10th August 1971
It was a pleasant late summer morning in the English countryside, a quaint cottage sat amongst the sprawling hills, its gardens a picture of beauty with ivy creeping up the walls of the building and pops of colour all around.
In the back-most bedroom of the house, in front of a toy chest sat a small boy, just eleven years old he looked ragged and tired, like an old man worn with age, his mother had begged him to go and spend some time in the garden this morning, but he'd just wanted to stay inside.
The boy was lost in his own thoughts, trying desperately to remember the events of three nights ago, but to no avail. It frustrated him beyond belief that no matter how hard he tried he could never remember, there was nothing, it was all just blank, one to three nights, every month, gone, never to be known again. He hated it.
A sudden knocking on the front door of the cottage snapped him back to reality, more like three sharp taps if he was honest.
"Remus, can you come out here please darling? We have a guest!" called his mother from the kitchen.
Remus got up and checked his appearance in the old mirror on his bedroom wall, that knock didn't belong to anyone he knew, it would likely be one of his father's colleagues from the ministry, he tucked his red and blue T-shirt into the waist of his dark brown corduroy jeans and tried to smooth his hair, it didn't make a lot of difference. He accepted that this would have to do and with a deep sigh started towards the living room.
Remus entered the living room to find his mother placing a tea pot and four cups, a pot of sugar and a small jug of milk in front of his father and a very peculiar man who Remus knew instantly must be a wizard. The man had long, greying, auburn hair with a long wispy beard to match, he was rather tall and wore long flowing robes made of lavender velvet with silk embellishments and a matching pointed hat sat atop his head.
"and this charming young man must be Remus!" he exclaimed as he stood to approach him "My name is Albus Dumbledore and I am the newly appointed headmaster of Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry, I was hoping I might be able to speak with you and your parents today Remus, if that's quite okay with you?"
"erm…sure" Remus replied, as he took a seat beside his father at the table.
"now that we're all settled" Dumbledore began slowly as his mother finished pouring each of them a cup of tea "the reason for my visit today is that I understand that you have contacted former headmaster Professor Dippet in the past with regards to the possibility of Remus's future attendance-"
"with all due respect, Professor Dumbledore, if you're here to remind us that he will not be permitted to attend you can save yourself the trouble, I'll not have you disappoint my boy unnecessarily the way Professor Dippet did" Remus's father interrupted.
"on the contrary Lyall" Dumbledore replied, calmness in his voice "in fact I am here to do quite the opposite! I feel that I have come to a solution to the problem at hand which would allow Remus to carry out his education at Hogwarts without jeopardising the safety of himself or others"
"but sir…my…I'm a werewolf sir, how can I attend school without putting others in danger… Professor Dippet said that there was no way?" Remus asked of the headmaster carefully.
"I'm afraid that Professor Dippet, while a brilliant wizard who I have the utmost respect for, is rather old and incredibly stuck in his ways, unfortunately he often doesn't see the potential or have a mind for, creative solutions. I believe that I have concocted a solution brilliant, yet practical enough to enable Hogwarts to offer you the education you not only are entitled to, but that you deserve, should you choose to accept our invitation"
"what is your solution headmaster?" asked Remus's mother, clearly unconvinced.
"my solution, Mrs. Lupin, is for Remus to attend school as usual, though at the time of each full moon throughout his education which falls within term, and holidays should you choose to stay for them Remus, we will have a location prepared which is separate from the school, at which Remus will be kept hidden from his peers and professors. There will be no way that Remus can exit this location during his turns and no way for students to happen upon him." Dumbledore explained.
Remus looked towards his parents, feeling a feeling that he hadn't felt much in the five years that had passed since his attack, hope.
"where is the location? How can you be sure that no one will find him there?" asked his mother, as his father processed the information already given.
"the location I have in mind is an old abandoned farmhouse just past the outskirts of Hogsmeade village, it has remained uninhabited for over 15 years, you would remember it from your school years Lyall" Dumbledore explained as Remus's father nodded that yes, he did remember "I can assure you Mrs. Lupin, that no one will find him, the only point of access to the building on school grounds is a concealed passageway at the foot of a decades old whomping willow, there will be charms placed on the building in the coming weeks leading up to the school year which will cause horrendous shrieking noises to come from the building at night, these charms will only be lifted during Remus's turns, it is my hope that rumours will spread that the building is haunted and I certainly intend to encourage them. I have every faith that this is a safe way to ensure that Remus gets his chance at Hogwarts."
As Remus's parents took in the information they had been given, the old professor looked now to Remus.
"I understand that this is a frightening concept, and of course it may require tweaking and tinkering with to perfect it, but it is with great hope and optimism that I invite you, Remus, to attend Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry this coming school year"