Moony & Bambi

Harry came over to the house on Dudley’s birthday. He looked somewhat harassed, but otherwise completely fine. He had a bag on his back.

“Hi, Uncle Moony,” he greeted Remus. 

“Hello, Harry. Come in, come in,” Remus responded. Harry walked into the house, and went up to the room that had been given to him. Remus followed. “So, it’s your cousin's birthday today?” Harry nodded.

“Yeah, it is.” Remus noted a tone of distaste in Harry’s voice, so he decided to change the conversation.

“What do you want for your birthday?” He asked. Eleven. Harry was almost eleven. That was an important day for any young witch and wizard, as it was the age that they received their Hogwarts letters.

Harry shrugged.

“To get away from the Dursleys for more than a few days,” Harry said. Remus smiled.

“I think that your wish is going to be granted,” he said nonchalantly. Harry’s head snapped up to look at him.

“What do you mean?” He asked. Remus walked over to the window. “Uncle Moony!” Harry protested. He tugged on Remus’ arm. “Tell me what you mean!”

“Well,” Remus said, dragging the last letter out for as long as possible. 

“Uncle Moony!” Harry groaned. Remus had a shit-eating grin on his face. Sometimes messing with Harry was the most fun thing.

“I’m not sure if I should tell you, Bambi,” Remus said.

“Please?” Harry asked, giving Remus his best puppy dog eyes.

“Alright, alright. Your parents saved a place for you at a boarding school in Scotland,” Remus finally revealed.

“Really?” Harry asked, eyes lighting up. 

“Mhm. In fact, I met your parents at that place,” Remus confirmed. Harry let go of him and bounded around the room.

“What’s it like? Are the teachers nice? What does the school look like?” Remus chuckled lightly. Harry was proving to be more like his mother than anything else.

“It’s a wonderful place, most of the teachers are nice, and it’s a castle,” Remus answered the questions thrown his way.

“Cool!” Harry exclaimed. 

“Calm down, Bambi. We can’t have you wrecking the room now, can we?”

“Okay,” Harry agreed. He sat on his bed. “When does the term start?”

“September first. I’ll take you to Kings Cross to catch the train and say goodbye. Maybe we could go get you your supplies on your birthday,” Remus said, thinking out loud towards the end. “I could also get you a birthday gift then.”

“That sounds great! Oh, and I’m staying here for the rest of the summer if that’s okay. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon don’t seem to want me around,” Harry told him. Remus sighed.

“I really wish that Mary and I were your legal guardians and not them,” he said. 

“I do too,” Harry replied earnestly. Remus ruffled his already messy hair.

“Well, we can make do with what we have,” he said. Harry battered his hand away.

“We have been for years, Uncle Moony,” Harry said. Remus smiled.

“Too true. Anyway, I was thinking of going on a walk. Want to come?” Harry stood up and ran to the front door. Remus chuckled and followed him.

The walk was nice. Harry talked about something that had happened, and Remus listened, happy to do so.

Remus took him to the corner store and bought them both ice cream. They sat outside, eating, and counting how many cars of a certain colour they could see. This involved a lot of Harry complaining that Remus was cheating by adding on points when he said them out loud - which he was doing. But he just laughed and said that Harry was imagining things.

That summer was one of the best. Minerva confided in Remus and Mary that he was indeed getting a letter, and told them to be ready to explain it. They bought presents for Harry’s birthday, and everyday was spent joking around while doing chores and listening to some of Sirius’s old records. 

Then it was a few days before Harry’s eleventh. The letter was due to arrive today, and Minerva was out meeting with Muggle-borns and their parents, leaving Remus and Mary to tell Harry everything he needed to know. 

Mary and Remus were making pancakes for breakfast while Harry read a book. Remus looked up to see an owl flying towards the house. He hastily opened the window and let the owl fly in. Harry looked up in surprise at the bird, which was holding its leg out with a letter tied to it. Mary finished with the food and turned to face Harry.

“Take the letter,” she encouraged. Harry did, untying the letter. Remus set a bowl of water on the table for the owl, which it gulped up gratefully. Harry read the address and opened the letter. He read it, and once he was finished he looked up at Remus and Mary.

“So…”

“You’re a wizard, Harry. Your mother was a witch and your father was a wizard,” Mary explained. 

“So are we,” Remus added. Harry looked down at his letter then up at Mary and Remus.

“Really?” He asked. Remus ran off to his room and opened the bedside table. His wand lay in it, untouched from when Harry first came over to their house. Remus grabbed it, then went back downstairs. He levitated the letter, much to Harry’s delight.

