Chapter 151: Ron's Resistance

"Young people are always fools, Ivan!" Peter looked haughtily at Ivan and said in an imperious voice. "You don't understand the power of the Dark Lord. But I still keep my word. You're a clever boy, if we both join forces..."

"I'd rather die, than betray my friends; let alone set a trap for innocent people, for profit," Ivan said.

"Then we have nothing to talk about!" said Peter disappointed. "It's been a long time since I've seen a wizard as good as you. I intended to help you, to help you gain unimaginable power and honor."

"Those things you value are meaningless!" Ivan turned his head and refused to look at him.

"I don't think so! Well, since you don't care, I have to give this honor to people who need it!" Peter's little teary eyes looked at Ivan trying to figure out what he was thinking, then turned to Ron. He said, "Come on, my dear sir! Those honors are yours. Just catch Black and you'll become a hero in the eyes of the whole world!"

Hearing Pettigrew's voice, Ron picked up the Marauder's Map that was on the floor.

"Wake up, Ron!" looking at Ron, Ivan clenched his fist and shouted angrily. "Come on, don't listen to this guy. He killed Harry's parents. Now he wants to frame Black and Professor Lupin, you can't help him, do you want Harry to hate you for the rest of your life?"

Hearing Harry's name, Ron hesitated.

He stood there, with a pained expression, and resisted the Imperius Curse.

"Come on, Ron!" Ivan shouted. "Think of Harry, think of Hermione, think of everyone, we're all waiting for you, you don't need to prove anything You're already the best!"

"Ivan, Harry, Hermione, and everyone..." Ron muttered.

His expression was getting more and more pained, but his gaze was getting clearer and clearer.

It was visible that the effect of the Imperius spell on him was weakening and, for a moment, Ivan even thought he had succeeded.

But Peter's high-pitched voice was heard again. "My dear young master, do you still remember what you said to me that night? Those you thought were your friends, have always treated you like a lackey, like a joke They don't care for you at all!"

Ivan saw a strange ethereal glow flashing from the tip of the wand in Peter's hand.

"Remember?!" Peter, with a strange smile, said, "You're going to make those who despise you regret it and make them pay."

"Yes, I want them to repent! I want them to pay!", Ron turned to Peter, and his pained expression calmed.

His eyes that were clearing had gone back to dull and emotionless.

"Stop it, Pettigrew!" seeing Ron's face, Ivan's chest was heaving with anger. He gritted his teeth and shouted, "Don't use my wand to cast those filthy spells. Don't use your evil, despicable magic to control Ron."

He wanted to rush towards him, but Peter quickly turned his wand and pointed it at him.

"You don't understand, Ivan!" said Peter quietly. "Just like James, Sirius and Remus, talented wizards like you will never know what we think. You will never know the pressure and pain caused by your oblivious behavior towards your mediocre peers."

In the quiet office, only Pettigrew's voice could be heard.

"Ron has had enough of you, Harry and Hermione. Like me in that year, I've had enough of James, Sirius and Remus!" Peter continued, "To get their approval, like a fool, I was willing to complement them and even risked my life to protect Lupin by learning how to be an Animagus. But what did I get? They never treated me as an equal friend I was just their cowardly sidekick! Ron is just like me..."

"Ron is nothing like you!" Ivan glared furiously at Pettigrew. "He would never betray us! He's being controlled by your Imperius spell!"

"Do you really think so? do you know what Ron thinks of you, Harry and Hermione?" Peter said slowly, "Here's a fact, I'm not like the Dark Lord, I'm not as skilled with this spell, and I don't have as much magical power. But Ron was never able to get rid of my imperius spell, and do you know why?"

Pettigrew looked down at Ivan and his humble, cowardly expression twisted.

"Because what I've made him do is exactly what he had always wanted to do, I'm not controlling him; I'm helping him achieve his desires!", Peter looked closely at Ivan, expecting to see his eyes flooded with despair.

For a moment, he even saw James, Sirius and Remus in this boy. Those three used to be his best friends. He always wanted to tell them how he really felt, and watch their reaction, but he never had the courage.

Now, none of that mattered. This boy was a lot like James and Sirius. As long as Pettigrew managed to see his pain, he could feel healed inside.

Peter was immediately disappointed, however, as Ivan didn't even look at him.

Ivan was looking at Ron. He said calmly, "Ron, I know you've been under pressure for a long time. I know, you may not be considered the 'best'. But we've always seen you as our best friend. To Harry, Hermione, to me and to everyone else, that's the case. Believe me, you're nothing like Pettigrew. When you were under Voldemort's Imperius spell last year, you managed to break it to protect Ginny! Remember what Dumbledore said about that? Many fine adult wizards could never do something like that! We're all proud of you, Ron! You are one of a kind, please wake up for yourself, for your family and for your friends. I think you can get rid of Pettigrew's control. You can..."

"Stop it!" Ivan's actions disappointed Peter, who felt an unprecedented emptiness in his soul.

His eyes were blurry, and he suddenly felt like he wanted to cry. James, Sirius and Remus would probably have been like this boy He would always be a failure, accomplishing nothing! Even with the betrayal, he didn't impress anyone. He's been a lowly loser all along.

"Ron won't wake up. This is a waste of time." Peter wiped his eyes and shouted, "I see right through him, you smug bastards, and you should pay for your contempt. Ron, let's get back to our plan for tonight, once we get Black, it's all over."

Peter waved his wand and Ron came out with the marauder's map, turning a deaf ear to Ivan's shouts.

"By telling him Black's position, I guarantee I'll get Snape's help. Tomorrow I can re-emerge as a guardian angel, as a winner, as a Hero! And those brilliant friends will all be dead." Peter pointed his wand at Ivan, and his eyes had a strange light in them. "As for you, Ivan, do you want to know how I'll deal with you?"

"Obliviated, I suppose?" Ivan gently shifted his tense body.

He might try to use the trick he used against Black yesterday.

"No, I'm not that idiot Lockhart! The dememorizing charm is reversible." Pettigrew licked his lips and cruelly said, "Dumbledore is around, I must be careful! I think Avada Kedavra should be my safest bet No dead man has ever revealed a secret!"

"Goodbye Ivan!", Peter said, gently waving his wand, and a deep green light flashed.