Now or Never

Chapter Two: In Plain View

The rain fell softly on the group of people gathered around the two freshly dug graves.

It was the day of the Potters' funeral. To the tearful group, it seemed as if the heavens themselves were crying over the loss.

The Dark Lord had finally been defeated, but was it worth it, at such a high price?

At that particular moment, most people thought it wasn't. James and Lily Potter had been two of the best people any of them had ever known, why were they lost? Not a person there could figure out the answer.

Except Peter Pettigrew.

Disguised in his Animagus form of a rat, Pettigrew watched the proceedings of the funeral. If it had been possible, his small face would have shown his scorn and his victory. After all, even if his master was dead and he had to live in hiding for the rest of his life, the Potters were gone. If only his master was alive so he could voice his victory to the world....

Still, he'd gotten what he'd wanted--received his desired reward for serving a being he detested. Perhaps it was better the way things were.

Having come to that conclusion, he forced himself to leave. Not that he wanted to; there was a person there whose presence tugged at him. What if he revealed himself right there? He could live in his proper form, with the person he loved. His friends would protect him.

No. It was impossible. He was not loved, least of all by the one he wanted. What use was life as a human if he could never be himself?

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Pettigrew scurried away. He needed to find a home, to become the pet of a Wizarding family. He did not dare show himself with Sirius still around, really. What had he been thinking earlier?

He ran through the streets as fast as his legs could carry him. He needed a family, and fast, but where to find one?

Percy Weasley was lost. He wasn't quite afraid though. Not even five years old, he had no knowledge of the evil in the world.

He did wish his parents were there, though. He was a little cold, and his mother was so warm and loving. If only he could find her.

His search was interrupted when he saw the rat. It was sitting in the gutter, shivering in the cold rain. To his innocent mind, it looked sad and lonely. He though the poor creature deserved a warm home.

He quickly lifted it to his face, grinning. He didn't have a pet, and the rat would do.

Then a flash of red caught his eyes. He recognized his mother's fiery hair and immediately ran to her.

"Mommy, Mommy, look what I found!" he squealed happily, eyes sparkling. "Can I keep him?"

The woman didn't look too happy, but she didn't want to disappoint her son. After ascertaining that the rat had no deadly diseases, she nodded hesitantly. Percy bounced happily, holding his mother's hand as they walked away.

It was a shame she'd never thought to check and make sure I was really a rat, Pettigrew thought sarcastically to himself. Such a shame.

And in his mind he laughed. Oh, how he laughed.