Disclaimer: Crimson Solitaire does not own Harry Potter or his friends, and does not intend to make any money from this work of fiction.

Life River

By Crimson Solitaire


Chapter Two

The next day I received my Hogwarts letter. Overcome by joy, my mother and I danced around the flat singing and jumping on the beds. She dished me a bowl of chocolate pudding and promised to take me to Diagon Alley that afternoon. I had heard her talk of Diagon Alley, but every time she had to go for something (which was a rare occasion, of course), she would leave me home with the boyfriend of the week, or she'd take me to visit "Uncle" Antonius. But this time she promised that I'd get to go.

Diagon Alley was alive with people in brilliant colored robes and hats. There were squawking owls and cats everywhere I looked. Such shops I could never imagine were lined up on either side of the crowded cobbled street.

"Mum, what's Quidditch?" I asked, looking at a window with mannequins in orange and green robes holding broomsticks and a large red ball.

"It's a sport," my mother said. "I was never really into it, but I'm sure I've mentioned it to you. It's the game where there are seven players on a team and they fly around on a broomstick catching and throwing balls. It's a dumb game, really. While everyone was away at the matches, I'd stay in and paint." She gave me a small smile. "You might like it, though. But this isn't important. Let's get you to Ollivander's - we've got to get you a wand."

I had thought long and hard the night before and decided that a magic wand was something I desperately wanted. I had seen my mother use hers occasionally, but it was only to clean up things and do other household chores when her blokes weren't hanging around. But I was more excited to be learning how to conjure things like I saw Professor Dumbledore do.

Ollivander's Wand Shop was a small, dusty shop that contained boxes stacked at least ten feet high and three feet deep, all in a haphazard manner. When Mum and I walked in, Mr. Ollivander was sitting on a stool behind the front counter, the only part if the shop that wasn't dusty. He had his back to us, and previously seemed to be looking over a long piece of a stick of pinewood. He turned around when he heard the bell ding at our entrance, and his silvery eyes brightened at seeing my mother.

"Kathryn Lupin!" he said. "I thought I could feel your wand the alley. Willow with a hair from the tail of the finest unicorn."

"That's right," my mother said.

Mr. Ollivander looked at me, his silver eyes piercing mine, making me feel both welcome and unwelcome at the same time. "And who do we have here?"

"This is my son," my mum said. "Remus. He's going to Hogwarts this year, and he needs his first wand."

Mr. Ollivander's eyes never left mine. "Wonderful, wonderful." He finally turned away and grabbed a tape measure, then pulled out his own wand and charmed it to start measuring me in the oddest places. He then turned and started digging into the pile of wand boxes against the walls.

"Eleven inches, yew, dragon heartstrings," he said, pulling a wand out of the box. He handed it to me, and motioned for me to wave it. I did, and nothing happened. I frowned, wondering why it didn't work. Maybe I didn't have magic like my mum did. But, Mr. Ollivander didn't even seem to care, he just snatched the wand from my hand, and went back to the pile, and pulled another wand box from it.

"Ten and a half, cherry, with a mane hair from a unicorn." He handed the wand to me, I gave it a wave, and nothing happened again.

Mr. Ollivander pulled out at least five more wands, telling me to give it a wave, and having nothing happened. With each one I gave a wave and nothing happened, I felt more discouraged. Maybe mum was wrong; maybe I hadn't gotten a letter from Hogwarts because I didn't have magic like her. But Mr. Ollivander didn't care - he just kept pulling out more wands for me to try, like this was great fun for him.

"Twelve and three-quarters, eucalyptus, phoenix feather."

As soon as I touched the wand, I felt a wind pass through my body. Silver and gold sparks shot from the tip of the wand. Mr. Ollivander looked very pleased, and my mother clapped her hands in excitement.

"A wand says many things about the wizard who holds it. The wand chooses the wizard. You are to be a great wizard, Remus, but only through trials and hardships." His silver eyes were boring into mine, boring into my soul, almost as Professor Dumbledore's had. This was an eerier feeling, though; like a cold hand had swept through me. Right then I knew that Mr. Ollivander knew more of my fate then even I could fathom. I don't think he was seeing the future, but I could tell that he knew, more or less, of the hardship I had been through and had yet to go through with.

I nodded slightly, staring into his eyes. I finally tore my eyes from his when my mother took my wand from me and placed it in the box. She paid Mr. Ollivander, then took my hand and led me out of the shop.

"Congratulations, love," she said to me as we walked down the cobblestone street. "What else is on your list of items you need?"

I pulled the list out from the back pocket of my jeans and looked at it. I still needed a cauldron and potion supplies, robes, books, quills and parchment. She nodded when I told her, then took me to Madam Malkin's Dress for All Occasions, and informed the witch at the front desk that I needed robes for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"Now, Madam Malkin will fit you for your robes, dear, while I go pick up the rest of your supplies, understand?"

I said I did, then waved goodbye to her as she left the shop.

