1st September 1971
Remus Lupin sat alone in his compartment of the Hogwarts Express watching the countryside flash past as the train transported him towards the life he'd never have thought possible for himself.
Because of his…condition, Remus had assumed that attending school, especially a boarding school, would be out of the question, but Professor Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts, had taken steps to ensure that Remus' condition would not pose a threat to any of the other students. Remus was grateful beyond belief. Those who shared Remus' condition were often ostracised and not given the same opportunities as normal wizarding folk.
Both he and his parents had been both surprised and elated on the morning he received his letter. A future that had seemed almost impossible was now drawing closer. He could not wait.
Of course, making friends would be an issue. Would he be able to hide his condition from those he befriended? Would it be safe to be friends with anyone, given his problem? Would they even want to be friends with him in the unlikely event that they found out what he was?
Remus smiled as the countryside rushed past in a blur of green. He was going to Hogwarts, he was really going.
It was only when the sky outside faded from blue to black and the lamps on the walls lit themselves that Remus thought he ought to change into his brand new Hogwarts robes.
After pulling off his muggle clothes and changing into his robes, he looked at himself in the window, which made a decent mirror, and couldn't help but grin at his reflection. He could hear excited voices in the surrounding compartments as people started to gather their things and exit the train. Their excitement was infectious, it expanded inside Remus like a balloon, he couldn't help it.
He left his compartment after checking his reflection one last time and exited the train onto the platform. Amidst the older students, he could see fellow first years, clumped together in groups with those they'd met on the train or otherwise alone, like he was, looking both nervous and cold in the chilly breeze. He saw that most of the older students were heading down the platform, he made to follow them when he heard a gruff voice calling for the first years.
"Firs' years! Firs' years this way!" The voice said.
Remus turned to find himself facing a giant of a man. He gaped. This man was at least 8ft tall and the majority of his face was covered in tangled, dark hair. He was carrying a flashlight and was gesturing towards the first years.
"Firs' years follow me!" He shouted before turning and walking in the opposite direction of the older students. Remus looked around at the other first years, all of whom seemed as apprehensive as he felt, before following the giant man.
The man led them to the edge of a large, black lake where a cluster of small boats were floating.
"No more than four to a boat!" Cried the man.
Remus found himself crammed into one of the boats with a red-haired girl, a hook-nosed boy with lank, dark hair and a dark-haired girl. The dark-haired girl turned and smiled at him as he settled into the boat. Surprised but pleased, Remus smiled back.
"Forward!" The man cried, causing all of the boats to sail smoothly forward.
All was silent for a few minutes as the boats carved their way through the black water.
"You'll be getting yer firs' look at Hogwarts any minute now!" the man, who had a boat all to himself, shouted.
Sure enough, the rounded a corner and there in front of them stood a magnificent castle. Remus gasped outloud. He wasn't the only one. All around him, his fellow first years were gazing up at the castle in wonder as they drew closer. Remus could hardly take his eyes off it. It was like something out of a children's story. It was beautiful.
The boats came to a standstill on the shore of the lake. Remus clambered out and, along with the other first years, followed the humungous man up a set of stone steps towards the castle doors. He glanced around him at the other children and for the first time in his life, he felt like he belonged. He felt like part of something instead of the outcast his condition had forced him to feel like ever since he was a small boy.
The great, wooden doors that stood atop the stone steps swung open just before they reached them. Inside, Remus could see a sort of entrance chamber. They were lead up another set of stairs, a top of which stood a witch. Her hair had been pulled back into a tight knot at the back of her head and she wore a strict expression.
"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall."
"Thank you, Hagrid."
The giant man, Hagrid, nodded and walked past the first years into what appeared to be a large hall full of the older students. Remus felt a spasm of nerves as he contemplated what was coming. His parents had told him that he was to be sorted into one of the school houses, would he have to do this in front of everyone?
"Good evening, first years. Welcome to Hogwarts." said Professor McGonagall. Her tone of voice matched her strict expression. "In a few moments you will pass through these doors and be sorted into your houses but, before you do, I would like to say a few words.
"During your time at Hogwarts, your house will be like your family. Triumphs will earn you house points and any rule breaking and you will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points wins the house cup." She paused. "You will be sorted into one of four houses; Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin." Professor Mcgongall turned, the heavy doors opened and she led them through the hall. Four long tables stood in the hall, each one full of students. Remus glanced up to find that there were hundreds of candles floating in midair and instead of a ceiling, Remus could see the night sky.
"It's not real." whispered a voice from next to him. He looked down to find the dark-haired girl he had shared a boat with. "My mum told me it's just a spell." she said, now gazing up at the ceiling. Remus couldn't really think of any way to reply to this. The girl misinterpreted his silence.
"Oh, sorry. I'm Elladora." She whispered, giving him a friendly smile.
"Remus." he whispered back, his eyes now drawn to the front of the hall where the teachers table stood. A frayed and patched hat lay on top of a stool that had been placed a few feet forwards from the teachers table.
