Putting The 'M' in Mystery~ Hinny/Jily

Just Like Rat

Peter usually slept like a baby. He knew for a fact that his friends often discussed important things while he was asleep, but it didn't particularly bother him. They'd fill him in later, but he preferred his sleep.

But tonight he hadn't even made his way up to the dorm. He was hunched in an armchair by the fire. Empty sweet wrappers were littered around him, and he nibbled on a bar of Honeydukes' finest as he sat. His day's loot from Hogsmeade was half gone, and he still hadn't worked out what he was going to do.

Flashback

The Three Broomsticks was as warm and comfortable as ever it had been, Madam Rosmerta was making her usual cheery conversation, and the tankard of Butterbeer felt warm between his hands. Peter grinned, leaning back in his seat.

Life was good.

He excused himself to go to the toilet, and as he made his way back to the bar a few minutes later, a tall man with a shadowy face brushed past him. Peter felt a pressure on his hand, and looked down to see his fist grasping a slip of parchment, Opening his palm and uncrumpling it, he read the single sentence quickly.

Honour her memory and join us

Forbidden Forest, Midnight

The symbol below served better than any signature.

It took a moment to register, and once the sentence had fully worked itself into his brain, he felt dizzy. He reached over to grasp the brass rail that ran around the top of the bar to keep his balance and in that moment, a wild possibility flashed through his mind.

Flashback within a Flashback

"It's just a campaign," Julie insisted, reaching over to grasp his hand. Peter looked at his sister. Five years older, with his same pale skin and watery grey eyes, although her hair was darker, thicker, her face more oval than round. Her eyes were alight with enthusiasm,

"Think about it. A few demonstrations to make sure that you have a better future, where you can go to school with your equals."

"But the papers said..." he started, but Julie interrupted.

"Oh, that was just some cover story cooked up by that old quack Dumbledore. He'll do anything to make his motives appear pure, but it doesn't change anything. He still killed that man."

Peter was doubtful, but he agreed anyway.

"Well, yeah, obviously."

Julie's face broke out into a smile. "Good kid. In a few years time I'll take you with me. For now, we'll keep this a secret, okay?"

She stood up, picked up her bag, blew him a kiss and closed the door quietly behind her.

End Flashbacks

Peter hugged his knees. His sister had been a wonderful person, sweet, clever (she'd been in Ravenclaw and made his mother proud), not to mention passionate. And her murder had made the front page. Aurors in a bland muggle supermarket. She'd been buying herself a pint of milk.

A bloody pint of milk.

It was Barty Crouch, the madman climbing his way up the political ladder, who'd given the order. Kill on sighting, he'd said. When they'd checked her wand later, it had turned out that the most vicious spell it'd ever cast had been a Jelly Legs Jinx.

But that didn't matter. When your name was on the government hit list, it doesn't matter what your crimes were. They were Unforgivable.

It wouldn't bring his sister back. He knew that. But it could ease the pain, maybe. And he wouldn't know until he tried.