Behind the smiles

Nightmares I

The room was dark. The walls were covered in posters, pictures, and prank ideas. Four boys were asleep, each in his own bed with the curtains drawn. An abandoned game of gobstones was still on the floor.

Peter Pettigrew started to move around in his own bed, beads of sweat appearing on his forehead.

He was at home, having dinner with his family.
His father frowned down on him. "Peter, You must do everything to survive. That's what true bravery is! You're a worthless disappointment! Why couldn't you be like your older sister? She is an auror now. Look at your marks last year! At this rate, you will never be an auror, a healer, or anything worth it!"

Peter trembled in his seat. His father was right. He wasn't smart. He wasn't talented. He would never ammount to anything!

The scene shifted. He was in the Transfiguration classroom at Hogwarts.
"Mr. Pettigrew! I expected more from you. Turn this teacup into a mouse." Professor Mcgnagall was glowering at him. Desperately, he pointed his wand at it, trying to recall the incantation. He felt like he was falling, like he was being sucked into the floor. He couldn't do it. He was a fifth year Gryffindor....he couldn't do it.

The scene changed again, he was in the hallway. A few Slytherin students loomed over him, laughing.
"Pettigrew is nothing without his 'friends' to protect him." One of them sneered.
"He's a coward." The other laughed menacingly.
"I'm not!" He shouted, trying to remember a hex, a spell, anything to make them go away. Nothing. He couldn't remember anything.
One of them raised his wand. "You're nothing. All you are is a coward, a disappointment." His fathers voice seemed to echo through the walls.
"I'm not!" He whispered.
"I'm not!" He tried to raise his voice.

"I'm not!" He shouted. His eyes snapped open. He was in a dark room....his room. Three pairs of eyes were looking back at him. "I'm-I'm sorry....did I wake you guys up?"

"Nah." Smiled the messy haired boy as he put on his glasses. He stood up straighter.
"You were mumbling in your sleep, wormtail." The other boy yawned.
"I wasn't sleeping anyway. You know me...I don't sleep much." The sandy brown haired biy smiled. He raised his wand and muttered "Lumos."

Remus Lupin was holding a glass of water. He handed it to Peter and rubbed him on the back.
Sirius Black sat down beside Peter.
James Potter looked him in the eye. "Peter. Do you want to talk about your....nightmare?"
Peters eyes darted around the room. Anything but that! He didn't want anyone to...to know that.....that he really was a worthless disappointment.
James sighed. He got up and took something from his trunk.
"Well boys, it's 4:00 in the morning. I say we finish our game of gobstones to pass the time." He waved the bag of solid gold gobstones in his hand. "My dad got me a new set." He sat down on the floor, so did Sirius, and Remus.

Peter smiled. He sat down as well. "Thanks...Really, I--"
"Save it Wormtail. I bet I can beat you in this game!" Sirius laughed. He picked up a green gobstone.
Remus smiled. He picked up a blue one.
James turned to Peter. "Peter. You're not worthless....we heard you mumbling about that. Just saying...you always beat us at gobstones and...well, you're good at care of magical creatures...and...You're not worthless, Wormtail."

Peter wanted to say something, but James made the first move in the game hastily. The four boys proceeded to play. Peter won three games out of three.