Prologue: 1 September 1971
I have been waiting for this day for years. It's not that I was raised in an unhappy home, or anything. I know my parents love me, and I have never been denied much in my still short life. It's just one of the advantages of being an only child I guess. Let me be clear though, I hate it. My parents are both working for the Ministry of Magic, in the Department for International Magical Cooperation. Probably one of the most boring jobs in the wizarding world, but it still keeps them busy. Lately, they haven't been home much. Apparently, it's crazy busy at the Ministry right now, not just in their Department. Not that they would ever tell me more about it, though.
With my parents at work all the time, and them not trusting me to stay at home by myself, I've been spending the majority of my time with Auror Ferdinand. He lives next door and has been named primary babysitter by my parents. He's 95 years old, almost deaf and he sleeps for the majority of the day. He retired from the Auror office years ago, but apparently he was a very good one, and people still call him Auror. Out of respect, I guess.
I am pretty excited to finally go to Hogwarts. Nervous, too, but not as much as I thought I would be once this day came. I haven't even given the Sorting much thought. I'm just assuming that I'll be in Hufflepuff, like both of my parents. The only other house I might be suited for would be Ravenclaw, but, although I think myself far from stupid, I don't think intelligence is one of my most important traits. But then, bravery or ambition are definitely not.
The only thing I am a little nervous about is making friends. I've never been good at it. There are a couple of other wizarding families in Mould-on-the-Would with children around my age, but it never really clicked with them. They always stick together, but I never belonged with them. When I was nine, my parents sent me to the Muggle primary school in town. They were worried about me not having any friends and they thought it would be a good way of meeting some new kids around my age. Not a bad idea in theory, I must admit, but I never really fit in there either. That can probably be explained by the fact that I am a wizard and they are just Muggles.
This time it will be better, though. I will meet kids who are like me. Who are wizards. And who aren't creeps like Avery and Mulciber and the other wizard kids who live in the village. This time, at least I have a chance to make friends.
I have been waiting for this day for years. Getting out of this place is all I ever wanted. Hogwarts will be my home now, and it will be infinitely better than what I will leave behind today.
Even now, I can hear my parents shouting at each other downstairs. It's all they ever do. They don't even care that their only son is leaving for school today. They will not see me for months, but all they are interested in is yelling at each other.
I'm playing with the green and silver Slytherin scarf my mother bought me in Diagon Alley. My father wasn't with us, of course. He would never set foot there. Of course, I don't know yet what house I'll be in, but I have no doubt it will be Slytherin. It's where I always thought I belonged.
In less than an hour the Hogwarts Express will leave and I will finally be free from this place. I'm finally going. And what's even better, I am going with a friend. Of course, she is a Muggleborn, but that isn't an unsolvable problem. If she is smart, she will keep her background hidden from other students. After, all it's not like I'm going to go around and tell people I'm only a Halfblood. I look down at the green and silver scarf in my hands and I feel the smile slide from my face. Very few Muggleborns had ever been sorted into Slytherin.
I have been waiting for this day for years. Ever since my parents told me about Hogwarts, I couldn't wait for the day to arrive that I would go there myself. And now, that day has finally come. Don't get me wrong, I love it at home. My parents have their own company, and although that keeps them quite busy, they are able to work from home a lot. Still, it gets pretty lonely some times. I always wanted to have a brother or sister, but regrettably, I'm the only one to pass on the family name. Later… much later. Don't be gross.
I know better than to talk about that too much, though. I know my parents really wanted more children, but they couldn't. I know they had to try for a long time before they got me. They were already in their forties when they had me, which is admittedly not that old for wizards, but it is for starting a family in my opinion.
My parents have always done their best to spend as much time with me as they could. This may sound corny, but really, my dad is my hero. He taught me to fly, he taught me everything about Hogwarts and the founders, and most importantly, he injected me with the Quidditch virus. We're both fans of the Kenmare Kestrels, and he takes me to games whenever he can. He already bought me a racing broom, even though first years aren't allowed to take them to school. He said I'd need that when I made my House team as a Chaser.
And that House will be Gryffindor. There's no doubt about that. Dad was a Gryffindor, too. Mom was a Ravenclaw, which would also be fine I guess, but really, ever since dad told me stories about Godric Gryffindor, I wanted to be in his House. Hufflepuff might be okay, too, but if I was sorted into Slytherin, I might have to jump from the Astronomy Tower. Dad told me that tower was often deserted during the weekends and that I would enjoy the privacy once I was in my fifth or sixth year. I don't really know what he meant by that, but mom hit him on the arm with a spatula after that.
I'm really excited to make some new friends. I always got along well with the kids in my neighbourhood, but most of them are a few years younger than me. It will be nice to get along with kids my own age. I can't wait to get there. I bet there's a whole lot to discover in that castle.
