A/N: This one took a bit longer to write due to fact checking, but since it's a bit longer I think it's worth it. Please review so I know if I'm on the right track.
I don't own anything related to the HP universe, that's all thanks to the incredible J. , you will start meeting some original characters from this point onward however.
1st September 1971
As the sun rose over a pleasant first day of Autumn in London, England, an incredibly over excited Remus lupin already sat awake in his bed in the room he had stayed the previous night in with his parents Lyall and Hope at the Leaky Cauldron, a little tavern guarding the entry to Diagon alley.
He gazed out the window, smiling at the rising sun and the beauty it created, its sharp hues of orange ricocheting off the few small clouds in the sky. The dawn had long ago become Remus's favourite time of the day. It signalled the start of a new day, the end of his turns and so often made those horrific nights that little bit more bearable.
He turned his attention to the creature in the corner nearest the window, teetering happily in a cage as it pecked at its feathers, his new pet owl, a young Tawny owl with feathers flecked with golden orange and white, much like the sunrise bouncing across the clouds. He hadn't really wanted an owl, but his father had insisted, it would make it easier for Remus to get messages home should he need to.
He had yet to name the owl, unsure what would be a suitable name, but in that moment he decided to name her after the sunrise, it seemed fitting. He thought back to his conversation about dawn with his mother, about five years ago, not long after his attack when his affection for the time of day started, she had told him of Aurora, the Roman goddess of dawn.
"Aurora" he thought aloud, the beautiful owl turning her attention to him as though it was already her name.
'Aurora it is' he thought, smiling to himself.
It was only a few hours later that Remus and his parents were piled into a muggle taxi heading for Kings Cross Station, his parents chatting away about how perfect the weather was for their son's journey to school, being careful not to mention anything too specific, ever aware of the drivers prying ears.
Remus smiled as he watched Aurora sleeping in her cage, his mind drifted back to their trip to Diagon alley the previous day, most fondly remembering visiting Ollivander's wand shop to purchase his wand which was now safely tucked into the top of his green canvas backpack, wrapped carefully in the robes he had gotten at Madam Malkin's.
The taxi pulled up in front of the station, Hope paid the fare as Lyall fetched a trolley and unloaded Remus's trunk and Aurora's cage then the trio began the journey through the station towards platform 9 ¾ Remus watched as other students, old and new, disappeared onto the platform as he bounced excitedly, ready for it to be his turn. He glanced at his mother, a look of horror painted across her face as she watched the students run towards the wall, releasing a gasp of relief each time they slipped through seeming to vanish. She was a muggle and though she knew a lot about the wizarding world, this was something she had never seen.
Remus grinned from ear to ear as his turn came, he pushed his trolley at a jog, adrenaline pumping through his veins, he heard his parents right behind him, moving hand in hand and as the platform opened up in front of him he couldn't help but relish the sight.
The giant red steam train on the tracks in front of him was a thing of incredulous beauty, countless students and parents were gathered in clusters around the platform saying their goodbyes and the sounds of cats, owls and toads alike echoed off the high dome shaped ceiling above the train.
As Remus turned back to his parents who were chatting with one of his father's ministry colleagues he couldn't help but smile to himself, he was actually here and he was actually going to Hogwarts.
"yes, yes, well we discussed the matter and came to the conclusion that I would not have the time to maintain my position at the ministry and give him an adequate education myself at home, so we resolved that Remus would attend Hogwarts, it is a rite of passage in our world after all" his father explained to his colleague.
"ah yes I can understand that Lyall!" the man responded, "and of course he is sure to enjoy his time at school just as we did, Alastor certainly has been"
"and how is he doing in his classes? Any prospect of following in your footsteps and joing the auror division?" Lyall asked curiously.
"oh yes indeed, wonderful grades, a real proclivity for all things magical my boy!" the man exclaimed proudly "well Lyall, it truly was nice to chat but I best get back to the wife before he has to board the train, I'll not hear the end of it otherwise, see you tomorrow at work!"
