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scarvesnhats Day 15)
Oct. 22nd, 2005 02:04 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rosie_ruesTitle: Hidden
Rating: Gen
Disclaimer: They're not mine. I'm just borrowing them.
Wordcount: 1041
Prompt: Dog in leaves.
Notes: Sixth year. This is not a happy story. Peter has received bad news.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
The wind was wet and blustery and the leaves had finally turned. Peter didn’t know how they’d done that without him noticing. It was amazing, just absolutely amazing, how you could be so busy with pranks and lessons and food and stuff and then things changed and you had no idea why.
The grass was slippery under his feet and no one would have blamed him if he’d turned back but he had to – had to tell them. They wouldn’t let him see Prongs. He had to see the others.
The air was full of leaves, blowing out of the piles Hagrid and the house elves had raked up around the walls. They slipped past him, wet and clammy on the wind.
Paul had a oak tree in his garden. Peter had visited last Halloween and they’d crept out in the night to do scouring charms to clear the leaves when the Muggle neighbours wouldn’t notice. Jenny had scolded them both but she’d made hot chocolate and smiled. She was so proud of her garden.
It must be in such a mess. Somebody – somebody ought to do something about that.
A black dog came bursting out of the edge of the forest, closely pursued by Remus Lupin, laughing as he staggered on the grass. The dog ploughed through a pile of leaves, scattering them across the lawn and turned back to bowl Remus over into a leaf pile.
Peter watched dully as his friend vanished under the leaves. Paul had a dog – had had a dog. Not a daft black mongrel like Padfoot but a big, slow rambling rug of a dog called Timmy who Saffy and Leaf adored.
Saffy and Leaf.
He’d asked McGonagall about Timmy and she’d given him that odd look she always gave him, as if she was disappointed in him. She’d told him anyway.
Remus extracted himself from the leaves and looked around. He waved at Peter and then trotted off towards one of the leaf bins, where a black tail could just be seen, wagging furiously.
Peter turned and walked over to them. He was in time to see Padfoot burst out of the leaves and bounce towards him. He remembered, just in time, to brace himself as Padfoot jumped up to buffet his shoulders.
“Don’t,” he said and his voice sounded wrong, all breathy and squeaky.
Padfoot dropped and Remus said, “Pete? Is everything okay?”
He took the last few steps and dropped down onto the edge of the bin. Remus sat down beside him, waiting, and Padfoot sat by his feet, looking up at him. Peter stared down at his hands, at his stubby fingers and the splotches of ink on his nails.
Padfoot whined and Peter stroked his head and said, “Paul.”
“Your brother? What’s happened? Are the kids okay?”
Peter was shaking. The leaves behind him were slipping around him, red and gold and brown, dry as bone. His hands kept curling up into little fists, though he didn’t want them to.
“Pete?”
“They’re dead,” he said. “They’re all dead.”
There was a moment of horrified silence. Then Remus put an awkward arm around his shoulders and Padfoot dropped his head onto his lap.
“Do you?” Remus began and then hesitated. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“No,” Peter said miserably. “Yes. No. It was Death Eaters. In Wolverhampton. There’s not meant to be Death Eaters in Wolverhampton. Three families – all – all with someone like Jenny.”
“Muggleborn?” Remus asked grimly.
“Yes. They even killed Timmy. They killed the dog, Moony. It wasn’t enough for them to kill P-Paul and Jenny and –and Saffy and the baby. They killed the bloody dog.”
He could feel the hot lines of tears on his cheeks and refused to look up. He wasn’t meant to cry. Blokes didn’t cry.
“Pete,” Remus said hesitantly.
“And y’know what,” Peter said over him because sympathy would finish him. “You know why the bloody Aurors didn’t get there in time? Do you know?”
“Tell me.”
“Because they’ve got the flu. The whole fucking country has the flu and there aren’t enough Aurors and so Death Eaters can just go and kill people and it’s not fair. Flu is meant to be funny.”
Padfoot licked his hand, a quick flicker of rough tongue, and Remus said, “I’m sorry.”
It was too much and he shot his feet. “I have to go. I have to go home now. My Mum… Look, tell Prongs, will you? But not anyone else. I don’t want…”
“We’ll say your gran’s ill,” Remus said and brushed the leaves off his back.
“Ta, mate.”
“Do you want us to come to the station with you?”
“Yeah.” Peter couldn’t manage any more.
“Sirius, meet us at the gate. Pete?”
“McGonagall. Waiting for me.”
“Right.” Remus touched his arm and then withdrew, as if thinking better of it. “Let’s go.”
Trust Moony to be such a bloody prefect, Peter thought. Jenny had been a prefect. They’d written to her last year, after Sirius and Remus had been fighting about Remus taking points and she’d come and taken them out for lunch and lectured them. Now she never would again because she was gone.
