Major Spoilers for every book! So don't read this unless you have read all of J.K. Rowling's books.
IMPORTANT ALERT: This is going to be a VERY LONG story. It will be all 7 years that Remus attends Hogwarts. The chapters will be longer then my other stories. Also it will take longer to update because I will have to study to make sure I get it all right. So if you don't want to get involved in anything like this, I suggest not even reading the first chapter. It would be a waste to not stay and read the whole thing. You have been warned.
IMPORTANT NOTES: I tried very hard to keep with the timeline J.K. Rowling has already set up. There are a lot of gapes in the information, so I have had to make up some things. I will set up some general information so you know what is going on:
Facts you should know before reading the story:
1. Tom Riddle did not attend Hogwarts when Remus was there. Tom had already graduated.
2. Hagrid also wasn't attending Hogwarts, he had already been expelled. Hagrid was the grounds keeper when Remus started school.
3. 1959- was the year Remus, James, Peter, Severus, Lily and Siruis were all born. They all started attending Hogwarts in 1970.
4. Voldemort started recruiting followers around the year 1971.
5. To my knowledge Molly and Arthur Weasley didn't attend school with him either. They had also graduated.
6. Slughorn was potions professor and also head of the Slytherin house.
7. Albus Dumbledore was already Headmaster.
8. Both Remus' mum and dad were alive (to my knowledge)
9. Millicent Bagnold is Minister of Magic.
VERY IMPORTANT : The only MAJOR thing I am changing is that Nymphadora Tonks will only be a year younger then Remus. I know this might irritate people but I am a fan of Remus/Tonks and I wanted them to have a relationship in school. Other then that everything is true to the original story.
Chapter One
The Owl
Wrappers of eaten chocolate frogs littered the floor and window seat in the upstairs parlor of number 74 Hollow Lake Drive. A boy sat among the discarded wrappers staring intently out the window. He was a young lad of eleven. In fact his birthday was today, even though he didn't look the least happy about it. He seemed too concerned with looking out the window to celebrate anything. The long forgotten cards from the chocolate frogs looked up at him in wonder. Merlin and Morgana, had been the only one's, that had walked out of the frames to pursue matters of more interest.
With each passing hour the look on the boy's face became more defeated and pale. Even though the sun was almost directly in his eyes, he didn't flinch a muscle. When hunger became to much for him he finally moved. With eyes still fixed outside, he put his hand in his pajama pants pocket to take out another chocolate frog. For they were the only thing that could give him solace in times like this. He hastily unwrapped it and without even looking at the card he got, he throw the wrapper to the ground and stuffed the frog in his mouth.
"Remus!" Shouted a voice that came from downstairs, breaking the silence that had only been disturbed before when the clock in the foyer rang to tell the hour.
The boy didn't answer the person calling his name. Instead he gave a long winded sigh. Remus Lupin wasn't going to let anyone bother him. Not his mum and not his dad. He was on a mission and he was going to fulfill his duty. He was waiting for the owl post to arrive. Being there the moment it did, was the only thing that was on his agenda for the day. No amount of birthday cake was going to make him forget that.
"I am getting a little bored. I have to stay patient." Remus' voice was hoarse as he spoke these words. For it had been the only noise he had made for the last four hours. Luckily, patience was a virtue Remus had been blessed with. He had endured worse. At that thought his eyes moved for a moment from the sky to the dense forest down below that surrounded the house he lived in. A shivered moved down his spine despite it being a warm day.
That damn forest. That was the reason he had to stare out the window in silent frustration, instead of going downstairs to celebrate what should have been a happy occasion. For this was the year he was suppose to get his letter from Hogwarts, school of witchcraft and wizardry. But because of what had happened in that forest, Remus feared he would never get a letter admitting him there.
A loud banging noise abruptly startled him from his silent reflections. It was a barn owl and from what Remus could see through the window it carried two letters in its claws. Cursing silently under his breathe for not noticing sooner, Remus unlocked the window and let the bird in. It flew in a small circle around the width of the parlor and as it passed by Remus to go back out the window, the owl dropped the letters onto his lap. With a small hoot, it flew away into the distance.