As the man wandered over to his wife and son who were saying their goodbyes Lyall turned his attention to his wife and son.
"Ivan Moody, absolutely terrific auror, potential to be auror head one day" he explained, "how are you feeling Remus? Ready to go?"
"yes!" Remus answered, struggling to stand still to bid his parents farewell.
"now promise you'll write won't you love? Every month so we know all is well, and more if you fancy, but definitely at least once a month, oh it's going to be strange not having you around the house, do you have the money we gave you? Make sure you don't buy too many sweets okay?" his mother said as she fussed about him, trying to flatten his hair as though it may fly off his scalp at any moment.
"I promise I'll write at least once a month, yes I have my money and I promise I won't buy too many sweets… I'm going to miss you mum" Remus said with a mixture of nerves and excitement.
"I love you so much Remus" his mother whispered in his ear as she hugged him one more time.
"I love you too mum" Remus replied before turning to his father.
"be safe, study hard and have fun, we'll see you for Christmas" Lyall said, beaming with pride.
"see you at Christmas!" Remus replied excitedly as he gripped Auroras cage tighter and moved towards the door of the train.
He climbed aboard and chose an empty compartment right by the back of the train, he sat down by the window and got settled as the whistle sounded and with a jolt it started to rumble forward, he found his parents on the platform, waving as he rolled by, his mother holding back tears, then sat back and watched as muggle London passed him by and turned to English countryside.
Sometime later the door the compartment slid open quietly, Remus didn't know how long it had been as he'd been gazing out the window in wonderment for what felt like hours. He looked towards the person who had opened the door, a small boy, obviously a first year but small enough that he looked almost too young to be on the train. He had a long, pointed nose, a narrow face and mousey brown hair, with big bushy eyebrows and as he smiled at Remus he showed teeth too big for his mouth.
"I…I hope you don't mind, I was in another compartment but some seventh years came in and told me to leave and well…I've heard things, bad things, about their families…everywhere else is full…can I sit in here for the rest of the trip?" the boy blurted in a nervous hurry.
"sure" Remus replied, a reassuring smile on his face.
"are you going to Hogwarts too?" the boy asked as he settled into the seat across from Remus, "I mean of course you are if you're on the train! Have you ever seen Hogwarts before? I haven't but my mum said it's amazing"
The boy kept talking for what felt like hours, even as the witch pushing the trolley tapped on the door gently and Remus bought himself a pumpkin pasty, he kept asking question after question but gave Remus no opportunity to respond. Most people would have found this incredibly irritating but Remus thought that perhaps it was just excitement or nerves, so he didn't mind.
"it's getting dark huh? We should probably change into our- oh…oh no!" the boy said, looking under the seats and in the baggage racks "my bag! I must have left it in the other compartment… oh no…I'm sorry I have to go find it, my robes are in it!"
As the boy bolted out of the compartment Remus couldn't help but think he was right about changing into their robes, surely they must be arriving soon.
Sure enough 20 minutes later, as Remus sat watching the sun finish setting while smoothing his new robes, he felt a new rush of excitement as the train let out a high-pitched whistle and began to slow to a stop.
The journey from the train to the castle was a blur for Remus, there were students everywhere until the first years were separated from the returning students and were led to a small fleet of little row boats by an incredibly large man with wild black hair. He didn't pay much attention during the boat trip as he had started to feel quite ill. That was of course, until an enormous castle came into view across the water.
He had been in a state of wonder even until the boat he was in came to a stop at the edge of the lake with a sudden thud. The first years had climbed out of the boats and made their way up an enormous number of stairs and into the entry way of the castle where a tall, thin, stern looking witch in flowing emerald robes had met them and led them into a room to the left of the entry hall, she had explained that they would each be required to sit on a chair and wear a hat which would decide to which house they would be assigned and instructed them to wait quietly for a moment.
