Title: An Era of Marauding: Year One
Chapter 2: Albus Dumbledore
Author: Mister Moony
Contact: iunasspell@aol.com
Rating: PG
Summary: Ideally, this is a seven piece work detailing the years in which the Marauders attended Hogwarts. It's carried through the eyes of Remus Lupin, and therefore begins on a particularly dull July day at St. Mungo's.


*

2

        Remus's father had been just as pleased as his mother at the news, and while both parents had expressed their concern at what sort of discrimination Remus might face at school, trusted the headmaster enough to look out for him. As Remus learned, Dumbledore had been the headmaster when they had attended school, and was widely regarded as the best headmaster Hogwarts had ever seen.

        Remus's mother had insisted that they go home and speak to his father before sending an owl back insuring that he would be attending, and while the subject of money being tight was a problem with Remus going, it was agreed that he would be allowed to go, assuming that Dumbledore could keep the other students safe when it was the full moon.

        An owl had been sent promptly afterward, citing August 25th as the appropriate meeting date with Dumbledore, as Remus and his mother would be visiting Diagon Alley to shop for his school supplies and that they could easily meet at the Leaky Cauldron to discuss any additional procedures that Remus would have to undergo.

        Unfortunately, August 25th was exactly a month away, and Remus still had the rest of the summer to go through, which meant continued visits to different Healers and far too much time spent at St. Mungo's.

        Summer dragged on with seeming endless delight at Remus' want for the coming of September, and while the note of response from Hogwarts stating that Dumbledore would meet with him at the Leaky Cauldron on August the 25th at 2 o'clock lifted his spirits considerably, he still found himself pacing holes in the house's carpet and marking off dates on every calendar in the household.

        He marked one particular calendar in the main hall so many times that it finally became irritated at his approach, unfastened itself from the wall, and began scurrying by its pages across the floor, making a break for the window.

        After that, his mother had restricted him to marking only the one in his room -- and once a day (Remus had sketched small hour markers on the calendars in preparation and found himself waking up every hour, even at night, to perform his mark-offs on time), something that cut off Remus's methods of killing time considerably.

        Much to his (and the calendars') relief, the 25th came, and at 1:50, his mother called him into the living room. He came promptly, busily smoothing out a wrinkle in the worn and frayed clothes he donned (very few of Remus' clothes were nice, as his violent changes into a werewolf left his clothes in tatters) while he moved.

        "Now remember, honey, this is your Headmaster. First impressions are key! And...don't let his abnormalities startle you. He really is a genius -- a genius." She turned as she spoke to Remus, absently patting down her own clothes as she moved across to the fireplace. "Just imagine. My son going off to Hogwarts! I had given up...oh, nevermind. Come quickly, Remus, we don't want to be late."

        A month's worth of his mother's proud chattering had Remus used to it, and he ignored it for the most part (if he'd listened, it might have just made him more nervous), simply maneuvering to the fireplace and plucking up the small urn of crystal-like powder they had set on the floor next to it.

        Most fireplaces in the wizarding community were connected to a "Floo-network," a way in which wizards traveled by throwing the powder into the fire, stepping inside, and shouting their desired location. They were then promptly taken to the corresponding fireplace, unscathed, even if a bit wind-blown.

        Scooping out a hand-full of the Floo powder, Remus handed the urn off to his mother who did the same.

        "Speak clearly now, Remus."

        "I know, Mum. I've done this before," he responded in a patient tone before tossing the Floo powder into the fire and following it. Hesitating, he held his breath and said "The Leaky Cauldron."

        Instantly, his mother and their household vanished into a blur of fireplaces and light. When the spinning halted, Remus stepped out into a dimly lit tavern, crowded with chattering witches and wizards as they nursed drinks of all kinds.

        Coughing up a bit of soot, he busied himself in dusting off his clothes and hair until his mother joined him, patting herself down as she moved.

        "Let's head to a table near the back. Lots of the Daily Prophet's folk hang around here, and I doubt Dumbledore wants you to become their next story," she stated lightly, placing a guiding hand on Remus' shoulder and steering him towards the back.

        It would seem as though Dumbledore had read her mind, as was he not only in the Leaky Cauldron already, waiting on them, but he was situated at a table that was quite out of easy hearing range of any of the currently occupied tables.

        Dumbledore was a tall, lanky man, bent over in his seat as if his back had seen one too many years and was paying for it with a hunch. His hair was long and silver-gray, matching an equally long beard of the same, thick, color. His eyes had a sparkling blue tint, but were hidden behind the thin frames of half-moon spectacles. He wore a robe of deep blue with a matching hat, and had Remus' mother not tightened her hold on his shoulder before lurching forward to offer Dumbledore her hand, he would have never given him a second look.

        "Professor Dumbledore! It's marvelous to see you again!"

        He offered a benign smile, shaking her hand gently as he spoke, but his eyes were fixed on Remus, glistening as if with amusement. "Aelia. It's been a while. I assume this is Remus?"

        Mrs. Lupin nodded hastily, reaching out to beckon Remus closer. "Yes, and we can't thank you enough. With his sickness, we never could even hope..."