McGonagall had refused to tell him how. He knew what that meant.
As they walked back to the castle, silent and awkward, Peter looked back to see the leaves floating into the lake, bright scraps sinking into the grey water. And he wished, wished with all his heart, that he was living in some other time, where people didn’t die as easily as leaves. It wasn’t enough to be brave. Paul and Jenny had been Gryffindors, both of them, and it hadn’t been enough. It could be Sirius next, reckless as he was, or Remus or James or Lily.
Or him.
There had to be some way to stop this. They were the Marauders, weren’t they? They should be able to fix this. War was stupid, everyone knew that.
There had to be some other way.
But here was Sirius, sprinting up the drive behind them, his face fierce with anxiety, and Professor McGonagall was coming down the steps to meet them. It was time to be brave now. Everyone expected him to be brave.
Rating: Gen
Disclaimer: They're not mine. I'm just borrowing them.
Wordcount: 1041
Prompt: Dog in leaves.
Notes: Sixth year. This is not a happy story. Peter has received bad news.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
The wind was wet and blustery and the leaves had finally turned. Peter didn’t know how they’d done that without him noticing. It was amazing, just absolutely amazing, how you could be so busy with pranks and lessons and food and stuff and then things changed and you had no idea why.
The grass was slippery under his feet and no one would have blamed him if he’d turned back but he had to – had to tell them. They wouldn’t let him see Prongs. He had to see the others.
The air was full of leaves, blowing out of the piles Hagrid and the house elves had raked up around the walls. They slipped past him, wet and clammy on the wind.
Paul had a oak tree in his garden. Peter had visited last Halloween and they’d crept out in the night to do scouring charms to clear the leaves when the Muggle neighbours wouldn’t notice. Jenny had scolded them both but she’d made hot chocolate and smiled. She was so proud of her garden.
It must be in such a mess. Somebody – somebody ought to do something about that.
A black dog came bursting out of the edge of the forest, closely pursued by Remus Lupin, laughing as he staggered on the grass. The dog ploughed through a pile of leaves, scattering them across the lawn and turned back to bowl Remus over into a leaf pile.
Peter watched dully as his friend vanished under the leaves. Paul had a dog – had had a dog. Not a daft black mongrel like Padfoot but a big, slow rambling rug of a dog called Timmy who Saffy and Leaf adored.
Saffy and Leaf.
He’d asked McGonagall about Timmy and she’d given him that odd look she always gave him, as if she was disappointed in him. She’d told him anyway.
Remus extracted himself from the leaves and looked around. He waved at Peter and then trotted off towards one of the leaf bins, where a black tail could just be seen, wagging furiously.
Peter turned and walked over to them. He was in time to see Padfoot burst out of the leaves and bounce towards him. He remembered, just in time, to brace himself as Padfoot jumped up to buffet his shoulders.
“Don’t,” he said and his voice sounded wrong, all breathy and squeaky.
Padfoot dropped and Remus said, “Pete? Is everything okay?”
He took the last few steps and dropped down onto the edge of the bin. Remus sat down beside him, waiting, and Padfoot sat by his feet, looking up at him. Peter stared down at his hands, at his stubby fingers and the splotches of ink on his nails.
Padfoot whined and Peter stroked his head and said, “Paul.”
“Your brother? What’s happened? Are the kids okay?”
Peter was shaking. The leaves behind him were slipping around him, red and gold and brown, dry as bone. His hands kept curling up into little fists, though he didn’t want them to.
“Pete?”
“They’re dead,” he said. “They’re all dead.”
There was a moment of horrified silence. Then Remus put an awkward arm around his shoulders and Padfoot dropped his head onto his lap.
“Do you?” Remus began and then hesitated. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“No,” Peter said miserably. “Yes. No. It was Death Eaters. In Wolverhampton. There’s not meant to be Death Eaters in Wolverhampton. Three families – all – all with someone like Jenny.”
“Muggleborn?” Remus asked grimly.
“Yes. They even killed Timmy. They killed the dog, Moony. It wasn’t enough for them to kill P-Paul and Jenny and –and Saffy and the baby. They killed the bloody dog.”
He could feel the hot lines of tears on his cheeks and refused to look up. He wasn’t meant to cry. Blokes didn’t cry.
“Pete,” Remus said hesitantly.
“And y’know what,” Peter said over him because sympathy would finish him. “You know why the bloody Aurors didn’t get there in time? Do you know?”
“Tell me.”
“Because they’ve got the flu. The whole fucking country has the flu and there aren’t enough Aurors and so Death Eaters can just go and kill people and it’s not fair. Flu is meant to be funny.”
