Chapter Text
If Peter had to blame one person for everything that happened, he would confidently say that he would place the whole blame on Sirius even though it was James and Remus who were brewing the potion in the first place.
All of this was Sirius’ idea, a prank for his little brother who had recently confided in him that he didn’t understand attraction the way others explained it.
Sirius had insisted that it was because he hadn’t found the one to light his heart on fire. Regulus knowing just how brother could be simply agreed and let go of the topic altogether, Sirius being who he was, proceeded to not let it go.
This is where they came in.
Sirius with his bright idea for a prank and Jame who was more than willing to go along with whatever Sirius said. Remus who knew that if he wasn't present, everything would go wrong and Peter who was dragged along because why not.
In all honesty there was no reason why he should be here in the first place. He had nothing he could really contribute to when it came to this particular prank involving Sirius’ little brother. He hadn’t even spoken to him to even know if he was simply messing with Sirius, as he insists.
“Hey, Pete, go be our look out.”
Yes of course James, let your childhood best friend risk distension as you make a potion for your current best friend.
It was honestly pathetic how he still held that childhood crush on James. Five years of silently wishing he would look in his direction while he was always looking Lily’s way. How was that far?
He wasn’t even sure what was so great about her other than her tits.
No he was lying, there were many amazing things about her. She had always been kind to him and he always felt like shit for being angry that she had managed to catch James’ attention as easily as she had.
Lily was a smart girl who deserved whoever she wanted, he just always hoped that it would never be James. Then again James wasn’t good enough for Lily. As mature as he’s become in the last couple of years, there was still something about James that didn’t allow them to click. Lily was more focused on furthering her education, her career as a muggle-born, in comparison to James.
James had most of his future set. He had nothing he really had to work towards and nothing he really had to fight. He was a man who had everything ready for him, served on a silver platter just like Sirius.
Honestly if anyone was to get together it would Sirius and James. Attached to the hip as they are it would really come to no surprise if they actually held secret feelings for one another. In fact Peter wouldn't even be mad about seeing as he had a rather reluctant crush on Sirius as well.
He wasn’t proud of the fact. In fact he hated knowing that he had fallen for the Sirius black charm just like all the girls he had ever known. He was going to blame the long black hair and his carefree attitude.
There was something to the way he would look at people, how he would to others and make it seem like he cared about every word that would leave their mouth even though Peter knew Sirius never really paid attention to anything anyone else said. At least no one who wasn’t James, but it was already established that James and Sirius were suspected of holding secret feelings for each other.
The funny thing about that is that if people thought James and Sirius were together it was only reasonable to believe that Peter and Remus were also involved in some secret relationship. The reasoning was a little questionable, why should Peter and Remus be together simply because James and Sirius were suspected of being together.
It likely had started as a joke from one of the girls, Peter was going to assume it was Mary because it almost always was Mary in the first place. Marlene had her moments but Mary was the gossip, her word was practically law when it came to the rumor mill in Hogwarts, no matter the year it involved.
He couldn’t say that he was too upset about being paired with Remus of all people. Moony was rather nice. Sweet to everyone he spoke to and loyal to a fault. Calm and matured to the rest of their friends, the only one capable of keeping a clear head even when he was in a panic. Peter liked that about him, and it was likely one of the reasons why he liked him in general. Not that he was trying to like him or that he had been trying to like him in a romantic sense, it just turned out that way.
His mother used to say that affairs of the heart were often too hard to understand in the first place. So, Peter never thought too hard about how easily he had seemed to fall for all three of his friends.
Sure they had developed at different points during their time together but now he was stuck with crushes on three of them, and if he were honest he was unsure if he would even explain it to them.
Sorry guys, not only do I like men, I also like the three of you at the same time.
Because that was a good idea, like Sirius won’t tease him about it for the rest of his days on the world they shared together. Peter would much rather he received the dementors kiss than to willingly tell Sirius of his feelings.
“What’s got you thinking so hard, petty boy, are you actually worried we’ll get caught?”
