Talking to Peter

The three hurried as fast as they could, but they still missed curfew.

The castle stood silently beneath the moonlight.

Lucretia held a Crystal Vial filled with Unicorn tears in one hand.

The vial glowed faintly in the moonlight, reminding her of the miracle she had just experienced.

Little Barty had kept an arm around her shoulders ever since they started back, holding her tightly.

Regulus walked on her other side, occasionally looking back to make sure no one was following them.

Lucretia smiled. "That was incredible. I never imagined I'd have an experience like that. When its horn touched my forehead..."

Little Barty's voice held a pride even he did not seem aware of. "You're special. Unicorns can tell."

Regulus smiled as well. "I've read about it in the books at home. Unicorns only shed tears voluntarily under extremely rare circumstances. Little sister, you're probably the first first-year in Hogwarts history to receive such a gift."

Little Barty shot his friend a glance, then turned to Lucretia. "Don't put pressure on her, Regulus. How do you feel now? That blessing didn't make you uncomfortable, did it?"

Lucretia shook her head and raised a hand to touch her forehead. "No. I just feel very warm."

After they crossed the last stretch of woods, the outline of Hogwarts Castle appeared before them. The scattered lights in its windows reminded them that there were still people patrolling at night.

Regulus pointed ahead and warned them, "Keep your voices down. I know a route that can avoid Filch's patrols."

Little Barty raised an eyebrow. "Did your brother teach you that too? That S.B. map expert?"

Regulus shrugged. "At least his troublemaking experience comes in handy sometimes. Take the path on the left and follow the outer wall."

The three moved slowly along the castle wall, doing their best to avoid the brightly lit areas.

As they approached an inconspicuous side door, Regulus stopped and held an arm out in front of the other two.

He lowered his voice, his eyes fixed on the shadows ahead. "Wait. Someone's there."

The three pressed themselves against the wall.

By the dim torchlight, they saw a short figure darting between the columns. It moved furtively, stopping every few steps to look around.

Little Barty's jaw tightened, and his hand instinctively moved toward his wand. "Pettigrew? What's he doing here at this hour?"

Regulus stared at the figure for several seconds.

"For the past few weeks, he's been asking around about the Crouch family. He's questioned quite a few people. Last week, when my sister and I were doing homework in the library, I noticed him wandering among the nearby shelves. Every time he passed by, he'd sneak a look at our table. I thought it was just a coincidence at the time."

Little Barty's expression immediately darkened. "That little hanger-on. I thought I'd warned him."

Regulus added, "Barty, maybe it's because of our relationship. At the beginning of term, he asked me several times about Mr. Crouch. Strange questions, like whether Mr. Crouch discussed work at home, whether you and my sister had access to Ministry of Magic documents, things like that. But when he saw my expression, he always made an excuse and slipped away."

Lucretia looked at them in surprise. "Why would Mr. Pettigrew be interested in those things?"

Little Barty said coldly, "Because someone put him up to it. I noticed it a long time ago. Every time you passed by, he stared at you like he was studying some dragon specimen."

Regulus thought for a moment, then made a decision. "You take Lucretia back to Ravenclaw Tower first. I'll go have a talk with Pettigrew."

Little Barty frowned. "Now? Are you sure?"

A faint smile crossed Regulus's face.

That smile made Lucretia take half a step back.

It was completely different from his usual gentle, reserved expression. There was something in that smile she had only seen a few times on Madam Black's and Sirius's faces.

Regulus's voice was soft, but there was a chill in his eyes. "Just a friendly reminder. Some things aren't meant to be pried into."

Lucretia grabbed his sleeve. "Brother Regulus, you won't..."

Regulus patted her hand, and his smile turned gentle again. "Don't worry. It's just a conversation. Don't you trust your brother?"

Little Barty stared at Regulus for several seconds. Some silent exchange passed between them.

He nodded. "All right, but don't make it too obvious. West Wing Corridor, second floor. Ten minutes."

"You think I'm Sirius? Turning Foreman's cauldron into fireworks during Potions class, forcing Professor Slughorn to end the lesson and send everyone to Madam Pomfrey? Relax. I'm more reliable than he is."

Little Barty rolled his eyes at Regulus, then turned to Lucretia. "Isn't that everyday business for Gryffindor? Come on, I'll take you back to the tower."

Lucretia still hesitated. "Brother Regulus, what if Mr. Filch catches you..."

Regulus smiled and gave her a gentle push. "Go on. It's late; you need to rest. I'll head back to the dormitory once I'm done. Nothing will happen."

Lucretia looked at both of them. Little Barty put an arm around her and turned toward another path leading into the castle.

Regulus watched them leave until their figures disappeared around the corner.

His smile faded. He adjusted his collar and headed toward Peter.

Little Barty led Lucretia through several more secluded corridors. Neither of them spoke.

Only after they had climbed several flights of stairs and were sure they were far from the castle's main areas did Lucretia speak. "Brother Regulus won't hurt Mr. Pettigrew, will he? I mean, in a way the professors would find out about?"

Little Barty glanced at her. "You're worried? Regulus is gentler than I am. He's just going to scare him a little."

"But why is Mr. Pettigrew so interested in the Crouch family? Is it because of Father's work at the Ministry of Magic?"

Little Barty stopped and pulled her beside a wall without any portraits. "Listen, there's something you need to know. We suspect Pettigrew has been watching you and the Crouch family, and it isn't out of personal curiosity."

Lucretia's eyes widened. "Watching us? Why?"

Little Barty placed a hand on her shoulder. "Maybe someone is interested in Father's work at the Ministry of Magic, or maybe they want to use you to gather information. Either way, it's nothing good."

Lucretia remembered Sophia's warning: be careful of that rat.

Her expression changed.

"How long have Brother Regulus and you known?"

Little Barty noticed the change in her expression, and his voice grew softer. "For a while. We noticed Pettigrew's unusual attention toward you on the first day of term, but we weren't sure of his purpose, so we kept watching."

Lucretia searched her memories, her voice growing quieter. "He asked me questions a few times. Aside from the ponytail and desserts I told you about before, I ran into him once when my roommates and I were leaving the Great Hall. He asked what food I liked, and... oh, he did ask what Father was like at home."

Little Barty's jaw clenched. "If you run into him again, don't answer any of his questions, no matter how harmless they seem. Come find me or Regulus immediately, understand?"

Lucretia nodded. "I understand."

They continued onward and soon reached the stairway leading to Ravenclaw Tower.

Little Barty instructed her, "Don't tell anyone about tonight yet. Not even your roommates."

Thinking of what had happened in the Forbidden Forest that night, Lucretia smiled. "I know. It's our secret."

Little Barty's expression softened slightly, and he lightly patted her shoulder. "Mm. Tomorrow's the weekend. Sleep until you wake up naturally. Go on, I'll see you tomorrow."

She nodded to him and turned to head upstairs.

Little Barty remained where he was, his gaze following her retreating figure. Only after making sure she had safely reached the tower entrance did he turn and leave, striding quickly toward their meeting place.