“So it’s true?” Harry asked. “Why haven’t you told me?”

“Because old man Dumbledore decided that you shouldn’t know of it until you were of age,” Mary explained. Once upon a time they respected the man, but now their respect was only because he was older. 

“Oh. Well, when can we go get my supplies?” Harry was reading the letter again, which Remus had released from the spell.

“On your birthday,” Remus assured the boy. 

“Wait, how am I going to get the money for all of this?”

“Your parents left you money, Bambi, so you don’t need to fret,” Mary assured him. Harry didn’t even flinch at the nickname. He’d been called by it far too many times to care anymore.

“Really?” Harry looked up at her, a confused look on his face.

“Your grandfather created a whole bunch of things that are used in everyday life, Harry, of course you have money,” Remus said.

“Everyday wizarding life,” Mary corrected.

“Everyday wizarding life,” Remus agreed. Harry smiled.

“So we’re going on my birthday?”

“We are indeed, Bambi,” Mary confirmed, pulling out her wand and flicking it so that the pancakes and everything they needed floated onto the table and settled without anything breaking.

“Where’s Aunt Minne?” Harry asked.

“Going to the houses of Muggle-borns to tell them about Hogwarts,” Remus replied casually.

“Muggle?”

“Non-magical people. Like your aunt and uncle,” Mary explained, screwing her face up at the mention of Harry’s biological family. 

“Oh,” Harry said. He piled jam onto his pancakes and dug in. Remus copied him, and Mary sighed.

“I don’t know how you can do that,” she said.

“Do what?” Remus asked. 

“Eat something that’s sickly sweet and not bring it back up,” She said. Remus shrugged.

“I honestly don’t know,” he told her. Mary sighed, and took a bite out of her own stack of pancakes.

All Harry could talk about for the next few days was how excited he was that he was going to go to school solely to learn magic. Remus couldn’t help but smile and ruffle his hair.

Remus woke up early on Harry’s birthday. He worked with Mary to put the presents on the coffee table and helped prepare breakfast. 

“He’s eleven,” Mary said. 

“He is,” Remus agreed.

“It feels like only yesterday that he was a small boy, eager to hear anything and everything he could about James and Lily.” 

“Hey, no getting all sentimental,” Remus told her. Mary laughed.

“Yeah, sure, cause that’s an easy thing to do,” she retorted. 

Harry appeared in the kitchen doorway.

“Happy birthday Bambi!” Mary chirped. She pulled Harry into a hug. 

“Thanks, Auntie Mary,” Harry said.

“Happy birthday, Harry,” Remus said. 

“Have some breakfast and then you can open your presents,” Mary said. Harry sat down at the table and dug into the food. Remus also sat down and dug into his food. He ate second and third helpings of everything, which Mary and Harry ignored out of being too used to it.

Then it was time for presents. Harry sat on the floor in front of the coffee table. Mary and Remus sat on the couch, watching as Harry unwrapped the gifts. 

Then it was time to go to Diagon Alley. They went via the tube, and arrived in London. They made their way to the leaky cauldron.

“Where can we even buy this stuff?” Harry asked.

“Diagon Alley,” Mary simply replied. Harry looked from her to his letter then back.

“Okay then,” he said.

They ran into Hagrid just as they neared the Leaky Cauldron. Harry’s mouth dropped open at the size of him, but Mary tapped him under the chin, which reminded Harry to close it.

“Alrigh’ there, Lupin?” Hagrid asked.

“Hello, Hagrid. We’re here to get Harry his things for school,” Remus responded.

“Hi,” Harry said.

“Hello there, Harry. Haven’ seen yeh since yeh were a tiny baby,” Hagrid greeted him.

“We should probably get going,” Mary said. The rest of them agreed, and so they went inside the pub. Tom the toothless barman reached for a glass.

“The usual, Hagrid?” He asked. Hagrid shook his head.

“Can’t, Tom, I’ve been sent ter get something for Professor Dumbledore,” Hagrid said. Remus watched as Tom’s eyes flickered over to Harry. 

“Right, let’s get going,” he said, steering Harry out of the pub. He really didn’t want to have to deal with a hundred different people wanting to shake Harry’s hand just because Lily’s protection made Voldemort’s spell bounce off of Harry as though it was merely a bouncy ball.

Mary tapped on one of the bricks and the wall opened. Harry stared in amazement, which made Remus and Mary smile.