Sirius learned against the wall by the door, his face angled down to face Peter who stood not far from his chin. He always found it unfair that his friends were incredibly tall, but being any taller made it more obvious when he was staring at his jaw.
Peter had always been fascinated by the way Sirius would lock his jaw when he was upset or frustrated when things didn’t go his way.
Not that it could really put in competition with Jame’s smile or Remus frown of concentration. No his scars, Peter liked how Remus scars, always liked the look of it. Maybe it was because it made Remus look more scary than James and Sirius together.
“I just don’t understand why you can’t just let your brother be. Why do you always have to get involved with things that don’t involve you? Are people just not allowed to maintain their own existence when Sirius Black becomes interested?”
“Pete, if this were any other person, I would let it go. You know I could care less about others, but this is my brother. It’s practically my birthright to fuck with him in anyway I can, and if the means exposing his secret crush on Crouch than so be it.”
Peter looked up at Sirius with disapproval.
“You would humiliate your brother like that.”
“Well it would be Crouch, they’re practically tied to the hip. I doubt he’ll even be bothered by it.”
“Okay then what if he was doing it to you. Made a potion that revealed who you were attracted to and it happened to be one of your best friends. You wouldn’t feel embarrassed or betrayed. Because let me tell you Sirius I would hate you if it were me who did that too.”
Sirius stared at him. A moment of complete silence standing together against the door frame. It took a lot out of Peter to keep from simply leaning forward and kiss the face that haunted many of his dreams. Dreams where he would lean close now know that Sirius would already be holding pulling him close with no intention to leave him.
It was terrifying to have the attention his silver eye solely focused on him. Sirius had never kept eye contact for this long. Part of him feared that if he continued to stare he would find the secrets he’s been trying to keep for months, years even.
“Do you have a crush on one of us Pete?”
It couldn’t be helped the way his eyes went wide or just how hard his heart was beating. He swears Sirius could hear it by the way he tilted his head, so reminiscent of Padfoot. It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if Sirius could hear it. The pulsing speed of his blood rushing all the way up his face and heating up his cheeks. Around face and bright red, Sirius would’ve pointed out how cute he looked as a tomato if this had been any other day. But Sirius had his days when he was observant towards people beyond him.
“So you do.”
And he said it with such certainty Peter was afraid of denying it. Like once he had spoken them out loud it had become an undeniable fact of life. Just like everyone knew James’ smile could light up a room, or Remus’ voice would bring comfort. An undeniable fact as Sirius was beautiful.
“Is it James? I know that you two have known each other all your lives. Maybe you’ve always had a crush on him. I remember how red and annoyed you get when he would go on and on about Lily in fifth year.”
So, he had been obvious about his feelings.
“Or Remus, I wouldn’t blame you if you had a crush on him. Almost everyone has a crush on Remus. He just makes you feel reassured in almost everything. Is that why you two have been spending time together?”
Peter wants to run away. Transform into Wormtail and scurry away and hide for the rest of his life to hide from all things he wanted to know from him.
“Or do you maybe have a crush on me?”
“What kind of conclusion is that?”
“I’m one of your friends, aren’t I. Wouldn't put me in the running for potential best friends who you have a crush on?”
Peter averted his eyes, looking over into the corridor hoping something, anything, would take him away from the current situation.
“It’s okay if you have a crush on me, you know. I don’t mind, I kinda like the idea that you like me too. Not that we have to do anything, but it’s nice to know that my feelings for you are reciprocated to some extent.”
Peter frowned as he looked at Sirius once again. His brows scrunched in disbelief at what his friend had said.
“Don’t do that. It’s not funny.”
Sirius just tilted his head in confusion, as if he was unaware of how cruel he was being. In some way Peter wouldn’t be surprised if he really didn’t know.
“I’m not doing anything. Peter, I do like you more than a friend.”
“Yeah, right because the great Sirius Black would never like me.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Look I get what I said might have been stupid and you’re just trying to get back at me but it really fucked up that you think this is the way to do it.”
“Peter no that not-“
Then he heard it, the echoing sound of footsteps approaching.
“Shit, it’s Filch. Go, go.”
