Title: Believe

Character: Peter Pettigrew.

Notes: This is a freeverse poem in memory of Peter Pettigrew, a believer. I am in love with this, so I hope you enjoy!

You were a child once,

innocent,

lovable and shy and loyal.

Children g^r^o^w up.

Hearts grow black.

Love fades.

Sometimes, shyness peters out.

Loyalties change.

.

You were more than the traitor

(soldiersolider)

and more than the friend

(betrayerbetrayer)

you were Peter Pettigrew,

and dammit,

in your own way, you were brilliant.

.

Maybe you could always believe

and say that you were just as perfect

as J-a-m-e-s P-o-t-t-e-r;

just as handsome

as S-i-r-i-u-s B-l-a-c-k;

just as intelligent

as R-e-m-u-s L-u-p-i-n,

and not just as boring as Peter Pettigrew.

(liarliar)

.

But really, you were powerful -

in your own special way.

You were cheerful, supportive, and spiteful,

and you were brave, loyal,

and selfish,

and quick-witted, clever, and scathing,

and in the end,

your pros, and your cons,

were bala/nced.

.

You weren't always the bad guy

and for some reason,

that's something they all seem to forget.

.

Because children aren't born evil;

Cowards don't play at playgrounds

and sinners don't buy lollipops.

You don't get on the express train

outta Hell

to be bought by the Devil.

.

Maybe if they'd paid more attention to you

(that's right, go and blame it on them)

or if the professors had tried harder

(what if YOU

had tried harder, hmm?)

or if Mary McDonald hadn't turned you down

(sweet little Mary was doing the

right thing)

then you might've turned out alright.

.

You doubted it.

.

You doubted them all.

.

Because what did Pettigrews do best?

They believed.

You believed perfect Padfoot&Prongs

- crack -

and morose Moony

- snap -

and lovely Lily

- ! -

When they told you that you were more than

their fifth wheel

- "Oops" -

But you were Fifth-Wheel-Wormtail.

You just didn't expect the car to

- crash! -

so soon.

.

Your si/de was empty;

only you,

and your pretentious belief that your bravery was

one-of-a-kind.

.

Thing is -

you were seventeen years old.

You had your wHole lifE aheAd, eVery yEar remaiNing,

waiting for you.

aDrENALIne rushing through your veins

(confusing, gnisufnoc - lla dexim pu)

it ended on the day you turned

eighteen.

.

And suddenly -

you were eighteen years old.

You had your doubts; thousands and thousands,

and suddenly,

You weren't so invincible.

Never were, come to that.

.

Alone and u˅p˅s˅i˅d˅e d^o^w^n -

you were nineteen years old.

You had your friends and your enemies and - wait, what?

They were the same?

Well, Peter, you knew how to run.

.

Just then -

you were twenty years old.

Look at that; the mask fits!

Don't you feel like Cinderella

- shhh -

your filthy Muggle father can stay a secret for now.

.

And finally -

you were twenty one years old.

Victory was sweet; you remember thinking,

but not as sweet as

REVENGE.

Maybe you were a bit "delddum",

and pain was a bit too b-b-bitter.

.

You were a child once;

but the Devil called and you answered

(your first mistake)

and your heart started to shrivel

(burnburn).

Your life was like the climax of a car crash,

and your power petered out,

in the end,

because loyalties change -

and they were stuck,

trying to believe.