Year One-The Marauders Meet

Chapter 1

Remus

"Good morning Remus!" Hope Lupin said, flinging open the curtains and letting the sunlight filter into the room. The golden beams of light danced on Remus' eyelids, effectively waking him. Remus was a light sleeper.

"What? What time is it?" Remus asked, sitting up in his bed and rubbing his eyes.

"9:30. We have to get you signed up at that muggle school." Hope said, smiling sadly at her son. Remus felt a pang in his gut once more. He had known for a while that he wouldn't be going to Hogwarts, but that didn't stop him from hoping that his parents changed their minds. It was August first. They hadn't even sent an owl, and now it was too late.

"Okay..." Remus said. Hope came over and sat next to him, her shoulder length chocolate brown hair falling slightly in front of her face. Her pale brown eyes sparkled with emotions. Remus picked out sadness and pride, everything else was a mystery to him.

"Rem, I'm so sorry this happened to you." Hope said, hugging Remus' tall eleven year old form close to her body. Remus melted into the embrace, blinking away tears. "If I could take it away from you I would." Hope squeezed once more then released Remus and smiled at him warmly.

"Come downstairs once you're done, okay honey?" Hope said, standing and heading to the door.

"Yes," Remus said, sighing and laying back down.

~

About thirty minutes later, after Remus finally brought himself to change, Remus walked downstairs in a light grey sweater and comfortable, but presentable, brown pants.

"Hello son," Lyall said, a bright smile on his face. He had gotten better at hiding his thoughts, but Remus knew he still believed Remus to be broken. The thought made Remus' shoulders slump slightly.

"Hi dad." Remus said, forcing a smile back.

Hope entered the kitchen just then, breaking the awkward silence. "Okay Remus, all we have to do is go to this school, sign a few papers, they'll give us the uniform and your schedule, plus a list of books we need to buy and who your teacher is, we'll stop by the store, buy the books, then come home and not have to worry about anything more until-erm-until September first." Hope's eyes showed that she had thought about Remus' lycanthropy. Remus tried not to mind that his parents thought of the werewolf side of him whenever they imagined him, but it was hard.

"Okay," Remus said, smiling again. "Shall we go then?"

"Yes, let's." Lyall said, taking the lead.

Just as Lyall set his hand on the door, a sharp tap was heard from the other side. Lyall looked back at his wife in confusion. Hope, who had no clue who it could possibly be, just shrugged. Lyall shook his head and opened the door, revealing a man with long brown hair with many streaks of silvery grey in it, a rather long beard of the same silver streaked brown, crescent spectacles atop a long crooked nose, and bright blue eyes that seemed to spark with intelligence. And Remus, who had done much research on Hogwarts so he wouldn't be clueless if he heard about it from other wizarding families, knew who the man was at once.

Albus Dumbledore.

~

Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts and the defeater of Grindelwald stood waiting patiently at the door while Lyall, Hope, and Remus all gaped at him. After a few seconds of this he cleared his throat lightly and Lyall jumped, smiled, and welcomed him into the house.

They brought him into the small living room, Hope flicking her wand at the empty fireplace and a merrily crackling fire grew in the fireplace.

"I do hope I'm not interrupting anything important?" Dumbledore asked.

"Oh no, nothing Professor. We were just going to check out a nice muggle school for young Remus here, but they're open for hours still." Hope said, smiling. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"Oh no thank you, Mrs. Lupin, I was just dropping by. A muggle school, you said?" Dumbledore inquired.

Hope nodded.

"Why would Remus need a muggle school? He's shown signs of magic, and I'm almost certain that no muggle schools offer the correct classes for him to learn to control it."

"We-er-we'd thought of that. We'll teach him to control it." Lyall said.

"But why would he not be able to go to Hogwarts? It isn't because of his Lycanthropy is it?" Dumbledore asked.

Hope choked and Lyall's eyes widened.

"I-we-" they stuttered.

"Oh, don't worry, I knew when I sent the letter. I thought I had sent another explaining my idea to keep him and others safe, but I found the letter just yesterday, still on my desk." Dumbledore said cheerfully. "I decided I'd drop by today and talk it over with you instead."

"I-I can go to Hogwarts?" Remus asked.

"Well of course! You're a wizard, aren't you?" Dumbledore said. "So, my idea is quite genius, if I do say so myself. I had our wonderful Herbology teacher who quit right after this little job unfortunately, plant a tree. A Whomping Willow, of sorts, over one of the exits into Hogsmeade. I suppose you know of the shack in Hogsmeade?"

"Yes," Lyall said carefully, sitting in a chair across from Dumbledore.

"There is a way into or out of Hogwarts through that shack. All we do is cover the entrance with the Whomping Willow, border the windows and doors of the shack, and young Remus here will be perfectly able to attend Hogwarts. We'll take precautions to keep other students from finding out and Madam Pomfrey will lead him down and back from the shack every month, then attend to any injuries he might obtain." Dumbledore explained.

"I-are you certain this'll work?" Hope asked.

"We can't be certain until we try it." Dumbledore said, a small smile playing on his lips.

"We'll have to think about it." Lyall said.

"Remus?" Hope said. "Do you want to try?"

"Hope, what are you doing?" Lyall hissed. Dumbledore just watched with a faintly amused expression.

"In the end it's his choice Lyall. Remus?"

"I-I want to try." Remus said.

Dumbledore smiled broadly. "Alright then. I suppose you lot will have to get to Diagon Alley, as I doubt you have already bought your books."

And without another word, Dumbledore left the house, leaving a small pile of galleons on the kitchen counter.

~

Okay, chapter one is up. I've already started chapter two, but I'm not that far along so I don't know when that update will be. Probably the day after tomorrow, although it might take longer. Feel free to comment suggestions. Please point out spelling errors and such, that's very helpful. (Also comment on things you like and things you don't like. Remember, the more motivation I have to write, the faster the updates will come!)

See you next update, luvs!

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