Eclipsed

As James and Peter waited near the entrance to the Great Hall, James glanced at the giant clock over the door for what felt like the hundredth time, his impatience mounting with each passing minute. It was the night of the April full moon, and the boys were waiting impatiently for Sirius to show up so that they could go meet Remus before the moon reached its peak. 

Ever since the boys had completed the Animagus transformation and begun to join Remus during the full moons, their friend’s life had improved drastically- Remus had way more energy and less pain during the weeks around the moon, and a quicker recovery time after the transformations, since there was less to recover from. Therefore, the Marauders missing a moon felt like letting Remus down in the biggest possible way. 

"Where is he?" Peter muttered, his voice tinged with anxiety as he shifted nervously from foot to foot.

"I don't know, but he better hurry up," James replied, his tone terse as he scanned the area for any sign of Sirius. 

After what felt like an eternity, Sirius stumbled into view, his gait unsteady and his expression clouded with frustration. James and Peter exchanged concerned glances as they approached him.

"Sirius, mate, where’ve you been?" James asked, his voice laced with concern as he reached out to steady his friend.

Sirius brushed off his hand, his movements abrupt and jerky. "I ran into Snape," he muttered darkly, his words slurred from the effects of whatever he had been indulging in.

Peter's eyes widened in alarm. "Snape? What did he want?" he asked, his voice trembling slightly.

Sirius scoffed bitterly. "Same old rubbish about my family," he spat, his anger palpable as he clenched his fists at his sides. "He thinks he can just waltz up to me and start flinging insults like… like…” Sirius blinked, his brain clearly going somewhere else, and then he swallowed hard. "He... he was saying something about Remus," he admitted, his voice cracking with emotion. 

James’ heart skipped a beat, and not in a nice way. "What did you say to him?" 

Sirius hung his head, unable to meet their gaze. "I... I didn't mean to, but it just slipped out," he confessed, his voice thick with regret. "I told him that if he was so curious about Remus's private life, he could go see for himself what happens under the Whomping Willow."

James froze, the gravity of Sirius's words sinking in. "Merlin, Sirius," he muttered, conscious of the fact that they could be caught out of curfew at any moment. "You shouldn't have said that."

Sirius nodded, tears forming in his eyes. "I know," he admitted, his voice beginning to shake. "I just... I didn't mean to tell him. It was a mistake."

“I know, I know…” As James's initial shock began to fade, a surge of urgency took its place. 

"Sirius, go tell McGonagall now," he commanded, "and don't you dare stop for anything until you get there."

Sirius nodded, his eyes red and watery. "I'm sorry again," he croaked,  "I'm just so fucked up right now, I-"

James cut him off, his patience worn thin by the gravity of the situation. "I don't have time for your bullshit right now," he said through clenched teeth, unwilling to lose his temper at the moment "Right now, Peter and I have to go stop Snape from getting mauled by a fucking werewolf thanks to you!"

“I’m sorry,” he said, one more time, and hurried off, leaving Peter and James in the hall alone. 

“Pete, let’s go!” 

As James and Peter raced out towards the Whomping Willow, their footsteps echoed as they left the hall and the door creaked as they flung it open, speeding across the grounds as fast as they could with adrenaline on their side. 

As they reached the tree, its branches thrashed wildly in the night air, casting eerie shadows across the ground. Peter transformed and swiftly pressed the knot, and the two boys raced around the tree and into the tunnel, James grabbing Peter’s arm for guidance, as he truly could not see more than a foot or so in front of his face. If it weren’t for the moon shining down so brightly, he’d have been unable to see anything at all. 

"Snape!" James called out, his voice echoing down the corridor.

Snape turned from his spot in front of the open door at the end of the tunnel, his expression a mix of surprise and suspicion as he caught sight of James and Peter approaching.

"What do you want, Potter?" Snape sneered, his eyes narrowing as he took in their terrified expressions.

"Snape, you have to leave now!" James shouted. Snape stood in the doorway, a nasty smirk on his face. 

“Why? So I can’t get proof that Lupin really is a filthy half-breed? So I can’t tell everyone who he really is?” Snape shook his head. “It’s disgusting that Dumbledore has let him stay here for as long as he has.”

Peter, out of breath, let go of James and raced ahead, reaching out for Snape’s arm. “Please, Snape, we’ve got to go now! If you know what's good for you, you'll turn around and go back to your common room, please, it’s not safe, it’s no–” 

Just then, Remus’ transformation began, screams swiftly transitioning into snarling howls of an angry wolf. 

James knew that their absence would’ve made Remus anxious, therefore making the transition harder than it had to be, and their human presence near him was certainly making the wolf insane. 

