Title: What If?

Summary: I just wondered, what would happen, if Sirius would have been secret-keeper for James and Lily, instead of Peter… So here's my take on it…

Warnings: Contains torture, angst, and possibly character death, so I you don't like that, don't read it!

A/N: Okay, my first fanfiction here. Tell me what you think about it, but no flames. Flames are fed to my pet dragon, without further notice….

And thanks to Trish, for encouraging me to write more and being my muse, and to Sparx, for beta'ing…

Chapter 1

"You think we should take Peter as our secret-keeper?"

"It would be a good bluff. No one would be suspicious of him; every one will think it was me. No one besides the four of us would know the truth, so no one could tell Him." Sirius was obviously quite pleased with his idea and himself, but James had a bad feeling. Most of the time he listened to his stomach; that had made his pranks so successful. If he only knew what it meant to tell him now!

Then Lily said, "A good bluff - as long as Peter isn't the traitor."

Sirius stared at her wordlessly. Of course, it could be Peter, he had just never thought of it. Somehow he was sure it was Remus. But Peter had offered himself - well, not really offered, but he had been quite happy about this idea. Too happy, considering it meant risking his life?

James finally made his decision. "Lily is right. It could be Peter, we just can't be sure. Please, Padfoot, do this, for me, for us."

Sirius gave himself a kick. He still thought his idea to be good, but when James didn't want to ask Peter, he wouldn't try to change his opinion. It was James' family in question.

"Of course, Prongs, you're probably right," he said softly.

"Then we're going to meet again this evening, here? We still have to get some things, and get other things done before we disappear."

"Ok, meanwhile I'll tell Peter that the plan stays."

"Do you believe it to be a good idea to tell him?"

"Well, it won't be hard to guess whom you will take as a secret-keeper." Sirius laughed. "That's why I suggested you taking Peter. No one would think of it being him."

James stared thoughtfully into the space, thought about the idea again. No - he just had a bad feeling when thinking about the idea of making Peter the secret-keeper.

"Okay, then I'll tell him about your decision. We then meet at about five p.m. Is this okay with you?"

"Yes, that's fine, see you then!"

With this they departed until evening.

Sirius knocked at the door, for the (be careful of typos!! you had "fort he) third time already. Where could Peter be? Then the door finally opened, and a small man, whose hair began to grow thin already, greeted him: "Hello, Sirius! Long time no see, how are you? Please come in." Somehow Peter seemed to be nervous.

"Hello Peter!" Sirius went through the open door. "I just come to tell you, that everything stays as it was planned. I will be the secret-keeper to James and Lilly."

Did he only imagine it, or did Peter really look disappointed? Then the look disappeared, and Sirius was sure that he had just imagined it. That was surely a product of Lily's comment: "as long as Peter isn't the traitor." He shook his head, he really didn't need hallucinations, especially now. Soon a hell of a lot of Death Eaters would be after him, so he would need a clear head.

"Okay, I have to make some preparations, I just wanted to tell you the news. I'll be gone then." He went on his way to the door. "Could be that we won't see each other for quite some time, I think I'll go into hiding. That's safer. See you!"

"See you!"

When he was sure that Sirius had gone, Peter started shaking. Sirius would become secret-keeper, not him. And he had already told his master, how near they had come his goal. What would happen to him, now? He had failed, and his master didn't tolerate failure. But perhaps- a new thought occurred to him. If he gave Sirius to Voldemort, then perhaps his master would be satisfied with him.

This evening, the Potters met Sirius in their house. Everything was ready for the admittedly very difficult Fidelius-Charm. After some preparation, they carried it out, Harry lying in his bed in the middle of them. And when they had finished it, a bright, golden light that surrounded all of them, and then broke into a thousand sparkles came out of their wands. Harry started smiling, and tried to grab the sparkles with his little fingers, but didn't get one.

"Did it work?" Sirius asked.

"I think so. We did everything right, and Dumbledore said that a bright light would be the sign, that the charm did work - although I didn't think that it would be that beautiful." Lily remarked.

"Good, then I'll better go home, and pack my things. No reason to sit around, where everyone will look for me first: For safety I will stay away from here, too, perhaps they will look for me here, too. We'll be seeing each other, take care!" Sirius waved his goodbye.

"I think we are much safer now than you. So don't do anything stupid, Sirius!"

"I'll take care of myself. You know me!" Sirius put up his charming "nice-boy-smile".

"Yes, I do know you. That's why I'm worried!" James grinned cheekily at him.

Sirius boxed him playfully into the ribs. "Oooowwww! Leave it!"

"Oh, come on, that couldn't have hurt, now could it?"

"No, it didn't", admitted James. "But you really better go now. Safe is safe!"

After Sirius had left the house, he went to his own home. During the whole way he didn't realize he was being followed. As his follower was a rat, it was nearly impossible for Sirius to recognize any followers.

Arriving at home, he immediately went to his bedroom, and started packing his robes and some pictures. He had started to pick out what he would need before, but there hadn't been enough time to pack it.

When he was almost finished, a loud knock came from the front door. Who could this be? Carefully he went to the door. Fortunately, or rather intentional, directly next to the door there was a window. And when he looked out of it, he saw Peter standing there. `Probably he wants to know whether everything worked out', Sirius thought, and opened the door.

Peter started stuttering: "He-hello Sirius! I just wanted - can I come in? One better does not talk about it so openly." he looked around with a frightened glance.

"Of course, come in." After both of them were in the house, and Sirius had closed the door, he added: "I just was packing. Yes, everything worked," he answered Wormtail's unasked question. Then he suddenly heard a loud noise, like a crack, from the door leading to the garden. Quickly he took his wand out, ready to immediately hex an intruder and went to the door to the veranda. But through the glass door nothing could be seen.

Peter stood right behind him now, with his wand ready, too. One after the other they went very carefully into the garden, to look for the cause of the noise. Then they were suddenly surrounded by beings in black robes, who wore masks in front of their faces.

`Death Eater, they have found me' the thought flew fast through Sirius head, before in a part of a second he aimed his wand at the nearest masked figure, and cried "Expelliarmus!" And although the wand of his opponent - and some of the other Death Eater's wands as well, flew through the sky, he didn't have much of a chance. And he knew it. But he continued to cry disarming-charms, stunning-charms, protection-charms, and ducked his opponents curses, but finally some curses met him flat on the chest, and he fell to the floor like a stone, and stayed there motionless.

"Oh great. Hopefully he isn't dead, the master needs him alive!"

"He has a thick head, he'll survive it."

"Hopefully. I'll look soon, but first we have to tie him up." The speaker aimed his wand at him, and murmured something. Some ropes wound themselves around Sirius' body, and tied him up. Then the Death Eater approached him, to feel his pulse.

End of chapter one

So, what do you think? Please tell me, more reviews equals faster writing – and especially translating so you can read it… J