21st of July 1971 - Summer before first year
Remus woke with a start on the morning of the 21st of July, panting and shaking. He quickly realised that he was also drenched in a cold sweat. He groaned and sat up, leaning against his headboard, trying to catch his breath and ground his thoughts. He’d had another nightmare - the same one he’s been having since he was four years old.
With a bang, the door to a young Remus Lupin’s room burst open. Remus shot up in his bed to see what had happened. His parents were evidently still asleep as no one had come running. They had always been heavy sleepers.
It was quiet for a few seconds, until a massive figure came out from the shadows and started looming over him. Remus sucked in a deep breath, terrified and pulled his quilt up to his chin. The figure came closer to him, seemingly examining the small, frightened boy in front of him.
Remus could clearly see what it was that was standing over him. A monster. Tall and hairy, with sharp fangs and a disgusting breath, a mean glare that was boring right into Remus.
Hadn’t his mum promised him that there were no monsters in his wardrobe? Or under his bed? Did she lie to him? Why would she lie?
The monster had had enough of just staring at Remus and with no warning, it pounced. Remus screamed like he never screamed before as the great big monster sunk its large fangs into the left side of the four year olds body.
There were hurried footsteps and his parents came into view behind the beast. They were standing in his doorway. Hope, his mother, screamed in terror at the sight in front of her. Her son, covered in his own blood as a werewolf stood over him, slashing open his body.
Lyall, his father, attacked the beast with something Remus couldn’t see. Probably silver, but whatever it was, it had the monster cowering and running out of the house via the young boys window. Hope was sobbing on her hands and knees in the doorway and that’s all Remus remembered before he passed out from either the blood loss or pain.
Remus had found out later when he woke up in St Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries that he was attacked by werewolf Fenrir Greyback. And because of that he now was a werewolf himself. A monster. All because of Greyback.
He would never forget his first transformation. He didn’t know what was going on or why he was being locked in the basement with chains around his wrists and walls laid with silver. He was only five during his first transformation. He was scarred for life. Mentally and physically.
Remus got out of his bed. He didn’t want to think about how unfair his life was right now. Everyone had their own problems. He just needed to get over it.
Remus left his small bedroom and walked down the corridor of the family’s tiny bungalow. They lived in a town called Abergavenny, somewhere in Wales. It wasn’t a bad place to live, in Remus’ opinion.
He walked into the small kitchen and saw both his parents in there. Hope was cooking breakfast on the stove - Remus assumed rashers and fried eggs by the smell - while listening to the radio, humming along to the tune playing. Lyall was reading the newspaper, The Daily Prophet, not the muggle one his mum read.
This morning The Prophet clearly had nothing interesting to say as his dad sighed and set the paper down, folding it in half as he did so.
“Good morning, Remus.” He greeted him with a nod, looking at him over his reading glasses.
“Morning Dad.” The boy replied back. He had decided not to mention his nightmare. He never did. All that came out of it was his mother getting worried and his father going quiet, just looking at him. Almost with guilt.
His mother came over with a plate of eggs and rashers - Remus noted that he was correct with what his mother had been cooking - and set it on the table for him, giving a kiss to Remus’ head as she did so.
She walked back over to the stove, and brought over another plate for her husband. As Hope was walking by Remus’ spot again, she dropped a letter on his lap.
“For you, Remus.” She smiled.
Remus looked down at the letter. It had a pretty emblem on the front. A big letter “H” in the middle, and red, green, blue and yellow around it. His name was on the front.
Who wrote a letter to him? He never gets mail. He barely has friends.
“What is it?” Remus asked, looking up at his mum.
“Open it.” She responded.
Remus glanced over at his father, to see what he had to say. All Lyall did was nod at him.
Remus set down his fork, and carefully picked up the letter. He opened it, and started reading. He had to squint slightly as the words on the page sometimes took longer for Remus to comprehend. His mother had said it might be dyslexia or something but they were too broke to see a doctor about it.
Mr Lupin,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We await your owl no later than the 31st of July with an answer.
Please find an enclosed list of all necessary books and equipment needed. Everything can be purchased in Diagon Alley. Term begins on the 1st of September. To avoid detection by Muggles, please use the entrance located at Kings Cross Station Downtown London, on platform 9 ¾. The Hogwarts Express leaves at 11 in the morning sharp.
Students will be required to report to the Chamber of Reception upon arrival at Hogwarts.
We look forward to having you at our school.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress.
“I’m accepted into Hogwarts?” Remus grinned, looking up at his father. Lyall nodded. “I thought you said I couldn’t go? Because of…”
“Dumbledore owled me. Said they were willing to take you up. They have a place for you.” Responded his father. Hope was looking down at her son, smiling proudly.
Remus had a million and one questions running through his head, too ecstatic to word any of them. He could be like the other kids, he could be normal. He could have friends.
Remus had long ago come to terms he wouldn’t go to Hogwarts due to his lycanthropy, but here he was, at his kitchen table with an acceptance letter to Hogwarts!
“But what about the full moons?” He asked, it had hit him that he would still have to transform there. Where would he go? What would he say to his friends? Considering he even made friends.
“Don’t worry, sweetheart,” Hope comforted him while standing up to hug him. “Your father said there’s a matron there who has it all sorted for you.”
“Poppy Pomfrey is her name.” His father spoke up, smiling. Which was rare from him. “She’s a lovely woman, there’s nothing to fret about. Just see her the evening of the full moon and she’ll tell you everything you need to know.”
Remus nodded. He was still staring at the acceptance letter in awe. “What about my stuff?” He asked, looking up.
His mother and father looked at each other. “Well..” Hope started but Lyall cut her off.
“We don’t have the money for all of your things at the moment, so we’ve applied for second hand materials. You should get on perfectly fine with them though.”
Oh. Right. They were poor. Remus sighed. He’d grown up with second hand things his whole life. Whether it was charity shop finds or hand me downs from some of the more wealthier family members, he had never had anything brand new.
He should be grateful he’s even going to Hogwarts. And he was. Except he just didn’t want to be the boy covered in scars and the boy who can’t afford his own textbooks.
“How about,” Hope said, obviously trying to cheer Remus up, “You and Dad go into… oh goodness, Lyall, what’s that shopping place for wizards?” She asked, clicking her fingers.
“Diagon Alley.” His father replied, he had turned back to the newspaper, the muggle one this time.
“Oh yes! Diagon alley! Why don’t you and dad go to Diagon Alley to pick up a book for you? Brand new and all! Just a special reward for being accepted.” His mother winked at him as she sat back down.
Remus lit up. A new book? He’s always taken books from the library or saved up to buy them at charity shops. He’s never had a new one before. Especially one that didn’t have drawings past readers have left. They annoyed Remus to no end.
“Really?” He asked, not quite believing it yet.
“I don’t see why not.” His father answered, not even bothering to look up from his paper.
“Then it’s settled!” Hope exclaimed “This weekend you boys will go to get the book while I patch up the robes that will have arrived.”
Remus nodded excitedly. This morning was one of the best he’d had in a long time. He had almost forgotten about his nightmare.
“Right, well,” his father said standing up “I’m off to work.”
He kissed hope on the cheek and ruffled Remus’ hair while making his way out of the kitchen and to the front door.
Once he left, Hope got straight to cleaning up the remnants of breakfast while Remus ran to his room to reread the letter.