July 6th 1971

In the highlands of Scotland, Professor Albus Dumbledore, newly appointed Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, sat at his desk completing some paperwork. He was checking through the letters of acceptance prepared by his deputy to ensure every child on the list would receive one. Whilst comparing the pile of envelopes against the list copied from the book of admittance, he also sorted them into two groups. One for children with magical lineage; they would receive their letters by owl. The other for children with muggle lineage; a member of the faculty would deliver these by hand, ready to demonstrate their magic for any disbelieving muggle parents.

Albus frowned when he came across a discrepancy, a name on his list with no corresponding letter. He sent a note down to his deputy, Professor Minerva McGonagall, asking her to come to his office as soon as possible, and she appeared at his door within half an hour.

'Albus? What do you need?' she said, walking in.

'Good afternoon, Minerva. Would you like a lemon drop?'

'No, thank you,' McGonagall said, eyeing the muggle candy with distaste.

'Straight to business then?' Dumbledore sighed. 'As you wish. We have a missing letter. Is there a reason you have forgotten Mr Lupin, or is this discrepancy merely a mistake?'

Dumbledore unwrapped a lemon drop and popped the sweet into his mouth.

'There's no mistake.' McGonagall sighed, taking a seat. 'It's a sad story, I'm afraid. A werewolf bit the poor wee lad. He was four years old when it happened.' She shook her head. 'Such a shame. His father wrote to ask us to remove him from the list.'

'Well, he must still be alive or his name would have disappeared from the book. Why will he not be coming to school?' Dumbledore said, frowning.

'He's a werewolf, Albus! You can't be suggesting we risk everyone else here for one boy.'

McGonagall looked shocked at the very idea.

'Risk? No. There's no need for risk. Are not the teachers here all Masters in our chosen fields? Between us, I'm sure we can make arrangements to accommodate the boy's condition. But think, Minerva. How much could it assist the light in the coming war if we had a magically educated werewolf in our ranks, one indebted to our cause? No doubt Riddle will attempt to recruit all manner of dark creatures over the next few years. If we had a werewolf on our side, we could hide a spy amongst them.' Dumbledore's eyes gleamed with excitement.

'I admit the idea has merit, but how do you know the boy would side with us?'

'Simply by showing him the kindness and acceptance the rest of society does not. Werewolves are easy prey for men like Riddle, ostracised as they are. We must make him feel accepted, wanted and even loved.' Dumbledore leaned back in his chair with a thoughtful expression. 'Now, let's discuss how we can ensure everyone's safety on full moons.'

July 8th

With the full moon occurring that night, Remus was meditating in his bedroom to prepare himself. This would be his fourth in the torture chamber, as he called the hole in the garden. His first night in the underground prison left him broken and bleeding, worse than ever before. The injuries were so severe, Remus suspected the wolf of attempting suicide. That quest would always fail though, the regeneration abilities made death from blood loss impossible. He wandered around his mental fortress checking doors and making sure everything was locked up tight.

A pounding on his bedroom door drew him from his mental landscape, and he knew it would be his dad coming to tell him it was time. He opened the door, and Lyall stood behind it, every inch of his skin covered in thick, puffy material to prevent accidental touch when he apparated Remus into the cage.

Remus hated this part. Human contact, but not quite. The almost touches felt unbearable to him. He could feel the pressure, but the bulk of his dad's coverings meant it was squishy. It didn't feel like human contact; it felt like wrapping a pillow around his arm. He held out his arm, and his dad gripped him hard, turned in a circle and pulled them both into the suffocating tunnel of apparition.

They reappeared inside the cage, and Remus sucked in a deep breath, waiting for the nausea to subside. Apparition always made him nauseous; doing it right before the moon made it so much worse. He was already ill before they apparated.

His dad tapped his foot, impatient for Remus to undress so he could take his clothes and leave. Remus disrobed as fast as possible, almost ripping his t-shirt in his haste to not make his dad angry, and handed him the bundle of material. His dad apparated away without a word, leaving Remus naked and alone in the garden cage.

A few minutes later, his mum broke the enforced solitude when she appeared above him between the bars and dropped a fluffy, purple blanket down to him through the gap. He wrapped himself in the material, feeling the warmth of gratitude flood him along with the warmth the blanket provided. It might be July, but he still shivered when sitting naked in the underground room.

They sat in silence for an hour. Remus was in no state for conversation so close to the moon, but her presence comforted him. When the first tingles of transformation fluttered through him, he pulled the blanket off and threw it up to the bars. His mum caught the edge and tugged it out.

