Eclipsed

Thursday night cast a sleepy hush over Hogwarts as the usual prefect meeting unfolded in the dim confines of the office. Lily, perched on the edge of the worn armrest of the large oak desk, scanned the assembled group. All the prefects were present – even Finnegan from Ravenclaw, who looked as though he'd prefer to be back with his books or exploding something new in his cauldron than in this office, from the way his eyes flickered between James speaking and his own overflowing satchel of schoolwork. All the prefects, except one. Her gaze fell on the empty chair usually occupied by Remus.

A flicker of concern flickered across her green eyes. It was unlike Remus to miss a meeting outside of full moons, and certainly not without sending word. She stifled a worried sigh, forcing her attention back to the topic at hand – a recent spate of detentions for sneaking sweets from Honeydukes.

Tonight's agenda was mercifully short – a reminder about upholding curfew, a discussion on maintaining order during the upcoming inter-house Quidditch match, and a report from the Gryffindor prefect on a particularly persistent Peeves incident involving levitating teacups in the Great Hall.

The final portion of the meeting, led by a particularly bored James, dragged on for what felt like an eternity, as each prefect gave the report over what had gone on that week. Finally, as the last prefect droned on about a rogue Dungbomb incident in the third-floor corridor, Lily cleared her throat, catching James's attention.

"Alright, that seems to cover everything then," he declared, a hint of relief in his voice. "Meeting adjourned."

The prefects filed out, their weary faces reflecting the exhaustion hitting by the end of the year, the prefect responsibilities piled uncomfortably on top of exams and assignments. Once they were alone, Lily turned to James, who had pushed his dark glasses above his eyebrows, and was rubbing his eyes. 

Lily, gathering the parchment scattered across the table, let out a sigh. "That was a doozy," she remarked, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Thompson’s really got it in for those third-year Hufflepuffs."

James, leaning back in his chair, chuckled. "Can't say I blame him. Those Davies twins are a menace, even for Peeves' standards." He paused, a subtle change in his voice. "Speaking of… Remus wasn't at the meeting tonight, right?"

“Nope. Remus missed the meeting... again,” Lily replied, a deep sigh following her statement as she sat down. “Was he in class earlier?” 

“Yeah, I mean, we have every class together,” James said, pensively. "He seemed alright, a bit tired maybe, but nothing out of the ordinary."

Lily frowned. Remus, known for his punctuality and dedication, wouldn't skip a prefect meeting without a good reason. Especially not on a Thursday night, right before the weekend kicked in. A flicker of concern pricked at her.

"Did he say anything about not being able to make it?" she pressed, and James shook his head. 

“No, but he did say he was going to take a nap before the meeting- he probably just overslept… he’s been studying just as much as me, I reckon, since with his… condition, he’s really got to be top of the year for people to give him a chance.” 

Their voices trailed off, the unspoken concern hanging heavy in the air. Remus' lycanthropy was a delicate subject, one they never wanted to talk about too much where just anyone could hear them.

"Let's just head back to the common room," Lily decided, her voice firm. "If he’s awake, we can fill him in on the details of the meeting… it’ll be like he never missed it at all!"

James nodded in agreement. With a sigh, they both exited the office, Lily guiding James as they navigated the dimly lit corridors, the traveling staircases and enchanted paintings making the otherwise straightforward walk seem more exciting. As she looked around, Lily began to realize how much she’d miss Hogwarts’ and all its casual magic, now that it was all coming to a close. 

Pushing open the portrait hole, Lily and James were greeted by the familiar warmth of the Gryffindor common room. Yet, the usual Thursday night hum of activity was absent. A lone fire crackled in the hearth, casting long shadows that danced across the worn armchairs and empty sofas.

"Sirius?" Lily tried, her voice tight. "Have you seen Remus?"

A muffled groan came from behind a large armchair nestled in the corner. A moment later, Sirius emerged, his hair a mess and his eyes heavy with sleep.

"Hey, guys," he mumbled, stretching his arms above his head. "What's happened?"

"We're looking for Remus," Lily explained, her voice laced with concern. "He wasn't at the prefects' meeting, and…"

"Oh," Sirius cut in. "He's just… asleep."

"Asleep?" Lily repeated, her voice laced with disbelief. "But it's barely past 8 o'clock."

Sirius, finally fully awake, blinked at them in confusion. "Right, well, he said not well... feeling under the weather again."

James frowned. "But it's too early for…" His voice trailed off, the unspoken worry hanging heavy in the air. “It’s strange, he didn’t mention it at all earlier.”

Sirius rubbed his eyes, blinking rapidly. "Yeah, he said it's not that, though. Just… regular sick. Achy, nauseous, migraine. You know the drill."

