Eclipsed

The beginning of July breezed by, filled with sun-soaked days and adventures shared between Peter and James. They reveled in the freedom of summer, spending endless hours soaring through the air on the Potter's miniature Quidditch pitch, exploring the quaint muggle village nearby, and cooling off with refreshing swims in the small lake nestled in the Pettigrew's backyard.

One afternoon, as they lounged on the dock, basking in the warmth of the sun after a refreshing swim, Peter asked about Sirius. James felt a pang of unease at the reminder of their friend's absence. 

"Any word from Sirius?" Peter asked, poorly masked concern hidden under the guise of casual conversation.

James opened his eyes, glasses off, and looked up. The sky was a blur of blues and whites, with some green blobs in the foreground that he knew were the trees that surrounded the lake. There was also a rim of black at the edges of his vision that he suspected was beginning to creep in further. Even though James knew it would have to begin happening sometime, he couldn’t help but feel his chest tighten when he acknowledged it.

"Not really," he finally admitted, a note of disappointment in his voice. "You know how it is with his mum. She's got him on a tight leash." James sighed, his fingers absently tracing the rough texture of the wooden boards beneath them. “He should still be coming around the 19th or 20th though- you know, we’re still gonna do the whole Animagus thing together. Are you still in?” 

“I am,” Peter said, although James could tell his mind was elsewhere. "Do you still think it's a good idea?" he asked, moving into James’ line of vision. "Considering... well, you know… the whole going blind thing?"

James's expression hardened slightly, and he sat up, glasses back on to glare at Peter properly. "It's not about me," he insisted, his voice unwavering. "And for your information, I've still got plenty of time before... before anything major happens.” He looked away, unable to look at Peter directly as he lied. “We're doing this to help Remus- wouldn’t you do the same?"

“Of course I would,” he answered defensively, before sighing, and uncharacteristically, grabbing James’ hand, as they sat with their legs hanging over the dock. “I just… you’ve been my friend my whole life. I care about you. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you, that’s all.” 

James softened, and squeezed Peter’s hand. It was a little damp, and it was soft, like the rest of him. “I know, I know. Thank you.” He let go and stood up, walking back and putting his glasses on top of his shirt, laying on the opposite end of the dock. “I’m ready to go back in, what do you say?” 

At Peter’s cheer, James took a running start and cannonballed into the lake with a splash, the cool water feeling good against his sun-warmed skin. Swimming back to the surface, he paddled over to the Peter-colored blob, and they resumed their games from before, concerns about the future suspended for the moment. 

True to his word, Sirius arrived a couple days later, on July 22nd. He looked a bit worse for wear, somehow paler than he’d been before leaving school. Sirius had received his customary Grimmauld buzz cut, accentuating the sharper angles of his cheekbones. As he stepped through the Floo, he barely had time to dust off the crisply-collared robes his mother had insisted he wear before James engulfed him in an enormous hug. 

Sirius!" James exclaimed, pulling his friend’s trunk out of the way, "I'm so glad you made it!"

Sirius returned the hug, weary and grateful all at once. "I'm glad to be here... it's been a long, long summer."

"I can imagine," James replied, as he scanned Sirius for any signs of his mother's mistreatment. Finding none, he flashed Sirius a reassuring smile. "Well, you're here now, and that's all that matters."

Sirius's smile widened at James's words, relief in his eyes. "Thanks, mate. It’s fantastic to finally be out of there."

"Jamie, don't just stand there, move over and give Sirius some space to settle in," Effie chimed in, bustling over to give Sirius a warm hug of her own before leading the way to the kitchen. "Are you hungry, Sirius? I've got lunch prepared just through here."

Sirius's stomach rumbled in response, and the boys followed Effie, marking the new beginning of the summer, and of the most exciting chapter of their lives yet. 

The Animagus transformation trials commenced the very next day.

"According to Sirius's shockingly deep research," James said, flipping open a worn notebook, "step one is to hold a Mandrake leaf in our mouths from one full moon to the next."

Peter wrinkled his nose. "That sounds... unpleasant."

Sirius grinned mischievously. "Sacrifices must be made, Petey."

James nodded in agreement. "Luckily, Dad’s potion stores are stocked with almost every ingredient imaginable, so we shouldn't have trouble finding Mandrake leaves."

On July 23rd, under the glow of the full moon, Peter, James, and Sirius each placed a Mandrake leaf in their mouths, marking the beginning of the longest month of their short lives.

