Chapter Text
Peter wondered how he got himself into these situations. Sneaking out was fun, of course, but his destination was not. Who actually went to the hospital wing if they didn’t have to? But James said Remus would be more comfortable in his own bed and Sirius called the escapade a fun lark. So here Peter was, skulking through the school almost two hours after curfew. The prefects had already returned from their rounds but some of the professors might still be up hunting stray students. He had to keep his eyes and ears sharply alert to avoid detention, or worse.
Getting back to his own question, though, the answer was obvious. Because James and Sirius talked him into it, as usual. They could get him to do nearly anything, and sometimes it irritated him to no end. But that was part of being a marauder. If he didn’t mold himself to fit in, he’d be cut out faster than a lumos. He didn’t want the other boys to turn against him. He kept quiet and made himself useful for things the other two didn’t want to do for themselves. He knew he needed them far more than they needed him.
Remus never complained about anything, so grateful to simply be able to attend school despite his affliction. James and Sirius seemed to think he'd rather be in the dorm than the hospital wing. The assumption had merit, since anyone would. But to spring Remus out meant someone had to take his place. And Peter knew that James and Sirius would always slough such undesirable tasks onto him, because they could, and because he’d let them. He couldn’t say no to whatever they wanted. He stopped short as he approached another intersection, listening carefully for quiet footsteps before moving on again.
They were too powerful to refuse, not just in magic but everywhere. Magic, money and connections. They had it all. He'd do whatever they asked just to stay on their good side, to avoid being their next target, especially when he couldn't get away from them after curfew. But Remus, like him, was as much a bystander as a marauder, drawn into their circle of friends by the happenstance of the hat's decision to throw them all into one room for seven years. Forming an alliance had been smart and advantageous. Standing against them would be utter misery and foolishness.
Peter drew the cloak around him more tightly and crept onward. On the upside, he got to use it for once. James let Sirius borrow it willy nilly, but paid much closer attention whenever he or Remus wanted to use it. For such ‘sanctioned shenanigans’ though, James deemed the cloak a necessary tool for sneaking through the corridors. Peter might get to do this again if Remus liked it. He could plan around that each month. Remus would wear the cloak back to the dorm, but going to the hospital wing by way of perhaps the restricted section... easy peasy.
Chapter 2: Hierarchies
Notes:
This chapter is for SiriuslySapphic. Prompt: "Exploring pureblood society/culture."
Chapter Text
As he headed down another flight of stairs, skipping over the squeaky or talkative steps, Peter considered what being a marauder meant to him, and meant for him. He belonged to the group, even if lesser ranked. Every leader needed a follower, so he would always be welcome. They shielded him from the worst aspects of the social structure. Without them, he’d be invisible at best, or more likely, unpopular. His family connections wouldn’t interest a potential ally, nor would his social graces win him fame or friends. He could’ve easily been the year’s goat. Instead, he was a marauder.
That by itself raised his status more than anything else he could have done. Sirius, disowned though he may be, was a Black, the absolute peak of the social mountain. James, Heir Potter, came as close to an equal as anyone could while not being Sacred Twenty Eight. Their differences only mattered to others within that same echelon. They ranked in the clouds compared to himself and Remus. And they were inseparable, always at each other's side, watching each other's backs. So long as they didn’t see him as a threat, they would allow him to continue standing with them.
Remus, on the other hand, was much more down to earth. The boy’s lycanthropy didn’t matter all that much to Peter. If anything, such a damning secret affliction brought home just how good it was to be normal. Despite his intelligence and strength and power, Remus’s imperfection made him easier for Peter to relate to. The werewolf wasn’t so lofty as the others, and was more on Peter’s own level. He and Remus needed to look out for each other or they would get lost in the shuffle. They couldn't expect a dorm room friendship to last much beyond graduation.
As he cautiously peered around another empty corner, it occurred to him that the pecking order within the marauders only mattered among the four of them. James and Sirius created the plans and pushed for their pranks. He and Remus went along for the ride. But for the most part, other students only saw the group, not the variance within, especially those of lower to middling status. There was safety in this perception. All of the marauders shared in the Black prestige. He wasn't a Black, but he was very close to one. And no one messed with the Blacks.
So as long as they wanted him around, he’d do anything they asked. Peter knew better than to demand much in return. Life didn’t work that way. For now, he’d drift along in their protection, enjoying the borrowed status that made his school years so much less horrid than he’d feared. He would be what they made of him until graduation. It would end there, he knew that. He had nothing to offer them afterwards, but nostalgia could prove useful later, if he needed friends in high places. Perhaps someday, they might need a friend in a low place, too.
acydpop on Chapter 1 Sat 04 Jun 2022 09:17PM UTC
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karameiwaku on Chapter 1 Mon 06 Jun 2022 03:48PM UTC
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AllTheWorldIsBlind on Chapter 2 Sat 04 Jun 2022 05:14PM UTC
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karameiwaku on Chapter 2 Mon 06 Jun 2022 03:50PM UTC
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