was Potter and that werewolf, Remus," Peter stuttered out quickly.

"And you saw this with your own two eyes?" Voldemort asked, his body unnaturally still at the thought of Severus's betrayal.

"No, my Lord, they were under Potter's Invisibility Cloak, but I did hear them as they exited, and there was no mistaking it as they called each other by their names," Peter replied, his hands visibly trembling. It never did any good to disturb his Lord on hearsay, and a grievance against your brother was a serious offence in Voldemort's eyes, but Peter was hopeful that his Lord would overlook this one infraction on the promise that he would finally get his hands on Harry Potter.

Voldemort stood, coming around his desk and closer to Peter, as he took an uneasy step backwards.

"You will go back to Hogwarts and watch and listen," Voldemort hissed, his eyes holding an unnatural sparkle. "Gather all the information you can and come back here."

Peter nodded his head as he turned to leave, noticeably relaxing.

"Oh, and Peter," Voldemort whispered, the tone of his voice menacing, "you had better not be wrong on this, or Nagini will make a snack of you, and it will bring me oh, so much pleasure."

Peter gulped as he nodded his head once more and scurried out of the study and away from his master and the bloody big snake.

***

Draco hastily marched through the dungeon corridors with the prone body of Lucius, levitating close in front of him. Lucius's snake-headed cane was clutched in his left hand. Draco's heart was beating way too fast in his ears, and although Disillusioned, he thought his ragged breathing and unnaturally loud heartbeat would give him away. Luckily for him, it was past midnight on a school night, and all of the students should be in their dorm rooms if not in their beds.

He made a sharp left-hand turn, waving his wand at the blank stone wall, and an opening appeared which he quickly passed through. The sconces flared to life, the iron bars to the cell were opened, and he placed the monster that was Lucius on to the small bed in the corner, none too gently, as he tossed the cane down on the ground in front of him. He knew he wouldn't wake up until someone ended the spell on him.

Draco sighed; the task he had set himself on what seemed like a lifetime ago was now complete.

Sensing movement, he whirled around, his wand held in a death grip, but he relaxed as he saw it was only Severus standing at the opening to the prison.

"Draco," Severus whispered, and Draco dropped the Disillusionment Charm on both himself and Lucius.

Severus knew that it was either the Headmaster or Draco that had entered the hidden prison as they were the only two, besides himself, that knew of its existence. He had placed wards surrounding the area to alert him if anyone opened up the wall. He did this for Draco's protection, as he didn't know how badly the young man would be injured upon executing his foolhardy plan.

The gaol was secure; once inside the bars, Lucius would be like a Muggle, all his magic stripped from him as long as he stayed inside the cell. Anyone that entered the caged prison would become a Muggle too, for as long as they stayed in there. Severus had lifted the idea from the wards of Azkaban.

Quickly organising his thoughts, he looked Draco over, his eyes quickly surveying his body for any outward injury. Besides his ragged breathing, he could discern none.

"Are you harmed?" he asked, his eyes not leaving Draco's face.

"I am fine," Draco replied, willing himself to take deep, even breaths.

Severus looked through the bars and over towards the cot. Lucius looked a fright. He was sporting a rather large bruise on his face, his clothes carried the unmistakable traces of blood and dirt, and his hair was dishevelled.

Severus took a few steps towards the cell, coming to stand in front of Draco before pulling him into a hug. Draco sobbed into Severus's jacket.

"It is done now," Severus said.

"I know, but the worst is still to come," Draco replied, pulling back from his godfather and looking up into his eyes. He swiped his left arm across his eyes.

Severus dropped his arms to his side, reluctant to take his eyes form his godson.

"I know," Severus replied.

"I guess I had better activate the Blood Bond now," Draco said, looking back over his shoulder towards the cot where Lucius lay.

"Give yourself a few minutes to compose yourself, clear your mind, and erect your Occlumency shields. He is not going anywhere," Severus replied, his eyes looking in the direction of the wizard on the small bed.

Draco took a couple of calming breaths, willing himself to calm down. The first portion of the plan was over. He never thought he would actually pull it off, but looking back he realised that all of their careful planning had really paid off. He couldn't have asked for it to go any better.

When Draco was as collected as he was going to be, he nodded his head towards Severus. Turning around and lifting his wand, he levitated Lucius off the bed and put him onto the floor outside of the metal bars. Bending down, he rolled up the sleeve of the man he had once called father before doing the same to his own left sleeve.

"Do you need help?" Severus asked. He was still standing where Draco had left him. There was a hint of sadness, whose meaning Draco couldn't comprehend, in his voice, but he brushed it off as he knelt down and shook his head.

Pulling a small silver blade from his boot, he made a shallow incision along Lucius's forearm before duplicating the same on his own arm. Placing his arm on top of Lucius's, he allowed the blood to mingle there for a few seconds before raising his wand and whirling it through the air whilst saying the Dark spell that would complete the Blood Bond. It didn't require the exchange of blood, however it was not unheard of to use body fluids, and Draco wanted to be certain to use the strongest form of the Bond.