"Is that the-" Remus began before being cut off by Elladora.
"-Sorting Hat? Yeah, I think so."
Everyone, including all the teachers, seemed to be staring at the old Sorting Hat. Remus wondered why, until the brim of the hat opened and it started to sing.
Remus barely listened to the song that issued from the mouth of the Sorting Hat. He was becoming nervous. What if, because of his condition, he wouldn't be eligible for any of the houses? What if none of the houses would take him?
As soon as the mouth of the Sorting Hat closed, everyone started clapping. Remus hastened to copy them.
The hall fell silent again as Professor McGonagall came forwards.
"Now, when I call your name you will come forth, I shall place the Sorting Hat on your head and you will be sorted into your houses." She raised a scroll of parchment, presumably with the names of all the first years written on it, and began the roll call.
"Black, Sirius!"
A boy with longish, curly hair sauntered forwards and sat down on the stool. He didn't look nervous at all. Professor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on his head.
The Sorting Hat was silent for a few moments before "GRYFFINDOR!"
A table to the left erupted into applause as the Black, Sirius joined them.
"Bones, Amelia!"
A terrified looking blonde girl stepped forward and sat on the stool.
The Sorting Hat was silent a bit longer than it had been with Sirius Black.
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
Amelia Bones heaved a sigh of relief and hurried over to one of the tables on the right side of the hall.
Remus watched students come and go, waiting nervously for his name to be called. After what seemed like an eternity, Professor McGonagall finally called "Lupin, Remus!"
Remus, helped by an encouraging smile from Elladora, made his way up to the stool. He felt a little light-headed. He sat down and McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on his head.
"Hmmm…" said a voice in his ear, causing him to jump. "A steady mind, loyal. You've got determination. Interesting…"
Remus was sweating now out of pure nerves.
"Mhmm, yes. In that case GRYFFINDOR!"
The last word was shouted for the whole hall to hear. Remus, relieved on just having been placed in a house, stumbled off the stool once the Sorting Hat had been removed from his head and made his way over to the Gryffindor table. He sat next to a red-haired girl that he recognised from the boats. Opposite them sat the boy who had been the first to be sorted, Sirius Black.
Sirius grinned at Remus. "Sirius." he said, holding out his hand.
Remus grinned in return. "Remus." he took Sirius' hand and shook it.
"Macavoy, Elladora!" called Professor McGonagall. Remus turned to see the girl he had been stood next to in the line sitting herself down on the stool. Her pale face was ablaze with both excitement and nerves. The Sorting Hat took longer on her than it had on himself. Maybe it was having difficulty deciding?
After a painfully silent 3 minutes, the Sorting Hat yelled "GRYFFINDOR!"
Elladora bounded over to the Gryffindor table, grinning. She sat down next to Sirius and smiled over at Remus and the red-haired girl next to him.
"I'm Lily." said the girl next to Remus, smiling back at Elladora.
"Elladora." she replied.
After everyone was sorted into their houses and sat down at their tables. It was then that Professor Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts, stood up, immediately commanding the attention of everyone in the hall.
"To our new students, welcome to Hogwarts! To our returning students, welcome back! I have a few words to say, but now is not the time! Please, indulge!"
With that, the empty plates that had been set upon the tables immediately filled with food. Numerous gasps of wonder issued from many mouths of the first years as they gazed around at the delicious looking food that had appeared in front of them.
The feast passed in a blur of delicious food and friendly chit-chat. Remus was content with just sitting there and listening to the conversation around him. Elladora was now engaged in a conversation with Lily. Elladora seemed fascinated by the fact that Lily was a muggle-born.
"How does everything work, though? Without magic, I mean?" Elladora asked.
"We have electricity!"
"Elec-what? What is that?"
Lily opened her mouth to reply when Dumbledore stood up again. The chatter in the hall was silenced immediately.
"Now, I have a few start of term notices to announce." Dumbledore said. "First years should note that the Black Forest it out of bounds to all those who do not wish to lose the more crucial parts of their body. Mr Filch has asked me to remind you all to take the time to review the list of banned objects on his office door. Now, as I'm sure that none of you want to be late on your first day back to school, I think that it's time for bed! First years, follow your prefects who will lead you to your house common room. Pip, pip!"
All around him, people were pushing back the benches from their tables and making their way to the entrance hall.
"First years! Follow us!" Remus turned to his left to see two Gryffindor students with Prefect badges pinned to their chests gesturing for the Gryffindor first years to follow them. They led them out of the hall and up a number of staircases through the castle. Remus found it hard to keep up with the other first years because he was too busy staring at the portraits, the moving staircases, the floating candles, it was better than he could have ever imagined.
"Come on, Remus!" shouted Sirius, noticing that Remus had fallen behind slightly. Remus grinned and hurried after his fellow first years. His condition may prevent him from making friends the way other people did, but the fact that he was being given a chance at normality was enough for him.