𝐓𝐈𝐃𝐀𝐋 𝐖𝐀𝐕𝐄

𝟎𝟑. 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐫, 𝐲𝐞𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬

The group had taken a break after a very traumatic display. Everyone was huddled in groups, talking in hushed voices but James Potter was deep in thought. He was rewinding seven years' worth of memories. Where had he gone wrong? What did he do to make Peter switch sides and hand his family to the death eaters?

He couldn't think of anything. Peter was family, why did he not want to be redeemed? Every time James thought of a situation where the marauders had upset him, all he could come up with were harmless jokes. But Peter wasn't the only one on the receiving end of these jokes, Sirius, Remus, and he had also been pranked before, but they didn't turn out to be death eaters did they.

With a frown the Potter boy searched for the witch from the future, Catalina. She was standing to the side, staring at the ceiling with an unreadable look on her face. James remembered hearing from one of the portraits that the candles on the ceiling represented each one of them.

When the first years came, new shorter ones were added and when the seventh years left school their candles were removed. He looked up at the ceiling and frowned at one candle that didn't light up like the others and his heart became heavy. That was Francesca Hudson's candle, it would only disappear when she graduated but because she died, the candle was not lit.

"Did you want to talk?"

He was snapped out of his trance, Catalina staring at him, and James felt like an open book. He felt like she was staring at his soul and one wrong move, and she would know his deepest and darkest secrets.

He cleared his throat awkwardly before remembering why he wanted to talk to her. All awkwardness left him as he became more serious, a frown on his face.

"You said that only people you found worthy of redemption were here. Hudson, I understand and Lestrange as much as I do not understand I think everyone is worthy of redemption. So why isn't Peter worthy of it?" he asked, he didn't think he could forgive Peter, but he wanted to know, if Bellatrix Lestrange can be redeemed then why can't Peter.

James nearly winced at how Catalina's smile turned into a glare, and he thought he had touched a sore topic.

"I don't think I can ever forgive Peter or forget what he did. I'm also not asking you to bring him here, I'm just curious."

Catalina's eyes softened as she spoke, "There are things you need to understand, Mr. Potter. Not everyone chooses their path because they want to. We saw it for Emilio Hudson and though many might not agree for Bellatrix Lestrange, there is more to her than she lets on. She has people who love her enough to pull her out of it. Peter Pettigrew might have been the sweet boy you know but as the war rages on, he finds himself slipping and not because of the lack of love and support. Its power he craves. He believed that Voldemort would emerge victorious in the end and so he chose his side."

She paused, looking at him and searching for any signs of hurt in his eyes but when she saw anger, she continued.

"Peter Pettigrew will always choose those who benefit him, he will always choose power over love and support. That is why he is not worthy of redemption. He does not care for things like family or friendship." She finished.