Chapter Four- A Talk
His mother had called him into the kitchen, her voice sounding scratchy. She stood alone at the small, round kitchen table, her face cast in shadow. Murky light poured through the yellow, dusty curtains as her son came in. His hair stuck up at all angles, his face pale and drawn from lack of sleep, and his eyes round… yet alert. His father's eyes…
Karen stood still, fiddling with a button on her pale blue dress. How should she do this? What could she say?
Her voice came out quiet, flopping onto the unwashed floor.
"Remus, love, um... y-you have a letter."
Remus, her son, frowned, crinkling his forehead. Karen thought he looked older when he did that.
Too old.
He faced her, his hands outstretched. He took it from his mother.
"What's wrong, mum?" he asked, before opening the letter. He never really spoke to any of his family much. The only family he really ever saw was his mother, and she seemed to always be crying, or frustrated, or getting sad news, or some other non- relevant family news, the people he never saw. To see her like this was nothing new. Maybe the letter was from family…
But Remus though he should ask anyway.
"Oh it's nothing, Remus. Just open it. Go on."
Huffing, he tore open the thick, clean brown envelope. Karen knew what it said.
"Hogwarts?" the boys face was inquisitive, shocked.
"Yes, Remus."
"A school... wants me?" His voice sounded harsh and a little cold.
"Yes love!" Karen tried to sound cheerful, but she was like a bird waiting for the shooter. "Of course they do! Hogwarts accepts everyone! They'd love you."
"Would they want me after they knew the actual me?" Remus almost snarled, his eyes darkening with anger. Karen saw a flash of a wolf across his face. His face turned from confusion to anger in a split session.
"Remus, I've asked the headmaster... Professor Dumbledore. He... he's happy to let you stay at Hogwarts! He's arranged somewhere where no one else can get to for you to... um..."
"Transform. Just say it mum." Remus snarled. His temper was seeping through his usually calm self.
Karen almost wept. She rubbed her eyes slowly and spoke:
"Yes, love, um... transform. He said it would be perfectly safe for you and the people around you! I mean, you wouldn't have to tell anyone."
"They'd find out." Remus hissed.
"People can be very naive!" Karen said. She was trying desperately to make sure he said yes. She couldn't educate him forever. "It would be so nice for you!"
Remus replayed the letter in his head, closing his eyes. He could remember every word of the neat, acid green writing.
"You think about it Remus..." his mother said, now wondering around the kitchen, starting to prepare the food for dinner.
"No!" he snapped. He couldn't bear to think about it anymore. Karen's heart thumped in her ears. He was going to say no…
"I'll go! I'll go to Hogwarts! I'll go to school and let them tear me apart... I'll reply."
And he went back upstairs, leaving Karen to stand there in shock.
Remus woke in shock. Sweat drenched his face.
His mother…
Him…
A dream.
Pushing back the covers, his looked down at his pale, skinny legs. He always checked his legs after a nightmare. But it wasn't really a nightmare… just a dream.
A flashback.
With a sigh of relief for no reason what so ever, Remus pulled the covers back on, and shut his eyes, waiting for the morning.