CHAPTER ONE:

His parents were arguing...again.

" I still don't see why you keep telling me this, John! Don't you want him to go to Hogwarts as well?"

" Obviously, I do but I just think your giving the boy to much false hope. I don't want his dreams to be completely crushed whe-"

" if! Its not when. Its only an if."

" Mary, this is the problem. We've got to be prepared for the worst."

" And have no hope for the best? "

" I never said that!"

Remus' father, a usually calm man was clearly angry now. Remus pressed his ear further against the floorboard waiting for his mother's response, the light brown hair falling into his eyes.

" You strongly hinted it."

" But I didn't say it! Look I don't have time for this.. We have to.. Why can't we just tell him?" Tell him there's hardly the chance that he'll be accepted..."

" John-"

" Let me finish!" he snapped.

His mother became silent once more.

His father's tone was gentler now almost shaky. " Look, mary. We should just tell him. Please, i know it will be hard but we should be preparing him for the worst. If he gets in.. thats brilliant but if he doesn't.. I don't want this to be a hard blow on him. He has been through so much on my own account. I just feel responsible for preparing him for these things.."

" I..I'll tell him then."

" Thank you. I don't want to put him down but.."

" No, i understand completely. I'll tell him tonight."

" Tonight." His father repeated softly.

Remus slowly got up from his position on the floor, his thoughts racing. Did they even know how much that hope though partially false had meant to him? That one beam of hope had keep him going for the past two months. He always knew there was a slight chance of him being accepted but that.. that idea that he actually might get in..that he would be able to go to Hogwarts and live his dream had made him get through all of this. The fact they hadn't actually told him that he wouldn't be able to get in had been gracious on it's on. So, they hadn't exactly told him he'd get in but saying nothing was better. With nothing he could keep to his own thoughts, hopes, and theories. But now... they were going to tell him that he might not get in. He was fully aware of this and was accepting of the idea when he had told himself it various times but he had a feeling it would be harder to accept from his parents. Remus knew he really ought to be agitated but he wasn't, he just needed some time to think. He stridded over to the window seat and looked out at the gloomy late summer scene outside. The wind was rushing in forceful gusts through the trees and the dark grey clouds loomed over looking like they'd start to pour any moment. He pulled back the screen slightly letting the cold air blow in. Its feel against his skin was soothing and calmed him even more. Remus stared idly for a moment, tapping his fingers pensively against the pane. For a few moments he pondered, lost in his thoughts when suddenly his leg let out a small contraction. He winced and shifted his weight to the right slightly in attempt to stifle the impulsive pain. Remus often had pain though he never admitted it to his parents; he didn't want to worry them anymore than they already were. His transformations left him weak and wounded all over. He honestly tried to ignore this but it affected him immensely and he couldn't deny that. At school he was constantly bullied for the limp in his left leg which made him unable to play most sports. Football was practically everything at his school, apart from roughhousing. Remus participated in neither. This made him very unpopular in his class. What made him even more unpopular was the fact that didn't matter to him. His lower leg muscles tightened painfully as he drew his knee up to his chest, in a last resort to suppress the feeling. It stopped slightly, but still ached. Getting up with a quiet grunt, Remus limped over to his bookshelf and pulled down a tattered, old book at random, in attempt to distract him. Flopping onto the bed he opened the book with relatively steady hands, biting his lower lip nervously. This had begun a bit of a routine for him which he was okay with, as long as the pain didn't interfere with his reading he knew he'd be alright. His tired, but bright eyes darted over the page taking in each sweet word, he knew it was slightly unusual for him to enjoy reading so much but he had grown to deal with being unusual.