Chapter 3:

It was exactly two hours before sunset, and the lovely March air made the outside world seem safe and tranquil. The sky was golden, in a few hours time it would be pitch black, the only light will be that of the full moon and the millions of stars. Albus Dumbledore knew he must hurry to the hidden house in the middle of the countryside, if he was to see the boy. He finally found the comfortable looking, yellow house, which had a huge lawn and a barn right in front of the vast forest that seemed to spread far into another country, perhaps Scotland.

Dumbledore strode up to the purple door, fixed some loose hairs in his beard, and knocked softly on the door. He could hear anxious voices coming from the inside, and heard someone running toward the door. The door flew open, a slender, tall man of about forty, with sandy blonde hair stood at the threshold. His expression changed from terror to shock. His jaw fell open at the sight of his old professor. "Pro…profe…." Oliver Lupin stumbled.

"I do believe I am a bit late, and we should get this done while Remus is still in his human form. Am I correct Oliver?" He didn't expect a reply and continued "You should close your mouth too Oliver, you look like a fish." Dumbledore looked at Oliver, waiting to be invited in. At that moment a women appeared at the foot of the stairs with a certain eleven year old boy.

"Happy birthday Remus." Dumbledore smiled, and walked towards the flabbergasted boy. "Would you mind if I had a drink, it's been a long day trying to find the very special birthday boy." Albus asked Anya, and turned toward Remus and winked his sharp blue. Once Anya entered the room with her best teacup and poured everyone a cup of tea, Albus grabbed a something out of his emerald robes. "I've brought presents!" the old wizard exclaims. He hands Remus a package wrapped in scarlet paper, and an envelope to Remus' father.

Remus looks at the old man, who is sitting with his legs crossed, elbows on his knee, and face on his bony knuckles. The mysterious man is transfixed on the boy. He smirks, and gestures for Remus to open the present. Remus tore the scarlet paper, to reveal a large, pure white book entitled "A History of Magic" by Bathilda Bagshot. Remus examines the book, for he loved books. He loved the fact that a mere 200 to 800 pieces of paper could contain so much information or adventure. Remus thanked the random man for the book, than looked up at his father, who seemed scared, but also hopeful.

"Just a little gift from me and the other professors." The wizard grinned and turned toward Oliver. "Open yours, or you can let Remus open it, it is a present for all of you I'd assume." Oliver looked skeptically at Dumbledore. He opened the letter, and began to read. He was soon sobbing and dropped the letter; he beamed the brightest smile Remus had ever seen.

Remus jumped toward the fallen pieces of paper and read:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,

Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr. Remus Lupin,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed, a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

Remus stared at the paper then at, whom he presumed to be, THE ALBUS DUMBLEDORE. He grinned, despite his weakness and exhaustion he stood up and hugged Anya enthusiastically, then leaped over the wooden table and hugged his dad. After their embrace, Oliver Lupin asked how it was possible for Remus to be accepted to Hogwarts, due to his 'illness'. For an hour, Dumbledore explained the intricate planning of him and most of the rest of the staff. They created a new building in Hogsmeade for Remus to spend the duration of his change. The entrance to the building was hidden by a large tree, which would harm anyone whom came within ten feet. The plan seemed genius. Remus was so excited, that he forgot about his transformation, and Anya and him had to run toward the barn way in the back of the yard.

~~~

"Thank you for being so understanding about Remus." Oliver said to Albus Dumbledore as he prepared to leave. "Most people wouldn't have done that. Most people see him as the thing he is for once a month, not what he is every other day. His own mother ditched him."

"No need to thank me, you have a fine young man. He is bright, I can tell already. He may end up in Ravenclaw, but he does seem to have an air of mischief about him. His sorting shall be most interesting." Dumbledore fixed his pointed hat atop his head, and shook hands with his former student. "I hope to see him soon." And with that, he dissapperated.

~~~
September 1971

The first time Remus Lupin ran through the brick pillar that led to platform nine and three quarters, was the first time he ever felt truly accepted. He gripped onto his trolley tightly, sharply inhaled and ran through the solid bricks with his father and mother. The scarlet train shone beautifully, it was enormous and grand. The platform was abuzz with the laughter, banter, and screeches of its inhabitants. Owls were rattling in their cages, and young witches and wizards accompanied by their parents went over how they were to keep in contact.

"Now, young man, I want a letter once every week you hear?" Anya told Remus. Remus ginned and nodded. His grey owl hooted at him, Remus had named him Romulus.

"Remus, you make sure you get excellent grades. It is a nice thing Dumbledore and the other proffessors are doing letting you be accepted to the school." Oliver Lupin said. "So show them they made the right decision eh?" He winked at his son and ruffled his sandy locks. It was 10:55 am, and Remus had to get on the train before eleven. He hugged his father and kissed his mother on the cheek, then ran onto the train.

