CHAPTER THREE

HIGH HOPES MET

F*I*V*E* Y*E*A*R*S L*A*T*E*R*

Remus sat on the awning outside his window, listening to his parents argue. A letter from Hogwarts had arrived today inviting him to attend the school this autumn. His mother said yes, his father said no. Remus wanted to go so badly, but at the same time…he knew his condition might put the other students in danger.

"He can't go, Hope!"

"It's one night a month! Surely something can be arranged!"

"Of course! But it's not THAT I'm worried about…"

His parents stopped yelling and began to speak in hushed tones. Remus crept forward on the roof slightly so he could make out their conversation better. His head dangled over the side of the gutter, shaggy, light brown hair hanging in his bright green eyes. Blood began to rush to his head but he managed to listen as intently as possible.

"…ridiculous! How would somebody find out?" his mother hissed.

"They always do… He'll be an outcast…"

"I bet Dumbledore would help. He obviously intends to if he sent this let"

"OBVIOUSLY…he doesn't know what Remus is. Hope, do you really think they would invite a…werewolf into their school?" his father asked sorrowfully.

His parents both stopped talking and Remus heard the soft sobs of his mother.

"He'll just keep learning here, Hope. I'm smart enough, you know. That boy studies magic every day. He may be even smarter than those who would be his classmates. You teach him muggle studies and I teach him magic. Remus will know everything!"

Remus could hear the bitter laugh in his father's voice as he tried to console his mother.

"Lay much longer with your head like that, and you'll make yourself sick…" a soft voice said.

Remus raised his head and felt all the blood rush back, making him slightly dazed. When his vision finally settled, he saw a man standing in his backyard. He had a long white beard and half-moon spectacles. His hands were calmly folded, one over the other. He wore long robes and a tall, pointed hat. Remus recognized him instantly.

"Albus Dumbledore," he breathed.

Dumbledore smiled up at Remus and nodded.

"Would now be a bad time to speak with your parents, Remus?"

"How do you know my name?" he asked, bewildered.

"I sent you that letter. I don't send those out lightly."

Remus sat on the edge of the roof, his lanky legs dangling off the side of the roof.

"So, is it a bad time to speak with your parents?" inquired Dumbledore.

Remus's brows furrowed and his eyes turned downward.

"I dunno. My mum wants me to go, but my dad says no. He teaches me magic and she teaches me muggle studies. They wanna keep doing that, I s'pose."

Dumbledore smiled slightly and with a loud crack, he appeared on the roof beside Remus. Remus's eyes widened. He had apparated. Something he'd seen his father do a limited amount of times.

"Why do they want to do that, Remus? Why wouldn't they let you attend Hogwarts?"

Remus bit his lip. Should he tell Dumbledore? Like his father had said, would Dumbledore have sent him the acceptance letter if he had known what he was? With Dumbledore sitting here beside him, the man he had read all about, Remus couldn't help but want to lie to hide the monster he was. If he lied, then maybe Dumbledore would let him go to Hogwarts. Then again, his father had also said that they would find out one way or another and then reject him. Maybe he could tell Dumbledore and it not make a difference.

"What is on your mind, Remus?"

"Well, um… I have a secret, sir…" he mumbled.

"Do tell. I enjoy those and I'm very good at keeping them."

Remus sighed and shook his head.

"If I tell you…you may not want me to go to Hogwarts anymore. One of parents is already saying I can't go and if I tell you…well, then I won't even have the option of going…" he sighed, gloomily.

Dumbledore nodded and looked off at the sunset. Slowly his eyes turned back to Remus and he smiled thoughtfully.

"Is this secret the one about you being a werewolf?"

Remus's head shot up and his eyes snapped over at him. Dumbledore continued to smile at him, warm understanding in his eyes.

"Mr. Lupin, that is an easily remedied issue," he chuckled.

"There's no cure, sir-"

"I'm not speaking of a cure, I'm speaking of a solution. It's one night a month. I'm sure we can manage to solve that. You seem brilliant, Remus. I would hate for someone so clever to miss attending my school…"

Remus felt surge of hope overcome him and he couldn't help but smile up at Dumbledore.

"So? Do you think it's a good time to speak with your parents?"

Remus nodded encouragingly at Dumbledore, who with a crack, disapparated from the roof. Remus craned his neck forward to see Dumledore knocking at the front door.

Quickly, he scrambled back into his room and crept to the stairs. He sat at the stairs, listening intently for the conversation in which Dumbledore would convince his parents to let him attend Hogwarts. He was sorely disappointed.

"I'm sorry, sir. It really is an honor to have you come to our home, but we really must insist you leave," his father said.

Remus heard the door shut and sighed, holding back tears.

"Knock-knock-knock!"

His eyes lit up. Dumbledore was refusing to take no for an answer.

"Professor, we really are flattered, truly, but Remus can't attend Hogwarts. He has a condition that may potentially cause the other students har-"

"I know of your son's condition, Lyall."

Remus heard complete silence. His parents were, no doubt, surprised. He felt a smile creep up on his face. Maybe he could do it. Maybe he would get to go!

"Just hear me out, please," Dumbledore insisted.