Lily and James breathed identical sighs of relief. “Regular sick” was a far cry from… wherever else their mind had gone.

"He alright, though?" Lily asked, unsure why she was so anxious about it.

Sirius nodded, although he seemed to doubt himself as he put on a cheery voice. "Yeah, seems to be just sleeping it off. Said not to worry, he'll be back to causing mayhem in no time."

After a pause, James squeezed Lily’s arm. 

"Alright then," he declared, a hint of his usual spirit returning to his voice. "Mystery solved."

With a final nod, James and Lily took a seat with Sirius in front of the fire, the weight of their earlier worry replaced by a newfound sense of calm. As they settled down, Lily couldn't help but ask, "Do you think we should check on him in the morning just to be sure?"

James chuckled, a warm sound that filled the common room. "Knowing Remus, Lil, he'll be the one checking on us, moaning about the state of the common room and the lack of decent breakfast options."

That weekend, Lily and James enjoyed their final Hogsmeade visit together even though it was different than what they’d originally envisioned; the absence of their friends was really felt. Marlene and Mary both had dates, Peter claimed he had to finish a pressing assignment for Sprout, and Sirius had decided to hang back with Remus, who wasn’t feeling any better the next morning. 

The crisp spring air of Hogsmeade nipped at James' nose as he and Lily strolled hand-in-hand down the cobbled street, painting a vibrant sensory picture in his mind.

Lily, his constant guide and anchor, pointed out the landmarks. "Three Broomsticks, James- fancy a butterbeer?"

James grinned. "With you, Evans? Anytime," he said in a saccharine voice, nuzzling his nose into her neck and snorting. 

Lily chuckled, her laughter blending with the cacophony of street sounds as she playfully pushed him away. "What a charmer, James. How did I resist you for all those years?"

They entered the Three Broomsticks, the warmth and the murmur of conversation enveloping them like a comforting blanket. James, relying on his memory of the layout, expertly navigated to their usual corner table. As Madam Rosmerta bustled over to take their order, a pang of nostalgia hit him.

"Remember our first Hogsmeade visit, Evans?" James asked, a hint of wistfulness in his voice. "We ended up hiding from Filch for ages."

Lily laughed, the sound melodic in his ears. "How could I forget? We lost track of time and ended up coming back so late… I don’t know how Mrs. Norris didn’t catch us!” 

They reminisced about their past Hogsmeade visits, each memory a shared joke, a playful nudge, even those before they’d been dating, back when Hogsmeade had been an exclusively friendship event. 

"It's not quite the same without the others though, is it?" James admitted, a touch of sadness in her voice.

Lily squeezed his hand gently. "No, it's not," she conceded. "But hey, it's you and me, right? We've always had a knack for making our own fun."

She was right. As they savored their butterbeers, talking about the upcoming graduation party and telling stories from their childhoods, their laughter echoed through the bar, making them forget about the rest of the world around them. The increased auror presence in the village and the boarded up shops didn’t register too deeply as they enjoyed the afternoon together. 

As the sun began its descent, casting an orange glow across the landscape, they reluctantly turned back towards the castle. Despite the missing friends and the slightly altered itinerary, a sense of quiet contentment settled over James. 

"You know, Evans," He said as they walked, his voice filled with a newfound appreciation for the day, "this wasn't so bad, was it? Just you and me?” 

Lily smiled, squeezing his hand. "You and me can be pretty good together, James," she replied. “I think when things don’t go as planned, that’s when we get to go on the most magical adventures.” 

James chuckled, a warm sound that echoed in the twilight air. "Well, as long as you're the one leading the way, Evans, I'm happy to follow.” 

She punched him lightly in the shoulder. “Stop being so cheesy, James, you’re making me smile too hard. My cheeks hurt... and stop calling me Evans!"  

Yep, James decided, this is bliss. 

Monday morning arrived, casting its usual brand of chaos over Hogwarts. Yet, in the seventh year boys’ dormitory, a different kind of disquiet settled over the room. Remus, his face pale and drawn, remained burrowed under a thick mound of blankets. The weekend had seen no improvement in his mood or health. 

"Come on, Moony," Sirius coaxed, his voice a low rumble. "Just a few bites of toast. Pepperup potion works best on a full stomach."

Remus stirred weakly, his eyelids fluttering open. "Sorry," he croaked, his voice raspy. "Thanks, love, but, I just… I can’t."

Sirius frowned, frustration gnawing at him. This wasn't like Remus. Even during the worst of his pre-moon symptoms, he'd at least force himself to take a few bites of toast to keep his strength up.

"Alright, darling, no toast," Sirius conceded, setting the plate down on the bedside table. "But at least tell me what's wrong? I've tried diagnostic spells, none of them show anything. You don't have a fever, no aches… nothing specific."

