Hope's Children

Chapter 2: Remus' Hope

Opening his eyes, Remus looked around trying to remember if he had gotten away from the village in time. He wasn't too beaten and nothing seemed broken, he was just tired, sore and covered in scratches from the bushes in this forest. Now he had to find his backpack and a new village to start over in again. Sighing, he stood up and looked around. There was his backpack; it didn't have much in it, a couple of galleons and a couple of pounds from the few jobs he had been able to get paid for. It was mostly from kind old ladies who thought he was cute. Most of the time people gave him room and board for the little work he could do: running errands and carrying stuff. He was very strong and fast, neither of which came from being a werewolf. The only good points he could see in that were the heightened senses and the ability to see through magic and such, which had come in handy over the years. At the moment though, the only thing he wanted was to go back to sleep, but before he could there was a pesky owl nipping at his ear.

"I haven't got anything for you. I'm sorry. Please stop nipping my ear." He looked at the owl; it was holding out a letter for him. That was weird; no one sent him owl post, he hadn't talked to anyone in his family for three years, and his parents in five. Reaching out, he took the letter. He was even more startled; he didn't recognize the owl. Opening the letter he let out a cry of surprise. It read:

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 tools and equipment. Term begins September 1. We await your owl no later than July 31.

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy headmistress

Dear Mr. Lupin

The staff is well aware of your condition, and special arrangements have been made. Professor McGonagall, Madam Yates, or myself will contact you before the first full moon once you arrive at Hogwarts. Please do come, Mr. Lupin. It will be a step in the right direction for many people, you included.

Albus Dumbledore

Headmaster (Hogwarts)

That was impossible. Werewolves didn't go to school and there was no way he would be able to afford it, a wand alone was at least 5 galleons or so. What with robes and schoolbooks and quills and things he definitely wouldn't have enough. Well, I have a pair of robes, so I don't need to do that, and if I get a quill, and no books or anything else I'll just have to make a friend to share with. So a wand, a quill, some ink, and if I have any thing left over, a few schoolbooks.

"Well, I guess that means I'm going." On the back of the acceptance letter he hastily scribbled (with a muggle pen):

To whom it may concern

Thank you very much for the opportunity. I will be delighted, see you on the first.

Remus Lupin

Handing his reply to the owl, he picked up his pack and looked in it to see if he had any food. There wasn't much in it: a very old and battered copy of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, an equally old and battered copy of The Wizard Of Oz, a pair of robes that were dirty and old, a little bit of money, his muggle pen, and yes, a bit of bread. Munching on his bread, he headed in the direction that he had not come from. He would have to find a wizard town, or at least a wizard inn or shop to floo to Diagon Alley, and he would stay in London till the first, only leaving on the full moon, and than he could meet the train.

It felt as if he had been walking for hours before he came to a village. Looking around he saw a little corner store that he could see magic through the window of (it came in handy being able to see magic) and there was a little help wanted sign. Opening the door and praying he looked presentable, he went up to the lady at the counter. Now Remus had always been shy even before he was bitten, but when he needed a job he was good at overcoming his shyness.

"Excuse me, miss, but you have a sign up saying you're looking for someone to hire." The women looked down at him; she seemed to be sizing him up.

"And what would a puny thing like you be able to do for me, you can't be more than eight."

"I'm ten," Remus said rather defiantly, "and I'm good at carrying messages and running errands and that kind of thing. I can run really fast."

"Well, you look like you need a good meal, so let's see. I'll send you on a test run."

"Yes miss."

"First off, what's your name?"

"Remus, Miss."

"Well Remus, my husband's in town and I hate to bother him, but I have some very heavy boxes in the back that I need to move out here."

"I can move your boxes Miss. And if you don't mind me asking, what's your name miss?"

"It's Mona Williams. And I don't know about you moving those boxes, they're pretty heavy. But wouldn't hurt to try, it's nothing breakable." She led Remus into the back of the store and pointed out the boxes, and then she turned to face him.

"Now Remus, this isn't a normal shop." But before she got any further:

"I know Miss. Williams, it's a wizard's shop, sorry to interrupt but I thought I would save you the time."

"Well aren't you a bright one. Did you say you were ten?"

"Yes Miss. Williams."

"Well then you would be going to Hogwarts this September."

"Yes Miss. Williams."

"Good, you can floo to London and Diagon Alley from here, and I'll lend you a bit for school."

"You don't have to do that Miss. Williams, I have a bit saved up."

"Of course I don't have to, but I will, and no more Miss. Williams. You're to call me Mona just like everyone else. And I'm not going to ask about your parents, but you'd best not steal from me."

"I won't, I promise."

"All right, you get started on those boxes and I'll call you for dinner, you're not allergic to anything are you?"

"No Miss. Mona."

"Good then, now off you go."

Hogwarts, it was amazing, he hadn't even given it a thought, his father always said he wasn't good enough, that he had strange ideas and that they would have to pay just to get him into Durmstrang. But now he was going, and there was nothing they could do to stop him. Granted, his cousins Bellatrix and Narcissa went to Hogwarts and he didn't like them any more than he liked anyone else in his family, but than again Andromeda was nice, and she wasn't a Slytherin. He did hope he wasn't a Slytherin.

"Father, I've been accepted at Hogwarts. I can go can't I?"

"Sirius Orion Black, what have I said about interrupting us after dinner?"

"That I'm not do it unless it is a matter of utmost importance." Sirius said with a practiced voice.

"And is Hogwarts a matter of utmost importance?"

"No father, it's not."

"Well then, should you be punished?" Sirius didn't think so, but if said that it would only hurt more.

"Yes Father."

It wasn't that bad, Sirius thought to himself, hours later in his room, wondering how long till he would be at Hogwarts. His father had said he would take him and Regalus to Diagon Alley the next day. He knew why his younger bother was coming too. His father would drop them off with enough for Sirius to get all the supplies on the list and for Regalus to get an ice cream cone and the newest broomstick model: a Flying Star.

He was right, and now he had managed to ditch his little brother. Now he was heading to the robe shop. He followed a boy with long blond hair who was dressed in the most expensive robes money could buy. Sirius knew who he was; they had been introduced and told to be friends, but Sirius hadn't liked the boy when he was seven, and he didn't think he would like him any more now. But he had to get robes, it was the only thing left on his list and he had to meet his father in 10 minutes. He would just ignore Malfoy.

"Black."

"Malfoy."

And that was all they said to each other the whole time. Sirius made it back 10 minutes late, and he could tell by the evil look in his father's eye that he was in for one of the worst nights of his life, both for being late and ditching his brother. He was right of course and his father obviously was not happy about him going to Hogwarts, as he found every little thing Sirius did wrong and punished him for it so that by the time he was ready to go to Hogwarts he had a black eye and visible cuts all over his face, back and stomach. His father used a spell to cover them up, and Sirius knew he wasn't allowed to tell, but they still hurt a lot. Sirius knew he was supposed to be a Slytherin, but Sirius was not like the rest of his family and he hoped that he might break that tradition even if it meant a very severe… erm… punishment.

A/N better than before I hope. I have about half the next chapter written, do you want me to post the bit I have? If you do tell me in a review. I'll post it tomorrow after noon if people want me to.