Dolus

Peter was running late. He had taken a bit too long in the shower fantasising about the boy he could never have. As he scurried across the lawn in animagus form, keeping to the shadows to avoid being plucked up by a mail owl on a night time hunt, he hoped that Sirius and the others wouldn't be too sore with him. It was Saturday and - like many Saturdays before - Peter and his friends snuck out of the castle and took the underground passage from the Whomping Willow to the Shrieking Shack.

Tonight they were playing a muggle game called Truth or Dare that James and Sirius had learned over the summer holiday. As far as Peter understood from what they had told him about the game, a person was asked to pick either truth or dare. From there Peter knew very little. At that point either James or Sirius would remember something funny that had happened while playing the game before and trail off in hysterical laughter and incomprehensible words that only the two of them could understand.

Sometimes Peter envied James. He envied that he was such good friends with Sirius, that he was so well liked, and that he seemed to be naturally good at everything he tried to do. Sometimes in Peter's daydreams he had while pretending to be studying, he imagined that James Potter had not come to Hogwarts or had been sorted into a different house and that he was the one Sirius shared everything with. Peter imagined that Sirius stayed at his house instead of James's over the summer.

Peter, it seemed, had always gravitated towards Sirius. The first time he had seen him, as Sirius had stepped up to the stool to be sorted into one of the four Hogwarts Houses, Peter instantly could sense the power and influence the boy had had even at such a young age. When Peter himself placed the Sorting Hat onto his head, he was hoping to be placed in Gryffindor. When the Hat responded to his thoughts, he was shocked but still determined to be sorted into the house he wanted.

'Please,' he had thought. 'I need to become friends with that boy, Sirius Black'

After some argument, the Sorting Hat had agreed to Peter's request but left him with a warning: "You would do well to curtail your need to be near those in power. I fear it will get you into trouble some day." Peter thought about these words often, but never paid them much attention. He was a part of Sirius Black's exclusive group of friends and he could never imagine being without Sirius's friendship.

Once he reached the Whomping Willow, he depressed the knob and slipped through the opening to the passageway. Inside he turned back into his human form; he was safe from the prying eyes of teachers and the dangerous gazes of nocturnal predators. He could breathe a sigh of relief. Peter continued through the tunnel until he reached a door, which was open slightly, that lead to the upstairs bedroom they habitually met in. He could hear the laughter of his three friends as he stood outside the door, gathering the courage to enter the room. Sometimes they yelled at him when he delayed their meetings, but since tonight was for fun only he felt somewhat protected from their anger. He opened the door and stood in the doorway for a few moments before one of the laughing boys noticed his presence.

Remus was the first to look up. "Peter," he said and pointed at the chair Peter usually sat in. Their routines were firmly established. Peter and Remus always sat in the two large armchairs while Sirius and James sat on the small sofa. "Come join us."

"We've already started," said James through chuckles.

"It's your turn," said Sirius, clearly relishing the thought of whatever results this game could bring.

"Okay," Peter said, sitting down. "What do I do?"

"Truth," James paused theatrically. "Or dare?"

Peter fidgeted in his chair. All three boys had all of their attention focused on him. It was uncomfortable; they had never acted like this before.

"Wh- What do they mean?" Peter stumbled on his words.

James sighed impatiently. "If you say truth, we get to ask you questions and you have to tell us the truth. If you say dare, you have to do whatever we ask. It's simple really. I can't understand why you never remember. We've explained it to you so many times."

"I don't mean to bother you so much," Peter said apologetically.

"Well, which is it? Truth or dare?" James said, clearly bothered.

Peter thought for a moment. He could potentially be asked some very embarrassing questions, but he feared whatever stunt the Marauders could come up with. He was the most timid and least brave of their group and he doubted he would be able to complete their dare.

"Truth," Peter said hesitantly.

Sirius and James smiled slowly before bursting into more fits of laughter.

After they had calmed down, James gave Peter a sinister smile and said, "We were hoping you would say that."

Peter turned his eyes to Sirius, who pulled a small glass vial out of his robe pocket.

"Veritaserum," Sirius stated, presenting the bottle to the other boys. "I filched it from Professor Potus's private storeroom a few days ago."

"What are you going to do with it?" Peter said uncertainly, dreading the answer he was expecting.

"What fun is truth if we can't be sure you aren't lying to us," Sirius smirked. "Three drops should have you telling us anything we want to know."

"But- but why would I lie? Can't you trust me?" Peter stuttered, panicking. "And besides, aren't there Ministry laws about using that?"

"Well of course there are laws," said Remus rationally. "But rules didn't stop the three of you from becoming unregistered animagi."

"Excellent point," said James, pointing at Remus. "Now let's get on with this. We don't have all night. You said 'truth' and now you have to follow through."

"Unless you'd rather choose dare instead," said Sirius mischievously.

"No," Peter said desperately. "I still choose truth."

"Good. Now open your mouth and I'll administer the potion," Sirius said officially, leaning towards Peter. "I promise I'll only give you three drops."