"This way, dear," the witch, apparently Madam Malkin, said. "We've got another one being fitted for Hogwarts robes at the moment. It'll do you good to meet her."

I followed Madam Malkin to the back of the shop, where there was another witch measuring a girl standing on a stool. I stared at the girl for a few seconds before being ushered onto the stool next to hers.

This girl had the prettiest shade of red hair I had ever seen. She looked at me and smiled, her bright green eyes showing slight nervousness.

"Hogwarts too?" she asked.

"Yes," I said, lifting my arms as Madam Malkin instructed me to do.

"Wonderful. I'm not from a magical household, so you can imagine my surprise at receiving the letter from Hogwarts. I'm Lily. Lily Evans. What's your name?"

"Remus Lupin," I said. I couldn't help but stare at her. She was beautiful with her almond-shaped eyes and wavy auburn hair.

"Pleasure to meet you, Remus." She raised her arms so the witch could measure them.

There was no more conversation after that, except for a goodbye and a hope that we'd talk to each other again when we were at school. She walked out of the room to the front of the shop, and I watched her go, not having any idea of the future that we would have together. Not knowing that she'd become my savior and damnation in years to come.

* * *

A week passed in a blink, and before I knew it, Mum was walking through King's Cross station with me, telling me how much fun I was going to have, and how I had better be a good boy. She warned me several times the night before that I had better not tell anyone about my lycanthropic illness, or else everything that she and Professor Dumbledore had worked so hard for would be for nothing. I didn't know what lycanthropic meant, but I knew by the way she said it that it meant werewolf business. So I promised her that I'd listen to Professor Dumbledore and the other teachers, and not break any of the rules.

My mother walked me through the brick wall onto Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, where a scarlet steam engine sat chugging up steam. She helped me get my cart on the train, and then kissed me goodbye, making me promise to use my new owl she had bought me to send her news of myself. I hugged her back, taking in her scent one last time for the next ten months - she smelled of raspberries and a faint hint of gin. She had been drinking that morning, like she did nearly every morning. Like she did every day.

"Remus?" a voice called behind me. I turned from the window where I was waving my mum goodbye and saw James Potter standing there. "I thought that was you. Where are you sitting?"

"I haven't picked a spot yet."

"Good. You can sit with me and Sirius Black. Remember I told you about Sirius Black?"

"Yes."

"He's eager to meet you too. You'll like him, and of course he'll like you."

I knitted my eyebrows. "How do you know?"

"Because I know these things. My dad says that people who are good allies befriend each other quickly and stay that way for life."

I nodded and followed him through the corridor to the compartment. A black-haired, handsome-faced boy sat on the seat looking through a magazine. He looked up at us as we entered and smiled.

"You must be Remus," he said. "I'm Sirius."

"Nice to meet you, Sirius," I said.

James and I sat down, and Sirius started rummaging through the magazine again. A whistle blew, and the train started to lurch forward. My stomach lurched with the train. I was going to Howarts. I was getting away. I was going somewhere where I could pretend to be a normal kid with a normal life.

The three of us sat in silence for a while, James and I were staring out the window, watching the scenery whip past. Sirius still looked through the magazine, which was called Quidditch Review.

"I can't believe I'm finally going to be at Hogwarts," James said, breaking the silence. "I mean, we're finally going to learn magic. Isn't that exciting?"

I nodded my agreement. Sirius just looked over the top of the magazine and raised his eyebrows. Actually, he was attempting to raise one eyebrow, but it was more like he had both eyebrows raised and was squinting one eye. I suppressed a smile. I was going to like this kid.

Even though he made that weird face, he didn't say anything. He just went back to reading the magazine. I wondered what made him look at James like that. Perhaps this guy was more hostile than I thought, but I saw no reason to fear him. Not yet, at least, and I hoped never to be on his bad side.

I stared out the window again. I had left the comfort zone of my mother's side, but I wasn't afraid. Well, not very much, anyway.

"Are you a Muggle-born?" Sirius asked, finally closing his magazine and looking at me.

"No, my mum's a witch," I said.

"Pureblood?"

"Uh, no, she was Muggle-born." I wondered why it mattered. I turned pale at the thought of him judging me because of it. I knew it wasn't my fault, just like it wasn't my fault that I was a werewolf, but I didn't want to lose the friends I had just made over it.

"I was just curious," Sirius said. His eyebrows knitted a fraction of an inch. "You're looking a bit peaky - are you all right?"

"Yeah. It's just I sometimes get - er - motion sickness," I replied quickly.

"Oh, well, it's almost lunchtime and the food trolley should be coming around soon. Eating might make you feel better."

I nodded.

When the food trolley turned up, I bought a few items called Chocolate Frogs, and Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. I had had Every Flavor Beans before, though my mum used to charm out the nasty ones. I must say, it was a new experience trying to guess which ones were edible. Sirius and James joined in after a while and we had a grand time trying every bean. James got a burnt-rubber flavored bean and became violently ill out the window of the train. Sirius and I laughed so hard that we had tears streaming from or eyes.

