There was a loud knock on the door, followed by hushed arguments. Lydia and Cora both made their way to the door.
"It was definitely too much force."
"Then you should've knocked!"
"I'm not knocking! This is terrifying enough."
"You killed a giant snake, I think you can knock on a door."
The door abruptly opened, Lydia peering out to the four late teens awkwardly standing in their front garden.
"Mrs Pettigrew?" The only girl asked, curly brown hair bouncing as she pushed past two boys, "We're sorry to come to your home unannounced like this, but we got your address from Headmistress McGonagall."
"She's the head now?" Lydia blinked.
The girl nodded, "Yes. And my friend here thought we should come visit to talk to you about something that may be quite upsetting."
The girl's gesture to the boy on her left got Lydia's attention, as she looked at him properly and suddenly found herself in the past- James Potter showing up out of the blue practically every week during the summer, begging to grab Peter to hang out with.
"James?"
The boy almost rolled his eyes as he stepped forwards and awkwardly waved, "I'm Hari, actually. James was my dad."
Lydia's eyes widened, "I'm sorry for your loss."
"Well I should probably be saying that to you."
She paused, "Excuse me?"
"Hari!" The girl hissed, elbowing him in the rib.
Lydia opened the door wider, "Why don't you kids come in, we've just put the kettle on."
"Thank you", the girl smiled, grabbing the hand of a ginger boy behind her as she walked through the doorway.
"What if they're evil rat people too?" The ginger boy not so quietly whispered.
Cora guided them to the sofas, "Us? I wouldn't say we're evil and sadly not rat people, I do love those little worm tails."
The ginger boy snorted, cheeks turning red.
Hari took a seat, followed by a fourth boy.
Lydia poured them all a cup of tea, "So, you came here to tell us some upsetting news? Best get to it, our usual tea companion usually gets right to business with telling us bad news."
The girl nodded, "Yes, right. Well, Hari? Did you want to tell them?"
"No, not really."
She huffed, placing her own tea cup down, the ginger boy wrapping an arm around her waist, "I'm really sorry to tell you this, but your son is gone."
Lydia smiled, sipping her own cup, "I'm well aware, my dear. He's been gone for a long time now, seventeen years."
Hari frowned, "Do you not know about what's happening in the wizarding world?"
Lydia shook her head, "Not a clue. I left that place behind completely when I was about your age. Only stepped my toe in now and then when Peter needed me to. And my wife's a muggle so we've never really felt the need to go back there."
"Your son wasn't really dead", the girl started to say.
"But he is now", the ginger boy continued.
Hari nodded, "He got killed for being a traitor."
"Right, but by his own side, or hand, I suppose."
"Is your hand not on your side, Mione?"
"I really don't think that's the point, right now."
"Anyway, he died properly this time. When before he was a rat so he escaped and was ron's pet."
"Can we not mention that?"
"Right, sorry. And then he helped voldemort again and now he's proper dead."
"There's a funeral for him. A second one, I suppose. But that's why we're here, to tell you and invite you to the funeral."
"Sounds a bit bleak."
"Well, death is a bleak subject, Ron!"
"I know that!"
"Everyone knows that!"
Cora coughed, trying to get their attention, "Can we maybe explain this a little clearer?"
The fourth boy sat up straighter, "I brought a newspaper with me, I thought it might make it easier."
He passed the paper to the two women. They carefully read it, articles on Peter being a spy for the order and his recent death.
Lydia clutched the paper tightly, reading the words over and over and over again.
Cora smiled hesitantly at the four teenagers, "Thank you for coming to tell us. When is the funeral?"
"The fifth of next month", Hari spoke, "I found a graveyard close by here, I thought that might be what you two wanted."
Cora nodded, "Yes, that means a lot. Thank you."
They all stood up to leave, Cora showing them to the door.
Hari turned to her, "We'll all come to the funeral. But I wouldn't expect the place to be very full."
"Of course."
The fourth boy stepped forwards, a bouquet in hand that he passed to her, "I grew these for you. The flowers represent loss and innocence."
Cora smiled back, "Thank you, although maybe that last meaning isn't so accurate anymore."
The boy shrugged, "Well, there is a certain innocence through death, isn't there? No matter what you did in life, your body is now giving back to the world as you decompose."
"Neville!" Ron shouted.
Cora laughed slightly, "Right you are, neville, was it?"
He nodded, "And. Well you and your wife knew Peter Pettigrew at his most innocent. So no matter how much darkness he put into the world, you still hold the memories of his innocence. Which may have been tampered out but were still very much real."
Cora squeezed Neville's shoulder gently, "You're a good kid. And I know my wife would want me to tell you this, so can I just say. Your self worth comes from here", she pointed to his heart, "not from the outside world. And if people aren't paying you enough attention then get right in their face and just shout at them. What you do for others isn't what makes them care for you, they just do care for you. Okay?"
"Yes", Neville nodded, "I, um, I think I already knew that."
As the door shut, Lydia stood in the darkened hall, staring at the shut door, a photo of a young Peter clutched in her hand and the other holding the newspaper.
"He reminds me of him."
(for @jegulily-stuff <3)
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