In Another World [Wolfstar]

1. A Betrayal

A/N: I am editing this fic currently for better coherency and writing! I have removed the chapters that I haven't edited and they will reappear once done.

31 st October 1981
10pm
Peter Pettigrew's hideout

Sirius alighted on his motorbike, determined to check on Peter. He'd not heard anything from the youngest Marauder recently and it had been worrying him more and more. Panic choked his throat and stole his breath when he found the small flat completely empty and devoid of any human (or rat) presence. Initially his mind spun with possibilities to explain Peter's disappearance, Death Eaters finding him and killing him being at the top of the list. It all turned out to be wishful thinking when he searched the whole building and found no evidence of a struggle. It looked like Peter hadn't ever actually even used the base.

His heart sank with the realisation that there could be only one reason for Peter to not be there, to not be hiding. He'd only been made Lily and James' secret keeper a few weeks ago, and he was supposed to be here, supposed to be locked away. That's what he'd said. That's what he'd agreed to. There wasn't a good reason for Peter to not be here. For months Sirius had been convinced Remus was the traitor in The Order's midst, with his secretive missions, and general evasiveness.

Now it hit him like a ton of Muggle bricks that there was only one person it could be; Peter's Animagus form suddenly made too much sense.

Sirius snarled; Peter had been whispering in his ear for over a year. Accusing Remus and his lycanthropy, saying they made him that much more likely to betray them - what else would he be doing off with those werewolf packs after all? It hadn't made sense initially; the idea that any of The Marauders would betray each other was ludicrous. But the more Remus failed to be around, the more Sirius believed it. He hadn't realised until now, all the insidious whispers coming from the rat.

His terror rocketed through the roof; heart racing, palms sweaty where they gripped his wand tight. If Peter was the betrayer, then there was every chance he had already informed Voldemort where Lily and James were hiding. Sirius closed his eyes, denial rushing through him. With his eyes still closed he focused his mind and apparated to Godric's Hollow, his motorbike could wait where it was.

As he left he realised that the fact he could recall where they lived wasn't good - it meant the protections had broken.

10:45pm
Potter Cottage – Godric's Hollow

He cursed James' decision to hide his family in the small Potter cottage instead of the heavily fortified Potter Manor, all because the former would be 'less predictable'. He appeared in the middle of the Wizarding village, anxiously turning on his heel, willing his mind to supply the location of the Potter's home. It turned out to be a fruitless exercise as halfway through his turn his eyes caught on the foul shape of the dark mark spread like spilled ink across the sky above a half-destroyed cottage. Sirius sucked in a harsh breath and shook his head in denial as he rushed forward.

His heart pounded fiercely in his chest and his breath came in pants as he slid to a stop in front of the blown-out door of the previously intact cottage. He wilfully ignored the half collapsed roof over where Harry's small bedroom had been. "No. No no no. Oh Merlin, please no. James! Lily! Please!" Sirius chanted to himself as he pushed through the gap where the door used to be and into the destroyed hallway.

He collapsed like a doll with its strings cut next to James, reaching with shaky hands to check for a pulse. The noise that left him when he found none was animal-like, the scream of a wounded animal. He turned his eyes away from the motionless body of his best friend, his brother, not wanting to admit to himself just yet that James was no longer alive. In the settling silence of the house he cautiously drew his wand and rose back up to his feet. It didn't take long for him to search downstairs and acknowledge that except for James' lifeless body, there was nothing and no one else down there.