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"Remus, it's time to come in!" Bethany Lupin called to her son out of the back door of their cottage just as the sun began to set.

Remus, who was playing with a shiny new dump truck at the edge of the forest the surrounded their secluded cottage, tore his eyes away from his new toy to look up at his mother. "Mum, can't I stay out a bit longer?" He asked hopefully. He had just gotten the toy earlier that day as a birthday present and, like any 4-year-old when they get a new toy, he didn't want to stop playing and go inside.

"Honey, it's getting dark out." His mother said, holding the backdoor open for her son. "And you really should be getting ready for bed soon." She added, noticing the time.

"But mum!" Remus whined, starring longingly at his truck. Normally he did whatever his parents asked without thinking twice about it, but he was having too much fun with his new and toy and he wasn't quite ready for it to end just yet.

"Remus your truck will still be there in the morning." Bethany said. "But I'll tell you what," She added, figuring it couldn't hurt to spoil him just a bit on his birthday. "If you promise to get ready for bed after your done, then there's a nice big piece of chocolate cake in here with your name on it."

Remus was across the cottage and in the backdoor within seconds. He didn't give a second thought to his dump truck, which lay forgotten on the edge of the forest.

After a piece of cake that he would swear was bigger than his head, Remus took a bath and brushed his teeth just like he promised he would. He was just settling down in bed to wait for his dad to come in so they could read together, just like they did every night, when he realized something. 'My dump truck!' He thought to himself 'It's still outside!' He didn't even think twice about it as he slipped into his slippers and headed for the backdoor.

Luckily for Remus it was a full moon, so the backyard was bright with moonlight. It didn't take him long to locate his truck, which was laying right where he left it. As he bent down to empty out the dirt he had left in it earlier, Remus could have sworn he heard a low growl somewhere to his right. He scanned the edge of the forest, looking for the source of the noise, but found nothing. Somehow he missed the pair of amber eyes glowering at him from out of the trees.

Thoroughly creeped out, Remus grabbed his truck and turned to run back up to the house. He barely made it 2 steps when what looked to be a large ball of fur ran out of the woods and hurtled itself at the young boy. The thing tackled Remus to the ground, and he realized with a blood-curdling scream the this was no ball of fur. It was a werewolf, and a fully-grown one at that.

The smell of blood and rotting flesh filled Remus' nostrils, making him gaga and silencing him. His screaming must have attracted his parents though, because just as the beast raised a claw over Remus the backdoor banged open, followed by Bethany Lupin's hysterical screaming. The next thing Remus knew, he felt a blinding pain in his left shoulder. He cried out in pain as he saw a jet of silver light connect with the werewolf's back. The best let out a howl and ran off into the woods. The last thing Remus remembered was his parents running over to him, his father with his wand out, his mother screaming hysterically. Then everything went black.

Remus awoke with a start, sitting straight up in bed and instinctively grabbing his left shoulder. 'Stupid bloody nightmares.' He thought to himself, getting out of bed with a grumpy sigh. He trudged over to the bathroom and started up a shower for himself. He pulled off his shirt and couldn't help but wince at his own reflection in the mirror. There were thing scars in various spots on his chest and arms, but the most prominent of them was the deep bite mark up by his left shoulder. He got it 7 years ago yet it still look fresh, all red and puffy, thought it didn't hurt which he supposed was a good thing. Great birthday present, right?

Tearing his eyes away from the mirror, Remus stepped into the shower. He wanted some time alone to sulk. You see, today was the day he should be getting his Hogwarts letter, but he knew that it wasn't coming. No barn owl would come flying in the kitchen window to drop a letter into his cereal carrying the Hogwarts seal on it. There would be no trip to Diagon Alley to get school books. Now Hogwarts robes. No wand. No school at all, all because of that stupid bloody bite. He was destined to be home-schooled. It was probably for the better though. No student would want to go to school with a werewolf, and what parent in the right mind would allow their children to socialize with such a monster? 'Well they could just not know.' Remus thought to himself. 'What they don't know couldn't hurt them..except in this case it could.' He thought to himself with a sigh.

"Remus honey, could you come downstairs please?" Bethany Lupin called up the staircase to her son.

"Sure Mum. I'll be down in a minute!" Remus called, stepping out of the shower. He threw on a t-shirt and a pair of cargo shorts and brushed his teeth before going down the creaky old staircase. "Yes mum?" He asked, walking into the kitchen. The cold linoleum on his bare feet raised goose bumps up and down his legs.

He looked curiously from his mum to the back of a wizard that he didn't quite recognize. He could tell it was an older man with long white hair, wearing purple robes with crescent moons on them. It was only when the man turned around that a look of realization crossed over Remus' face. He'd read all about this man! But...why was he here? Unless..no..it couldn't be...surely there was another reason for his visit..

"Remus, I'd like you to meet Professor Dumbledore. Professor, this is my son, Remus Lupin." Bethany said, being a good hostess and making the introductions. She smiled at the comical expression on her son's face, which looked absolutely awestruck.