Desperate to succeed on their first try, the boys made a pact to keep each other accountable and prevent any mishaps. As they sat in the treehouse, getting used to the leaf in their mouths, James floated the idea of a permanent sticking charm, to prevent any mistakes.

"I vote against a permanent sticking charm," Peter quickly declared, shuddering at the thought.

Sirius nodded vehemently. "Agreed. Let's stick to non-permanent solutions."

Throughout the first week, the boys struggled with hunger pangs from skipping meals in an effort to keep the leaves in their mouths, resorting to meal-skipping, smoothie drinking, and laying about hungrily in the yard or around inside the Potter’s house. 

Eventually, Sirius’ researching skills (which were nowhere to be seen when it came to academics) discovered a temporary sticking charm, which they then took turns casting on the insides of each other's cheeks for the remainder of the month.

"I can't believe no one thought of using this spell before," Peter remarked one night, licking clean a spoonful of chocolate pudding.

"Right? It's a complete game-changer," Sirius agreed, grateful for Effie's delicious cooking after enduring bland, Kreacher-made, English meals at home.

"People probably thought it was cheating," James theorized, digging into his own bowl of pudding. "But as Remus would say–"

Sirius butt in, adopting an exaggeratedly thick Welsh accent and crossing his legs in a rather familiar way. "Work smarter, not harder, lads. That's what my mam always says."

The boys erupted into laughter at Sirius’ spot-on impression of Remus, urging him to continue until they were interrupted by Effie, who urged them to quiet down before the neighbors complained.

"That was brilliant, Sirius," James said, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes. "When did you become such an expert at Remus impersonations?"

Sirius shrugged modestly. “I guess we spent a lot of time together last term, you know, while you were at Quidditch and Pete was at Chess Club.” 

“We should write to him,” Peter said suddenly. “I wouldn’t want him to think we’ve forgotten about him. 

They all agreed, and quickly penned a letter to their friend, stuck in Wales with only sheep and his parents for company. 

**

Dear Remus, 

Hope you are well. 

We miss you, and aren’t having as much fun without you as we would with you. 

Please write back and tell us how the moon goes. 

Your friends, 

James, Sirius, and Peter 

P.S. If you can please send us some of those buttermints your mum packed for you last term they were very tasty- Peter

P.P.S. Don’t send Peter any more candy, he’s almost eaten my dad’s entire stash!!- James (and Sirius) 

**

The second step of becoming Animagi proved to be a bit more challenging. Sirius, while snooping around Grimmauld Place, stumbled upon a set of crystal phials in his father's study, an essential tool to becoming an Animagus. Though they would likely be missed, Sirius pilfered them undetected and unremorsefully. Armed with these phials, the trio made their way to James's treehouse on the next full moon, August 21st. There, they meticulously filled the phials with their own saliva and hair, along with dew, and the chrysalises they needed, all sourced from Fleamont's well-stocked stores. They then added the now crusty, slimy Mandrake leaf from their mouths into their phials, completing this crucial step. 

The phials needed to be stored in a place shielded from sunlight, preferably in a quiet, dark environment where they wouldn't be disturbed until the next significant storm. Rather morbidly, Peter suggested placing them inside the urn containing his father's ashes. James and Sirius initially recoiled at the idea, finding it extremely unsettling, but in the end, Peter managed to convince them.

"It's what he would've wanted!" Peter insisted, gesturing emphatically with the urn.

James reached out to steady the urn as Peter fumbled with it, and Sirius let out an annoyed sigh.

"How would you know what he would've wanted, Pete? You barely knew him!" Sirius countered.

Peter scoffed. "Well, in that case, it's the least he could do for me, you know?"

James paused to reconsider. "To be fair, it is a good hiding place. I mean, besides you, sicko," he quipped, nodding at Peter, "who's going around opening an urn full of dead guy's ashes?"

"Bingo!" Peter exclaimed proudly, as Sirius relented and allowed their phials to be deposited into the urn. "If you think about it," Peter added, sealing the ashes shut, "isn't it kinda nice? You know, since the ingredients are mostly from James' dad, the phials from yours, Sirius, and my dad's urn protecting them!"

"I don't want to think about it anymore," Sirius groaned. "Let's put that away for now, please. I wouldn’t like to inhale any Pettigrew dust."