'It's starting, Mum. You better go,' Remus said through a grimace.

He didn't want to scream until she left.

'Okay, sweetheart, I love you. See you in the morning.'

After she moved out of sight, Remus got down on all fours on the hard stone floor, knowing the position made things easier when his body morphed into a wolf, and tried to focus on his breathing. With his pain locked away in his mental vault, he maintained his calm for several minutes until the agony became too much for him to cope with, and he gave in to the screams.

The wolf awoke to the tiny space he had been imprisoned in for the last three days. He regretted escaping from his first world. This one was so much worse. Prowling around the cage, he wondered again how he got here. He remembered breaking out of the place that he had always lived in, and he remembered what he found Outside.

The beauty of the Outside overwhelmed him. So much space. With soft springy stuff under his feet and so many interesting smells. He ran and jumped, enjoying freedom for the first time. It was exhilarating. He met some other creatures out there. None were like him. They were much smaller, but they were friendly, and he played with them for a little while. When he grew tired, he had laid down to sleep, and when he awoke, he was here.

The air from Outside drifted in through the open-top of this unfamiliar place, torturing him with its promise of freedom, green spaces and open land where he could run and play. He spun around in a circle, whining, already knowing he would find no way out. He head-butted the wall a few times, understanding the futility of the action but needing to try. All options exhausted, he lay down with his head on his paws, defeated. Escape from this place seemed impossible. He would be trapped here forever.

He had reached the same conclusion for the last three days. The only way out was death. However much he injured himself, though, it seemed he would always be entirely healed by the time he woke up the next day. If he wanted to die before the healing began, then his injuries would need to be severe.

He scratched at himself, clawing deep into his flesh. The agonising pain ripped howls of anguish from his throat, but he didn't let it stop him. Pressing his fangs into his flesh, he bit down until they hit bone and howled again. He continued until the blood loss weakened him, and he collapsed on the hard, stone floor. As his eyes drifted closed, he hoped he had done enough damage that he would no longer be forced to endure this life, trapped, so close to freedom.

July 9th

The sound of a high-pitched scream woke Remus from his sleep. He groaned and rolled onto his back. The stench of blood flooded his nose, and he gagged as the odour overwhelmed his senses. Everything hurt. He forced his eyes open and immediately shut them again. The light coming through the ceiling bars burned.

'Mum?'

His voice came out hoarse and cracking.

'You're okay, Remus. Hold on, your dad's coming.'

She sounded worried. It's bad, Remus thought. It's really bad. And he let the darkness take him.

The next time he woke, he found himself tucked into his bed in his room. His mum sat in a chair next to him.

'How long did I sleep?' he asked, his words slurred with exhaustion.

'A little over twenty-four hours. How do you feel?'

'Awful, I just want to sleep more.'

'You can do that,' she said.

'Can you bring me a drink first?'

The doorbell rang.

They stared at each other. Both their faces showing identical expressions of wide-eyed fear. Who on earth would be ringing their doorbell?

'Stay here,' his mum hissed before almost running out of the room.

As if he possessed the energy to go anywhere, anyway. He listened hard, but only heard quiet murmurs coming from the direction of the front door. He waited an eternity for the mysterious visitor to leave and his mum to come back to tell him who it was.

When she did return, she was not alone. He stared with alarm at the tall man with the long white hair and beard. What was his mum thinking, bringing a stranger to his room?

'Remus, honey, this is Professor Dumbledore. He's here to make you an offer,' Hope said.

A Professor? From Hogwarts? What would a Hogwarts teacher want with him? He must want to give his students the chance to study a werewolf up close, he thought with a twinge of bitterness. Visions flashed through his mind of transforming in a cage in the middle of a classroom, his body tearing itself apart as he screamed. Groups of students watched and made comments to each other about how disgusting he was. He shuddered.

Dumbledore waved his hand at the chair next to the bed.

'May I?'

Remus shook the visions away and feigned politeness.

'If you like.'

'Thank you.'

Dumbledore sat down on the chair and looked him in the eye.

'Mister Lupin, it was recently brought to my attention that your name had been removed from the list of Hogwarts acceptance. When I inquired as to why such a terrible thing had occurred, my deputy informed me that you met with an unfortunate accident at four years old and now bear a tendency to howl at the moon once a month.'

Remus gasped, but Dumbledore continued undeterred.

'I see no reason such an affliction should prevent you from receiving an education, however. So, I am here to tell you that, should you wish to attend, there is still a place for you at Hogwarts, and we will welcome you with open arms.'

