Midnight Disaster | Harry Potter FanFiction

Capitulum Duo

The room was rundown, filthy and lit only by the fire in the fireplace. One person was sitting in an armchair in front of the fireplace while another knelt at the side of the chair. The man who was kneeling was wearing a black cloak that covered all of his features but his hands were visible. They were visibly shaking and there were only nine fingers total. It was clear for anyone who had read the 'Daily Prophet' that this man was Peter Pettigrew.

Peter Pettigrew, also known as Wormtail because of his Animagus form (a rat) by his former friends, had been taken into custody by the Ministry only to somehow escape after the Black Trial had completed. No one knew how or if they did they weren't talking. Aurors were no searching for the escapee but had little success. Finding one rat with only four fingers on his left front paw was like finding a needle in a haystack.

Pettigrew's soft, fearful voice filled the room. "My Lord, there is a little more is you're still hungry," he said.

The individual in the chair spoke but his voice didn't sound human. It was high-pitched and shockingly cold. "Not now," he hissed. "Move me closer, Wormtail." Wormtail did as he was told, moving the chair closer to the fire then knelt back down. "Where's Nagini?" the high-pitched man asked irritably.

"I—I'm not sure, my Lord," Wormtail answered nervously. "I think she's exploring. May I ask how long we are staying?"

"That remains to be seen," said the high-pitched voice. "We must wait for the Quidditch World Cup to pass. Every witch and wizard in the blasted Ministry of Magic will be watching for any unusual activity, double-checking everyone and everything. That is the way it must be."

"My Lord, must you use Harry Potter?" Wormtail asked softly, almost fearfully. "He is well protected now at Hogwarts with the mutt and wolf as his guardians. Anyone else would be easier..."

"Easier, that is true but I have my reasons," the high-pitched voice said firmly. "It must be Harry Potter. I have plans that will work regardless of any protection that fool, Dumbledore, believes he has on the boy. With a little courage from you, Wormtail, everything will go as planned. Is that to much to ask from a coward like you?"

"My Lord!" Wormtail said in a panic. "I—I was the one who brought Bertha Jorkins to you! She was useful! She had information—"

"—yes, she did but it was more of a stroke of luck than anything. Don't lie to me. You know what I do to those who lie. Her information was invaluable, that is true. You will be rewarded, Wormtail. There is a task you will be allowed to perform, a task many of my followers would give their right hand for but it must not be revealed yet. When the time comes you will be just as useful as Bertha Jorkins was."

Pettigrew quivered in fear. "You....you are going to kill me too?" he asked in a hoarse voice.

"Why would I do that?" the high-pitched voice asked slyly. "Bertha was killed because it was necessary. We couldn't have her going back to the Ministry with what she had seen now could we? I am supposed to be dead and you have the entire Ministry of Magic hunting you. Modifying her memory was out of the question. Memory charms are breakable which would leave us back to our problem of being identified."

Silence filled the room. The owner of the high-pitched voice must have been in deep thought because Pettigrew said nothing. He merely waited for 'his Lord' to speak again. "Patience, Wormtail," the high-pitched voice said distantly. "Once my faithful servant is in place at Hogwarts Harry Potter will be as good as mine. That is the way it must be." There was a faint hissing noise. "I think I hear Nagini," he said then started hissing.

A few moments later a large snake that was almost twelve feet long entered from the next room, hissing back at the man with the high-pitched voice who hissed back. It was almost like they understood each other. It was almost like the man could speak whatever strange language snakes spoke. Pettigrew remained where he was kneeling but it was clear the sight of the snake and man hissing at each other was making him nervous...well, more nervous that he was already.