With shaking hands and expelling a breathe he didn't even know he had been holding, Remus grabbed the letters off his lap and looked to see who they were address too. The letter that had fallen on top was written in sparkling green ink and read:
Mr. R. Lupin
Windowsill, upstairs parlor
74 Hollow Lake Drive
Middlesbrough
England
Remus started at the letter in silent disbelief for a moment. Shaking his head slightly, with sweaty palms he turned the envelope over to see a purple seal covering the flap of the letter. It was the official seal of Hogwarts. It had a lion, an eagle, a snake and a badge which were all surrounded by a large letter H. Remus thought his eyes were going to pop out of his head from excitement. Had he been excepted? Him? Even being a werewolf? It couldn't be possible…
Ripping the envelope open from the top and then he throw it aside like he had the chocolate frog wrappers. Quickly opening the letter he read the words he had been longing to see all day.
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 a list of all necessary books And equipment. Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later then July 31.
Yours sincerely, Minerva McGonagall,
Deputy Headmistress
Remus read the letter over again and again in awe. His eyes always lingering longer on the words, 'you have been accepted.' It was too good to be true! But that letter in his hands was all the proof he needed. He, Remus J. Lupin, a werewolf, had been excepted to Hogwarts. Letting out a huge yell of triumph, he ran downstairs to tell him mum the good news.
"Mum! Mum, it came! The letter from Hogwarts! They accepted me! I can't believe it!" Remus exclaimed in a fast tone while jumping up and down, pointing to the letter. His mum just gave Remus a soft smile and said, "Of course, they did honey. Why would they not? So, what do we need to go to Diagon Alley and buy for you?"
"Um…" Noticing all he held was the acceptance letter and not a list, Remus ran upstairs realizing he had thrown the list on the ground along with the envelope. Before he dashed downstairs again he saw the other letter that had came with the owl, that also been abandoned on the floor. Grabbing it, he ran downstairs again like his pants were on fire.
"Here mum! The list!" Remus practically throw the envelope and parchment, with the list of school supplies, at his mum. Without stretched arms Mrs. Lupin took the letters from her son's waving hands. Looking the list over for a moment, her eyes caught the glint of blue ink from the front of the unopened letter.
Mrs. L. Lupin
Downstairs kitchen
74 Hollow lake Drive
Middlesbrough
England
Flipping the letter over, Mrs. Lupin saw the same coat of arms from Hogwarts sealing it. Opening the letter with less enthusiasm then her son, she pulled the parchment out and began to read it. Remus watched as his mum's smile began to fade slightly. With growing concern he stopped jumping around, like a mad rabbit and asked, "Mum, what does it say? Nothing bad I hope. Is it from Hogwarts too? Let me see."
Trying to grab the parchment from his mum's hands proved impossible as she was still taller then him and throw the arm holding the letter into the air.
"Now, now Remus. This letter is from Dumbledore. Don't make that face, there's nothing wrong. He just writes that he wants to speak to you the night you get there, about the arrangements for your transformation."
In his utter joy, he had forgotten the problem that had had him concerned all day. Doubt slowly began to creep it's way into Remus' mind, after hearing his mothers words. Would he be able to make any friends? What if they found out and they made him leave the school? Would he get expelled before he even had the chance to graduate?
Mrs. Lupin watched as her son's face started to look grim again. Concern for her son washed over her and suddenly grabbing him in a warm motherly embrace said, " My dear. Have no worries! Everything will be fine. You will make so many friends you will lose count of them and they can all come and visit for the summer."
Remus hugged his mother back in appreciation. After a few moments, she pulled her son away at arms length to got a good look at him. Remus was the normal height of boys his age. He was a bit paler then she would of liked, but it couldn't be helped though. His tuff of amber brown hair looked like it was in need of a good hair cut. His one outstanding feature was his chocolate brown eyes, that looked like the sweet he loved so much. Giving him a small smile she turned out of his grip and went over to the counter that had his chocolate birthday cake on it. Grabbing a plate out of the cupboard, she cut a large piece of it and placed in on the wooden table in the middle of the kitchen.
"Well, now that you have nothing better to do, I suggest you eat that and thank your mum for baking it."
Remus hastily thanked his mum and as he grabbed a fork out of the silverware drawer and began to eat. Savoring the flavor of chocolate in his mouth Remus ate slowly. He knew his mum had made the cake without magic and he wanted to take as much care eating it, as he knew his mother had used to bake it. She rarely did cooking without magic but when she did he could taste the difference. It was made with love and he could feel it melting in his mouth.