Dumbledore regarded him with twinkling blue eyes and a kind smile. Remus pulled himself to a sitting position, unable to believe his ears. The situation was surreal. He wondered if he was dreaming, or maybe it was some kind of cruel joke. How could it be true? He was a monster, unfit to be in the company of normal people.

'But how?' he asked. 'What about the full moon?'

'We are arranging accommodations for you. The school possesses a place for you to transform, away from the other students. You must tell no-one, of course. There is an unfortunate amount of prejudice against those afflicted with lycanthropy. But I'm sure an intelligent boy such as yourself can keep a secret,'

'Yes, sir,' he said.

Remus couldn't think of anything else to say. Thoughts raced around his mind in a whirlwind, but he couldn't settle on one to voice it.

Dumbledore stood and turned to Remus' mum.

'Well, I must be getting back. Lots to do before September, you understand. If you think of any further questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch.'

Dumbledore turned back to Remus and placed an envelope in his hand.

'I'll just leave this here with you, Mister Lupin. Please let me know your decision by the end of the month. Have a wonderful day.'

With that, Dumbledore swept from the room, his purple robes billowing around him and Remus' mum following to show him out.

Remus examined the envelope. Emerald green ink spelt out his name and address across the front in elegant script. He ripped the flap open and pulled out the pages inside.

Dear Mr Lupin,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on 1st September. We await your owl by no later than 31st July.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

Remus hugged the letter to his chest and broke down in tears.

August 10th

The Lupin family discussed the possibility of Remus going away to school for several days following Dumbledore's visit. Remus' dad claimed that the risk to other students was too great. He might brush against someone in the hallway or at mealtimes and infect them. The dining hall got crowded. Remus appealed passionately for his right to an education. He promised that he would be careful. He would wear gloves and long sleeves at all times and avoid crowds by going to class early and eating when the hall was quiet. His mum argued on his behalf. She knew attending Hogwarts meant everything to him, and she wanted him to be happy.

Remus found it strange that in the end, while his lycanthropy was his biggest obstacle to his mission, it also turned out to be his greatest ally in this one battle. In a sudden burst of inspiration, he had the fantastic idea to casually mention to his mum that a trained medi-witch worked at Hogwarts. Someone who could give him top-notch medical care after every full moon for the next seven years. His mum had put her foot down, and the decision was made. Remus would go to Hogwarts. And that was final.

This morning, Remus was jittery with excitement. They were going to Diagon Alley to get his school supplies, and not only would he be getting everything he needed for school - school! He could scarcely believe it - but he would also get to see other people for the first time in years. Not counting Dumbledore. He had been too nervous that day to really enjoy the experience. He paced back and forth in front of the fireplace waiting for his mum to get ready to leave. When she walked in, after he had waited for what felt like hours, she laughed at his impatience and told him to stop wearing a hole in the carpet.

They headed to Ollivander's first. The wand was the most expensive item on the list. They could only purchase it new, and the prices varied depending on which wand chose you. So by getting it first, they would know how much money they had left for everything else.

The little bell above the door rang as they opened it, and they walked into a seemingly empty shop. The walls were lined with shelves from floor to ceiling, and the shelves overflowed with long rectangular boxes. There was a small waiting area in one corner with a table and two chairs, but nothing else except the counter and a door behind it.

'Good morning, please come in. I'll be with you in a moment,' a voice shouted from the back room.

Remus and his mum stood in the middle of the dingy room and waited. A few minutes later, a plump old man with white hair walked out from the door behind the counter.

'You must be here for your first wand. Wonderful! Just stand there a moment, lad. Put your arms out to the sides. That's right. I'll just take your measurements.'

He waved his wand, and a tape measure flew over and started measuring various parts of Remus' body.

'Which is your wand hand?' the wizard asked as he rooted through the shelves, picking out the odd box and piling them on the counter.

'Er, my left,' Remus said, seriously unnerved by the tape measure, which was now measuring the space between his eyebrows.

Ollivander turned around and saw his predicament. He waved his wand, and the tape measure returned to the counter. Remus breathed a sigh of relief,

'Right then, there are a few possibilities here for you to try.'

He picked up a box and pulled out a greyish-brown wand with delicate carving around the base. 'First is this one: apple-wood, 11 inches, dragon heartstring, pleasantly swishy. Exceptional for charms. Give it a try.'

He handed the wand to Remus, and the moment it touched his hand, it shot out a burst of light that blew up the small table in the corner.

'Nope. No. Definitely not,' Ollivander said, snatching the wand back.

'I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to. It was an accident, I swear.'

