Eclipsed

The crisp June air shimmered with anticipation as the seventh years of Hogwarts gathered in the Great Hall for breakfast, chatting excitedly as they waited for the owls to arrive. 
Today was Selection Day, the day that decided their futures beyond the castle walls. Today was the day they'd finally learn where their paths would lead them after graduation, when the acceptance (or rejection) letters would arrive for the various post-graduate programs, internships, and apprenticeships they'd all applied for. James sat with Lily, Sirius, Peter, and Remus at the Gryffindor table. His hand rested on Lily's knee, his thumb tracing calming circles. 

“Do you think they’ll arrive soon?” Peter asked, his voice betraying his nerves.

“Of course they will, it's June first,” Sirius replied, trying to sound nonchalant but failing to hide his own excitement. “Just relax, Wormtail. They’ll be here any minute.”
Remus was quiet, as he’d been these past few weeks post-hospitalization, his eyes fixed on the enchanted ceiling, which mirrored the clear, sunny sky outside.
A sudden rush of wings filled the hall as a flock of owls swooped in, each carrying a roll of parchment, or an envelope in their beaks. The hall fell silent as the birds began delivering letters to the students.

An owl landed gracefully in front of James, and Lily nuged his hand towards the envelope held in the owl's beak. Taking it and offering the owl a pat on the head in exchange, he could feel the heavy parchment and the wax seal, which he carefully broke open.

James held it out to Lily. "Do me the honors, Evans?"

Lily unfurled the letter. As she scanned the elegantly written words, a gasp escaped her lips. "It's from Broomhaven, James," she read. "They've accepted you for their magical politics and wizarding law program!" She handed back the letter, and gave him a peck on the lips. “Congratulations, love.” 

Lily opened her letter shortly after, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she learned she'd been accepted into a Potions Mastery program with concentrations in medical and ethical applications of potioneering, at Broomhaven, just like James.

"This is brilliant, James!" Lily cheered, squeezing his hand. "We will both be in London!" 
As James and Lily celebrated their shared future in the bustling hall, owls continued to deliver their precious cargo. 

Next was Peter, who shaking slightly, opened his letter. “I... I got an apprenticeship at Bainbridge’s Apothecary! It’s in Croydon, not too far from you all then.”

Then came Sirius' turn. As his sleek black owl landed on the table, a flicker of something unreadable crossed his face. He untied the letter from its leg with a swiftness that betrayed his usual carefree demeanor and retreated to a secluded corner of the hall to read it.

James, sensing his friend's sudden withdrawal, furrowed his brow. "Everything alright, Padfoot?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.

Sirius glanced up, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Everything's great, Prongs," he replied, his voice a touch too loud. "Just some… unexpected news… St. Mungo's," he whispered, his voice filled with a reverence James hadn't heard before. "They've accepted me for their accelerated Healer training program."

A stunned silence descended upon their little corner. St. Mungo's was renowned for its rigorous Healer training, a program that typically took years to complete. Being accepted to the accelerated program was a rarity, and only for those showing exceptional promise. 

Marlene accepted her letter from the Auror training program with glee, and Mary into a Charms Mastery, also at Broomhaven. It seemed as though everyone was set for the coming year, although after a moment, James turned to Lily, perplexed. 

“Lil, did you see what Remus’ letter said? I don’t think he ever told me what he’d be studying.” 

Lily frowned, realizing she didn’t remember either. She turned to ask Remus, but his seat was empty. “Where’d they go?”

Peter, who had been watching quietly, spoke up. “Remus ran out, and Sirius went after him. It looked like he needed a moment.”

James sighed, worry etched on his face. “Should we should go find them?”

Peter shook his head. “Give them a bit, James. Sirius will bring him back. You know it is with them.”

James looked towards the exit of the hall. “Do you think something happened? Like, he didn’t get into the program he wanted?” 

Lily shrugged, then realized and quickly added, “I don’t know.” She sighed. “I mean, I know he’s… sick, all the time, but he’s had top marks… not sure why he wouldn’t get in at least somewhere, you know. Especially with Dumbledore’s recommendation.” 

“Right, right.” 

Although it felt a bit awkward without Remus and Sirius around, they allowed themselves to get back into a celebratory mood, making plans and dreaming about their futures. 

"Remus!" A voice, sharp with concern, cut through the silence. Remus froze, his shoulders slumping slightly. He recognized the voice – Sirius, his steps quickening as he caught up.

Sirius materialized beside Remus, his face etched with a mixture of worry and anger. "There you are! Where did you disappear to?"

Remus swallowed, the lump in his throat making speech difficult. "Just… needed some air," he mumbled, avoiding Sirius' gaze.