“Right-o,” Peter agreed, and obediently tucked it safely away in a satchel, which would be waiting in the back of his closet until the next storm came along. 

It was a scorching summer, and aside from a trip to buy their Fifth Year books and supplies from Diagon Alley, there wasn’t much else for the boys to do while they waited for a lightning storm. They would gather on the dock of the Pettigrew’s lake every dawn and dusk, chanting "Amato Animo Animato Animagus" as the instructions Sirius had found dictated. James told his parents they'd taken up daily meditation, which, while puzzling and extremely out-of-character for the rambunctious Marauders, received their blessing as long as it kept the boys occupied and away from any mischief.

"Feeling any palpitations?" Sirius asked one morning after their sunrise chant, rubbing his chest as if trying to ease the discomfort or anxiety that accompanied the strange sensation.”I think I’ve been getting them more often. 

James, still yawning, replied, virtually unintelligibly. "That's normal, mate," he reassured, mouth wide open. "Didn't the book mention that?" Sirius nodded back, and James gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Nothing to worry about, then."

Sirius gave him a dark look. “Well, there is something to worry about,” he sighed, “and it’s this stupid electrical storm. What if we don’t get one?” 

"Don't jinx it, Sirius!" Peter groaned. "Trying to hide all this at school from Remus would be a nightmare."

"Well..." James mused, "now that he's a Prefect, he won't be in the dorm as much..."

Sirius scoffed. "Can't believe Dumbledore picked him," he muttered, avoiding their gazes and looking out over the water.

Peter and James shared a questioning look, before James spoke up cautiously. "What, you wanted it?" he teased.

Sirius’s head whirled around. "Are you daft, Potter?" he snapped. "Of course not! It should've been one of you two, although honestly nobody could take you seriously, Peter...no offense of course.” Peter scrunched up his nose and nodded in agreement as Sirius continued his rant. “But really, Dumbledore and McGonagall must be completely...lycanphobic if they don’t see what a terrible idea this is!"

Feeling Sirius' temper rising, James tried to defuse it gently before he got mean. "You know, he really is the best choice from the four of us," he said softly.

"Yeah," Peter chimed in. "All the younger years already look up to him, you know, asking his advice and help on homework and all… and he's got friends in almost every house!"

"I'm not arguing with that," Sirius replied after a moment, his tone still biting but with a softer edge. “But how is he supposed to stay on top of his schoolwork, or have any fun at all, or even just breathe with the rounds, and the meetings, or any of the extra shit they'll pile on? He’s already working twice as hard to catch up from when he’s in the hospital wing… I just feel like nobody thought about how much pressure that would be on top of everything for him already.” 

They sat in silence for a moment, thinking about it all. James agreed with Sirius to some extent - was always playing catch-up, in a way. He’d been missing more and more classes, studying as hard as he could when he could, and coming out at the top of their class on willpower alone. But James also believed that being a Prefect might provide Remus with opportunities to lead, and leave a positive mark on some of the younger students, especially if this whole Animagus thing went according to plan. 

"Well, lads," James said, breaking the somber mood, "we'd better get this right on the first try, eh, Sirius? Can't let Remy's Prefect stint be anything less than perfect."

Sirius managed a funny, shy smile, out of place on his consistently confident face, and nodded. "We'd better."

It felt like fate was on their side. On August 29th, heavy clouds gathered ominously in the sky, the air became dense with humidity, and winds began to blow leaves and twigs around the yard, signaling the long-awaited moment was at hand.

"Jamie, it's happening!" Sirius whispered, his excitement barely contained as he peered through the kitchen window, his breath fogging up the glass with how close he was to it.

James nodded eagerly, a spark of anticipation in his eyes. "I know," he replied. "Are you ready?"

Sirius hesitated, a nervous energy coursing through him. "I... I'm not sure," he admitted, his voice trembling slightly.

"Me neither," James confessed.

Sirius pulled his shoulders back and sniffed, as he often did when he felt insecure. "What's the worst that could happen?" he asked, but his own words failed to reassure him. "Forget I said that," he added quickly, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. "The book said confidence is key, right?"

"Right," James affirmed, determination coloring his voice. "We've got this."

Before they could have second thoughts, they were slipping on their shoes and leaving the house, shouting over their shoulders that they were headed to the Pettigrew's.

They ran next door, which did take a couple minutes due to the vast size of the Potter’s property, and knocked feverishly on the Pettigrew's door. Peter flung the door open, urn in hand. 

