Only The Good Die Young

Kings Cross

Morning arrived quickly. The sun was barely up when his mother gently shook Remus's arm and woke him.

"Today is the big day, Remus!" she said, but Remus was too tired to respond. It was horrible, really, how very close the full moon was to September first.

They ate a quick breakfast of oatmeal and toast and before Remus knew it, he was saying goodbye to his home. He'd be coming back for every holiday, but Christmas, the first holiday, was still four months away. Nevertheless, Remus was extremely excited.

They pulled up to a jam-packed Kings Cross and had a difficult time reaching platforms 9 and 10. They were by no means late; there was still fifteen minutes until the train departed. Every step he took towards the platform, the more nervous he got. His scars were what worried him the most. His mother had done her best to cover them up that morning, but tomorrow, he wasn't so sure he would be able to replicate what she had done. And while he slept, he didn't expect to have make-up on.

He was also nervous about people. Even without the scars showing, he was very skinny, and his clothes were all pretty big on him. He was smaller than the other students, he expected, much smaller.

After much pushing and 'excuse me's, they got to platform 9 ¾. Remus had never before seen how to get through, so he allowed his father to guide him and his trolley to the wall and together they ran through it while his mother looked out for muggles. Then she followed through onto the platform.

The first thing Remus noticed was the sound. There was the steam engine working, the whistle blowing, kids saying goodbyes and laughing and crying. There were people everywhere: kids and parents. The station smelled stuffy and thick. And the train itself was beyond gorgeous. It was vibrant red and sharp black, gold letters on the side. The windows were already filled with children waving to parents. 

"I should give them my luggage, right?" Remus asked nervously.

"I'll give them your luggage, Remus," his mother said, and she gave her husband a nod. They both watched her pull the luggage through the crowd until she was lost behind a large group, then Remus's father turned towards him and knelt down beside him.

"Remus, Bud, I can tell that you are nervous. Do you want to talk about anything?" he said quietly and softly.

"I'm not nervous," Remus said, lifting his chin up.

"Come on, let's talk. I'm not going to change my mind about you going no matter what you say."

"Are you sure?" Remus whispered.

"I'm sure, Remus."

Remus looked around at the other kids. No one was paying attention to them. "Well... I've always been so excited about wanting to go to Hogwarts that I never thought about what I would do if I actually got to go. I think I'm going to be the only first year without a friend. And what if I'm sorted into the wrong house? I can't change, I'm stuck with it forever."

"Remus. You are going to make so many friends with that wonderful personality of yours. And you can't be in the wrong house, honey."

"But Dad, I don't think I'm brave, or smart, or ambitious, or loyal. I don't know how to be loyal. I've never known anyone to be loyal to other than you."

"Remus, you are all of those. Know that you are so, so brave to be able to stay your happy self after changing into a werewolf every month. You are such a smart boy, Remus. Trust me, I have watched you grow and you have blown my mind every day. And it's okay if you aren't ambitious yet; it's okay not to know what you want to do with your future because there are so many paths to choose from. And Remus, your loyalty is a gift. You can be loyal to anyone as long as you want to. Know that you would fit into all of the houses. The sorting hat will choose which you value most. Being put into Ravenclaw doesn't mean you aren't brave, it means you value cleverness over bravery and everything else. Remember that."

Remus wrapped his arms around his father. "Thank you, Dad. Thank you for letting me go, and thank you for believing in me. I'm going to miss you lots."

"I'm going to miss you, too, Remus. More than you can imagine. I will always be thinking of you, and know on the full moons that I am there with you, thinking of you the whole time. Be strong, okay?"

"Okay."

"And you can expect a letter every day."

"Dad, let me write first, okay? I want to see how many owls the other kids get first so I don't get too many."

Remus's dad laughed. "Okay, Buddy. Have a good term."

Remus turned around to see his mother watching him. Remus wrapped his arms around her stomach. "I love you Mum. Thanks for everything."

"I love you, too. I don't think I will be able to sleep without you in the house!" she joked.

"I'll be okay Mum, I promise." They let go of each other, then Remus dashed up to give his father one more hug, and then he was climbing on the train.

Every compartment on the train was full, except for the last. He entered that one and looked out the window. There were his parents, waving at him quite enthusiastically. A tear was rolling down his mum's cheek. Remus smiled at them and waved until the whistle blew and the train was moving away from the station.

Remus sat back and stared at the opposite wall, still smiling. He was on his way to Hogwarts. Finally. He watched the fields roll by and his eyes grew tired. He was always weak a few days after the full moon, and only yesterday he was in the basement. He closed his eyes and rested his head against the window. He was happy.