Piece By Piece

Chapter Twenty-Nine: When You Poison a Friendship

      "No," James said. "He gets what he deserves. Now."

      James couldn't even begin to describe how he felt seeing Peter after all this time. The pure rage that boiled inside of his chest began to manifest as a physical pain. Seeing the man he once called one of his closest friends, his secret-keeper, standing willingly with the enemy was almost too much to comprehend.

      Almost.

      There were many things about the situation that James couldn't afford to not comprehend. Peter was the reason that Voldemort had found his family. He was the reason that James and Lily had died. He was the reason that Sirius had to spend nearly a third of his life behind bars or in hiding. The reason that Harry grew up without any of them. And for that, Peter was going to pay. 

      "James," Remus cautioned. "He's not enough of a threat to be worth anyone's time. Let's go. We have bigger problems."

      "And I'm just supposed to ignore what he's done?" James' voice shook. He didn't notice that he'd started to cry until he felt a tear fall onto the hand he was holding up directly below his chin. "I'm just supposed to leave him be after what he did to us?"

      "I'm not letting you become a killer for him."

      "Screw you," James spat. "He doesn't deserve to die; that's the easy way out and we both know it."

      "James-"

      "No," James cut him off. "He deserves way worse. I'm gonna make him wish he was dead." James began to move towards Peter, who was now likely fused to the ground in shock, with his wand raised in front of him. He turned back to face Remus. "I'm doing this. You can either help me or go do something else. The choice is yours."

      Remus' face was unreadable. He was good at that. He held his wand up and his expression grew dark. "That rat is as good as dead."

      James didn't hesitate to immediately fling a hex at Peter. The man jumped aside just in time and took off down the hallway. James swore under his breath and began to sprint in hot pursuit. Within seconds Remus was by his side. 

      Peter was noticeably slower than James and Remus. At one point, as if to buy himself time, he stopped to throw several jinxes in their direction. If he was hoping they'd slow down, he'd be disappointed. James pushed himself through everything Peter threw at them. This was his only purpose now. 

      James and Remus sprinted after him through nearly the entire Manor. They ran through hallways that James was positive he'd been in before. The place was a maze; and if Peter had no clear destination in mind they could be running in circles forever. James hoped that he'd run himself into a dead end and finish the chase for them; but it seemed that either there were no dead ends anywhere in the building or that Peter knew where all of them were and was avoiding them on purpose. 

      The second option made James sick to his stomach. The fact that Peter would even know the ins and outs of Malfoy Manor well enough to navigate its hallways was nauseating. It reminded James of how Regulus had told them how popular Peter was here. How much Bellatrix, of all people, trusted him. And, worst of all, how he'd stood outside of the room where Sirius had been and looked inside with a sickening grin on his face. James was going to hurl after this chase was over. 

      Eventually Peter led hem around a corner and into a hallway filled with several duels. He stopped abruptly and turned to face James and Remus. 

      James had no intention of stopping, but the smile that was creeping onto Peter's face made his feet plant themselves on the ground. "What are you-"