Remus Lupin had managed to make three very good friends since he had started attending Hogwarts back in September. James Potter, Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew didn't have any clue about where he disappeared to once a month, and he hoped and prayed that it would stay that way. Before coming to this school, he had no friends because he was in fact a werewolf and his parents were constantly on the move because of it.
One day around lunchtime he was eating some chicken and ham pie. Something about the meal appealed to him. He hoped it wasn't because of the mixture of meat and it was going to be a full moon that night; wolves loved meat, anyone would know that. Then he felt a large yet gentle hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see the hairy figure of Rubeus Hagrid, the gamekeeper looking at him with a smile.
"Hey there Remus is it? Do yeh think I could talk ter yeh after yeh're finsished with classes?" he asked in his gruff yet gentle voice. Remus was surprised, why would this big man wish to speak with him? But he was Hogwarts staff, it could be important.
"Okay, but where exactly should I meet you? I get off around 3:30," he replied.
"How 'bout the greenhouses? That's a fine place as any," replied Hagrid before clapping Remus on the shoulder and then walking away.
"Hey Remus, you haven't been up to mischief without inviting us, have you?" asked James. Remus shook his head 'no' while stuffing his mouth with as much food as possible.
Later that day, after he made sure to drop his books off in his dorm room, Remus headed to the greenhouses. He knew that whatever Hagrid wanted to talk about, he would have to make sure it didn't take so long that he wouldn't be able to meet Madame Pomfrey to be escorted to the Whomping Willow for a night of miserable solitude. There was Hagrid sitting on a bench, waving to the young boy. Remus hurried over and sat down next to the gamekeeper.
"Hello Mr. Hagrid, listen I don't have much time. I need to see Madame Pomfrey soon in order to take a certain medicine," Remus told him, trying to bend the truth as much so as not to cause suspicion.
"Otherwise yeh're gonna sprout hair an' fangs an' attack ev'ryone, right?" asked Hagrid with an amused smile. Remus was instantly alarmed.
"Don' worry Remus, yer secret's safe wit' me," Hagrid replied seeing the eleven year old boy was frightened. Then he pulled two bottles from his pocket. He unscrewed the caps and handed one to Remus.
"Here, 'ave some butterbeer. Y'won't be able ter visit Hogsmeade village fer another two years, but I think yeh could use some," Hagrid told him, taking a sip from his bottle. Not sure what else to do Remus took a sip. That was the first butterbeer he ever had, and it was delicious!
"Dumbledore told all of us who worked 'ere 'bout yer condition. He swore us ter secrecy. I asked if ternight I could bring yeh ter the Whomping Willow, an' he agreed. Great man Dumbledore," said Hagrid.
"I know he's a great man. Before I came here he actually came to my house and played a game of Gobstones with me. He told my parents he'd let me come here, something no other Headmaster would have done," replied Remus rather glumly.
"I see yeh hengin' out wit' those three other boys alot. They yeh're friends?" asked Hagrid.
"Yeah, honestly they're the first real friends I've ever really had. But I'm afraid to tell them about what I'm doing during the full moon. They might abandon me; maybe spill the beans to everyone. Then my time here will be over," said Remus, still feeling glum.
"Y'know, I'm something of an outsider meself. I've got a secret, promise not ter tell?" asked Hagrid. Remus nodded before taking another sip of his butterbeer.
"I'm half-giant," Hagrid continued. Remus nearly choked on his beverage. He looked the gamekeeper up and down and realized that he shouldn't be surprised. Hagrid was huge; he had to have had some kind of giant ancestry!
"Well, can't say that surprises me," Remus replied.
"There see, we both have a slight problem that makes us isolated. The best way Ah've found ter deal with it is find a way ter live wi' it," Hagrid answered, still smiling.
"Yeh don' have ter take mah advice, but y'might wanna tell yer friends at some point, they might found out somehow. If they care 'bout yeh, they won' leave yeh," he continued. Remus nodded, he looked up at the sky, and he couldn't help but notice that the sun was beginning to set. Hagrid pulled yet another item out of his pockets. Remus observed that it appeared squashy, despite it being wrapped in newsprint from the Daily Prophet.
"'Ere, it's not much but I thought yeh might be hungry," said Hagrid. Remus took the squashy package from Hagrid and unwrapped it from its newsprint wrapping. It was some kind of sandwich, he didn't recognize the meat, but hunger took the best of him and he immediately took a bite. The meat seemed a little bloody, but somehow, he didn't care. He just kept eating, and then he couldn't help himself anymore. He began to cry. He feared that his wolf part was beginning to take over.
"It's one o'me stoat sandwiches. Oh sorry, I didn't realize it was still a bit bloody. D'yeh wanna stop eating?" asked Hagrid, realizing his mistake. Remus shook his head no and continued eating.
"I've never eaten stoat before, but that was kind of tasty," he said once he was finished, Hagrid nodded approvingly. The two of them finished their butterbeers and started walking towards the Whomping Willow. Remus looked at that tree sadly. He knew that tree was for his protection as much as everyone else's in the castle.
"So, thar migh' be nights where I'll be takin' yeh here. Other times it'll be Dumbledore, or Pomfrey or even McGonagall. Then agin, yeh knew that," said Hagrid, he pulled an umbrella out of his jacket and tapped the root that immobilized the Whomping Willow.
"Well, yer best head on down. Ah'll be back tommorrer mornin' ter pick yeh up," said Hagrid as he gave Remus a gentle push on the back. Remus took that as an initiative to head down into the roots and begin his way through that tunnel to the Shrieking Shack.
"Oh, one other thing. If yeh ever need someone ter talk ter. Me hut's always open ter yeh. One outcast ter another!" he heard Hagrid call before the branches of the Whomping Willow began to move once again. Remus began to walk to the Shrieking Shack, expecting to turn into a wolf at any time. But something about knowing that there was someone else who felt like an outsider because they weren't fully human made him feel a bit better. He even allowed a smile to crawl up his face.