This is wonderful, and so full of delightful little bits. Lucius desperately shooing Peter (I can just *see* it!), Voldemort smiling and cordial as he refers to a baby as 'that thing' and the description of Draco's cries as plaintive and fretful just arrowed straight to the mother in me (just pick him *up* dammit! he wants a cuddle!)
I think this really shows an emotionally stunted Peter -- he doesn't even think to question Lucius sending *him* to quiet Draco, and his thoughts about the baby 'getting him in trouble' are so gradeschool! His casual comparison of Draco to Harry was absolutely chilling, especially considering that given Draco's apparent age and Peter's presence, Lucius and the Dark Lord were very probably discussing the planned execution of Harry. I imagine his almost scary detachment was a form of denial.
On the light and happy side, I adored the description of a delighted Draco crawling around after Wormtail and I can see how Wormtail was seduced into enjoying himself -- there are few things in the world as sweet as a sleeping baby!
asphodeline's drawing is so darling! I'm happily imagining it was painted by a young Draco for one of his early tutors, marking the half-remembered experience.
(Brief digression ahead!) As others have said, this just perfectly foreshadows Peter's decision to hide out as a child's pet. In PoA Sirius accuses Peter of waiting and biding his time, but I'm not so sure about that myself. I'm more inclined to think Peter was perfectly happy being a pet -- no choices or decisions to make, no adult/human worries; he was fed and cared for and safe. I think he probably would have been happy to live out his old age as a Weasley family pet, blithely ignoring the war around him if Remus and Sirius hadn't blown it for him.
no subject
I think this really shows an emotionally stunted Peter -- he doesn't even think to question Lucius sending *him* to quiet Draco, and his thoughts about the baby 'getting him in trouble' are so gradeschool! His casual comparison of Draco to Harry was absolutely chilling, especially considering that given Draco's apparent age and Peter's presence, Lucius and the Dark Lord were very probably discussing the planned execution of Harry. I imagine his almost scary detachment was a form of denial.
On the light and happy side, I adored the description of a delighted Draco crawling around after Wormtail and I can see how Wormtail was seduced into enjoying himself -- there are few things in the world as sweet as a sleeping baby!
(Brief digression ahead!) As others have said, this just perfectly foreshadows Peter's decision to hide out as a child's pet. In PoA Sirius accuses Peter of waiting and biding his time, but I'm not so sure about that myself. I'm more inclined to think Peter was perfectly happy being a pet -- no choices or decisions to make, no adult/human worries; he was fed and cared for and safe. I think he probably would have been happy to live out his old age as a Weasley family pet, blithely ignoring the war around him if Remus and Sirius hadn't blown it for him.