He felt lightheaded as a bright light erupted from his wand, but he kept his arm firmly pressed to that of Lucius as he clenched his teeth together, squeezing his eyes shut as the force of the spell took hold.

Draco suddenly felt dirty all over, it was as though a thousand fleas were crawling all over his skin. He shivered once, his eyes held tightly shut, willing this feeling to pass.

As suddenly as it had begun, the feeling was gone, and Draco lifted his arm from Lucius's slowly. He felt weak, and he stumbled to his feet, pointing his wand at his arm as he closed the long gash. He looked down at the man he used to hold above anyone else. It would serve him right if he left his wound to fester.

Shaking his head as if to clear it, he pointed his wand at the knife wound on Lucius's arm and closed it.

Still leaning over the battered wizard who lay haphazardly on the floor, he thought maliciously. He deserves to die; he killed my mother.

Draco shook his head at the uncharitable thought and sighed. It would do him no good to do away with Lucius; he was not going anywhere for now. He would be secure in his dungeon cell.

Lucius was Stunned, and at the moment, Draco didn't want him to wake up until this war was over. But he knew they would have to wake him at some point, and he had hoped he would be there when it happened, if only to rub Lucius's face in the fact that he now held everything that the elderly Malfoy had once held dear. Lucius's wealth, property, freedom and even his status with his Master were things that Draco now held in the palm of his hand, and Lucius was not getting those things back ever, if Draco had a say in it.

He patted his breast pocket, making sure that it still held the Polyjuice Potion and the hairs from the man who was still unconscious. He reached down and yanked out viciously a few more blond hairs from the man. He and Severus had discussed the fact that it wouldn't be good for Lucius to see him after he awoke, and although Draco was unhappy with this, he soon relented. They had already made a schedule of trusted Order members to look after Lucius. Severus, Draco and Harry were not on this list.

"Shall we go and see the headmaster?" Severus asked, his voice teetering on the brink of concern. Draco had forgotten that he was there with him.

"Why not? I am done here anyway," Draco replied, turning to face his godfather as he securely tucked the strands of Lucius's hairs into his pocket. He would add them to the others later.

Draco went to walk past Severus and was stopped when his godfather held out Lucius's cane towards him.

"Don't forget this," he said as he passed it to Draco.

Severus levitated Lucius onto the bed before he closed and locked the door to the cell. Raising his own wand, he placed a few more spells upon the cell. When he turned around, Draco was already Disillusioned, and as they passed through the stone archway, the stones magically melded back into a solid wall.

***

Hermione sat up quickly when she felt the wards surrounding her cell flicker. Her eyes were held wide open, and she dared not breathe. Then the wards all came crashing down around her, and she felt an excruciating pain engulf her whole body. She screamed as though she were dying.

This is unbearable! her mind wailed before she passed out on the cot, her body thrown down, broken and bleeding.

***

Crookshanks was on high alert. He had been sulking in the shadows of the castle for what seemed like an eternity, waiting for his mistress to return. She never came.

He had grown fat from the attentions of the little elves. They had given him bowls of cream and milk, and glorious tuna. He had grown complacent and had forgotten about his mistress. He was a bad kitty.

But not anymore.

This morning he had woken up and the fog had been lifted. He had sensed a ripple in the wards, a sixth sense which told him that a certain rodent was up to no good. It prickled at his mind, and he thought of the missed opportunity to get his paws on the rat oh, so long ago.

He hunkered down, ready to pounce when he came closer to his target, treading ever so lightly. All of a sudden, he leapt gracefully into the air and landed, pinning the rat between his forepaws. It gave an almighty squeak, and he could feel the rat's heart beating almost out of its chest.

Picking it up by the neck, careful not to crush the life out of the rodent, he trotted off with his prize.

***

Severus was seated in his office marking some barely intelligible essays. He felt like he should burn the lot of them and give all the students failing grades. Slashing through an entire page with his infamous red ink, he wrote a scathing comment on the top before shoving it onto the completed pile.

When would these dunderheads ever learn to read a book and show the foresight not to copy entire sections from the volume that he had assigned?

Placing his quill back into the inkwell, he closed his eyes and rubbed furiously at his temples, willing away the headache that he was currently experiencing. It was no use; he would need one of his stronger brews if he was to complete the task tonight.

He went over his meeting with Draco and the headmaster a couple of nights ago. Albus had not once congratulated Draco on fulfilling his part of the plan so far, only saying that there was still ample work to be done.

Couldn't that damn Gryffindor for once praise a Slytherin? Couldn't he at least pretend to be proud of Draco? If it were Harry, Dumbledore would be tripping over himself with accolades and praises.