“It’s time!!” He squealed excitedly, and slipped on his shoes, slamming the door behind him as the first burst of thunder rolled through the sky. 

“PETEY COME BACK HERE AT ONCE!” his mother’s shrill voice called out as they headed for the trees behind the two properties. “WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU’RE GOING IN THIS WEATHER WITH YOUR FATHER’S ASHES???!” 

Sirius and James took turns imitating Patricia Pettigrew while they ran, tears of laughter mingling with the rain soaking them from head to toe. Once they’d reached the right spot in the small woods behind their properties, a clearing, they looked up to the sky as the wind whipped the rain around them, leaves beginning to blow around them furiously. 

At once, the whole thing became a little more real, a little scarier. 

“Uhh, lads,” Peter shouted over the wind and thunder, “I’m a little–” 

“NO!” Sirius yelled, causing James and Peter to both jump. “Confidence ONLY! The book said confidence was the key. Don’t chicken out now you DOLT!” 

James reached over and squeezed Peter's hand reassuringly as the first lightning bolt cracked through the sky.

Running across the clearing and taking shelter under a tree, Peter retrieved the phials from the urn, quietly thanking his father's ashes before setting them safely in a hollow bit of the trunk. He returned, phials in hand, and with a determined grin, James took his delicately, bracing himself for what was to come.

"This is it, lads," he declared, a mix of excitement and anticipation in his voice. "See you on the other side!"

With wands at the ready and hearts pounding, they recited the incantation amidst the chaos of the storm. As the deep red potion flowed down their throats, they began the final step of their journey, eager to complete their first transformation. As if propelled by instinct, they stumbled away from each other, wands slipping from their grasps as their bodies and minds began to change. James felt his glasses teetering on the edge of his nose, instinctively reaching to secure them as his heart raced, and he sank to the ground amidst the chaos of rain and wind around him. The soft, muddy earth greeted his hands and knees as he closed his eyes, envisioning the silhouette of a majestic stag with sprawling antlers.

With his eyes tightly shut, he surrendered to the transformation. Despite the initial surge of fear, Sirius's voice echoed in his mind, urging him to BE CONFIDENT. His limbs began to elongate uncomfortably, stretching and shifting, while the sensation of rain slicking his skin and glasses added to the surreal disorientation. With a determined effort, he tried to adjust his glasses, only to experience the sensation of his hands and face melding into unfamiliar shapes. When he dared to open his eyes, it was to a pair of hooves and a reddish-brown coat covering his legs. 

The first thing that shocked James, besides the fact that he had hooves, was how clear his vision was. While he knew as a human he didn’t see very well, it was incredible how much detail he could see as a deer. Every blade of grass stood out in vibrant precision, even under the muted light of the overcast sky and the canopy of trees overhead. Across the field, he watched Sirius's transformation unfold, thick black hair sprouting over his arms and face. With a blink, Sirius vanished, replaced by a massive black dog.

Turning to his left, where Peter had been moments ago, James found an empty space. Panic immediately surged within him. Nowhere in Sirius's research had there been any mention of the possibility of someone disappearing entirely! While Peter was a competent wizard, keeping up fairly well in his classes at school, he always struggled with the more advanced magical concepts. Since things usually came fairly easily to James and Sirius, Remus had often guided Peter through the intricacies of spellwork and theoretical understanding of magic they often employed for their more complicated pranks, a role neither James nor Sirius had the patience or knowledge for. James regretted not enlisting the fourth Marauder's help to ensure everyone's safety… especially since it seemed like Peter was the one paying the price!

As Deer-James stood frozen in an emotional spiral, he watched Dog-Sirius stumble around on four legs, exploring his new form with unabashed curiosity.

"What am I going to tell Mrs. Pettigrew?" James worried to himself. "Sorry, ma'am, we regretfully lost your son in a highly dangerous—and might I add, illegal—magical transformation attempt. Oh, and by the way, here are your husband's ashes back, only slightly damp!" 

All of a sudden, a faint squeak echoed beneath James's hooves, prompting him to take a tentative step back (or was it more of a prance?). There, right at his feet, was an unassuming grayish-brown rat dragging a long stick behind it. It took James a beat to realize that the supposed stick was, in fact, a wand.

Instantly, James felt himself shifting back to his normal body, his vision reverting to its usual, subpar state. Rain continued to pelt down, soaking his clothes and body.

