A/N all belongs to JK
"NOOOO!"
His eyes burst open to meet an unexpected scene. Panting heavily, he looked around a dark and damp room he was in; it wasn't much to see. Shaking his head slightly and calming himself down he found this room was no stranger to him, but the dream had felt so real.
He often thought this room felt like a prison, which, indeed, was what it was used for. "It's for your own safety," he's parents had said when he was first introduced to it. It was more like a dungeon, he decided; underground, the room was a plain dark gray without any windows. This, of course, was the room he had to frequently descend into for his transformations for the past six years.
He looked down to examine his arms to see that the magically conjured ropes tying him to the wall, high on his shoulders, his wrists, and around his waist had dug into his skin again. Each month his parents had to take precautions like these to ensure he didn't escape in his transformed state. They then waited for the moon to wane before letting him breath fresh air again. Surely his dad would be coming to get him soon, he thought hopefully wishing he was out of this room. At least there would be another whole month after school began before he had to go through this again… The muffled sound of his father's voice came down from the low ceiling.
"I'm alright," he called back in a perfectly human voice. The hinged wooden hatch in the ceiling, which served as the only means of getting in and out, came down along with a large man who looked to be in his mid-thirties climbing down from a ladder. They had thick brown hair to match with the exception that his had prematurely gray flecks and when his dad stepped off, his head nearly touching the ceiling. Taking out his wand, he surveyed his son with a kind of remorse in his eyes.
"How are 'ya feelin Remus?" he asked kindly, at the same time touching his wand to the binding ropes which sprang apart to hang limply from the wall.
His arms stung and felt very sore when finally released and he said; "Er… I think I'll live"
"Hmm." His father replied putting his arm around his shoulder and embracing him in a sort of half-hug. He clapped him on the side and added; " Well, you should probably head up to your room, no doubt you'll be needing some rest."
Remus mumbled his assent and started up the ladder. He was exhausted, hearing his dad close the hatch behind him he turned into his room and closed the door. He walked straight towards his open window and let the breeze outside cool his face. He then turned back around towards the door where he had hung a calendar on the wall marking days down to his start of term. He picked up a quill sitting on a small table and carefully checked off another day.
He stared. He then turned and quickly collapsed onto his bed without bothering to take off his worn and ripped clothes with one thought left in his head before falling into a dead sleep; tomorrow he would be leaving for Hogwarts…
It felt as though he had just closed his eyes when he was being shaken awake.
"Remus, dear, you have to get up," he heard his mother say. Remus didn't even reply, sleep was good, he needed it. More blurred gibberish from his mum's voice "Dear, you have to get up or you'll miss the train to Hogwarts…" Hogwarts? Who cared about Hogwarts? He needed sleep…
She continued to shake him until he let out a whining moan. "There, now go get changed into some muggle clothes, they're there on your bed, hurry up you can't miss the train."
"Wha?" Remus managed to say as he opened his eyes. The sun hit him sharply in the face; and after being in semi-darkness for that long he felt like he had gone blind. "Ahh…"
He showered and changed into blue jeans and a T-shirt with time to spare. He walked slowly into the bathroom with his eyes half-open and splashed cold water on his face to help keep him awake and studied his reflection in the mirror. His face was quite pale and his brownish mop of hair still hadn't dried. The two scars stretching across his face that he'd had for years were still there making his appearance almost threatening. His mum called him into the living room and as he walked in he noticed how strange it was to see her in muggle clothing.
"There's still ten minutes before the train leaves, see?" he said with a grin on his face "You could have woken me up later."
"You'll be able to sleep on the train, Remus," She replied, "Now come here we'll be taking a portkey."
"Shouldn't I get my clothes and things?" He asked motioning toward his room.
"Never mind that, your father took your trunk earlier; he's waiting for us at the platform, now come here please."
He had only used a portkey once before and he couldn't remember what for, but he obediently reached out and placed two fingers on an old shoebox his mum was holding out. Immediately, he felt a jerk behind his navel and was being whisked away very quickly alongside his mum. As sudden as it had taken off, it jerked to a stop making his knees go out from under him.
Within five minutes they had grouped together at platform nine and three quarters and his parents had told him a few days back about how to pass through the barrier. Wheeling his cart around, he stared at the very solid looking barrier between platforms nine and ten and took a deep breath. Setting his jaw and firmly gripping his cart he rushed through.