They walked into Diagon Alley, which was bustling with life. Women were walking along. Some were old, while others were young and carrying babies. Children rushed about, laughing as they wove around the crowd. Four young red haired children ran past, and Remus heard Mrs Weasley shouting for some of her kids. He was willing to bet that those four children were hers.

They made their way to Gringotts. Remus remembered that the second set of doors was made of silver, which made him queasy in small amounts.

“You guys go ahead without me,” he said.

“What? Why- oh. Right. Okay then. Meet you in Flourish and Blotts?” Mary said, also remembering this fact.

“Sure,” Remus agreed. Harry looked at him with a confused expression on his face. Remus smiled at him. “Go ahead,” he encouraged. Harry nodded and followed Mary up the steps and into the bank. Remus turned around and made his way to the bookstore.

The smell of paper and leather was comforting, reminding Remus of a simpler time when he was eleven himself. How his mother had to help him to carry the books that he’d asked for alongside his set textbooks. The memory made him smile.

“Remus?” A familiar voice said. Remus turned around to see his mother. He smiled.

“Hi, Mum,” he greeted her. She seemed to relax and held her arms open. Remus complied, hugging her small frame. 

“I haven’t seen you in such a long time! How have you been?” Hope Lupin asked. 

“I’ve been doing well. I’m here with Harry and Mary, actually,” Remus responded. 

“Oh, he’s eleven now!” Hope said, as though she was just realising this fact. Remus chuckled.

“Yep. He looks like James, but he has his mother’s eyes and personality,” he said. Hope smiled.

“I must meet him some time,” she said. 

“I think he’d be happy to,” Remus told her.

“Hope?” Lyall Lupin’s voice called out. Remus tensed. 

“I’ve got to go now. It was lovely to see you again, dear. Bye.”

“Bye Mum,” Remus said. He watched her go, a feeling of sadness washing over him. It didn’t last though, as a small, black haired boy rammed into him. Remus looked down at Harry, who was grinning an ear-splitting grin.

“Hi,” the boys simply said.

“Hi,” Remus replied. “Ready to get your books?” Harry nodded and pulled Remus along to find the books. The manager helped them find the books, which made the whole thing a hundred times easier. They left with the books and went to get Harry his robes. 

Remus stood by and watched as Harry stepped up to be fitted. A boy with pale blond hair was being fitted. Remus realised with a jolt that the kid was probably Narcissa’s son. The years truly did fly by.

“Hi,” the blond greeted Harry.

“Hi,” Harry replied. 

“Are you looking forward to going to Hogwarts?” Harry nodded.

“Yep. Uncle Moony told me a bit about it, and it sounds amazing!” 

“It really does! Father says that I should get into Slytherin, but mother says that she doesn’t care either way. Something about her cousin showing her the truth and all that? I don’t know, but she doesn’t care which house I’m in,” the blond boy said. Remus smiled to himself.

Guess that Sirius showed her that it doesn’t matter if a pure blood is sorted into the house that the rest of them had been, Remus thought. 

“Slytherin? What’s that?” Harry asked. 

“It’s one of the houses. There’s four of them, you see. There’s Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. My whole family’s been in Slytherin. Except for that one cousin, he was in Gryffindor.” Yup, that kid was a Malfoy. At least he wasn’t a brat.

“I don’t know which one I’ll be in, though I suppose that it doesn’t really matter,” Harry said. 

“It really won’t,” the Malfoy kid said.

Harry’s robes were fitted, and so he hopped off of the dias and paid for his robes. Remus and Harry walked along for a bit.

“That kid must be Narcissa’s son,” Remus finally spilled the thought that had been running through his mind since Madam Malkin’s.

“Who?” Harry asked.

“Narcissa Malfoy, a witch that we’d call pure-blood. She was at Hogwarts for a few years while I was there, though she graduated and married Lucius Malfoy. I’m guessing that that kid was hers,” Remus explained. 

“Oh. Well, he seemed nice,” Harry said.

“He does, which is odd. His grandfather’s sister was a horrid woman,” Remus said. 

Mary bought Harry a snowy owl so that he could send letters to them. They bought him his potion making supplies then headed off to Ollivander’s for a wand. Harry was the most excited about this part, which made sense. Every eleven year old witch and wizard who was going to go to Hogwarts looked forward to getting their wand.

A bell chimed from somewhere inside the shop and they entered. Magic buzzed from the wands, waiting to be used. It made Remus’s senses buzz, and he knew that he’d have to find a way to expel the energy he was gathering from being in the shop.

