A/N: Again, thank you all for your support and your patience right now as I adjust to some life changes. I hope you are all enjoying the story very much. As always, feedback in the form of favorites/follows/comments/messages/sharing the story/etc. is always appreciated, and I love all of you who read this story and find a way of letting be know

March 10, 1971, Barnton

Hope was upstairs tugging a sweater over little Zeva's blonde curls, the little seven-year-old girl putting up a valiant fight over going to school, much like she did every day. It fell to Lyall to give Remus his breakfast – a special treat of pain au chocolat because it was his birthday – not that he minded one bit. The two Lupin boys sat at the table in their little breakfast nook eating happily, chatting about hinkypunks, when a sharp rapping on the front door caused them to look up in surprise.

"I'll get it," Lyall smiled at his son, his brow furrowed slightly in confusion, as he rose from his seat and headed for the door.

He was not expecting to open it and find an older man with a long white beard standing in front of him, half-moon spectacles perched halfway down his nose as he peered over the top of them.

"Good morning, Lyall," Albus Dumbledore said, grinning warmly. "I've sent an owl to the Ministry informing them that you will be needing the day off."

"I'm sorry, why?" Lyall answered, his confusion only growing.

"I have a few matters to discuss with you and your family."

"Of course, please come in." Lyall opened the door a little wider and stepped aside, gesturing for Dumbledore to enter.

The older man crossed the threshold with a smile, his hands clasped together in front of his chest, deep purple robes flowing over the floor as he stepped into the sitting room and gazed around, taking in the assortment of photographs on the mantle and the end tables. They all showed a happy family, two children who adored each other and parents who doted on them. No hint whatsoever of the troubles and the worries that plagued them all.

"Hope!" Lyall called upstairs to his wife. "Hope, could you come down here?"

She appeared at the top of the stairs a few seconds later, Zeva holding her hand and frowning petulantly as the two of them walked down the stairs.

"What is it?" Hope inquired, her eyebrows knitting together as she took in the look of apprehension on her husband's face.

"The Headmaster is here," Lyall whispered back, and Hope peered around him to catch a glimpse of the man running his long fingers over the waxy leaves of the potted plant in the corner.

"Excuse me, Headmaster," she said politely as she stood in the doorway of the sitting room, "we'll be with you in just a moment, as soon as we get the kids off to school –"

"Actually, Mrs. Lupin, I will require your son's presence as well," Dumbledore answered with a cheerful smile.

"Right," Hope replied, trying not to seem too concerned. "Can I get you anything while you wait?"

"A cup of tea would be lovely," he responded, eyes twinkling with delight.

It took another twenty minutes to get Zeva completely ready for school and then walk her to the building, by which time Dumbledore had inspected every photograph and magically replenished his cup of tea. Remus sat nervously in the kitchen the whole time, trying to finish his breakfast, which had suddenly become rather tasteless, like eating cardboard. He knew wizarding children usually got their Hogwarts letters on their eleventh birthdays, and of course he had been hoping… but he had known that things were different for him, and it was unlikely that he would be able to go to school with the other children. His parents had sat him down and told him as much a few months earlier, to make sure he understood, but he had already suspected… he was a very smart boy after all. Dumbledore was probably there to explain to them in person why Remus couldn't go to school at Hogwarts, he kept telling himself, trying to ignore the nasty squirming feeling that had begun to settle in the pit of his stomach.

When Hope returned at last and returned her jacket to its hook by the door, Remus reluctantly pushed himself out of his seat in the breakfast nook and made his way, feet shuffling, to the sitting room. Lyall and Hope sat side by side on the sofa, hands clasped tightly together, and Dumbledore had conjured a plush crimson armchair to lounge in, leaving Remus to sit in the large worn leather armchair that his father usually occupied.

"Now, young man, I trust you are aware that a wizard's eleventh birthday is of the utmost importance?" Dumbledore asked, turning his chair to face Remus.

"Yes, sir," he replied politely, wringing his hands in his lap.

"And I believe a wish of happy birthday is in order," Dumbledore smiled.

