The Strange Man
It was an early morning in the spring of 1966, it had been almost a year since Remus’ furry problem stared, he was saved by his dad but at what cost. His dad was gone now, for almost 3 months it had been just him, Hope and occasionally this man who had a weird smell hanging over him, who always left the air denser than before.
"I don’t think I can do this anymore" Hope said, "I thought I could do this but I don’t know now." There was a short pause followed by a sigh from the strange man.
"I can’t tell you what to do but I can only suggest that you look for help within the community, I’m sure they’d be willing to help you." The strange man said, he had a posh accent, not from around here too English for that.
"They won’t want to help me, Lyall has left so much tension between us and the community. And no I can’t move back with mum she doesn’t like our little furry friend she said she’d help me but not our furry one. I have tried, I really have please believe me, but this is my only option I can’t keep doing this." Hope sounded exasperated by now but Remus was not old enough to notice, the other man did though he sounded funny being all irritated with his weird accent.
"Well, fine if this is your only viable option I will make some enquires-"
"No need, I have looked, I wasn’t sure but since the last moon I am, this house is not home anymore not without Lyall. It seems like a nice place, still here in Wales, it will always be his home here, I just know it. The matron seems nice, I need to have another conversation about how the furry issue will be delt with, but things are being put in place for week Tuesday. He can still go to the same school which is nice, he won’t have to make new friends." Remus wouldn’t have had an issue with moving schools as he refused to make any friends anyway, his mum was still under the impression that he had loads of friends but deep down she probably knew that he had none.
Six years had passed since that conversation, the man who made the dense air hadn’t seen Remus since that day, he was happy about that he didn’t like the funny air man. He missed his mum though, it had been six years without her, he couldn’t remember what she looked like other than the photo of her on her wedding day. It was the only photo in Remus’ possession that was not damaged by the other boys in any way. Hope had hair like his just longer and straighter, still that light brown colour that his dad loved so much, her eyes were as green as grass just like his. The similarities were the only things of her that he has left, he has had no contact with her but supposably there is a box with some stuff for him that was left by her. Matron won’t let him see it till he is 18 though. But it is almost his 11th birthday so maybe this year he will be able to convince her.
It is the night before his 11th birthday, his joints ache so close to the moon his furry friend is tense and full of energy the moon fuels him. But nothing can limit Remus’ excitement for his birthday, it may just be treated as any other day but he will know that it is not and that is enough.
He has to put his book down as the words were not making any more sense in the darkness than they did in the light, but there is no way that he will sleep, he’s too excited. Sleep fell over him rather apprehensively, but it still came.
He was rather abruptly woken by matron at 7:30 in the morning, by the banging of pans.
"BREAKFAST!! Come on boys, do you want to eat or not."
"Not eat" someone shouted then a loud ear piercing shriek was heard. The boys then hurried around trying to find their clothes which apparently went on walks in the night.
Remus was the first one out that day, the combination of the full moon and birthday excitement would not stop him. As he entered the dining hall he felt that similar feeling in the air that he felt almost 6 years ago, he wanted to run away he knew that feeling was not good.
"Ah Mr Lupin, your presence is wanted over here" Matron called to him,
"Oh no" Remus muttered under his breath "this can’t be good." He apprehensively walked over to matron, she had the strange man with the strange smell with her.
"Now Mr Lupin, this is Professor Dumbledore. He would like to talk to you about something is that alright" Remus nodded.
"Okay, well you can talk in my office" she pointed towards a door Remus was only allowed to enter once or twice before.
Him and the professor walked in to the office. The door was shut behind them though it was never touched. The professor went to sit down in Matron’s chair, the only one in the room. As he sat in it Remus held his breath waiting for Matron’s ear piercing shout to be heard but nothing only silence, too much silence there was not even a peep from the dining room, it was eerie.
The silence was finally broken by professor Dumbledore. "So as you know today is your 11th birthday. A wizards 11th birthday is a very important one as you know."
"A what, a wizard. Those are things from books they don’t actually exist." Remus responded very confidently with an underlying tone of confusion.
"Oh" Dumbledore exclaimed, "no one’s told you. Well this will be a shock. You are a wizard, Remus Lupin. This means you have got a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, it is a boarding school for young wizards and witches to learn and tune their talents."
"A boarding school? I am not even allowed to go to sleepovers, let alone a boarding school. Matron will never give me permission. And that will be expensive I don’t have any money."
"Do not worry about that young Lupin. I have it all sorted" said Dumbledore, "You will be getting the train from Kings Cross on September 1st, I have arranged transport for you to Kings Cross."
The room was getting more dense by the minute, Remus was relieved when the professor got up to leave, the room was then suddenly filled with the noise radiating from the dining room. Professor Dumbledore left the room, leaving Remus in there to think over what had just transpired.