Summary:
The days grow darker, Voldemort is closing in, and Saturday 31st October 1981 dawns...
Notes:
This chapter is dedicated to @likeawildthing - Linds, because I am a disaster as you know, I did not manage to gift you the thing I planned so it will arrive, eventually, but this is in the meantime...! and it’s more just to acknowledge a belated Happy Birthday, rather than you actually reading it!! 🎁🥳🥰🎂🎁🥳🥰🎂 I hope that you had a lovely day xxxxx
I hope those of you reading the fic enjoy it...
Chapter 50: Superstition
Very superstitious, Writing's on the wall, Very superstitious, Ladder’s ‘bout to fall Thirteen-month-old baby, Broke the lookin' glass Seven years of bad luck, The good things in your past
When you believe in things That you don't understand, Then you suffer, Superstition ain’t the way
Superstition - Stevie Wonder (1972)
“I’m not happy about this, neither is Lily, I think it’s a mistake, I can’t-“ James said urgently, looking at the door.
“It’s not… I get it, Prongs, you don’t want to put Wormy at risk, but he won’t be, nobody will guess it’s him, you’ll be safe no matter what happens, and he’ll be as safe as he is now,” Sirius said.
Peeking in through the keyhole, Peter could tell that James was worried about how Sirius looked, like he wasn’t taking care of himself, like he was on the edge of something.
“I can’t have you both on my conscience, I fucking swear you don’t get it, I can’t!” James said angrily.
“Ugh! Listen to me, Prongs, for fucks sake, just listen! I get that you have this ridiculous idea that it would be the height of dishonour to mistrust his friends. They have a spy, alright? They have a fucking spy, and,” Sirius’ voice rose.
“If you think for one fucking second I believe your utter bullshit about Moony being the spy, about any of my friends being the spy, I swear to fucking-“ James said.
“One of us is the spy!” Sirius grabbed James’ collar and shook him. “I can feel it Prongs! The same way I knew something was wrong when my Father framed you, the same way I knew-“
“Fuck off!” James said, pushing Sirius away roughly. “This is more stupid-arsed nonsense that-“
“It isn’t! I swear to you, you fucking blind bastard!” Sirius roared. “How can you not see?”
Upstairs Harry began to cry. Both men looked up at the ceiling. Sirius swallowed hard.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered.
“Merlin,” said James, frantically running a hand through his hair. “Please, Padfoot, your arguments don’t make sense, just listen to me for a second and I’ll-“
Peter pushed the door of the cosy sitting room open and both men jumped with surprise.
“Ready to start?” he asked, keeping his smile warm.
“I… thanks Wormy, I’m just not,” said James, hesitating.
“It’s fine, Sirius’ plan makes sense Prongs,” said Peter. “Do you have a better one?”
James wavered.
“I just, I don’t like it,” he muttered, looking at Sirius.
“As Wormy said, it’s the best plan we’ve got,” Sirius said, looking to Peter to back him up.
“It really is,” Peter said, placing his hand on James’ shoulder.
James pressed the pads of his fingertips into his forehead and closed his eyes tightly.
“Lily doesn’t like it either,” he said quietly.
“But does she have a better plan?” Peter asked, trying to stay calm.
He felt sick with worry. He had been given a deadline of one week. If he came back to Voldemort empty handed at the end of it, he was a dead man.
“No,” James admitted. “She doesn’t know what to do either.”
“Then let’s do this,” said Sirius, placing both his hands on James’ shoulders and gripping him tightly. “We have to have a back-up plan, just in case. Please?”
“James, we have to do it,” Peter said, more forcefully. “You have to keep Lily and Harry safe!”
James put his left hand in front of his mouth.
“Alright, let’s do this,” he said.
Peter could tell his heart wasn’t in it, that he remained uneasy, unsure about the decision. But it was done.
………………………………………….
Sirius had expected the dread in his chest, the lurking threat in the corners of his consciousness, to abate after Peter had become the Secret Keeper, but it hadn’t.
If anything, his feeling of impending doom had grown astronomically. Inexplicably, Peter had now joined him in his nightmares. Peter riding his motorcycle with Sirius sitting behind him, powerless as Peter swerved off the road and drove the bike over the edge of the cliff. Peter piloting a sailing boat into the path of a violent storm, seemingly heedless of the approaching danger, unable to hear Sirius as he screamed at his friend to turn back. Peter walking into the sea as a gigantic wave loomed over him, Sirius rushing in after him and finding himself alone, as the roaring wall of water crashed over him and he woke with a shout.
continue reading Chapter 50 - Superstition