Peter was pushing Sirius into the classroom and quickly began closing the door, but he could already hear the caretaker speeding his way over. Weak as the spell would be in such a rush Peter locked the door, and ran further into the room and behind James.
Sirius quickly made a face at him.
Now wasn’t the time for Sirius to play around.
“Filch saw us, well, more like he saw me. He knows for sure that I’m in here.”
“No, you have to keep your perfect record. Who else is going to sneak around and cover for us.”
There was something to be said about James being one track mind.
“James, we're brewing Amourtentia in the middle of the night without permission. I think Peter’s perfect record is the least of our concerns right now. No offense Pete.”
Peter just waved him off, he really could care less about what he caught outside of the dorm room. He just really didn’t want to be caught brewing this potion of all things. The thing people would say if they found out.
“Okay it’s easy.”
Sirius went over to Peter and plucked out a single hair out of Peter’s head. The single strand of shiny hair over the still brewing potion.
“I have a bottle of polyjuice, I can turn into our precious Pete and evade Filch long enough until it wears out. Once that happens he’ll see it’s me and the threats to Peter’s perfect record disappears.”
All three of them stare at Sirius in varying levels of concern.
“There are so many things that could go wrong with that. You are not risking yourself or Peter like that, are you crazy.”
Peter was just happy that Remus had been the one to say it. He’s not sure how he would feel if he had Sirius risk another detention. Not that Sirius would really care but Peter would care and that’s all that really mattered to Peter in the first place.
“How come you would do that for Peter and not me?”
James reached out for that stand of hair and took it right out of Sirius’ fingers. Peter wished he could shake some sense into the both of them right now. Why did they think having this argument was a good idea when they were moments of getting caught?
Why did James have to be selfish about Sirius’ friendship?
Why couldn't they just be normal Hogwarts students?
No, they need to be two spoiled pure-bloods with a borderline romantic relationship, a werewolf with self image issues and the tag along.
“James, it should go unmentioned Sirius would do it for you. No one would question it, now can we please just capture the mist before we lose it all.”
Remus was leaning against the table. He was rolling his eyes and looking back and forth from the cauldron they were brewing in as the door was beginning to rattle with the attempts made to open it.
Maybe that locking charm would give them more time than he thought.
“Did you actually manage it?”
Sirius stared at the bubbling cauldron in absolute wonder.
“You’re a genius Moony!”
“He didn’t even do anything. I was the one who made this thing happen in the first place.”
“Sure, but it was Remus who had to read over your notes. Your little squiggles are hard enough to read when you take your time.”
Peter wanted to strangle him. Why were they still bickering like children?
“Friendly reminder that we do have an angry Filch outside the doors. So, could we please just bottle it up and leave.”
And of course Peter had the worst luck, because as soon as he said those words Filch was pulling the doors open. It really shouldn’t have come to much of surprise when Peter turned himself into Wormtail. Peter had an irrational fear of the fuzzy creature Filch had chasing after him at all times.
Either way Wormtails appearance was enough to spook James into letting go of that single stand of hair. So much for not messing with his perfect record.
“Fuck James, that went into the potion. It’s no good anymore.”
“Screw all of it, don’t get caught. Be careful Worms, that cat is getting much faster than she was las break.”
That was the last thing he heard from James, dashing off through one of their hidden doors. They were gone and he was told to do the very same and still he stopped to knock over that cauldron it seemed only Remus had the forthright to at least lower the heat, but Peter refused to get caught associated with them.
Or at least he would have if the sight of a furious Filch running in his direction hadn't been completely terrified, because if Filch was close, that cat wasn’t too far behind.
Maybe James was right just this once. Wormtail was on the floor in seconds.
And maybe it's a divine look because as soon as he was hiding away from the jumpy cat he had a clear view of her knocking everything that was on the table with her tail.
So that useless cat was good for nothing.
Okay now to surprise the boys with the perfect turn of directions this night took. Oh, and he should also warn them that the potion had been knocked into the drains. Maybe it was best they didn’t shower in the mornings, just in case.