Remus stood in a corner in silence while some of the other students around him chattered excitedly, a few feet away a boy with wild black hair was asking a tall boy with messy hair and glasses which house he would choose if he could, when his response was Gryffindor another boy with greasy, long black hair who was also standing near them with a girl with long auburn hair made a comment which had sparked a reaction of anger from the boy with glasses, the exchange was interrupted when the tall witch, who had introduced herself as Professor McGonagall, returned to the small room and commanded their attention.
"we will now make our way to the great hall to commence the sorting ceremony, as we exit this room you will form a single line, we will then make our way into the great hall in an orderly fashion and I will call each of your names one at a time at which point you will step forward to be sorted then make your way to the table belonging to that house." She explained before turning to lead the way out of the small room through a door at the opposite side of the room to the door they had entered through.
Following the professor's directions, the first years formed a line and followed her quietly through the door and to the front of the hall with hundreds of students faces looking up at them. Professor McGonagall then placed a stool at the front of the hall and an old tattered brown witches hat upon it, Remus could only assume that it was the sorting hat.
The hat proceeded to sing an obscure song about Hogwarts and its founders, but Remus was too preoccupied by the great hall and those within it to pay attention. The huge hall was home to four tables the length of the room and the ceiling was enchanted to imitate the sky outside, hundreds of enchanted candles floated above the tables, it was truly magical.
"Berrigan, Anna" Professor McGonagall called when the hat stopped singing, Berrigan, Anna, a pretty witch with red hair and freckles stepped up to the stool.
"Gryffindor!" the hat called almost immediately, met with an enormous cheer from the corresponding table.
"Black, Sirius" the professor called. The boy with the wild hair who had been discussing houses with in the other room stepped up to the stool and placed the hat on his head.
"Gryffindor!" the hat declared after a few moments of deliberation.
As the boy got up and walked towards the table he was met not with the same enthusiasm as Berrigan, Anna, but with uncomfortable silence from three of the tables, which was soon broken by cries of outrage, boos and heckling from the table at the far left, a large green banner emblazoned with a serpent above.
Two boys named Crabbe and Goyle were then sent to Slytherin, the auburn-haired girl, whose name was Evans, Lily according to the professor, was sent to the Gryffindor table, two more girls were also sorted to Gryffindor and an eccentric looking boy with flowing blonde hair which reached below his waist was sent to join Ravenclaw.
"Lupin, Remus" Professor McGonagall called.
Remus carefully made his way to the stool with the hat, suddenly incredibly aware of the hundreds of sets of eyes watching his every move. He took a seat on the stool and placed the hat upon his head, nervously waiting for the hats decision.
"Gryffindor!" the hat declared after just a few moments of deliberation.
Remus made his way to the Gryffindor table, met with cheers and excitement. He took a seat across from the boy with wild black hair, beside the auburn-haired girl who introduced herself as Lily.
The professor continued with the sorting, two more students, a boy and a girl, were both sent to Ravenclaw, a girl named Eve was sent to join Hufflepuff and a boy whose name Remus missed joined her soon after.
"Pettigrew, Peter" called the professor.
A boy slowly stepped forward looking around nervously, Remus recognised him as the small boy from the train. He took a seat on the stool and placed the hat on his head, after a few moments the hall began to erupt with whispers.
While everyone else had been sorted almost immediately, a few taking a minute or so, Peter had already been on the chair for close to three minutes and had a look of horror and pain painted across his face.
"hat stall, I've heard about it but it's so rare!" Remus heard a boy a few years older than him whisper to the girl beside him, awarding him a serious look from an even older boy who sat between the boy who had whispered and the auburn-haired girl.
After more than 5 minutes had passed the hat finally declared the boy to be a Gryffindor, he practically ran to the table, met with cheers and applause, though nowhere near as enthusiastic as what Remus and Lily had been met with.
The hat sorted the remaining students in record time with two more boys joining the Gryffindor table, another three students to Hufflepuff, two to Ravenclaw and 3 girls being sent to Slytherin. Finally, a boy named Potter was sent to Gryffindor and the greasy haired boy, whose name was Snape, to Slytherin, the hat had barely touched his head when it had declared his house.