"I-It's nice to meet you sir.." Remus said, finding his voice after moving his mouth wordlessly for a few seconds. He shook Dumbledore's hands, his own hands going a bit clammy.

"It's nice to meet you as well, Remus." Dumbledore smiled, taking in the boy in front of him. If he didn't know better, Dumbledore would say that Remus was no more than 8, possibly 9, years old. He was quite small for his age, and looked as though he was just getting over a rather nasty cold. Dumbledore knew better though. The poor boy was just getting over the full moon, which happened to be only a few nights ago. The old wizard couldn't help but notice, with the shadow of a frown, a few thin scars creeping up over the collar of the boy's shirt.

"Albus, could I offer you some tea?" Bethany asked, putting a kettle full of water onto the stove to boil.

"Yes, that would be lovely, thank you." Dumbledore said, sitting down in one of the seats surrounding the small table. Remus tentatively sat down as well, not quite sure why the professor was there.

"I'm afraid you've just missed John." Bethany said over her shoulder, going about getting 3 cups of tea ready. "He had to go in early today, something about one of the books trying to bite an employee when they pulled it off the shelf." John Lupin, Remus' father, owned one of the only book shops in Diagon Alley that sold both wizard and muggle books.

""Not to worry. I shall stop into the shop after this to say hello." Dumbledore said, gratefully accepting the cup of steaming tea. "Why thank-you Bethy." He smiled, blowing on the steam to cool it down.

"Thanks mum." Remus said, accepting his tea as well. He wanted to ask what Dumbledore was doing here, but he didn't want to be rude, so instead he just followed Dumbledore's example and blew on his tea as well. He looked from his mother, who just sat between himself and Dumbledore, and the old professor, unsure of what to do or say. He wasn't one to start conversations, so he idly began playing with the string attached to his tea bag.

"So Remus," Dumbledore began after a sip of tea that nearly burnt his tongue. "I hear you are starting Hogwarts this year." He said, face portraying no emotions but his eyes twinkling as bright as stars.

"No sir." Remus mumbled, not meeting the professor's eyes. So that was the professor came here? To torment him? To remind him of what he was missing out on? That was just cruel.

"No?" Dumbledore asked, white eyebrows raised high as he studied the boy before him. "May I ask why not?"

Remus looked from his mother, who looked just as confused as Remus was, to Dumbledore. Did he really not know? That wasn't possible..he was registered. He must have known what Remus was. "Erm...because.." He said quietly, refusing to meet the professor's eyes.

"Just because?" Dumbledore asked, sounding nothing more than curious. Remus merely shrugged, looking down into his cup of tea. "Well if 'because' if the only reason, then I don't see why you're not going."

Remus sighed, much too heavily for a boy his age, as he looked anywhere but at the professor. "I'mNotGoingBecauseI'mAWerewolf." He mumbled quickly, all in one breath.

"You're not going because you're a werewolf?" Dumbledore asked, surveying the boy curiously. Remus nodded, still staring into his tea. He was just waiting for Dumbledore to get up and leave, disgusted, just like he aunts and uncles had done when they found out. So, naturally, he was not expecting what came next. "I'm still not seeing your dilemma."

"I--you--sorry, what?" Remus asked, looking up at Dumbledore, confused. Did he hear him wrong? He didn't see the problem with Remus being a werewolf? Maybe the man was senile, and he forgot what a werewolf was..yeah, that must have been it.

""Well, that's no reason to not come to Hogwarts." Dumbledore said, trying not to smile at the expression on the boy's face. It was a mix between disbelief, thrill, and uncertainty. "As long as we take the right precautions, I don't see why you should be denied an education."

"D--do you really mean that?" Remus asked, not wanting to get his hopes up just to be let down. Dumbledore nodded, smiling at Remus, who looked ecstatic as his mother enveloped him in a rib-cracking hug. "I--I'm going to Hogwarts?" He asked weakly, smiling faintly as though he could not believe it.

"Yes." Dumbledore said simply, pulling an envelope out of one of the many pockets of his purple robes. "And I believe this is your's." He smiled, handing Remus his Hogwarts letter.

"Thank you sir.." Remus said quietly, staring at the envelope happily. He honestly didn't think he was going to get one of these. He was going to Hogwarts! For the first time since he was bitten, he was going to be a normal boy. He was going to be just like everyone else..except.."Sir." He said, smiling fading as he realized something. "How--I mean--what am I to do?" He asked quietly, sadness creeping into his voice. "On the full moon...I mean--where am I to go?" He asked.

"Not to worry my dear boy, we have taken the liberty of making arrangements for your monthly transformations." Dumbledore said, smiling as Remus' face lit right back up. "You'll be going to the shrieking shack, via a tunnel underneath the newly-planted whomping willow. Madam Pomfrey will escort you there after dinner, and will retrieve you once the moon wanes. While you're there, you will be safe." He said, smiling at the look on Remus' face. The boy looked as though Christmas had come early.

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