With Harry, Amy, Susan, Hannah, Sirius, Remus, Amelia, and Heather all now huddled together, Remus said clearly, "I'd like to introduce myself a little more properly now."
"Go for it, " chroused Harry, Amy, Susan, Hannah, Sirius, Amelia, and Heather.
"So, " explained Remus, "You all know I'm a werewolf. Well, the way one becomes a werewolf is by being bitten by a werewolf. Generally, werewolf attacks don't kill. They just turn the victim into a werewolf. I was five when I was bitten."
Harry, Amy, Susan, Hannah, Sirius, Amelia, and Heather all grimaced.
"At age five?" said Harry sadly, "That is way too much for any five old to have to go through."
"In addition to my transformations at the full moon, " said Remus in an angsty voice, "Being a werewolf isolated me in the heart of my childhood. Between the ages of five and ten I was not allowed to make or have friends or play with other children at all because my parents feared the nature of my condition would slip, causing problems for the family."
"That is terrible, " said Amy empathically, "I may have grown up in an orphanage, but at least I was allowed to play with the other kids there."
"I can't understand how any parents would not want their own child, " said Remus sadly.
Remus and Amy looked each other eye to eye and felt a sort of kindred spirt. Both had suffered rejection for who they were, Amy by her own parents and Remus by the Wizarding World as a whole.
"My parents were very loving and supportive, " said Remus clearly, "We moved a lot in order to keep my condition a secret. Still, even with a great mom and dad who I had a great relationship with, not having friends did become lonely."
"All credit to James for seeing the value in Remus and befriending the underdog, " said Sirius proudly, smiling at Remus.
"James and Sirius had hit it off on the Hogwarts Express, " explained Remus, "They quickly befriended me after I was sorted into Gryffindor, attracted to what they saw as my kindness and sympathetic to my loneliness."
"Apart from Defense Against the Dark Arts being your best subject, what were you like at school?" Susan asked Remus curiously.
"I was actually a prefect, " said Remus matter of factly, "I was more mature than James or Sirius and the staff hoped I could keep them in check."
"Bet you didn't!" said Harry, grinning.
"No way Remus would ever hold James and I back from doing exactly what we wanted to do!" smirked Sirius, giving Remus a chest bump.
"No, I never had the heart to try to control or influence James and Sirius, " admitted Remus, "I was so appreciative for their friendship and for the fact that they accepted me exactly for who I was that I could never bring myself to go against them, even when my conscience told me I should."
"What were your grades like in general?" Hannah asked Remus.
"I was an E student in general, but an O student in Defense Against the Dark Arts with a particaur knowledge of dark creatures. Oh shoot!"
"What is it, Remus?" asked Harry in concern.
"I'm going to have to decline the Defense Against the Dark Arts Post at Skyward School of Practical Sorcery. I need the job and I know I'd be a great Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, but because of what I am, I must turn the position down. I cannot put the lives of innocent schoolchildren at risk, " said Remus fretfully.
"It's okay. Remus, " said Heather fiercely, "I will have a limitless supply of Wolfsbane Potion available for you while at Skyward School of Practical Sorcery."
"Wolfsbane Potion restricts the transformations to that of an ordinary and sleepy wolf, " explained Amelia to Harry, Amy, Susan, and Hannah.
"I had already planned to have the supply of Wolfsbane Potion readily available at Skyward School of Practical Sorcery before I offered you the position," smiled Heather, "Wolfsbane Potion is extremely expsieve, but remember that the Abbotts have accumulated an almost implausible amount of wealth over the centuries. I could easily afford it. And in fact, there is a supply of Wolfsbane Bane in your room here and I expect you to take it at the appropriate times. To ensure you don't forget, I have bewitched the bottles to make a screeching noise when the time to take your potion comes if you should have forgotten, " said Heather in a businesslike voice.
"Oh, Heather, " said Remus chokily, "You've really planned for my inclusion. You really want to include me, both here and at your school?"
"Yes, " said Heather with a kind smile, "I know we were never close at school, but I do remember how humble and kindhearted you always were. Admittedly, I didn't want you here at first, but that's ONLY because I was wary of letting yet another person know the location of Abbott Manor. As a Secret Keeper, you have to exercise some digression. But Sirius and Amelia convinced me to let you come here. Amelia persuaded me that it was safe to include you here while Sirius made emotional pleas about how being included here might help out your well-being. "
"Anyone who rejects Remus is rejecting me," said Sirius furiously.
Next nanosecond, Sirius and Remus walked up to each other and embraced each other like brothers.
"Oh, it's so great to be reunited with you, Padfoot, old friend, " welled up Remus, "Much gratitude to you for vouching for me."
"Not at all, Moony, old friend, " said Sirius emotionally, "I thought our bond was broken forever so it's very emotional to have our friendship reignite."
"So?" Remus asked Heather, "Have you hired any other teachers?"
"Flitwick and Sprout will come over from Hogwarts to take Charms and Herbology, " said Heather happily.
"That's a good start, " said Remus approvingly, "They were easily my two best teachers at Hogwarts."
"Indeed, " agreed Heather, "My biggest priority now is to find a Transfiguration teacher. Still, I've got months to fill out the staff so I'm not worried."
"My life is definitely about to take a turn for the better, " said Remus optimistically.