Padfoot licked his hand, a quick flicker of rough tongue, and Remus said, “I’m sorry.”
It was too much and he shot his feet. “I have to go. I have to go home now. My Mum… Look, tell Prongs, will you? But not anyone else. I don’t want…”
“We’ll say your gran’s ill,” Remus said and brushed the leaves off his back.
“Ta, mate.”
“Do you want us to come to the station with you?”
“Yeah.” Peter couldn’t manage any more.
“Sirius, meet us at the gate. Pete?”
“McGonagall. Waiting for me.”
“Right.” Remus touched his arm and then withdrew, as if thinking better of it. “Let’s go.”
Trust Moony to be such a bloody prefect, Peter thought. Jenny had been a prefect. They’d written to her last year, after Sirius and Remus had been fighting about Remus taking points and she’d come and taken them out for lunch and lectured them. Now she never would again because she was gone.
McGonagall had refused to tell him how. He knew what that meant.
As they walked back to the castle, silent and awkward, Peter looked back to see the leaves floating into the lake, bright scraps sinking into the grey water. And he wished, wished with all his heart, that he was living in some other time, where people didn’t die as easily as leaves. It wasn’t enough to be brave. Paul and Jenny had been Gryffindors, both of them, and it hadn’t been enough. It could be Sirius next, reckless as he was, or Remus or James or Lily.
Or him.
There had to be some way to stop this. They were the Marauders, weren’t they? They should be able to fix this. War was stupid, everyone knew that.
There had to be some other way.
But here was Sirius, sprinting up the drive behind them, his face fierce with anxiety, and Professor McGonagall was coming down the steps to meet them. It was time to be brave now. Everyone expected him to be brave.
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no subject
Date: 2005-10-22 01:23 pm (UTC)Oh poor Peter. I can see the building up to other things here. It's wonderful to see someone suggest a different motivation for him.
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Date: 2005-10-22 01:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-10-22 01:30 pm (UTC)There had to be some other way. Ouch. Oh, Peter, you silly, silly boy.
I really enjoyed this- thank you!
no subject
Date: 2005-10-22 01:38 pm (UTC)Thank you :)
no subject
Date: 2005-10-22 01:33 pm (UTC)He’d asked McGonagall about Timmy and she’d given him that odd look she always gave him, as if she was disappointed in him. She’d told him anyway. This rang so true, and was so poignant.
It's amazing that you can switch from the great humour of the practical joking yesterday to this today; have said before but will say again - am so envious of your ability to write so much good stuff in so short at time!
no subject
Date: 2005-10-22 01:43 pm (UTC)I have to admit I was a little worried about the change of pace. I'm working with a lot of threads in these and I'm beginning to get to the stage where I need to weave them together.
Thanks for commenting :)
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Date: 2005-10-22 01:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-10-22 02:12 pm (UTC)Thanks for commenting :)
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Date: 2005-10-22 02:12 pm (UTC)*sniffle* This was so poignant. You had me near tears at the end. This whole piece has that detached feel of suddenly losing people who are dear to you. It's just so very real.
And also, I absolutely love you. I have a strange fascination/love for Peter, and I've never met anyone else who thinks there was anything more than hatred for James and Sirius behind his actions, so I really, really love this. Great job. :)
no subject
Date: 2005-10-22 02:18 pm (UTC)Thanks for the comment :)
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Date: 2005-10-22 04:10 pm (UTC)Painful and beautiful.
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Date: 2005-10-22 06:32 pm (UTC)Thank you.
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Date: 2005-10-22 05:23 pm (UTC)I love the way you characterized Peter. I hate evil!Peter; there has to be some reason why they never saw it coming. Well done!
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Date: 2005-10-22 06:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-10-23 12:41 am (UTC)I love seeing how human you've made him.
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Date: 2005-10-23 10:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-10-26 05:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-10-26 09:35 am (UTC)I think the war would have been like that, with different emotions muddled together because there wasn't enough time to keep them seperate.
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Date: 2005-10-27 05:02 am (UTC)But its so sad.
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Date: 2005-10-27 08:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-10-27 10:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-10-29 09:58 pm (UTC)Maybe it's that there are so few fics featuring him that makes Pete one of my absolute least-favorite characters. I never much like his character no matter how many times I re-read his canon scenes or re-think his motives. And, well, I can't really say that this installment has totally changed my mind about Peter. But, but... I really enjoyed this part and in the universe of your fics at least I respect Peter. :)
no subject
Date: 2005-10-30 08:33 am (UTC)I don't find Peter likeable in canon but there are so many unanswered questions about him I like to try to write him in a way that suggests answers.
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Date: 2007-08-12 03:27 pm (UTC)