Peter obeyed, amazed that he was lucky enough to have Sirius Black standing so near to him. He hardly breathed as three drops of the tasteless liquid splashed into his open mouth. He waited to feel his mind react to the potion, but felt nothing. Assuming the potion had worked without feeling the change in himself, Peter listened obediently to the others' words.

"Let's see if this worked," James said with a hint of anticipation in his voice. "Remus, ask him a question."

"Alright," said Remus, scooting his chair closer to Peter's. "What is your name?"

"Peter Pettigrew," he answered automatically as James and Sirius let out exasperated sighs.

"You have to ask better questions than that!" James exclaimed almost angrily.

"Try something like this: out of the three of us, who is your favourite?" Sirius asked.

Peter sighed. He didn't like to choose favourites but, it seemed, he would have no choice but to tell the truth. "Sirius," he responded, glancing quickly at his feet.

James and Remus chuckled at a gloating Sirius.

"Why," James began, turning his head away from Sirius, "were you late this evening?"

"I was in the shower. I didn't mean to be late," Peter explained, worried that his friends had been more irritated by his tardiness than it had seemed.

James held his hand up at Peter's explanation. "We will ask to hear your excuses if we want to hear them," he said. "Next question. What were you doing in the shower for so long?"

"Wanking," he replied shamefully. He never even tried to lie; he knew the potion wouldn't let him lie. He studied his shoes, trying to will away this embarrassment and the sounds of the other boys' laughter.

James cleared his throat and stopped laughing. In a serious voice, he asked, "And whom were you thinking about in your shower?"

Peter bowed his head and closed his eyes. Telling the truth was painful. "Sirius," he whispered.

He looked up as he heard the intake of sharp breaths. He glanced at each of their faces, hoping for a reaction. Sirius had turned very pale and was slowly sitting back down onto the couch, staring at nothing in particular. Remus seemed to be waiting for catastrophe to unfold and was also watching the others' faces. James was still standing, watching Peter as if waiting for some signal to react. As Peter met James's eyes, his friend began to laugh hysterically.

"Bloody hilarious, Wormtail!" James said through his laughter. "Look at Sirius! I think he actually believed you for a second! Of course, Remus would never let us use the real stuff, even if we had it."

Sirius was still staring at nothing when James had said this. He looked up as James had said his name. Looking at James, he shook his head slowly.

"I think we should call it a night," Sirius said weakly. "James, you and Remus should go back up to the school now. I need to talk to Peter."

James's face had fallen. It seemed to Peter that he wanted to say something else, but he left with Remus anyway. Peter and Sirius sat in awkward silence for several minutes as Peter avoided the other boy's eyes.

Sirius sighed and said, "You were telling the truth, weren't you? You meant everything you said."

"Yes," Peter admitted, still avoiding the object of his desires. He could not believe he had been tricked into telling his secrets so easily. His gullible acceptance of everything was never one of his strong traits.

"Why did you never mention anything to me before?" Sirius asked.

Peter turned to look at Sirius. "Why do you think?" he answered rapidly. "I wanted to spare us both from this humiliation. I never imagined something like this could ever happen."

Sirius rose from his seat. He sounded irritated, "Well maybe if you'd said something, this wouldn't have happened."

Peter turned his head in shame. "I'm sorry," he said shakily. "I should leave."

Peter stood and tried to make his way past Sirius. The other boy grabbed his arm.

"Don't go, Peter," Sirius whispered. As Peter's gaze shifted from the hand clutching his arm to Sirius's face, he was shocked to see a plea in those dark eyes he admired so much. "Please stay," Sirius said, a little more confidently. "We need to talk."

The skin on his arm where Sirius's hand held him tingled. He could have barely imagined that he would ever be standing this close to the star of his fantasies with this potential conversation looming. Peter knew that the right thing to do was to leave, but he couldn't move away especially after seeing Sirius's pleading eyes. He glanced at the door, his escape route, but couldn't bring himself to step away from Sirius.

"Please stay," Sirius repeated in a whisper, looking into Peter's eyes.

"Okay," said Peter equally as soft.

Sirius was still so close to him. Moments passed - their eyes fixed together - before Sirius put a finger on Peter's chin and lifted it higher. Peter closed his eyes as Sirius bent his head closer to Peter's. He could almost feel Sirius's lips touching his own already.

And then Peter's entire world came crashing down around him. He heard laughter and the sound of someone pounding a wall. He opened his eyes and turned towards the doorway. James was bent over laughing, tears running down his face and his invisibility cloak at his feet. Sirius snorted his amusement when Peter turned to stare horrified into Sirius's eyes. He sought an answer, an explanation.

Sirius chuckled and leaned forward. "I chose dare," he whispered into Peter's ear.

The blood pounded in Peter's head as he slowly realised what was happening. They - the only friends he'd ever had - had tricked him. They had taken his insecurities and twisted them to hurt him. And, to them, it was funny. Peter stepped away from Sirius, pushed past James, and ran, horrified, from the Shrieking Shack. As he ran, morphing into rat form, he vowed that one day Sirius Black and James Potter would suffer for the pain they had caused him.