Sirius scoffed, a harsh sound that scraped against the tense silence. "Don't give me that, Moony. We both know nothing's 'just' anything." His voice softened slightly, laced with concern. "What's wrong? Talk to me."

Remus clenched and unclenched his fists, a surge of conflicting emotions threatening to overwhelm him. He wanted to confide in Sirius, to unload the burden that had been weighing him down. But the words wouldn't come. Shame, fear, and a simmering anger at his own circumstances choked his voice.

"Nothing's wrong," he repeated, his voice wavering. "You should go back and celebrate, Padfoot. I’m so… unbelievably proud of you, darling. Really, I am. I– I’m just… not in the mood for the celebration, that's all." He looked away. 

Sirius' eyes narrowed, his gaze steady and unwavering. "Remus Lupin," he said, his voice low and heavy, "you know I can't believe that anymore. Not after everything that’s just happened."

Remus flinched at the unspoken reference to his recent relapse. 

"Padfoot…" he began, his voice cracking slightly, but the sound died in his throat. 

Sirius sighed, a heavy sound devoid of hope. The usual spark in his eyes was dimmed, replaced by a profound disappointment. "Fine," he said, his voice tinged with resignation. "If you won't talk, I won't force you. But when you're ready, I'll be here. But…" He trailed off, his gaze flickering beyond Remus.

The weight of unspoken words became a physical burden on Remus' chest. He squeezed his eyes shut, a strangled sob escaping his lips. Sirius reacted instantly, moving to close the gap between them, reaching for Remus’ hand. 

"Remus, love, what is it?" he asked, his voice laced with concern, the harshness from before replaced with a gentle, soothing tone.

Remus took a shaky breath. "I'm embarrassed, and frustrated," he confessed, his voice barely a whisper. "There wasn't anything for me today."

Sirius' eyebrows wrinkled in surprise. "What do you mean? You've studied so hard, harder than all of us, and you've got Dumbledore vouching for you. How could that be possible?"

Remus shook his head, tears stinging his eyes. "No, Padfoot. I… I didn't apply anywhere." The words tumbled out, a torrent of self-loathing and despair. "Since February, I didn't… I haven't done much schoolwork at all. It's all felt... pointless, I guess, for months. I'm failing everything. Every class. Even if I had applied, I wouldn't have been accepted."

Sirius tried to contain his reaction. This wasn't what he'd expected. He'd braced himself for some bad news, a rejection, perhaps, but not this. This was a self-inflicted wound that Sirius hadn't seen coming.

 "But… why, Remus? Why would you do that? You're smart, you're so talented..."

Shame burned in Remus' throat, acrid and suffocating. "What was the point?" he spat, his voice wobbling as he sniffed back angry tears. "Who would want a werewolf working for them? Studying next to them? Teaching their children?"

Sirius listened, his face a mask of conflicting emotions. Shock, anger, and a profound sadness flickered across his features. But as Remus' voice hitched with a sob, a fierce protectiveness washed over him.

Remus looked away, his eyes red-rimmed and glistening. "It's all come crashing down, Padfoot," he choked out. "The full moon, the realization that after school, after this, there is nothing for me… it was like I was drowning. I couldn't… I – I still can’t see a way out. I was hoping I would just..." Remus shook his head, not wanting to say the words out loud.

Sirius held him tighter, his heart clenching with empathy. He understood the cyclical nature of despair, the way it builds upon itself until it feels like there is no escape. "That's why you went to St. Mungo's, isn't it?" he murmured, his voice soothing and soft. "This was the trigger?" 

Remus nodded against his shoulder, a fresh wave of tears threatening to spill over. 

Sirius pulled Remus into a tight embrace, his hold firm but gentle."Remus, listen to me," he said, his voice firm but laced with warmth. "You're wrong. You're so wrong. There is so much hope for your future, darling. We'll figure this out, together. Okay?"

Remus buried his face in Sirius' shoulder, his body wracked with silent sobs. The dam had finally broken, and the flood of emotions threatened to drown him. Shame, fear, and a flicker of hope, fragile yet persistent, battled within him.

Sirius held him close, whispering words of comfort and reassurance. He may not have all the answers, but he wouldn't let Remus face this alone. 

"First things first," Sirius said, his voice firm but laced with tenderness. "We need to talk to McGonagall. Explain everything. Maybe she can see if there's still a chance to salvage some of your grades."

Remus nodded weakly, pushing away from Sirius' embrace, and wiping his eyes and nose with the sleeve of his robes. "I… I don't know if they'll understand," he mumbled, the familiar self-doubt creeping back in.

Sirius snorted, a hint of his usual bravado returning. "McGonagall's a fair witch, Remus. And Dumbledore? He won't let you fall through the cracks without a fight. Trust me."