Sirius clapped me on the back, and then clapped James's shoulder as he had his head between his knees, attempting to recover.

"I'll remember this moment for the rest of my life," Sirius said. "I'm going to like you guys."

James looked up at grinned. Sirius and I grinned back. My mum would have been so proud of me if she could have seen me.

* * *

The first years were led across the lake in boats, which I shared with James, Sirius, and a mousy-looking, round boy called Peter, whose last name I hadn't caught. A lady in acid-green robes, who I later learned was Professor McGonagall, led the first years through the massive entrance hall, and into the Great Hall. She placed a mangy wizard's hat on a stool, and the hat began to sing. After the Sorting Hat's song, the names of the first years were called, and each was sorted into houses.

Sirius was the third person to be Sorted. The hat fell over his eyes, and stayed there for a good minute and a half before calling out, "GRYFFINDOR!" Sirius pulled the hat off his head and made his way over to the cheering Gryffindor table and sat down next to a pretty blonde girl, who placed one arm around his shoulders and gave a quick squeeze.

A few more names were called before "Evans, Lily." The girl with the pretty red hair I had met in the robe shop, strode determinedly up to the stool, placed the hat on her head, and not a second later became a Gryffindor. I watched her walk proudly over to the Gryffindors and take a seat a few spaces away from Sirius. With both Sirius and Lily now in Gryffindor, I hoped that I would become one too.

My name was called a few minutes later, and I forced myself not to tremble as I shoved the hat on my head and sat on the stool.

"Remus Lupin," a voice said in my head, "you're a very clever young man. But Ravenclaw would never do you justice. You have survived six years as a werewolf -"

"How'd you - "

"I read your thoughts. I'm reading them now. Lycanthropy requires bravery, my boy. But it must be kept a secret. You have the cunning of a Slytherin, but -"

"Gryffindor," I thought at it. "Please."

"You interrupted me, Remus. You have too good of a heart for Slytherin. So I have made my decision, and you'll be placed in GRYFFINDOR!"

I pulled the hat off my head and made my way over to the cheering Gryffindors. I sat across from Sirius, who shook my hand and said, "At least you're with me."

James became a Gryffindor as well, when his name was called, and so did the boy, Peter, whose last name I learned was Pettigrew.

"I'm glad I get to share a dorm with you lot," Peter said as the feast started. "I was hoping to have decent dormmates."

"We're all decent," James said. "Of course we'll have a good time." He stuffed mashed potatoes in his mouth. "Pettigrew, eh? That's unusual. Where are you from?"

"Wallsend," Peter replied. "Though I don't know where the name comes from."

"Pettigrew. I like it."

We ate and chatted a bit. Sirius talked with the pretty girl on his other side. I wondered how he knew her, though I figured they must be related. I pretended to concentrate on my chicken and ham pie while listening to the conversation. They were quiet, but my wolf ears picked the words up easily.

"I thought I'd get Slytherin, Ann," Sirius said. "The Sorting hat was so close to placing me in, and in the end it decided Gryffindor."

"It's not like you're the first not to," the girl replied, throwing a thick strand of blonde over her shoulder.

"I know - you're here. But what are my mum and dad going to say? They figured that I'd get put in Slytherin and that it'd straighten me out."

"Who cares, Sirius? They've got Regulus, who seems much more intent on pleasing them. Do what makes you happy and don't give a damn about anything else. Look at me and my sisters - I'm happy, and both Narcissa and Bellatrix are in Slytherin and they're miserable."

Sirius gazed over to the Slytherin table. I made a point of reaching for the tureen of peas as to look like I was occupied, and to keep myself from looking to where Sirius was.

"Hey, Remus, you ever play Quidditch?" James asked from my left.

"Uh...no, I haven't."

"Well, you follow it, don't you? Do you think that England should have won this year?"

"I...uh...sure."

"Or do you think it should have been Wales? Peter here thinks -" I listened to James half-heartedly, agreeing and disagreeing in places where it sounded like he thought I should.

Professor Dumbledore stood when all the plates were cleared. I could have sworn that when his blue eyes were sweeping the Great Hall, they landed on me and gave me the tiniest of winks.

Professor Dumbledore said a few words, one topic of which was an announcement that, due to health reasons, Headmaster Dippet had decided to retire as Head of Hogwarts, and passed the title on to Dumbledore.

Dumbledore looked at me again, and I was sure that he winked this time. I knew he had somehow read my thoughts again, my thoughts being that I was here at Hogwarts to stay indefinitely because Dumbledore was Headmaster.

Everyone cheered at the end of Dumbledore's speech, and then the prefects called for the first years to follow them up to Gryffindor Tower. I stretched as I stood to follow, and realized I was exhausted.

* * *

A/N: Thanks so very much to all those who have reviewed. I greatly appreciate the comments!