Hey Guys! So, this is the first chapter of my new Fanfiction.
English is not my first language, so if you see any mistakes, please, tell me so I can do it better. And tell me what you think of all the other stuff!
Now, take a seat near the fireplace and have fun :)
Chapter 1: The Acceptance Letter
He was weird.
It was the first thought that came into Remus' mind when he saw the old man. Standing on a shakily chair, Remus could see through his window down where the Elder was standing on the doorstep. He wiped the fog on the glass caused by his breath away with his sleeve to see better.
Actually, the man wasn't that old. He had white hair and a very long, wise beard anyway. He was wearing a green wizardcape, just like the one Remus had seen in his father's closet, and had a really foolish hat on. Remus nearly laughed. But he stayed silent, just like his parents told him he had to when they had visitors. Instead, he listened. Remus could hear muffeld voices but couldn't understand anything, so he didn't know what was going on. And he didn't even see much through his window, because the roof was in the way. He could only see that the man was standing on the doorstep for five minutes now, obviously speaking.
The window fogged up again. Remus sighed. He didn't take the trouble to free his sight. He would have to get nearer... very quietly...
CRACK!
Remus was lying on his stomach on the ground of his room. The chair broke. Damn. Well, at least he didn't chop down the pile of books he had stacked on the floor because they wouldn't fit in his shelf anymore.
He listened. The muffeled voices didn't stop, maybe he's had luck and nobody had heard it. Remus sat up and went through the door and down the stairs on his tiptoes, until he came into the living room. A fire was burning in the fireplace, warming the room. Although it was summer, here in the woods it could get cold sometimes.
„...course I know that, sir, but we don't have somebody named Remus here, there must be a mistake. We want you to leave now", his father's voice called from behind the door. And then -
POOF!
The man was standing directly beneath Remus. He jumped and let a out a shriek. The man smiled.
„Oh, I'm sorry I made you jump, Remus."
Remus just stared at him. He knew Remus' name.
The man just looked at him in a worried way. The way adults always looked at him when they didn't know of his affliction. Although Remus was slightly annoyed by it, he could understand it. Especially around the full moon he tended to look ill – exhausted, pale and tired. He was skinny, even though he was eating normally. And his brown hair fell into his eyes underlining the shadows under them.
Remus could see the face of the man. He seemed slightly familiar... The glasses, the crooked nose, the trustworthy eyes...
„May I sit down?",the man said, not even expecting an answer, but plunked down into the sofa.
„Um... yeah",said Remus quietly. Why wouldn't his mum and dad come over? He didn't know what to do with the man. What do you do with people? Remus didn't know, his parents almost never let him stay in contact with other people. He had almost no social skills.
„Time to close your mouth, Remus."
Remus hadn't noticed he had been staring at the man for so long und dropped his gaze, ashamed. What did the man want, anyway? And why did he seem so familiar? He looked up again, carefully. The man smiled brightly at him. Maybe he wasn't so bad, thought Remus. He seems very trustworthy, even though weird...
Then he took out his wand. Remus winced. The man looked surprised, then understanding. „I didn't mean to frighten you, Remus. Sorry, I just came in and already scared you twice. We should lighten up the atmosphere here, don't you think? Do you want to play?"
And he flicked his wand and a game of Gobstones appeared out of nothing. Remus' jaw dropped again. Then he remembered the man's question and said „Yeah." Inwardly he could slap himself. Is that the only thing you can say, stupid? 'Yeah?'
But he took a seat beneath the man and they started playing. From time to time the bearded took a crumpet from a plate next to the fireplace.
Normally, Remus was very suspicous of strangers. But somehow, the only feelings he got when he looked at the man were trust and curiosity. He knew he shouldn't talk to strangers, but this man seemed very nice. And very... distinctive?
Then, finally, his parents came in. They stopped abruptly as soon as they saw the old man. Obviously they thought he was gone.
„What -",Lyall started.
„It's impolite to apparate into peoples' houses!",said Hope. She seemed a bit scared. What was wrong? Why were they so afraid of the man, what could he possibly have done?
„Ah, Lyall und Hope, there you are. Take a seat too, so we can talk. With Remus", he said as though he hadn't heard them.
And they both gave up. They did as the man told them, not without giving Remus a glance that said „Don't say anything."
Remus wasn't annoyed by the control-mania of his parents. He knew they just wanted to protect him and he was thankful for that. He knew they loved him and often they told him so.
