Remus looked around the large, circular room in which he sat waiting for the headmaster. His silvery eyes flickered from one magical item to another until they rested on a beautiful golden orange bird. A phoenix. Remus had never seen a real phoenix and he looked at it with great interest and admiration before getting up and stroking its soft feathers. He had always liked animals, he found them fascinating and they helped him relax. He had grown up by a forest and he used to enjoy taking long walks in between the trees but that was before he had been bitten. Now he only entered the forest once a month. It held too many bad memories.

'I see you have met Fawkes. He seems to like you.'

Remus turned around when he heard the voice. He hadn't heard anyone enter the room.

'Welcome to Hogwarts, Remus. I am Professor Dumbledore. Please take a seat.'

'Th-thankyou Professor, sir.'

'Now I am sure you know why you are here. We need to discuss the arrangements for the next full-moon.' Dumbledore paused before continuing, ' If you remember my speech after the sorting ceremony I told the school about a tree that has been planted. The whomping willow?'

Remus was listening carefully but he didn't see what a tree had to do with his condition. He was beginning to wish the man would just get on and tell him what was to happen because he was tired and wanted to go to bed.

He had been very excited about coming to Hogwarts. Nobody had thought that he would ever be able to have a normal education but Dumbledore had said that if the right precautions were taken he could have a life nearly as normal as everyone else's.

'Yes, Professor.'

'Well, once a month, Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey, the school nurse, will collect you from your common room and take you down to the tree an hour before the moon rises. Now, underneath the tree is a tunnel that leads to a shack positioned on top of the hill in Hogsmeade. Madam Pomfrey will freeze the tree and you will go down into the shack. They will then return to the castle and collect you the next morning after your transformation.'

'So I will be alone,' whispered Remus, unable to hide the fear and disappointment in his voice. He had secretly hoped that he would have someone with him but he knew that that would be far too dangerous.

' I am afraid so. I cannot allow any of my staff to accompany you, as it would put them in great danger and I ask you not to tell anyone about your condition. Do you have any questions?'

Remus shook his head and got up to leave the room.

'If you have any problems feel free to come and talk to me. Remember you are not a monster. You are just different. There is nothing wrong with being different but you have to learn to cope with your problems and be proud of who you really are. You are not a monster, Remus.'

The young boy stood for a moment in silence and left the room. Dumbledore sighed and lifted his wand to his head to extract some of his thoughts and put them into his pensieve.

Remus walked slowly along the corridor for about ten minutes before he realised he didn't have any idea where he was going. He went to the entrance hall and was relieved to see Sirius and James appear from behind a door.

'Oh, hi Remus.'

'Hello James, um, I don't suppose you could tell me the way to the Gryffindor tower. I had to see Professor Dumbledore so I don't know the way.'

'Sure. We're just on our way there now aren't we Sirius? You can come with us.'

Sirius looked annoyed at this but James elbowed him in the ribs and he agreed that Remus should follow them.

'So, what were you two up to? I thought everyone would have gone to bed,' Remus asked awkwardly.

'Nothing,' muttered Sirius.

'Come on mate, we can tell Remus,' said James.

'Hmph.'

'Just ignore him. We got bored in the dormitory so we decided to explore,' James told Remus. Sirius walked by his side muttering angrily under his breath.

'Did you find anything?'

'Nothing much.'

James stopped outside a portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress.

'Flutterwing,' said James. The portrait swung open and the three boys entered the common room and climbed the spiral staircase to the boys dormitory. Remus closed the curtains around his bed and tried to fall asleep but he couldn't. He was thinking about what Dumbledore had said but his thoughts were interrupted by voices.

'Is everyone asleep,' someone whispered.

'I think so,' Remus heard James reply, 'Why were you ignoring Remus? I think he's all right. Don't you like him?'

'Quit the questions.'

'Sorry. But still, you weren't exactly being friendly.'

'So. I don't have to be nice to everyone, James. I just think he's a bit weird.'

'What do you mean?'

'Well he just seemed a bit quiet. He seems so boring. I hate boring people. Plus he looks a bit funny. Kind of . strange.'

Remus gulped. He knew he shouldn't have tried to make friends. Maybe he should have stayed at home. If he made any friends they'd find out and Dumbledore told him not to tell anyone.

'Yeah, I suppose he was a bit quiet,' James said.

'Anyway. What about you and that girl? Evans, I think her name was,' asked Sirius, cheering up a little.

'What are you talking about? I'm only eleven for Gods sake.'

'So.'

'Shut up Sirius. I'm going to sleep.'