I have been waiting for this day for months. Don't get me wrong, I'm terrified. I have no idea what I'm getting into. Less than a year ago, I still had no idea that I was a witch. And I must say I'm still not used to that word. To me, a witch is an ugly old woman with a hooked nose and a face covered in warts. You know, the kind that tries to poison Snow White with an apple.
I always knew I was different. Strange things always seemed to happen to me, and I didn't have any control over it. When I was six, I got in a fight with my sister. She was eight at the moment, and she had taken my doll and hung it off the second floor balcony, threatening to let it fall. I was screaming at the top of my lungs for my mom. She got upstairs just in time to see my doll punch my sister in the nose.
My parents were worried sick of course, but I wasn't. Even though I had no control over it, those things only happened when I was scared. I always knew I would never really hurt anyone, especially not my sister (except for that punch, but to be fair, she did deserve that). We have always been close. Although the last few months we haven't really gotten along very well.
I did always feel like an outsider. Until I met him. Another wizard. He told me what I was and told me everything about Hogwarts. I didn't believe him at first, but he was quite persistent. And after a while, it did make sense. I never told my parents though. I was afraid they would finally think I had gone crazy. But then we were visited by a Professor from Hogwarts. She explained everything to my parents and although they are quite worried to let me go off on my own into a world they never knew existed, they couldn't be more supportive. I wish I could say the same for my sister.
I'm ready. I'm about to leave my home to go on the biggest adventure in my life until now. But at least, I already have one friend.
I have been waiting for this day for years. I have been looking forward to going to Hogwarts for so long, that I almost forgot that I would also be sorted today. With my family name, there isn't really a question to what House is should be in. I know what everything expects from me. But I am different. I know I am. I'm different than my parents, who think people who have less pure blood than them have no place in the wizarding world. Who think Muggleborns shouldn't be allowed to go to Hogwarts. I'm different than my brother, who is stupid enough to believe them. Well, he is only nine years old. There's still hope.
We were inseparable as children. We did everything together. Not that we had much of a choice, mind. We never got out of the house much, except to go to some stupid family gatherings or pureblood functions. When it's just the two of you in a big, empty house, you kind of start to rely on each other.
Until on my tenth birthday, I had a talk with my favourite cousin. She's starting her seventh year at Hogwarts, now. She has the exact same background as me. Brought up in a dysfunctional family, with parents who are pureblood fanatics. She was raised to have the same beliefs as I was, but on my birthday party, she took me apart and told me everything about a boy she met at school. A boy who was a Muggleborn and who was better at Charms and Transfiguration than her. She told me everything our parents had taught us about Muggles and Muggleborns was nonsense, that they were just like us. The only difference was that they came from a different background. I had a hard time believing her, but over the summer holidays, she took me to meet her boyfriend. He was a nice guy, and he answered every question I had about Muggles, even the offensive ones.
Since then, I have been exchanging post with my cousin regularly. She doesn't share the beliefs of her family anymore, and I don't think I do, either. I'm just afraid for what will happen when I put on the Sorting Hat tonight. My whole family has been in Slytherin and I know I will face the fury of my parents if I don't make it in there. But do I want to?
I have been dreading this day for months. I should be excited, I know. I should be kissing the Headmaster's feet for allowing me to go to Hogwarts despite my condition. But I am afraid.
I was four years old when I was bitten. I don't remember anything but a lot of pain and waking up in St Mungo's with my mother in tears beside my bed. The Healers did great work. I was more dead than alive when I arrived at the hospital, but they saved my life. And what a life it is. I don't mean to sound ungrateful. They did a wonderful job, and I'm glad I'm not dead. But life as a werewolf isn't as exciting and adventurous as it sounds. It's more painful and full of doubts about the future.
I never expected to be able to go to Hogwarts. I always thought the tutor my parents hired for my primary education would teach me everything about magic too. But last year, Headmaster Dumbledore visited our home and told us that I would be able to go to school. Like a normal kid. My father didn't think it was a good idea at first, but my mother was able to bring him around in the end.
Last night, before I went to bed, my father came to talk to me in my room. As far as I remember, he hadn't come to my room since I was six or seven years old. He told me it was probably best to not bring attention to myself. His instructions were pretty clear. Get along with the other kids, but don't make too much close friends. The better people get to know me, the bigger the chance is someone finds out about my condition. And the day someone finds out will be my last day at Hogwarts.
This should be the most exciting day of my life. Instead, my stomach is turning with nerves. Go to the lessons, make homework, study. Don't talk too much to people, don't make friends. Don't get close to anyone.
Let the seven best years of my life begin.
A/N: This is my first story. Obviously, it will follow the Marauders through their time at Hogwarts. Please let me know what you think. Is it worth continuing the story?
P.S.: English isn't my first language. Please be patient with me :)