Ch. 29 - Gobstones

"Lyall, someone's at the door!" Hope called up from the bottom of the stairs. Lyall Lupin looked up from the book in his hands and furrowed his brow. They were not accustomed to unexpected guests.

Remus climbed off of the arm of his father's chair and scurried to the window, pressing his face against the glass. "Who is it? Is it the mailman? Or an owl? Is it my Hogwarts letter?"

"Remus, get down from there at once," Lyall scolded, getting up and setting the book on the chair. The boy shrunk away from the glass, dejected, and Lyall immediately felt guilty for reprimanding him. He didn't have the heart to tell Remus that he would never be getting a Hogwarts letter.

He crouched down to level with his son. "Do you remember what we talked about? Keep out of sight and don't make any noise until I send the person at the door away. Remember?"

"Yes, dad," Remus mumbled.

"I'll be right back, then we can pick back up where we left off in Beedle the Bard. How does that sound?"

Remus smiled just a little. "Okay."

"Okay. Just give me a couple of minutes." Lyall left his son's room and closed the door behind him.

He flew down the staircase and stalked to the door with Hope following closely behind. Flinging the door open with his prepared "We don't want any today, thank you," ready on his tongue, he choked on his words when he saw Albus Dumbledore standing on the doorstep.

"Good afternoon Lyall! Oh, you must be Hope. How lovely to make your acquaintance."

"...Professor Dumbledore...what are you-"

"I was just in the neighborhood. May I come in?"

Hope looked apprehensively at Lyall, who tensed up.

"...Actually Albus, I'm afraid we're in the middle of something. Now's not a good time."

"Oh, it will only take a minute. I've already come all this way, you see."

"...You said you were in the neighborhood."

"Well I was, after I came all this way to be here." Albus moved towards the entryway, but Lyall stepped in front of him. He scrambled for excuses as to why he couldn't oblige his former professor.

"I'm terribly sorry, but we're just going to have to speak another time. I could come to you, so you won't have to travel again."

Sighing, Albus reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope - a letter with the Hogwarts crest, addressed to Remus. "Lyall, please let me meet him."

Lyall and Hope looked at each other, panicked. Ever since his infection just before age five, they had homeschooled Remus and hardly let him out of the house to prevent the wizarding community from knowing about his existence.

Lyall swallowed dryly. "...I er, I don't know what you're talking about."

"I know about the boy, Lyall."

Lyall suddenly got threateningly close to Albus' face. "How?! Who told you?!"

"Darling," Hope murmured, pulling him backward.

"His secret is safe," Albus assured them. "I will explain everything if you'd just let me come in."

Lyall remained in his spot blocking the doorway until Hope spoke up: "Please come in, Professor Dumbledore." She yanked Lyall out of the way to make a path for Albus to enter the house, and he smiled at her as he stepped into the entryway. Lyall stuck his head out the door and looked both ways before shutting it swiftly.

"Albus, who told you about my son?" Lyall asked again, now more concerned than combative.

Professor Dumbledore stopped fiddling with the fern plant beside him and looked up at Lyall. "Let's have a seat first, shall we?" Without invitation or confirmation, he traipsed into the sitting room and lowered himself onto the sofa. "Charming upholstery," he muttered.

"Would you like something to drink?" Hope offered.

"Some tea with lemon, if you have any. Thank you."

She smiled sweetly and left the two wizards alone to talk.

Once she'd left the room, Albus addressed Lyall. "Fenrir Greyback is a braggadocious character."

The elder Lupin clenched his fists in rage. "What exactly did that mongrel say to you?" He winced after the question came out, realizing that if that word applied to Greyback, it applied to his son too.

"Oh, not to me. I have...helpful eyes and ears in helpful places. One of them reported to me that Greyback was boasting about turning Lyall Lupin's boy."

"So you know about...his condition..."

"Yes, I do."

Lyall softened his expression and wiped his brow gloomily. "I was just trying to protect him. I know how people treat...people like him…"

"Of course you were, as any parent in their right mind would. I would not wish to subject Remus to any prejudice. Only a select few professors and members of staff will know about his condition when he comes to Hogwarts."

Lyall looked back up at Albus, an inkling of hope in his eyes. "...You'd admit him at Hogwarts?"

"Yes, we would welcome him with open arms."

"But how would he manage his transformation each month? Surely he can't be in a dormitory with the other students."

"On the contrary, I think it would be good for him to socialize with the other students, especially after being by himself for so long. I have secured a safe place to take him on the nights of the full moon."

Lyall could hardly believe what he was hearing. For six years he'd done his best to give his son a magical education at home, expecting that Remus would never be able to attend Hogwarts like he had. Now that it was a possibility, he had so many questions about how Remus would fare away at school. The joy rising in his chest made all the questions hard to articulate.

"Is the boy here? Can I meet him?"

Lyall hesitated, then stood up and went to the base of the stairs. "Remus, there's someone here to see you."

They heard a door open upstairs. "But you told me not to come out until they were gone," a small voice protested.

Albus and Lyall chuckled to themselves. "It's okay, this is a person I have always wanted you to meet."

Cautiously, Remus crept down the staircase. He had scruffy, sandy-copper hair and little round cheeks that made an odd canvas for all the scratches. He was puzzled by the appearance of the strange bearded man in the sitting room.

"Hello young master Remus," said Albus, standing and holding his hand out to the boy. Remus approached slowly and shook it with the wrong hand, which made Albus smile. "My name is Albus Dumbledore. I'm the headmaster at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"You're from Hogwarts?!" Remus exclaimed, spinning around to gawk at his father. Lyall beamed.

"Indeed I am. How old are you, Remus?"

"I'm ten, but I turn eleven next week. I'm waiting for my Hogwarts letter, you know."

Albus chuckled. "Well then, it's a good thing I've brought it for you." He took the letter back out of his pocket and handed it to him.

With wide eyes, Remus grasped it gently so not to crinkle the paper. "...Can I open it Dad?!"

Lyall was holding back tears. "Of course you can."

Hope returned with Albus' tea, and they all watched him open the envelope with care; he did not want to rip a single part of it. Gingerly, he slid out the letter, unfolded it, and read aloud:

"Dear Mr. Lupin, we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!" Remus dashed to his father and held the paper up to him with pride. "Look, Dad! I'm going to be a wizard, just like you!"

"Yes, you are!" said Lyall, scooping Remus into his arms.

"Remus, say thank you," said Hope, nodding towards Professor Dumbledore.

Remus climbed out of his father's embrace and startled Albus when he hugged his leg tightly. "Thank you Professor Dum..Dumble...what was it again?"

"Dumbledore," Albus laughed.

"Dumbledore." Remus nodded and let go of his leg. "Professor Dumbledore, sir, do you like to play Gobstones?"

"As a matter of fact, I do."

"Would you like to play?"

"No Remus, I'm sure Professor Dumbledore is very busy," said Lyall.

"Actually, I find myself completely free this evening. And I smell something wonderful coming from the kitchen…"

"I'm roasting a chicken, if you'd like to stay for supper?" offered Hope.

"I'm quite fond of roast chicken, and of Gobstones," he said, winking at Remus. "Go on then, fetch the game board."

Remus dashed up to his room and returned in record time.

...

Professor Dumbledore stayed until dessert to play many a round of Gobstones with Remus, and told him all about Hogwarts and the things he would do there. Hope and Lyall spectated contentedly, just happy to watch their son interact with another person. The many questions they had could wait.