Mr Ollivander appeared, as snowy haired as ever.

“Good afternoon,” he said, making Harry jump.

“Hello,” Harry greeted rather awkwardly.

“Ah, yes,” Ollivander said. “Yes, I thought I’d be seeing you soon. Harry Potter.” It was a statement, and it was one that seemed to unnerve Harry a bit. “You have your mother’s eyes. It seems like only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work.”

Sir, you’re creeping the child out, Remus thought to himself. He was far too polite to say it out loud.

“Your father, on the other hand, favoured a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for Transfiguration. Well, I say your father favoured it - it’s really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course.” He leaned close to Harry, and Remus had to hold himself back from growling or attacking Mr Ollivander. 

“And that’s where…” He was looking at the scar on Harry’s head. Remus had to look up at the top of the shelves to try and calm down. Mary touched his arm, a reassurance that someone from his Hogwarts days was still there.

“I’m sorry to say I sold the wand that did it,” Ollivander said softly. “Thirteen and a half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands… Well, if I’d known what that wand was going out into the world to do…”

Mr Ollivander shook his head and spotted Remus.

“Remus Lupin, how nice to see you again. Cypress, ten and a quarter inches. Pliable.”

“Yes sir,” Remus replied.

“Now Mr Potter. Let me see.” He pulled a measuring tape out of his pocket and began to measure Harry in a number of different ways. He let go of the thing, which continued to measure Harry. Remus held back a laugh. 

Mr Ollivander tried Harry with a few wands. Each one caused some sort of destruction, but Mr Ollivander was fine with it. He became increasingly happy. 

“Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry, we’ll find the perfect match here somewhere - I wonder now - yes, why not - unusual combination - holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple.”

Harry took the wand, and his eyes widened. He brought it up above his head, and brought it swishing down through the air. Red and gold sparks flew from the wand, and everyone in the shop was pleased by the result.

“Oh, bravo! Yes, indeed, oh, very good. Well, well, well… How curious… How very curious…” Mr Ollivander continued to mutter under his breath as he took the wand and put it into its box and wrapped it in brown paper.

“I’m sorry,” Harry said, “but what’s curious?” Remus was wondering the same thing.

“I remember every wand I’ve ever sold, Mr Potter. Every single wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather - just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother - why, its brother gave you that scar.” 

Remus was beginning to reel with this information. Harry’s wand and Voldemort’s wands were brothers?

Remus didn’t listen to what Mr Ollivander was saying anymore. Harry paid for his wand and had to drag Remus out of the shop.

Mary bought them a late lunch before they set off back to number seven. None of them talked much, as the information that Mr Ollivander had given them was still going through their heads. 

Remus and Mary had told Harry how his parents had truly died when he got his letter. Now that they had this information… Remus didn’t know what to make of it.

“They all think I’m special because a guy died when he tried to kill me, but I don’t know anything about magic except what you’ve shown me. I don’t even remember what happened that night!” Harry said, pulling Remus and Mary out of their train of thoughts. Mary put her hand on Harry’s shoulder.

“Don’t worry, Harry. Everyone starts off not knowing anything,” she soothed.

“But I’ve been singled out because of something that I don’t even remember happening!” Harry protested.

“I was singled out because of something that I can’t control since I was five. You’re not alone in that department,” Remus told him.

“What happened?” Harry asked, curious. Remus glanced around, not wanting to say anything there and then.

“I’ll tell you at home,” he promised. Mary looked at him with raised eyebrows, her body language asking if he really wanted to do that. Remus ignored her, and so she stopped.

“Well, I think we’d best be going then,” Mary said.

Harry went to put his things away once they got back. Remus followed him up the stairs and into the bedroom that had been decorated in the things that the child liked. His owl was in her cage on the desk, and Harry was stacking his books on the floor. His recently bought robes were laid out on the bed. Remus knocked on the door. Harry looked up at him.

“Hey,” the boy greeted him. 

“May I come in?” Remus asked. Harry nodded, so Remus went to sit down next to him.

“What did you mean when you said that you were singled out when you were five?” Harry asked. 

“I was bitten by a werewolf then,” Remus admitted. Harry paused, and Remus knew that he was beginning to connect the dots.

“You’re often sleeping the day after a full moon,” Harry said. Remus nodded. 

“I am. I’m a werewolf, Harry. I never thought that I’d go to Hogwarts, but Dumbledore found a solution. I was put into an old shack every full moon to keep others and myself safe. It was guarded by a Whomping Willow. Every month, I’d be led through the tunnel to transform,” Remus explained.