"Thank you, sir," Remus answered, his head still bowed, looking resolutely at the carpet between his shoes.

"I have brought with me a present for you," the older man said, reaching into the folds of his robes and extracting an envelope, which he handed to a very confused looking Remus.

Mr. R. Lupin

The Armchair

36 Hollyharp Ln

Barnton

Remus stared at the emerald writing on the front with wide eyes, completely shocked by what he was holding.

"But sir…" he started, but Dumbledore cut him off.

"Open it," he insisted, and Remus did as he was told.

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

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

Again, Remus looked up at the wizard in front of him with a mixture of shock and apprehension, as though worried that someone might be playing a trick on him.

"Now, of course your case is a bit unusual," Dumbledore continued when Remus did not speak right away, "but I see no reason why that should mean you cannot be a normal student."

"I'm sorry," Lyall interrupted, looking scandalized, "no reason? You do know what he is, don't you?"

"He is your son," Dumbledore answered sternly, giving Lyall a highly reproachful look. "I am aware, however, that your son is afflicted with lycanthropy, yes."

"He's a werewolf!" Lyall burst out, and immediately looked ashamed of himself as Remus returned his gaze to the floor.

"He is first and foremost a child," he reprimanded, ice blue eyes piercing Lyall like a knife, "and a wizarding child at that. Which means he is offered a place at Hogwarts, should he choose to accept it." The Headmaster returned his gaze to the eleven year old boy, who looked up with his own green eyes filled with a deep respect for the man in front of him.

"Can I really go?" he asked quietly, almost not daring to hope that it was all real.

"Of course you can," Dumbledore replied, offering the boy a warm smile.

"What about the other students?" Hope inquired, speaking up for the first time. "How will you keep them safe? What if he infects one of the other children?"

"Ah, yes, I anticipated this slight hiccup," he answered with a grin and a wink directed at Remus. "Earlier this year, I had a passage built from the castle grounds to an abandoned building in Hogsmeade, and placed a Whomping Willow above the entrance to the passage to deter any curious students. At the full moon, Remus will be escorted from the castle by either myself, his head of house, or our resident Healer, and taken to this passage so he can safely transform in the abandoned building. I have, myself, placed many protective enchantments on it so he will be unable to leave until morning when the transformation is reversed."

"That sounds very thorough," Hope said, though the expression on her face was still one of hesitance and uncertainty. "What if something goes wrong though?"

"My dear Hope," Dumbledore chuckled, "nothing will go wrong, I assure you."

"You're sure I wont hurt anyone?" Remus chimed in, his voice very quiet.

"We have taken every possible precaution to ensure that Hogwarts is the safest place for you," Dumbledore said by way of an answer.

"I want to go," Remus said, looking between Dumbledore and his mother and father. "Please, can I?"

"I… I don't know…" Lyall started, but the look of excitement on his son's face stopped him in his tracks. "Oh, alright then. But if anything comes even remotely close to happening, we'll have to bring you home again."

"Thank you Dad!" Remus exclaimed, jumping up from his seat on the couch and running over to hug his parents before turning back to Dumbledore. "Thank you, sir, I promise I'll be the best student, you won't regret this."

"I feel sure of it," Dumbledore answered, peering at Remus over the top of his spectacles, blue eyes twinkling with a sense of mischief. "I expect you have an abundance of things to take care of now, so I will leave you too it. Thank you most kindly for the cup of tea."

He stood and made his way toward the door, cloak billowing out behind him as he stepped out into the cool March air, Remus holding the door open for him.

"See you on September 1st," Dumbledore said as he turned to walk down the front path.

"Sir!" Remus called out at the last minute, and the Headmaster turned to look at him. "Do I still have to send an owl with my reply?"

"No," Dumbledore laughed heartily, "no, Remus, I think telling me of your decision in person quite suffices."

With that, he strode to the little front gate and twisted on the spot, disappearing into thin air and leaving little Remus Lupin feeling more eager and excited than he could remember feeling in a long time.