With a deafening roar, the wolf  burst forth from the shadows, his form shifted completely into that of a massive wolf. His eyes glinted with feral intensity as he lunged towards Snape, his instincts taking over in the heat of the moment.

James found Peter’s shoulder in the dark, and squeezed, urging his friend to do the right thing. With Snape frozen in place, suddenly very afraid, Peter lunged forward, grabbing Snape by the arm and pulling him towards the safety of the tunnel.

James ran inside, transforming into the stag as he yelled out, "Peter, hold the door!" 

With all his strength, Peter threw himself against the heavy door, struggling to keep it closed, begging Snape to charm the lock back on. Snape, however, sat on the floor of the tunnel where Peter had flung him, clearly stunned into silence, leaving the smaller boy to continue pressing his weight against the door to the shack. 

Inside, Peter could hear the sounds of Prongs and the wolf fighting, the growls of the wolf a far cry from the playful yips and barks he’d grown accustomed to during the full moon adventures of months past. It felt like an eternity, and Peter forgot to feel embarrassed as he cried loudly and certainly hideously, terrified both for James and for Remus, and absolutely afraid of what would happen now that Snape knew. 

Suddenly, there was a loud crash, and the sound of something soft and heavy dropping to the ground. 

James’ voice called out from the other side of the door, his fist banging on the door. “Pete, Peter, please let me out, quick!” With trembling hands, Peter flung open the door, his heart pounding in his ears. James emerged from the darkness, exhausted and relieved. Without hesitation, Peter slammed the door shut behind him.

"Colloportus," James murmured, his wand pointed at the door, ensuring their safety from whatever lay on the other side. He sank to the ground beside Peter, his breaths coming in ragged gasps as he leaned against the door. James was bleeding from somewhere on his arm, and he knew he’d have bruises in the morning- but knowing that Remus hadn’t murdered anyone was a huge relief. 

For a moment, James and Peter sat in silence, the weight of their shared ordeal hanging heavy in the air, before turning to look at Snape, who’d suddenly stood up, pointing his wand at them. 

“What did you…” Snape began, his tone laced with confusion and accusation. "What in Merlin is going on? Are you imbeciles trying to get me killed?" Snape spat, his eyes wide with fear and suspicion.

James stared at Snape in confusion, his exhaustion beating out his desire to stay on Snape’s good side. "Don't be ridiculous, Snivellus," he retorted, voice dripping with disdain. "This wasn't some twisted prank. We hate you, but not enough to kill you, you giant piece of shit." James suddenly felt drained, leaving his reply to Snape quiet and somehow defeated. "It was a mistake, Snape. A bloody awful one, but a mistake.” 

Snape's eyes narrowed, his suspicions still lingering. He pointed his wand at them, alternating between James and Peter. “I could- I could just–” 

Before he could cast a single hex, though, a familiar voice came echoing down the tunnel. "That's enough, Mr. Snape."

McGonagall stood at the entrance of the tunnel, followed closely by Madam Pomfrey. "I've heard Mr. Black's account of what happened," she continued, her gaze sweeping over the group. "Are you all alright, nobody hurt?" They all nodded, and she breathed a sigh of relief. “Well then, I believe the headmaster is expecting us.”  

With a nod from McGonagall, they made their way out of the tunnel and towards Dumbledore's office, the weight of the evening’s events resting heavily on their shoulders. Upon arriving they were ushered inside, where Sirius and Professor Slughorn were already waiting. The Headmaster's piercing blue eyes assessed them as they entered, taking in James and Peter’s state of disarray, as well as Severus’ shaken, yet satisfied demeanor. 

"Severus, I would like to hear your account of tonight's events," Dumbledore began, his voice calm yet authoritative.

Snape took a deep breath, his eyes darting nervously between the assembled adults. "Well, Professor Dumbledore," he started hesitantly, before his tone shifted, becoming clipped and resentful. "It's clear what happened, Headmaster. Potter and his gang lured me out here to the Whomping Willow, hoping to see me torn apart by a werewolf."

James interjected, his voice sharp with frustration. "That's not how it happened, Professor," he insisted, shooting a pointed glance at Sirius. “I’m sure Black told you exactly what happened.” 

Sirius looked awful, like he’d been crying and sick, and with James’ pointed remarks, the tears began to fall again. 

“I’m so sorry,” he began, but Snape was quick to jump in.

“I will never forgive you, or your friends, or that half-breed scum out there.” 

“Severus, let’s watch that tone, would you please? Remus is a student like any other, and deserves the same respect.” Dumbledore calmly folded his hands on top of the desk, watching Snape’s face contort into a disgusted scrunch. “And to be completely fair, Severus, you did go, out of your own volition, correct? Nobody forced you to go down there?” 