The shock of the explosion made Remus' eyes fill with tears. Maybe he wouldn't even be able to own a wand. What if they all reacted like that to his touch? Would life be so cruel as to dangle his dream in front of him this way, only to snatch it away again?

'Not to worry. That sort of thing happens all the time. Perhaps this one will suit you better, hmm?'

He pulled out a wand made from pale, almost white wood. It was perfectly smooth apart from two grooves either side of the grip. It was beautiful.

'Elm, 9 and ¾ inches, phoenix feather, quite inflexible, brilliant for transfiguration. Go on, don't be shy.'

Remus accepted the wand with caution, not quite believing the man would let him touch another after the disaster of his first try. The wand felt a little warm in his hand, and he gave it a wave. It sputtered, but nothing else happened.

'Hmm, that one's close but not quite right. Let me see.'

He rubbed his chin and eyed the shelves for a moment before jumping forward as if in receipt of some sudden inspiration.

'I know, try this one.'

He pulled out a jet black wand with runes carved into the base. Remus eyed the thing with distaste. Black? Because I'm a dark creature? Wonderful, he thought.

'Ebony, 9 inches precisely, unicorn hair, slightly springy. A nice all-rounder, this one.'

Remus took the wand, and warmth travelled up his arm and spread through his chest. The wand shot out red sparks, and the wand-maker clapped his hands together.

'Wonderful, a lovely choice,' he said. 'Ebony wood favours those who are not afraid to be themselves and those who are steadfast in their beliefs. The unicorn hair provides smooth, consistent magic. Combined, they make for a most powerful wand.'

Maybe black doesn't always mean bad, Remus thought, admiring his new wand while his mum paid.

Next, they stopped at Madam Malkin's for his uniform. They picked up quills, ink and parchment from the stationery store and, of course, Remus already owned all the books required. They saved the apothecary for last, not wanting to be weighed down by the bulky cauldron and potions kit all day. By the time they finished purchasing everything on the list, there remained just enough money to get Remus an owl.

'The school keeps owls for the students to use, Mum. You don't need to waste money on that,' Remus said, juggling his new cauldron and trying to find a way to carry it that didn't make it bang against his legs.

'I know. I'm buying you one anyway,' she said, taking the cauldron from him and smiling.

Remus gave up, and he entered Eeylops Owl Emporium with trepidation. The stench would be so much worse for him than for normal people, and he wondered if the owls would react to his canine-ness.

The odour hit him in the face as soon as he pushed the door open. He tried not to breathe too much, and only through his mouth, but the droppings and the musty, animal scent were still overpowering and made him gag. To his surprise and delight, the owls made no reaction to his presence in the shop.

'Good afternoon. How may I help you?' the shop-keeper asked as they walked up to the counter.

'Hello, I'm here to purchase an owl for my son to take to Hogwarts,' his mum said, a hint of pride in her voice that made Remus blush.

Remus didn't understand what she was proud of though. The school had accepted him, it was true, but that wasn't an achievement. He might be useless at magic yet.

'Excellent, well, come along, son. Let's see if any of our feathered friends take a liking to you, shall we?'

The shop-keeper walked out from behind the counter and made to put his hand on Remus' shoulder, but Remus shied away from the contact. He didn't want to infect the older man. The man's eyes widened with surprise, but he took the hint, dropped his hand and, in a smooth recovery, stepped ahead of Remus to lead him through the shop.

'Follow me. This way.'

He led Remus through the shop. Some of the owls ignored Remus completely as they wandered through the maze of perches, a few opened a sleepy eye, gazed at him and went back to dozing. One owl though, a small one with greyish-brown plumage and a haughty expression, flew down from a perch in the rafters and landed on Remus' shoulder. Remus jerked a little with surprise and carefully turned his head to look the bird in the face.

'Hello there, little guy. You're just as tiny as me, aren't you?' he said to the bird, smiling a little at the sensation of physical contact with another living being. The owl let out a deep whistle in reply and nuzzled Remus' cheek.

'I reckon we've found you a match,' the shop-keeper said. 'You're a lucky boy. Scops owls are picky when choosing a wizard to bond too, but they are unerringly loyal when they do.'

'Thank you, sir. Is it a girl or a boy?' Remus asked, wanting to name his new friend.

'She's a girl, and she's only a year old, so she will be with you for many years. With magical assistance, she may live to be thirty.'

Remus ached at the idea of his new friend dying, so he pushed it from his mind. A girl, he thought, and wondered about what to call her; he wanted her name to be something perfect.

Next chapter, Hogwarts!