Harry Potter: The Golden Viper

0188 The Tale of the Scab

Sirius Black, the notorious mass murderer who escaped from the wizarding prison of Azkaban, had sneaked into the castle and ruined the festive atmosphere of Halloween. Under normal circumstances, the fear and panic brought by this despicable and evil criminal would make the young wizards uneasy for a long time, but the director of the student safety office of Hogwarts, who returned to the school at lightning speed, Professor Watson, pulled the young wizards out of the dark shadow of terror with his reassuring presence. 

The Great Hall today was as warm and lively as yesterday. Although there were no twisting ribbons on the walls of the spacious hall, the food piled on the four long tables was more abundant and delicious. The students enjoyed their breakfast while chatting and laughing, forgetting the horror of last night. Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts, introduced Bryan, the Director of Student Safety Office, to everyone again with witty and humorous words. When Professor Watson, who had defeated the Basilisk and ended the legend of the Chamber of Secrets, stood up and waved to everyone with a modest smile, the Great Hall was suddenly filled with thunderous applause! 

Everyone's hearts were greatly encouraged. They believed that Professor Watson, who had proven his courage and wisdom, would continue his brilliant record and force the evil that threatened their lives out of the darkness again. 

At this moment of celebration, only one person. No, only one rat, was facing the bone-chilling cold alone. 

The clear and bright moonlight shone through the carved window panes into the Gryffindor common room soaked in darkness. In the empty dormitory, a humble and timid figure was hiding in the gap between the four-poster bed and the wall, shivering. He was clutching a piece of cheese that he had stolen from the kitchen, but he had no appetite to eat it. 

He had given up his human form for the sake of survival for twelve years, but now it seemed that the final judgment was coming soon. 

Ever since Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban, everyone was talking about what he would do next. A very small number of wizards who had insider's information believed that Black's purpose of escaping was to kill the boy, the 'Boy Who Lived' who made the Dark Lord fall. The boy who was also the son of his best friends, James and Lily Potter. 

But Peter Pettigrew knew that Black would not kill Harry Potter, because the one who betrayed the Potters was not Black, but himself. 

Black knew that he was not dead, but lived as a rat in the Weasley family. Now, he was coming for revenge, not only for the Potters, but also for Black himself, who had been framed and imprisoned by him. Peter didn't know how Black got the news, but he was sure that Black must have known. 

'What should he do?'

Peter curled up his palm-sized body and tried to think hard in despair and fear. He had been thinking about this question for months. 

'Run away!' 

This was the thought that came to him instinctively, it was his original plan. 

But after thinking deeply, he gave up this idea and still followed the Weasley boy, Ron, back to Hogwarts. 

The reason was simple, as long as he stayed with Ron, he could enjoy the protection that Dumbledore had arranged for the boy. As long as he was in this protection, Black might not be able to get close to him. Peter thought so, but now it seemed that he had underestimated Black's means and determination. 

Last night, Black was only separated from him by a wall, and he almost couldn't save his precious life. 

Peter didn't know how Black broke through the hundreds of dementors outside the wall and broke into Hogwarts, but he knew that last night's failure would not make Black back down. He would try again until he killed himself, or Black himself was killed. 

How could he fall into this absurd situation? 

The clear and bright moonlight was so pale and cold in his black eyes that were tearful with fear. 

Even until now, Peter still didn't understand why the person who was so powerful that even his name couldn't be mentioned was defeated by a baby. He didn't understand why, he made the decision after careful consideration. He had clearly chosen the stronger side, but why did he end up like this? 

Everything seemed to go back to the beginning, back to the time when he first entered Hogwarts. 

*Flashback*

The golden candlelight in the hall shone on a short and thin boy who was tremblingly walking towards the Sorting Hat, as if he was wearing a cloak of the fear. He had no friends, no confidence, no talent. He had only one wish, to be sorted into a house that would accept him and protect him. 

"Ah-" 

Even today, Peter still remembered the regretful sigh of the tattered Sorting Hat that brought him the despair as deep as death.