“It doesn’t matter! Nobody who just tried to murder me deserves any shred of kindness,” he spat, setting James off, but before any of the adults could jump in, Peter’s voice rang clearly above the shouting match beginning between James and Snape. 

“He can’t help it!” he told Snape, “In his wolf form he isn’t himself. Remus would never try to kill anyone.” Peter stood up, turning to face Snape. “Don’t you think this is a little bit your fault too, though?” Snape gaped at him from his seat. “If you knew there was a werewolf transforming, why would you go after it? For someone interested in the dark arts, you should know that locking yourself in a shack with a TRANSFORMED WEREWOLF is like... the number one thing not to do!” 

Leaving Snape open mouthed, Peter turned to Dumbledore. “Plus, we went after him, sir, to– to  save him. James– James stunned the werewolf and knocked him out, so that Snape and I could get away. James pretty much saved our lives, wouldn’t you agree, Severus?” 

Snape stuttered for a moment before begrudgingly agreeing that James did save them from the werewolf. 

Snape's expression twisted with anger, his eyes narrowing at the reluctant agreement over that account of the evening’s events. “So just because Potter ‘saved my life’ I’m supposed to just forget this all happened?”  he asked, incredulously. 

Dumbledore raised a hand, silencing Snape with a stern look. "I must ask for your discretion in this matter, Severus. The events that took place this evening are not Remus’ fault."

Snape scoffed, his bitterness palpable. "And why should I keep quiet? Everyone deserves to know the truth about Lupin. He’s a danger to the school and deserves to be put down.”

Dumbledore regarded Snape with a measured gaze. "Severus, I am offering you a chance to do the right thing. To be the bigger person and rise above petty schoolboy grudges. Revealing Remus' condition could have grave consequences for him."

"And me dying wouldn't have been a grave consequence of having a werewolf at your school?" Snape's lip curled into a sneer. "What exactly would I get in return for my silence?" he demanded.

Dumbledore regarded Snape thoughtfully for a moment before speaking. "I can offer you an opportunity, Severus," he said slowly. "Upon your graduation, you will have the chance to apprentice under Professor Slughorn, and once he retires, you can have his position as potions master and professor here at Hogwarts."

Slughorn nodded in agreement. "I was going to offer the position to Miss Evans, but I am willing to extend the offer to you instead, Severus, in exchange for your silence."

Snape's expression flickered with uncertainty, torn between his desire for recognition, his lingering resentment towards Remus and the Marauders, and knowing that by taking this opportunity, he’s taking it away from Lily, a girl he’d loved almost his entire life, and who certainly deserved it. After a long moment of contemplation, he finally nodded. "I accept," he said quietly, his voice barely audible.

With the matter resolved, Dumbledore turned to address the rest of the group. "Mr. Potter, Mr. Pettigrew, you may go. Thank you for helping to ensure both Severus’ and Remus’ safety. Mr. Black, you will serve detention for the remainder of the school year," he declared firmly, "and we will be setting up a meeting with your family.”

What little color was left in Sirius’ face quickly drained away, and even James, who was fuming with anger over the evening’s events, took a step back.

“Just a minute, Professor–” he started, but Dumbledore raised a hand.

“Mr. Potter, I’ve been made aware of Mr. Black’s current living arrangement. I’ve taken the liberty of calling Euphemia and Fleamont to join Sirius and me tomorrow for our meeting.” James’ shoulders released, relief that the Black’s hadn’t been informed coursing through his body.

“Are you going to tell them what happened, though?” James asked the headmaster, and the twinkle returned to the older man’s eye.

“Our meeting isn’t going to be about Remus’ secret, James, although I doubt they’d have much to say about it.” James nodded, accepting Dumbledore’s answer. “It’s almost sunrise, boys, I would suggest you get back to your dormitories; tomorrow you all have a full day of classes.”

At Dumbledore’s request, the boys silently filed out of the office, aside from Sirius who had yet to finish speaking to McGonagall and Dumbledore about his punishments.

After separating from Snape and Slughorn, Peter and James walked most of the way back to the common room in silence. As they approached the first moving staircase, James gripped Peter’s elbow, the way he’d been practicing with Felicity to do so in times when he felt unsure of his footing. 

Feeling the hand on his arm, Peter looked over at James, who seemed absolutely exhausted from the horrible way the evening had panned out. “Mate, what are we gonna do about Remus? What are we gonna tell him?”

Peter sighed. “I don’t know, Prongs… Merlin, this is shit.”

“I couldn’t have said it better myself, Worms.”

Their steps echoed through the empty corridors as they made their way back to Gryffindor Tower, the weight of the night's events resting heavily on their shoulders.