Remus heard the door shut again and multiple footsteps. They had let Dumbledore in! The scooting of chairs as they all sat at the dining room table. He hoped with all of his heart that Dumbledore could do it. That Dumbledore could convince them.

"Professor, if you know about Remus's condition…why are you inviting him to attend Hogwarts?" his father asked.

"Well, what I've heard about your son have been great things. He's supposedly exceptionally bright and gifted. You've done a great job of keeping his secret thus far. I wouldn't have known if I hadn't seen him on the Werewolf Registry-"

"Professor, that's precisely why we don't want to let him go. If someone were to find out, he would be an outcast. We don't want Remus to see that part of the world just yet. Not this young. We are just trying to protect him…" his mother replied, sadly.

Remus felt tears well up in his eyes and he turned to trudge up the stairs. He couldn't stand to hear this any longer. He was so full of hope and now it was gone.

"I wonder, would it be possible to bring Remus down here?" Dumbledore probed.

Remus froze as he neared the landing outside of his room. There was silence in the kitchen, his mother spoke up finally.

"Remus!" she called.

He heard his father sigh loudly. Without a second thought, Remus bounded down the steps and rushed into the dining room. His father's face was in his hands and his mother offered a concerned smile. Dumbledore winked at Remus who fought off a smile. His mother gestured for Remus to take the seat opposite her, beside Dumbledore.

Remus sat and let his hands trace the lines in the pine table, his eyes staring at the purple flowers in the middle so he wouldn't look at his father. His father's face depressed him right now. It was hopelessness and disappointment. All things that Remus didn't want to see at the moment.

"Remus, this is Professor Dumbledore. He's the headmaster of Hogwarts."

Remus's eyes flickered to Dumbledore and he stuck out his hand.

"Hello, Professor," he smiled.

Dumbledore took Remus's hand and grinned, once again impressed at the young boy's intelligence.

"Hello, Remus. I was just speaking with your parents about attending Hogwarts. Would you have any interest in doing so?"

"Yes, sir. Very much so."

Dumbledore gestured with his hands to Remus and smiled, making eye contact with his mother. Lyall raised his head from his hands.

"And what do you plan to do about Remus's condition?" Lyall questioned.

Dumbledore looked at Lyall, calmly.

"There's a place, a safe distance from Hogwarts. It's by the Whomping Willow. I'm sure you recall that from your days at Hogwarts, Lyall…" Dumbledore smiled.

Lyall couldn't help but smile a little too as they shared a private joke.

"I've purchased the property. Nobody goes there due to location near the Willow and the rumors of it being haunted. It looks haunted too, if I may add. However, I'm sure that's a small price to pay for Remus if it means he gets to attend Hogwarts. Of course, a teacher would escort him to and from the property and we would have a form of protection for Remus. He would be excused from his classes the day following and our school nurse claims to be more than willing to see to it that Remus remains in good health. How does this all sound to you, Remus?" Dumbledore asked.

Remus wanted to cry out 'yes!' at the top of his lungs, however he knew that he should remain composed so that he was taken seriously.

"That sounds brilliant, Professor," nodded Remus.

Hope smiled and touched Dumbledore's hand giving him a grateful look. All eyes were on Lyall now. He gazed at them. A look of sadness, confliction and happiness upon him all at once. His looked to Remus who stared at him, full of hope. Lyall released a loud sigh.

"Alright."

Remus's bright eyes lit up and his gaze flickered from Dumbledore to his mum to his dad. His jaw slightly open.

"I-I-I can go?" Remus gasped.

His father nodded. Remus leapt out of his chair, almost making it topple over. He jumped into his dad's arms.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I'll make you so proud! I promise!"

Lyall couldn't help but smile as he embraced his son.

Slowly, Remus slid out of his father's lap and walked to Dumbledore, once again extending his hand. Dumbledore chuckled at the ten year old boy who was giving him a formal handshake.

"Thank you, Professor Dumbledore. You will not be disappointed. I swear, you won't regret this," he assured him.

"I know I won't, Remus. Lyall, Hope, thank you for your time. I promise you, Remus will be in good hands," Dumbledore smiled, standing.

Hope stood with Dumbledore and embraced him.

"Thank you for giving Remus this opportunity," she cried softly.

Dumbledore chuckled and returned her hug. When she released him, Dumbledore found that Lyall had risen from his chair. He approached Dumbledore, holding back tears. Slowly, he extended his hand and cleared his throat. Dumbledore shook his hand firmly and smiled.

"Thank you, Professor."

"It's no trouble, Lyall. I expect Remus will be top of his class just like his father," Dumbledore grinned.

Lyall swiped a few tears away and nodded. Dumbledore headed towards their front door and turned to Remus before exiting.

"I'll be seeing you soon, Remus Lupin," he smiled.

"Yes, Professor. Yes," beamed Remus.

Dumbledore left and with another loud crack he disappeared. Remus couldn't wait to begin at Hogwarts. He pledged to himself then, that he would be the brightest and best at Hogwarts. He was going to prove to everyone that he was very much worth the trouble. He would be the best wizard he could despite his ailment.