Chapter 88: The evolution of the conspiracy

He knew that if he was going to be just a follower, he had to choose his master well.

A strange smile appeared on Peter Pettigrew's lips. If all his companions were killed by the Dark Lord, who could know that he had betrayed them?

His plan seemed foolproof. He began selling information about the Order of the Phoenix to gain the Dark Lord's trust. Although Dumbledore doubted him, James, Sirius and Lupin testified for him, even though he was the lowliest member of their little group.

Peter Pettigrew knew too much about his three friends, they didn't quite trust him, but pride and arrogance blinded their eyes, and Even if they didn't trust him, they would still support him in the face of Dumbledore's investigation.

As long as he remained a member of this small group, the three of them would support him unconditionally.

Those were the stupid Gryffindors, a wonderfully perfect cover!

After learning that Dumbledore began to doubt him, Peter Pettigrew no longer leaked information, because he wasn't sure whether or not they were Dumbledore's trap. He knew he had to hold out and wait for an opportunity that would allow the Dark Lord to fully trust him.

He still remembered that rainy night twelve years ago, when Sirius, James and Lily found themselves in trouble, and asked him to be James and Lily's Secret Keeper.

That was based on Sirius' recommendation. Voldemort would go after Black, but he shouldn't pay attention to a man as weak and untalented as Peter.

That was also what he had always thought of him, a humble, weak, stupid fellow, who had never dared to refute him. They considered him the most appropriate secret keeper.

They told no one about this matter. Not even Lupin and Dumbledore knew about it. It was only a secret between the four of them.

That night, Peter felt both happy and sad!

He had always waited patiently for his chance, and now he had become the Potters' secret keeper. When he determined that Harry was the one Voldemort had been looking for and was in the house, he couldn't wait to find the Dark Lord.

He bowed and sold James and Lily to the Dark Lord. As expected, he got the trust he had always dreamed of, and the Dark Lord also told him the way to that place, the ancient relic he had found with James, Black and Lupin in the forbidden forest.

There was a strong dark power hidden in that relic. The Dark Lord must have been there during his school days.

It was said that it might have been the source of Voldemort's own power, not all of it, but Peter wasn't greedy enough to want to be a powerful dark wizard like the Dark Lord.

As always, as long as he had a hiding place in the dark corner, he was content. Before at Hogwarts, he relied on James, Sirius and Lupin to get that position. Now, the Dark Lord, a much more powerful wizard, would help him find his place.

Peter Pettigrew did, but who could know that the Dark Lord would actually fail and lose at the hands of a newborn baby?

For some time, he used to think that he was very close to success, and that he was able to see the power, authority and status he had always sought. However, this dream was instantly shattered, and he had no choice but to run away.

Peter Pettigrew had no choice but to escape Sirius' wrath and hide from the other Death Eaters.

The method he chose was to fake his own death. When Sirius' curse hit him, he used a spell to blow up the entire street, leaving only a finger and making everyone believe he was dead.

Sirius Black took his place as the main culprit of the whole incident. As imagined, the proud Sirius did not explain it to the others. He felt he had killed James and Lily by recommending Peter as a secret keeper. He wanted to go to Azkaban to atone for his sins.

He managed to escape and his mother lost her son, but he received an Order of Merlin medal of the first degree, although he should have received much more than that.

Peter Pettigrew had seen with his own eyes that his mother had buried that medal and his own finger in his father's grave. On his tombstone it was engraved: A brave and fearless soldier, a deserving Gryffindor, who gave his life fighting the dark forces of evil, making his parents proud.

Yes, from his mother's point of view, he finally became like his father, and for such a silly reason she was satisfied for the rest of her life.

Peter Pettigrew closed his eyes in pain and for the next twelve years hid in the Weasley house like a rat, knowing that he had to keep in touch with the magical world so that he could be the first to know what the Dark Lord was up to.

The year before, he saw the Dark Lord again at Hogwarts.

The powerful dark wizard had become a frail shadow of his former self, and it was a great disappointment to Peter, who could not understand what was happening. What was the point of his own betrayal if Voldemort was no longer powerful enough to be feared?

He did not reveal himself immediately, he decided to watch Voldemort, to see if he was still as strong as before.

Peter Pettigrew was glad he did, as he witnessed Voldemort's defeat twice in a row over the next two years.

Watching Voldemort fail time and time again, Peter Pettigrew was terrified, he couldn't understand why the Dark Lord failed, he was so powerful before, why did he fail time and time again against a weak child?

It seemed that things were changing, maybe he should switch sides again!

Peter Pettigrew woke startled awake from his past memories, something was moving outside, he peeked his head out quietly to see it was three in the morning, outside was the house elf named Dobby, he was gathering his things.

Peter Pettigrew narrowed his eyes, he felt so much like this house elf.

They were both so humble, so weak, the other had been Malfoy's house slave, but now he was the servant of the young man named Ivan Mason.

Perhaps he could do the same, turn to Harry Potter, to the savior who had so often defeated Voldemort.

It was not impossible that Sirius Black and himself were the only ones who knew the events of the past, and that by taking care of Sirius, he could reappear as a hero.

The situation had changed, now that Voldemort was out of power, and his minions, the Death Eaters who had not been captured in Azkaban, were not going to go after him for what had happened, it was time to return to the magical world.

The only problem left was Sirius Black, and once he was done with him, no one would know what had happened.

A bitter smile emerged from Peter Pettigrew's lips, and he could even spread the word to others that he had endured years of humiliation, protecting Harry from the Dark Lord's forces from the darkness, staying by his side like a rat.

He could reappear as a tragic hero, the one who had done the most to defeat Voldemort, and he could even apply to be Harry's sole guardian.

Even if Dumbledore and Lupin doubted it, they had no reason to object.

It was too good to be true, maybe the Ministry would consider re-granting him the Order of Merlin, and then he could get back everything he deserved, the glory, power and greatness that awaited him in the depths of the Forbidden Forest, and he would get it all back.

Peter Pettigrew knew he needed a plan, a plan to get rid of Sirius Black once and for all.

First, to make sure the plan worked, he had to get out of sight.

He had to hide from Sirius Black and the cat named Crookshanks and, for some reason, Peter could sense that the boy named Ivan Mason was beginning to suspect him. He had to be careful, after all, he had been able to defeat Voldemort as a student, and as far as he knew, unlike Harry, who had relied on luck or Dumbledore's help, Ivan had defeated Voldemort by his own strength and ingenuity.

It was so terrifying that Peter feared he knew something and would have to hide first.

So, he needed a wand.

Of course, none of these things were too difficult!

What was difficult was finding out where Sirius was, and if he found him, there would be someone in the castle who would be willing to help him deal with him.

Peter Pettigrew suddenly remembered the Marauder's Map he had made with James, Sirius and Lupin, a map that might help him, and he remembered that the Marauder's Map had been confiscated by Filch when they were in seventh grade.

If there were no incidents, it should still be there.