After finishing the first piece of cake, he was tempted to ask for another but Remus wanted to go upstairs and start looking thru his things, to see what he was going to take to Hogwarts. As if reading his mind, his mum, said without even turning around from doing the dishes with the, Scourgify, spell, "It's never to soon to start packing dear. I'll clean your plates. I will call you when your father gets home."
Running up the stairs, he opened the door to his room and shut it quietly. Looking around with a determined face, Remus walked over to the closet to pull out his trunk. It was a large wooden box with clasps on the left side and a compartment for everything. His father had been very proud to give it to him on his tenth birthday, telling him it had been made by a famous wizard in Italy.
Remus looked around his room. It was large and roomy. Nothing but his bed, a chest at the foot of it and a dresser with a mirror, candle and old record player on top of it.. It was rather a drab room, gray and light brown being the only visible colors. Remus was content with it, he liked things to be plain and simple. Unclipping the clasps on his trunk he began to open the compartments, checking to see how much room he had. He began a mental check list of what he could carry.
"Room for non school books, in this one. Shoes in there…" Remus pointed to each compartment as he told it what role it had. " I can hang my shirts and robes here. Toothbrush and other hygiene products…um, there."
Content with seeing he had enough room for everything, Remus got up from his crouched position in front of the trunk and walked over to the closet again. This was were he kept his most precious possessions, His books. Remus was very proud of his collection. Fiction, Nonfiction, Biographies, and Literature every sort of book imaginable. He had read all of them at least three times, he never grew tired of them. He took his precious time picking out which ones, he was going to take with him to Hogwarts. Remus left some room, hoping to buy, one or two used books while in Diagon Alley.
Even though he could afford new books, Remus preferred the old ones. They carried a mysterious air about them. Who had owned them before? Why did the owner part with it? A dozen of questions always invaded his mind when he looked at them. A loyal and true friend that could never abandon him. The only way he could part with them was if he, abandoned them. He liked the power that held, no matter how small it was.
Content with what he had done, Remus plopped himself on his bed and stared at the ceiling. If he stared really hard at the popcorn on his ceiling, he could see shapes. A Unicorn, graceful and wild. Then if he concentrated a few more moments it would transform into a dragon, fierce and prideful. His mum and dad told him he had no imagination because his room was so 'plain' and he never went and played 'house' or 'doctor' went the neighboring kids came to visit. But in reality he was just frightened he would get too close to them.
"Then what would happen?" Remus asked the dragon on his ceiling. Shaking his head, Remus sat up and looked out his window. It was dark already. Remus realized with a start that he hadn't even taken off his pajama's from the night before. Remus snuffed a yawn, even doing nothing all day had tired him out.
'That's because," his mind reminded him, "In two days, it is a full moon."
"I know, I know." Remus replied, angry with himself for bring up the subject. He tried to think of it as little as possible but, his mind always seemed to wonder to it, before he could stop it. Going into the closet for a third time that night, he grabbed a large blue metal container off the middle shelf. Remus opened the lid to look at his collection of candy. Fudge Flies, Chocolate frogs, Honeydukes milk chocolate bars, sugar quills and Bertie Botts every flavored beans, were a few of the sweets he had hidden away. Next to his books, chocolate was Remus' favorite thing. Another friend that calmed him in troubled times. He went to grab a milk chocolate bar, but his face fell for a moment.
'Chocolate is the only thing you have eaten today. You nearly eat half of your chocolate frogs today, save it for later.'
Knowing his consciences was right he shut the lid of the metal box with a mournful look. Before he could mourn his loss for to long though, he heard his mother voice, coming from downstairs again, "Remus! Your father is home and he wants to wish you a happy birthday."
Smiling at the prospect of seeing his father, Remus placed the container back on the middle shelf and giving his trunk one last look, ran downstairs to tell his father all the events that had taken place.
end chapter one The Owl
Well, how did you like it? I tried to write it like a novel. Any suggestions are warmly excepted. If you see anything wrong with my timeline, PLEASE bring it to my attention immediately.
Spells: Scourgify- a spell used for cleaning house.
Extra disclaimer: The Hogwarts letter is a exact copy (aside from saying 'Mr.Potter') from the first book, page. 51.
Reviews are more appreciated on the fan fiction then anything else I have written, this chapter alone took he about five hours…so, showing that it is liked is greatly appreciated. I really want to hear what you think!