„Well, after being that impolite, it's finally time for me to introduce myself to you, Remus. I'm Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of the best wizarding school, if I may say so without starting to stink."
„You're on one of the chocolate-frog cards!",Remus blurted out. Great, first say almost nothing, then say only stupid things, he thought.
„One of my greatest accomplishments",said Dumbledore. „I'm very proud."
„But Sir, we wonder why you are here...",started Lyall, giving his wife a glance that Remus couldn't interprete.
„Well, let's make this short.",Dumbledore turned to Remus. „You're eleven now, am I right, Remus? Which means it's time for you to get your Hogwarts acceptance letter."
Remus didn't know what happened next. Violet the Violent could have had kicked in their door, Remus wouldn't have noticed. Had Dumbledore just said 'Hogwarts acceptance letter'? I couldn't be. He must have misunderstood him. Eversince Remus was bitten by a werewolf, his parents made it clear he couldn't go to Hogwarts so that he would not get hope and then be disappointed. But he had read about it. And what he had read was just – well – magical.
Hope disrupted his thoughts.
„But sir, our son is homeschooled. Maybe you don't know – Remus here is very ill, it wouldn't be good for him to go to Hogwarts."
„I know that he's a werewolf, Hope, there's no need to quibble." Dumbledore smiled (Lyall and Hope were staring at each other, Remus' heart skipped a beat), but then became serious. „I'll explain that later. We could make some arrangements for that problem. There is no reason that an eleven year old boy shouldn't come to school."
Remus was just sitting there, staring. Should he dare to believe? This couldn't be true.
„But he's very dangerous on the full moon by now", Lyall said, frowning. „What arrangements could there possibly be to keep a werewolf under control? I mean, of course we would love to have Remus in Hogwarts – I loved my time there – but we can't take the risk." Hope nodded.
„Oh, I don't see any risks if everyone acts responsible." Dumbledore looked urgently at Remus. „I already talked to our herbology teacher, Professor Sprout, and our healer, Madam Pomfrey. We have the possibility to plant a whomping willow on the ground of Hogwarts und built a tunnel under it that leads to a shag that can withstand the force of a werewolf. Our nurse will patch you up after every full moon." He smiled at Remus again. Remus still just stared and looked over at his parents. They seemed both happy, thoughful, anxious and other feelings that Remus couldn't identify.
He, however, felt as happy as never before.
„So you really think I can go to school?"
„Well, if your parents allow it, of course."
„I will have Charms, Potions and everything?" Remus' eyes sparkled.
„Yes, just like every other wizard in your age."
Remus' smile faded a bit.
„But Sir, the others – wouldn't – I mean, they wouldn't want a werewolf in their school, would they?"
„I have to agree. We don't want Remus to experience the prejudices against werewolves",Lyall said worried.
„Oh, I don't think the other children will have to know about that",Dumbledore smiled. „The teachers will have to know, though. But they are all tolerant, intelligent people. None of them will have any prejudices."
„So, can you promise noone will hurt Remus? And the other way around, he doesn't have the chance to harm anyone when he's – dangerous?",asked Hope. Remus wondered if he saw tears in her eyes.
„I can't promise anything. It's all on Remus." He looked at him. „Keep your secret, know exactly who the people are if you are revealing your secret. And act responsible."
„I promise, Sir! I won't tell anyone and I will do anything you want me to if it is for other's safety",stated Remus.
Dumbledore nodded proudly. „So it is decided?",he asked Lyall and Hope.
„Well",said Lyall, „We'll have to think about this. I mean, we're all very, very happy and thankful that you try so hard to get Remus into school. But after all it's still very dangerous. We don't want anything to happen to Remus or others. We will send you an owl with a letter containing our decision, alright?"
Dumbledore smiled. „I can understand your fears. Remus",he gave Remus the still closed envelope with the acceptance letter, „whatever your parents decide, you can always save this letter." He turned to Lyall und Hope, now standing up. „I am awaiting your owl with the agreement until July, thirtyfirst. Schoolyear starts September first." Dumbledore winked at Remus. Remus smiled brightly and finally, his parents' sorrow just seemed to fall off of them for some reason and they smiled at Dumbledore, too.
They escorted Dumbledore to the door.
„Thank you so much, Sir. I don't know if we can ever return your favour",raved Hope.
„I don't think there will be ever a reason you'll have to",said Dumbledore.
„Thank you",beamed Remus quietly.
Dumbledore shook Lyall's hand before he vanished with a poof.