“Did my dad ever find out?” Harry asked, green eyes blazing in the same way as Lily’s eyes had when she was alive.

“He did. So did our other friends, Peter Petigrew and Sirius Black,” Remus answered.

“What did they do?” Harry questioned.

“They became animagi. It was a very long process, but they got there in the end. Once they managed to do that, they were able to spend the full moons with me. It helped a lot,” Remus told him. He couldn’t help but smile at the memories. Play fighting with Sirius, playing hide ‘n’ seek with Peter, and running through the forest with James. 

“Honestly, I don’t care that you’re a werewolf,” Harry said. Remus looked at him and saw the same thing as when James and Lily had found out - fierce determination to be there for Remus, and undying loyalty. 

“You don’t?” Remus asked. The same question he’d asked once the Marauders and Lily found out.

Harry shook his head.

“Why should I care? You’re not a monster, you’re Uncle Moony,” he told him. Remus smiled.

“Thank you, Harry,” he said. He pulled Harry into a hug.

“You don’t have to thank me, Uncle Moony,” Harry said. Remus smiled. He truly was like his parents. 

“If you say so Bambi.”

“Okay, be honest with me, how did Auntie Mary come up with that?” Harry asked. Remus laughed.

“Your father’s animagus form was a stag,” he simply said.

“Ah. That tells me all I need to know.”

“Mhm,” Remus agreed.

On September first, Remus rushed around trying to make sure that Harry was prepared to go to Hogwarts. Mary had to go to work, so it was entirely up to Remus to make sure that the child was packed. 

Harry was ready, so now it was Remus trying to make sure that he had everything he needed. 

Remus opened one of the drawers of his desk, trying to find his wallet, when he saw the compact mirrors that James and Sirius had used. One was broken, but the other was in perfect condition. An idea came to him.

“Reparo,” he muttered. The broken mirror fixed itself, and Remus picked them up. One had James Potter engraved on it, and the other Sirius Black.

Remus slipped the one with Sirius’s name on it into his pocket. Then he summoned his wallet and dashed down the stairs. He slipped the one with James’s name into his other pocket. 

“Finally,” Harry said. Remus ignored that.

“Let’s go then,” he said. He dragged Harry’s trunk out of the house and down the street. Harry carried Hedwig in her cage.

The taxi ride to London went by quicker than he thought, and soon they were at King’s Cross Station. Remus put the trunk on a trolley and Harry placed Hedwig on top. He looked at the ticket.

“Uncle Moony, where’s platform nine and three quarters?” He asked. Remus smiled.

“Just follow me,” he assured him. He made his way over to the ticket barrier. A family of gingers was standing in front of it. A familiar woman with red hair was trying to organised her children.

“Alright there, Molly?” Remus asked. Molly Weasley turned around to see Remus. She smiled.

“Remus! It’s a surprise to see you here!” She said.

“Someone’s got to see Harry off,” Remus replied. 

“You two go first,” Mrs Weasley said. 

“If you insist,” Remus said. He went through the wall, Harry at his side.

They emerged on the platform, and Remus couldn’t help but grin at the look on Harry’s face. 

“Let’s get your stuff on the train, eh?” Harry nodded. 

They did just that. Then they stood on the platform to say goodbye. Remus remembered the mirrors.

“Oh! I found something that’ll be useful,” he said. He reached into his pockets and pulled out the mirrors. He handed the one with James Potter engraved on it to Harry, who opened it.

“A mirror that belonged to my dad?” Harry asked skeptically. Remus opened his own one and watched as Harry’s face appeared in the mirror. “This is awesome!” Harry exclaimed he snapped the mirror shut and hugged Remus.

“I need you to stay in touch Bambi,” Remus said. Harry laughed.

“Thank you Uncle Moony! I promise I’ll talk to you as often as I can!”

“I’m holding you to that,” Remus said. Harry pulled away as the whistle sounded. “The train’s leaving soon!” Harry climbed onto the train with Mrs Weasley’s children, compact mirror in hand. 

“Bye Uncle Moony!” Harry called as the train began to move.

“Bye Harry!” Remus called back.

Soon the train was out of view, and Remus was left standing with Mrs Weasley and her daughter, Ginny. He understood what his mother must have felt saying goodbye to him for the first time all those years ago.

Remus smiled, knowing that Harry was going to have fun at Hogwarts. He clutched the mirror in his hand as he prepared to Apparate back to his home.

One things for sure; this year was going to be quiet.