 "Please-" 

The young Peter begged humbly, his voice barely audible in the noisy hall. He was too scared, he had always been like this since he could remember, because of his timid personality, he was not smart enough, had no outstanding magic talent, he would fail at everything he tried, he was afraid that he would be sent home by the hat, he was afraid to face his mother's disappointed eyes again. 

He had seen her face when she received his letter, a mixture of surprise and hope, as if she expected him to follow his father's footsteps and become a great wizard. But Peter knew that he was nothing like his father, who had died bravely in the first wizarding war, leaving behind a heroic legacy and a broken family. 

"You are not a brave child, wisdom and hard work are not your strengths, and you don't have enough ambition, sigh… let me think, where should you go…" 

"Please, sir…" Peter pleaded bitterly, "as long as you keep me!" 

"As long as I keep you?" The Sorting Hat chuckled, "What do you think, child?" 

'What do I think?' Peter was at a loss, helpless and stunned. For many years, he had been living in his mother's hopeful eyes and his father's legendary stories of being born in Gryffindor and dying heroically, no one cared about what he thought… He had never made a choice for himself, he had always followed others. He had no dreams, no goals, no identity. He was just a shadow... a nobody. 

"I want to go to Gryffindor…" 

Peter muttered in a trance, those countless nights, he fell asleep listening to his father's brave and fearless stories, Peter still remembered clearly, his mother was proud and happy when she told those stories… He wanted his mother to be proud of him…. He wanted to be like his father, to be respected and admired, to be a hero. 

"Go to Gryffindor?" 

The Sorting Hat's voice became strange, "You said you want to go to Gryffindor, well, in my opinion, Hufflepuff might help you get out of the quagmire of your heart, but since you made a choice…, I hope that in the long life ahead, you can find the courage hidden in your heart." 

That was one of the few happy moments in his life, when the Sorting Hat shouted out his choice with a loud voice, he seemed to see his mother's proud eyes turn towards him for the first time. 

He felt a surge of joy and relief, as if he had passed a test. He walked towards the Gryffindor table, where a group of cheering students welcomed him with open arms. He felt a sense of belonging, a sense of acceptance, a sense of home. 

But the truth is always cruel, everything was as the Sorting Hat said on the sorting ceremony, he was not a brave child, the house of courage did not dig out his inner courage, but made him more timid. 

The pain followed… Everyone around him seemed to look at him with strange eyes, as if they wondered how he got into Gryffindor, as if they doubted his abilities, as if they mocked his weakness. 

He was always the last in class, the first to be picked on, the one who always needed help. He was always the follower, the sidekick, the tag-along. He was always the rat, the worm, the scab. 

'It can't go on like this!' 

The young Peter said to himself, he needed, needed…, someone to shelter him, someone to protect him. 

Peter soon found his target, James Potter and Sirius Black, these two were the most outstanding among the students, no matter where they went, they always shone. They were handsome, smart, talented, popular, rebellious, and fearless. 

'Chose the right person…Ha ha, I picked the right person!' 

In the dark, Peter was overjoyed. He endured the servitude and jokes, and became their friend, and got their shelter, no one could bully him in school anymore… oh, there was a werewolf, a disgusting werewolf who also joined in… 

'It doesn't matter, I can tolerate him, as long as I don't lose this shelter!' 

Peter thought, as he followed them loyally, pretending to be their friend, pretending to be their equal, pretending to be happy. He didn't care about Remus, he didn't care about their adventures, he didn't care about their loyalty. He only cared about himself, he only cared about this shelter. 

Time quietly passed, Peter asked himself, did he find the courage hidden in his heart as the Sorting Hat said? 

No, no…, but it doesn't matter anymore, he found that, even without courage, he could still live in a way that most people envy. 

Become a vassal, become a vassal of the strong, even if…, even if it is in the way of a servant. 

He carefully served those three people, followed behind them, and lived in their halo, as if he was shining too… although it was illusory, it was still radiant, and envied by others! 

After graduation, in the wider world, those who used to shine brightly have became dim and even endangered themselves. 

'Only strong people can continue to shelter me!' 

Peter thought happily as he crouched humbly in front of the laughing Dark Lord. 

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