Once inside, it took him a good minute to find a suitable compartment. This particular compartment was close to the front of the train and empty. He waved to his parents one last time, and then the train began to move. He had just started to read his book, when the compartment door swung open, and an emaciated looking boy with abnormally messy black hair, and bespectacled hazel eyes walked in.

"JAMES HARRION POTTER! YOU COULD HAVE KNOCKED!" A girl of equal emaciation, but with silver and blue eyes and dirty blonde hair screamed. She looked at Remus and said, "I'm sorry for his manners, I honestly don't know why he is such a toad." She smiled and extended her right arm, "The name's Rikki Potter." He shook her hand and replied "Remus Lupin."

"That's a cool name." The rude boy replied. "My names James Potter, as you may have guessed from my cousin's banshee screaming." Rikki rolled her eyes and said, "I'm going to go look for Frank." With that she stomped out.

"I'll be back." James announced, and Remus merely nodded in response, too enchanted by his book.

Twenty minutes after the encounter with the two Potter children, there was a loud bang and a large cloud of yellow smoke permeated in the corridor. Then in stumbled three boys, only one was familiar, it was the James boy. James had fallen onto the floor with a slightly pudgy blonde haired boy, who was rather pale. Remus was scared he may be sick by the way the boy looked, his face was beet red and he was hyperventilating. Above them stood a slender, raven haired boy, whose hair looked like that of a girl. It was the length of his shoulders. At first glance he seemed mean looking and arrogant; sure to be a pureblood of high social standing.

"Hello again!" James beamed at Remus, who had, reluctantly, set his book down. Remus was rather shy, he hadn't been in contact with many people his own age, and the ones he did, would stand five feet away from him at all times. "Hello." He responded meekly. The girly haired boy walked over and helped the sick looking boy off the ground. James jumped up and sat across from Remus. He then introduced the two other boys.

"This is Sirius Orion Black, of the famous Black family." James announced, and then bowed mockingly toward Sirius. Sirius hit him on the head and said, "You forget to mention my family is noble, rich, evil, stupid, and prejudice." He flipped his hair out of his eyes and shook Remus' hands. He looked Remus in the face and asked, "Why the scars mate? Get attacked by a Hippogriff or something?" He then looked at his arms, which had little scratches.

Remus froze. How was he supposed to answer he wondered. "I…uhh...um… well growing up a lady down the street from me had like twenty cats, she was lonely and needed company I guess. And one day while I was walking down the street, two of the cats attacked me. Cats don't tend to like me much."He smiled nervously hoping this would please the boy. Sirius nodded and said, "yeah don't tend to fancy me either." He then slumped into the seat next to James.

The blonde boy stood carefully, still breathing heavily. He groped for the seat next to Remus and sat. He held his hand out for Remus. Remus took his hand and shook it. "… Peter…" was all he seemed to be able to mutter.

"I'm Remus. Also, might I ask why there was a cloud of yellow smoke outside in the corridor?" To this all three of the boys started laughing like mad. Remus knew he wouldn't get along with these boys, they were too mischievous for him, and he wouldn't be able to study hard with them around. He also didn't intend to have friends, for no one would know about the real him, and if they did they certainly wouldn't continue to be friends with him.

"Well, Remus that is a long story, but a good one, so I shall tell it." James began. "Well, after I left this here compartment, I decided to look around the train, and somehow ended up in the Slytherin part, which quite honestly, isn't a great friendly place."

"Contrary to popular believe." Sirius commented with a smirk.

"Yes, so anyway. I ended up there and found poor lost Peter, who seemed out of pace right mate? And I went over to this innocent looking guy, when I was jumped by two Slytherin blokes. They also got Peter here and began beating him and calling him rude names, I don't want to repeat. So naturally, I flitted my way out of that situation. Then Sirius showed up and helped Peter out by telling the blokes that some Bella girl wanted to see them, suppose she's a pretty one?" James asked Sirius, who immediately looked down at his hands.

"Not quite, more like evil bitch who wouldn't mind killing you." Sirius responded darkly.

"Alright then, anyway we started to slowly escape, when the guys returned and started yelling at us and chasing us. The prats followed us to the corridor behind this one, which is when I set off the stink bomb. No big deal." James then proceeded to ask Peter if he was alright, to which Peter said "Yes, yes thank you ever so much!" The boy had a high pitched voice that wasn't all that pleasant. Remus liked the boys they seemed normal enough; Trouble makers yes, but not overly much so.

Then in entered a greasy haired boy and a fiery haired girl.