"I can't believe it's our last year here" muttered Eloise in disbelief and sadness resting her head on Sirius' shoulder as they sat in their compartment on the train. "I really don't ever want to leave I don't want to.."
"Grow up?" James finished for her "Me neither..when we leave..we have to face the war..Voldemort" he said as Lily placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"But it's okay" squeaked Eloise sounding as though she was trying to convince herself more so than anyone else "Because we still have each other...all of us do" she smiled "It's us against the world" she smiled half heartedly.
"Will you fight?" Sirius asked no one in particular
"I will." the twins announced in unison.
"Me too" agreed Lily and Remus and Alice both nodded but Peter remained silent looking deep in thought and slightly sick almost as if he was considering something.
"Petey? Are you okay?" asked Eloise softly. Over the years she had grown to care for the fatter and overall as awful as it was to say..least attractive of the four boys.
"Yeah" he squeaked "I'm fine..I'll fight" he nodded losing himself in his thoughts once more Eloise frowned at his strange behaviour but deciding to brush it off as lack of sleep, or nervousness for NEWTs.
"I can not be arse for NEWTs" groaned James swiftly changing the subject as the others hummed in agreement.
"On the bright side..we finish in May" offered Remus "yayyy.." he said making unenthusiastic jazz hands
"That's even worse" huffed Eloise her eyes momentarily drifting out of the window of the compartment door locking eyes with Ophelia Gaunt who motioned with her to come out. "I'll be back.." said the Potter girl.
"Where are you going love?" asked Sirius in confusion as she smiled down at him pecking him lightly on the lips.
"Just need to speak to someone..I love you"
"I love you" he smiled as she left the compartment, still staring after her curiously. "wonder who she's gone to talk to"
"Ophelia" answered James bluntly
"My brothers girlfriend?" frowned Sirius "How do you even know that?" snorted the Black
"It's a twin thing.." he shrugged
---
Eloise moved swiftly through the hallway of the train moving into an empty compartment where she was confronted with a disheveled looking Regulus and a worried Ophelia.
Eloise was shocked to see the Black after he ended their friendship just months ago. She made eye contact with the boy who's eyes were void of emotion and she said nothing but "Show me".
Wordlessly the young fragile sixteen year old boy lifted the sleeve of his jumper up to his elbow revealing the mark that sealed the young boys fate. He was disposable now and was doomed to meet a gruesome end and there was nothing Eloise nor anyone could do to help him now no matter how much she wanted to. Eloise bit back a sob throwing her arms around her best friend as he cried in her arms.
"Please don't leave me" he begged weakly
"I'll never leave you Reg, but you have to promise me the same"
"Okay.." he nodded weakly "I love you El"
"I love you too"
---
Upon arriving back at Hogwarts the group of teens entered the hall to watch the sorting ceremony one last time.
"I remember standing in front of that stool seven years ago and having that hat placed on my head" hummed Lily "It was terrifying..to begin with I hoped to be a Ravenclaw but if I could go back now..I wouldn't change a thing"
"I have a confession to make" blurted Eloise as they observed each student getting sorted cheering for every Gryffindor.
"No" breathed James reading his sisters mind as she looked at him apologetically.
"Yes" she nodded breathing out a laugh as their friends looked at the twins in confusion.
"What is it?" asked Alice curiously at the same time as Lily asked
"How did you do that?"
The twins sighed prepared to answer both questions but Lily's first. "It's a twin thing" they said as if it were obvious scoffing lightly then turning to Alice.
"The sorting hat wanted to put me in Slytherin" confessed the brunette as all their friends eyes widened in shock but Lily didn't seem phased.
"Not surprised to be honest" snorted the red head
"Why not?" Eloise asked defensively
"Cause you're a bitch" she teased giggling at her friends glare.
"Now that I think about it.." pondered Sirius "She's got a point" he shrugged
"Oi!"
"No no..not in a bad way" he quickly assured as Remus muttered
"Nice save Padfoot"
"It's just..you can be a bitch when you need to be..like with Marlene" he offered an example the group grimacing at the name
"You fucked her up good El" smirked James from besides the girl
"Thanks Jamsie" she smiled appreciatively
"And you're pretty resourceful" added Remus "and cunning..and definitely ambitious I mean..the wolfsbane potion!"
"Oh yeah..what happened with that by the way?" asked Alice
"It's in the process of being mass produced...takes a while to brew and its awfully expensive but..it works" shrugged Eloise "I expect by the time we finish here the books will be published with the recipe and it will be at St Mungos..prescription only though according to the minister. Said it would be dangerous if it got into the wrong hands."
"How?" Peter asked curiously too curious. But no one seemed to notice.
"Well I suspect if Voldemort got his hands on it..then he could give it to werewolves on the full moon and send them to specific targets. He could do all kinds of unspeakable things"
The boy simply hummed aimlessly and the group drifted into a whole new conversation. Peter Pettigrew sat thinking about the brewing war on the outside world, he thought about the good and the bad of both parties fighting the war. A time would come in which everyone had to make a choice that ultimately decided their fate, the question was which one would he choose. Would he fight the dark side alongside his friends and do what was right but hard. Or would he fight against them and do what was wrong..but easy.
The more he continued to think about the two choices he was coming closer to making the more he began to zone out. He barely touched his food not noticing his friends leaving the hall until Sirius tapped his shoulder with the arm that was not clung to Eloise's waist. "You coming mate?"
"Yeah" he nodded gently "Hey guys..?" he said hesitantly gaining the groups attention as they were walking back to the common room minus Lily and James who were escorting first years.
"Yeah Pete?" asked Eloise smiling at the boy.
"Uh..I just-i'm just wondering..what side do you think we should fight on?"
At this question everyone let out a loud laugh "You're joking right mate?" snorted Sirius "We fight against Voldemort of course"
"But we could die" he squealed
"I'd rather die free and fighting for what I believe in than trapped like a fugitive killing muggleborns and a mark on my arm" reasoned Sirius
"Yeah.." nodded Peter hesitantly "I guess you're right"
"Oh Petey" smiled Eloise "You do make me giggle"
But if only they saw the signs now...perhaps in three years time Lily and James would still be alive.