Shaking his head, he thought it no use to be pondering on the workings of the mind of the Great Albus Dumbledore, for taking that path surely would lead to madness.

Putting both of his hands on the desk, he pushed himself up and went in search of a headache potion.

Upon his return he was startled to find an unsightly ginger cat sitting on the pile of unmarked work. It looked as though it had taken a Bludger to its face for it was truly hideous.

Sighing loudly to himself, and swearing bloody murder and a hefty point loss to the dunderhead who owned this unfortunate creature, he approached the desk with a scowl firmly set on his face.

"Shoo," he said, motioning with both his hands. The cat blinked and sat there staring at him. Severus's scowl deepened.

He got within range of the cat and was about to push it off his desk when something caught his eye, something shiny. Stilling his hands and peering down at the cat's front legs, he saw that the bloody thing was sitting on a rat. A rat with one glistening, silver paw.

Severus gasped and stumbled backwards in recognition. This repulsive, overweight cat had caught Peter Pettigrew.

Slowly, so as not to startle the cat, he inched his hand closer to the rat. The cat eyed him. Just as he was about to grab Peter, the cat swiped him up into his jaws, and in the blink of an eye it shook its head and snapped the rat's neck.

Severus stood there, frozen in place by some unseen force. Disbelief clouded his thoughts as the cat dropped the now very dead Peter onto Severus's desk, before leaping off and sauntering to a corner of the room, where it proceeded to clean itself.

Severus stood there, mouth agape as his swirling thoughts raced around his head.

Peter Pettigrew. Here. In Hogwarts.

He propelled himself into action, grabbing the rat off the desk by the tail and making his way to the headmaster's office.

As the door slammed behind him the only sound to be heard was that of one very proud, purring cat.

***

Voldemort had not heard back from Peter, though he was not concerned, for he never troubled himself with anyone or anything, except perhaps that tiresome Potter brat. But Peter rarely failed not to make a nuisance of himself. Always there, in the background, quietly listening to everything that went on. He made the perfect follower, a yes man, though Voldemort rarely used him for the important missions, as he didn't trust him. What kind of wizard would hand over his friends to his enemy and then join his enemy's side? A weak-willed wizard, his mind supplied.

Voldemort knew that if Peter's assumptions were correct, he was walking a very fine line. Perhaps he had somehow managed to get himself caught. Well, it was no great loss to his cause, but something just wasn't right about this situation. It had been some weeks with no sign of Peter. At first he had been too distracted to notice, and he had actually put Peter's ramblings to the back of his mind, but now when he was free to let his mind wander, his thoughts circled back to the wizard.

Oh, he would be infuriated if Peter had been wrong and had scurried away and gone into hiding somewhere. He would find him, and when he did, he would make an example of him. It was time to call him back to the fold and to see what he managed to drag up at Hogwarts.

Taking his wand out, he focused on his rat, making Peter's Dark Mark burn with agonizing heat.

As the minutes ticked by and nothing happened, Voldemort lifted his wand once more and closed his eyes. He concentrated on Peter, following the link that held him as one of his own. His eyes opened wide as he hit a brick wall. The link had been severed, which meant only one thing: Peter was dead.

His anger boiled to an infuriating peak as a fine mist of red covered his eyes.

Flicking his wand in a sharp and precise movement, he called upon his most trusted follower. Lucius Malfoy.

***

Severus made his way up to the headmaster's office, Peter Pettigrew held firmly by the tail in his left fingers, hidden inside his cloak.

Not bothering to knock, he entered the office, closing the door before walking up to Albus's desk. His body was awash with emotions, though he displayed none of this outwardly.

"Headmaster, we seem to have a problem," Severus stated calmly, holding the dead rat up and raising both eyebrows.

Albus looked up from his seated position, fixing his glasses and peered at the rat. A look of surprise crossing his face.

"Is that Peter?" he asked, his voice holding a tinge of astonishment.

"Yes, and I am unable to speculate as to what he knows of our plans, who he's seen, and what he has told my other Master. It is no good to question him...as you can see for yourself, he has expired," Severus replied. Although seemingly composed, inside he was plagued with chaos as his mind ran through all the incriminating events that he had participated in and how it would look to his Dark Master.

Both men looked at each other. Albus opened his mouth, and Severus had no doubt he was about to spew forth more platitudes. Quite frankly, he was sick of being told that it would all work out in the end, even if it was coming from the most powerful wizard alive. He mentally sighed and braced himself for more inane babble when suddenly the door slammed open. Severus whirled around, dropping the dead rat on the headmaster's desk as he grabbed his wand. Draco appeared before the two men, his eyes quickly taking in the scene before resting on the headmaster's face.

Severus relaxed his wand arm, stowing his wand back into his robes.

"I've been Summoned," Draco blurted out, a look of complete panic on his face. When both wizards just stared at him, he clarified. "I don't mean me, I mean Lucius."

***

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