Remus sighed, a weak flicker of his usual dry humor crossing his face. "Maybe I'm just cursed, Padfoot. Not only cursed by my fathers' poor choices, but also by a mysterious, non-magical illness that plagues only me."

Sirius snorted, but his amusement died in his throat. "Seriously, though, darling," he said, his voice gentling. "What are you feeling? Anything specific?"

Remus closed his eyes again, furrowing his brow in concentration. "It's… hard to explain. Just not feeling good." 

Sirius frowned, and leaned forward, placing a hand on Remus' forehead. "Alright, Moony," he said, his voice firm. "I know you don't want to involve Pomfrey, but this is getting out of hand. We need someone who can…"

Remus' eyes snapped open, a flicker of panic crossing his face. "No, Sirius," he pleaded, his voice rising slightly. "Please, don't involve her. I… I don't want everyone fussing."

Sirius' heart ached, guilt twisting inside him. He’d seen Remus not well in any number of circumstances, but this felt totally different. Somewhere deep down, in the haze of his own studies and applications, he’d let Remus get so sick that he couldn’t get out of bed. Now, he had to fix it. 

He grasped Remus' hand, his touch a silent reassurance. "She's not fussing, Moons. This is not fussing," he said softly. "We're worried. You're not yourself, and that scares me."

Guilt washed over Remus' face, and Sirius saw the telltale sign of tears building up in his eyes. Quickly, Sirius decided a gentler approach might work better than a direct confrontation.

"It's alright, Moonshine," he conceded with false pep. "We won't involve Pomfrey… for now. But promise me you'll try to eat something later. Maybe some pumpkin pasties from the kitchens? You like those, don't you? I can get the elves to send them up for you- I'll tell them the Hospital Wing requested it.” 

Remus offered a weak nod, his eyes fluttering closed again. The silence in the room stretched between them. Sirius, defeated for the moment, reached out and squeezed Remus' hand, offering a silent promise of support, even if he didn't have all the answers. He got up and walked out the bedroom door, where he knew James and Peter were waiting. 

"Morning, Padfoot," James greeted, a question hanging in his voice. "Is Remus alright?"

Sirius offered a strained smile. "He's… not great," he admitted. "Still not feeling well. Won't eat, won't leave the bed."

James' frown deepened. "It's been what... Four days, Pads? That's no good. Maybe we should…"

"No Pomfrey," Sirius cut him off, his voice tight. "Remus… he doesn't want anyone fussing."

James bristled. "That's ridiculous, Padfoot. Madam Pomfrey's the best... She can actually diagnose what's wrong instead of you just leaving him to mope in bed."

“James, I know Pomfrey's brilliant," he snapped, his voice sharper than usual. "But I’ve tried everything she taught me, and Remus is still…" He trailed off, the weight of his failure hanging heavy in the air. Sirius had been spending nights poring over the Healer's Handbook Pomfrey had lent him, desperately trying to find a magical explanation, He'd brewed calming draughts and performed diagnostic spells, but nothing worked.

"James is right, Sirius," Peter interjected cautiously, a nervous glance passing between the two. "It's not that you're not doing a good job, but just that maybe Pomfrey can help more because she's not Moony's boyfriend- right James?"

"Thanks, Pete." James clenched his jaw. "Sirius, Padfoot," he began, his voice firm. "Remus might not want it, but clearly he needs help, more help that you can give him, even though you’re also brilliant. Madam Pomfrey is the one who can give him what you can’t."

Sirius sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Look, I know I'm not pushing because I don't want him pissed at me... But I know Remus… he doesn't want the fuss. He trusts Madam Pomfrey just as much as you do, you know that, but he trusts me to be on his side here, and if he says he just wants to recover in his own bed, on his own time, let's let him- he's eighteen, not eleven."

James opened his mouth to retort, but Sirius cut him off. The fear of Remus' lashing out, of pushing him away, made him hesitate. He’d lost his family, his brother, and couldn’t lose Remus too, but Sirius knew James was right, logically. 

"Alright, alright," Sirius conceded finally, the fire in his eyes replaced by a weary resignation. "Let's give it another day. If he's no better tomorrow, we'll involve Pomfrey, alright?"

James hesitated but finally nodded, a silent compromise hanging in the air.

As they walked down to breakfast, the weight of the conversation settled upon their shoulders. James, unable to see Sirius' conflicted expression, spoke his mind.

"He's got to trust Madam Pomfrey, Sirius. And you've got to trust your instincts. You know something's wrong, don't you?"

Sirius remained intentionally silent, much to James' frustration. He knew James was right, but the pressure over all these decisions pressed so heavily on him he didn't dare speak, for fear of exploding.