A shaky smile tugged at the corner of Remus' lips. Maybe, just maybe, Sirius was right. Maybe there was still a chance, a path forward that didn't lead to a dead end. 

Silence blanketed the boys’ dormitory that night, punctuated only by the soft snores coming from Remus, and James’ steady inhales and exhales. Sirius, however, lay wide awake, the events of the day weighing heavily on him. He knew he couldn't keep this from James, not if he truly wanted to help Remus.

With a soft sigh, Sirius tiptoed across the room, reaching into James’ bed, and nudging him gently. "Prongs," he whispered, his voice barely a murmur.

James stirred, with a sleepy groan. "What's up, Padfoot?" he mumbled, his voice thick with drowsiness.

“I need to talk to you."

James' drowsiness vanished instantly. He sat up, his brow furrowed in concern. "What about?"

Sirius hesitated for a moment, unsure how much to reveal. But knowing James' loyalty to Remus, he decided to confide in him fully. In hushed tones, he recounted the entire story – Remus' despair, his failing grades, how he didn’t apply to any post-graduate programs or even jobs; he didn't spare the details.

James listened intently, his brow creasing in concern as the weight of Remus' struggles sunk in. He'd noticed Remus' withdrawal lately, but he'd attributed it to the usual pre-graduation jitters.

"Merlin's beard," James whispered finally, his voice filled with sympathy. "I had no idea."

"Neither did I, mate," Sirius admitted, his voice heavy. "But the good news is, McGonagall agreed to help."

He explained McGonagall's solution – a grueling schedule of one-on-one tutorials and intensive catch-up work over the remaining month of school. It was a long shot, but it was a chance for Remus to salvage his grades and graduate with his year.

"But there's a catch," Sirius sighed. "McGonagall made it very clear that this wouldn't be possible without Remus attending every single class. Attendance is non-negotiable.” Sirius paused. "That's where you come in, Prongs," Sirius finally said, his voice turning serious. “I'm worried he might not have the motivation, or the strength, to drag himself to every class."

After a moment, it clicked. James and Remus shared nearly every class. The solution was a no-brainer. "Alright, Sirius," James finally said, his voice firm with resolve. "I'll do it. I'll make sure Remus gets to every class. And that he at least tries the assignments.” 

They were both silent for a second. It had been a long time, nearly a year, since James and Sirius had shared a bed. It felt like First Year all over again- a little bit awkward, with their added length, but a little bit like… like home. 

“Thank you, James.” 

Suddenly, a soft creak echoed through the dormitory, shattering the quiet of the conversation between James and Sirius. Both whipped their heads towards the sound, their eyes landing on a sheepish-looking Peter Pettigrew attempting to melt into the shadows by the doorway.

"Wormtail? Is that you sneaking in?" James whispered loudly, his voice laced with amusement. "Where have you been hiding, mate?"

Peter winced, his cheeks flushing a tell-tale shade of red. "Oh, uh, hey guys," he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. "Just… finishing up some research in the greenhouses."

Sirius, a mischievous glint in his eyes, snorted. "Research, eh? Seems a little late for herbology, Pete." He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Unless, of course, you weren't actually gardening… perhaps you were meeting a secret someone?"

James chuckled, his blindness doing nothing to dampen his teasing spirit. "Come on, Peter, spill the beans. Has our little Wormy snagged himself a witch?"

Peter's face burned even brighter. The thought of anyone, especially James and Sirius, knowing about Elle made him break into a cold sweat. Dating a Slytherin, especially a pureblood one, was a secret he intended to keep buried deep, especially with these two.

"N-no way!" he stammered, his voice laced with a forced laugh. "Just… moonstone… kinda needs the moon to be properly observed, right?"

James raised an eyebrow, a playful smile tugging at his lips. "Really? Not so sure about that… what do you think, Pads?"

"Conducting research at this time of night? Sounds more like someone letting off some steam, amiright, Pete?" Sirius smirked, the look on his face lost to James, but definitely not to Peter.

Peter's heart hammered against his ribs. He couldn't keep this up forever, but the fear of their reaction held him captive. "Alright, alright," he conceded, feigning exasperation. "Maybe I did run into a… classmate. Purely by accident, of course. Just a quick chat, though, nothing more."

He scurried towards his bed, desperately hoping they'd drop the subject. 

"Good for you then, Peter," James said, his voice mildly amused. "Sweet dreams, and good luck with that research."

Peter mumbled a thanks, his relief a warm current washing over him as he heard James and Sirius laugh, and go back to their previous conversation. Whether they completely bought his story or not, Peter couldn't tell. But for now, he'd managed to deflect their suspicions and keep his secret safe.