It was at this point that Professor Dumbledore had stood, commanding the student's attention.
"Welcome to a new school year at Hogwarts, I'm sure you're all eager to commence the feast so I will make this short, Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! And Tweak! and now, let the feast begin!" he said as the plates and bowls in the middle of the table filled with all kinds of foods and the students around Remus started reaching for the food they desired.
As Remus reached for various items including roast lamb, corn on the cob and mashed potatoes the boys across the table from him introduced themselves.
"I'm James Potter" said the boy with glasses who had been sorted second to last.
"Sirius Black" the boy with the wild black hair said, Remus noticed that he was attracting all kinds of looks from the Slytherin table, but decided not to mention it.
"Remus" he said quietly.
The three boys discussed all manner of things as they ate their fill of the incredible food that the table had to offer, switching to cakes and pies as the plates started offering sweets instead. Just as the conversation turned towards their families, Sirius reached for another piece of apple pie only to realise that the plates were now empty.
"your attention please" came Professor Dumbledore's voice, commanding the attention of the hall once more "just a couple of quick notices before we all retire to our respective dormitories, our caretaker Mr. Corrigan, has asked me to remind you all that the forest is strictly out of bounds for all students and that the use of magic in the corridors between classes is also forbidden. Quidditch trials will be held two weeks from now and any interested students should register their interest with Madam Flein before that time. With that I would like to wish you all the best for the new school year, first years will be asked to follow the instructions of their house prefects who will direct you to your house dormitories. Goodnight"
And with that there was an eruption of noise as the older students stood to make their way towards the exit. A tall girl with Blonde hair and a soft face made her way over to the first years, her hair was long and wavy with a thick scarlet and gold bow tied just above her fringe.
"my name is Poppy Thompson and this is William Brown" she said as she was joined by a boy, slightly taller than her with chestnut brown hair "we are two of the Gryffindor prefects, there are six of us in total as well as the head boy and girl, they are Alastor Moody and Jane McCamish. You'll probably see them around throughout the school year but we've been tasked with showing you to Gryffindor tower. Please pay attention to where you're going, it's a big castle and it's easier to get lost"
With that the prefects turned around and began the journey to Gryffindor tower, it was a long walk through much of the castle, up several sets of stairs which William warned are known to change direction, and down several long corridors until finally they reached a large portrait of an incredibly fat woman where they came to a stop.
"password?" asked the fat woman within.
"Babbling Banshees" William replied clearly, at which the portrait swung open like a door allowing the students entry to a beautiful room with walls and floors of deep scarlet and filled with couches and desks around a large open fire.
"this is the Gryffindor common room" William explained "the dormitories are through the doors on either side, boys are first door to the left, girls first door to the right. I suggest you go find your beds and get an early night before classes commence in the morning"
With that the two prefects dispersed to the fifth doors to the left and right, to their dormitories Remus assumed, the first years followed suit entering through the first doors and making their way up a tall spiral staircase, the small boy chattering away excitedly. Finally, after what seemed like a hundred stairs the reached a round room, the edges lined with six four posted beds emblazoned with the Gryffindor house colours. All the boys' belongings had already been placed at the foot of each bed, they began unpacking while they discussed the feast and the sorting.
"why didn't everyone cheer when you got sorted?" Peter, the small boy from the train asked Sirius Black as he placed his clothes in the dresser by the bed.
"well, my whole families always been in Slytherin… I'm the first person ever to be sorted somewhere else. I bet my cousin writes my mother first thing tomorrow to snitch" he explained, grinning from ear to ear as he did.
The boys finished unpacking their belongings and climbed into bed, Remus laid awake after each of the others drifted off into the world of slumber. He stared at the ceiling unable to really comprehend that he was actually at Hogwarts.
As Remus finally drifted off to sleep he made a silent wish to wake up in the morning and not find that this was all a wonderful dream.