"Pete?" James called out, dropping to his knees and peering closely at the rat. It released the wand and emitted a confirming squeak, prompting James to cup his hands together, allowing the rat to hop into them. James hugged it close, tears of relief welling up in his eyes. "Merlin’s balls, Pete, I thought I'd lost you! I thought you were dead!"

Pete-the-rat squeaked again, and as the transformation began, James gently lowered him back to the ground. After a moment, Peter sat before him once more, his dirty-blond hair stuck to his face, mud smudging his hands and knees.

"Jamie, we did it! We did it!" Pete applauded excitedly, his voice almost drowned out by the sound of the rain. But before he could begin his victory dance, he was tackled to the ground from behind by dog-Sirius, who, up close, turned out to be even bigger than James had imagined. "Sirius?!?"

Dog-Sirius barked gleefully, his coat clinging to his lithe canine body. He did another lap around the field before transforming back into himself, collapsing to the ground with a satisfying plop.

"Blimey, lads, we've only gone and bloody done it!" Sirius cheered, springing back up to his feet. "James, let me see you again! You're brilliant as a deer!"

"A stag, actually," James replied in a mock aristocratic tone, earning chuckles from his friends. With a mischievous glint in his eye, James stood and took a step back, focusing hard as he transformed into his Animagus form. He He clip-clopped around coltishly for a couple minutes before he transformed back and urged Peter to show off for a bit, which he did eagerly.

The rain tapered off after a bit, leaving behind a dewy freshness in the air as the sun began its descent. James' vision grew increasingly dim, and by the time they reached home, he was clinging to Sirius, hoping that he’d pull him out of the way of any obstacles in their path.

“Bye lads,” Peter said, sniffing loudly. “See you tomorrow then!” 

“See you!” James said cheerily, although he could, at the present moment, see very little and was feeling a bit nervous about it. 

As Sirius began to pull away, headed back to the house, James caught his elbow. "Hey, wait a sec?"

Sirius stopped, turning back to James. "What's up?"

"Can I just... could you help me? It's just kinda dark for me right now and–"

"Of course." In the same easygoing manner he usede when helping Remus tie his shoelaces or pack his hospital wing bag, Sirius looped an arm around James' shoulders and steered him through the backyard toward the house, nonchalantly pointing out the steps and avoiding the chairs strewn about on the dark porch.

As they crept back inside and James' eyes adjusted to the light, he realized the disheveled state they were in. Sirius' damp clothes clung to his body, his hair drying in unruly spikes peppered with grass and mud. Meanwhile, James himself was spattered with mud, his tennis shoes squelching with each step they took. They were quite the sight, but the adventure they had just embarked on made it all worthwhile.

Toeing their wet, muddy shoes off by the door, as was custom at the Potter house, they crept through the kitchen, their laughter muted by the prospect of potential trouble. Just as they were about to ascend the stairs in the living room, James let out an enormous sneeze. At once, Effie's voice cut through the air like a sharp knife.

"JAMES FLEAMONT POTTER AND SIRIUS... WHATEVER YOUR MIDDLE NAME IS BLACK!"

Guiltily, the two boys turned slowly around to see James' mum, hair piled high on her head and wrapped in a colorful scarf, standing with her hands on her hips across the room. Fleamont poked his head out from his office, taking in the situation with a mixture of amusement and caution before retreating back inside, wisely allowing his wife to handle the boys' situation.

"I got a Floo call from Patricia Pettigrew a couple of hours ago telling me that you boys ran off into the woods during this terrible storm carrying Martin Pettigrew's ashes, for what purpose, might I ask? Wait, actually, I don’t want to know… Then you come back here, hours later, dripping water and mud across the house, looking like you've been rolling around in a pigstyall afternoon... What do you have to say for yourselves, boys?"

James and Sirius exchanged a quick, sheepish glance, unsure of how to respond, before turning back to Effie and staring wide-eyed.

"Meditation?" he offered weakly, knowing full well it was a flimsy excuse. Effie closed her eyes and massaged her temples, a sigh escaping her lips.

"Go clean up. I hope you enjoyed today because you will not be going anywhere for a while... and that includes you too, Sirius!"

The boys scrambled up the stairs, their exhaustion momentarily forgotten as they stifled giggles. Whatever punishment awaited them would be a small price to pay for the adventure they'd just had, and what it meant for their friend.