        Dumbledore tutted rather suddenly, cutting her off as Remus maneuvered to the table as suggested. "Now, now. I don't think we should consider it a sickness by any means. Even I get rather grumpy and irritable once a month -- that being when the house-elves serve meatloaf and asparagus. Unfortunately, that particular entree is a favorite of the Ravenclaw Head-of-House and I might find myself at the wrath of the Charms Master if I were to remove it from the menu. Alas, I must go without. Just because Remus here sprouts a little hair when he becomes grumpy and irritable does not mean he is sick."

        He winked at Remus beneath his glasses.

        Remus liked him already.

        "Please," Dumbledore went on, motioning out to the two chairs opposite him. "Sit."

        Remus did so with little hesitation, simply keeping eye contact with the aged wizard as his mother sank down, slightly put-off by being corrected in such a way.

        "Butterbeer?" He inquired in a light, carefree tone. As if on command, three tankards of the warm, sweet liquid materialized on the table, situated in front of its three occupants, just within reach.

        "I'm not allowed to --" Remus began. He'd not been allowed sweets or forms of "junk food" ever since he was bitten, as his mother seemed to be of the persuasion that maybe if Remus kept his diet healthy, he might somehow get over it on his own immune system.

        His mother cut him off with a slightly higher-pitched tone than she normally used, as if she was frightened that Dumbledore might reprimand her again for the restrictions she'd inflicted upon her son. "Remus, you'll be going off to school soon, and I can't very well control what you eat and drink while you're there. I'll leave it up to your own good judgment from now on."

        There was an instant of awkward silence in which Remus felt both sets of eyes on him fully, evaluating his response. Dumbledore's gaze gave him strength, though, and after a beat of hesitation, he reached forward, curled fingers about the tankard's handle, and pulled it to him.

        "I'll drink it."

        His mother seemed irate, even if she wouldn't say so.

        Dumbledore simply smiled before mimicking Remus' gesture and lifting his mug. "Then allow me to propose a toast." He tilted his mug slightly toward Remus before continuing. "To new beginnings."

        The faintest shadow of a smile traced Remus' normally haggard features before he lifted his own mug and clinked it lightly against Dumbledore's.

        He was about to withdraw his mug to take a drink when he realized Dumbledore was keeping his mug in the air, watching Remus' mother very patiently. A bit confused, Remus kept his mug in the air, as well, until he got the picture.

        Aelia was eyeing her mug very suspiciously now, as if her thoughts about Dumbledore were beginning to diminish with every word he spoke. She had not lifted her tankard at the suggested toast.

        Finally, the weight of Dumbledore's needling eyes getting the best of her, she hastily raised the tankard and clinked it to the two before forcing down a very small sip.

        Dumbledore raised his bushy eyebrows to Remus then helped himself to a very large drink from his mug.

        Remus took his cue from Dumbledore and did the same.

        Seemingly much more settled after the drink, Dumbledore lowered his tankard to the table, and leaned backward with a faint fading to his smile, getting down to business. "Now, there are two important things I need to discuss with you, one of which, and I apologize Aelia, I will need to speak to Remus alone about.

        "The first is security. As you both know, and as unfortunate as it is, werewolves are not generally accepted in the wizarding community, and there is not a single parent that has a child attending Hogwarts that would be comfortable with their son or daughter being in such close proximity to one.

        "With that in mind, Remus, it is necessary that you do not tell anyone about what you are. Your teachers will know as required so that they do not come unwound when you miss class from time to time, but aside from the faculty, no one at Hogwarts must know."

        He hesitated there, pausing to eye his tankard before stating with a faint, disapproving softening of his tone. "While I might have the power to accept those that I wish into the school, the school board has the power to expel those who they wish, and if that were to happen, I would have no strength to defend you."

        Finally, his attention settled on Remus' mother again. "That in mind, are there any friends of the family -- healers and doctors aside -- that know of Remus' condition?"

        She paused slightly before nodding.

        "Then they must not know that Remus is attending Hogwarts. I do hope that they do not have children that might attend..." He trailed off there, watching her, but she was quick to shake her head. Remus had never really had another child as a friend, so was fully aware that most of his parents' friends did not have children. "Very, well, then. Simply say that Remus' is away with healers, as I'm certain that that has happened plenty of times in the past. That said, I must speak to Remus alone."

        Aelia huffed irritably at being dismissed, but obeyed. She rose hastily, pulling her purse about in front of her before dropping a hand into it and fishing about. "After you're finished here, Remus, go to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. Just tell her you're fitting for Hogwarts and she'll get what you need for you. If I still haven't shown up by then, go to Ollivander's and get yourself a wand. I'll meet up with you after I've bought the rest of your supplies." Withdrawing her hand finally, a handful of Galleons (large, round, gold coins) and Sickles (smaller, silver ones) was handed over to him.

        She gave a curt nod to Dumbledore, and stamped off, slightly red faced and leaving a very confused Remus behind.

        He paused for a long moment before shifting and depositing the coins within his pocket as directed.

        "I won't keep you long," Dumbledore spoke up again, earning Remus' attention. "Do you know what a Whomping Willow is, Remus?"

        Stirring slightly at the question, he sat up, clearing his throat. "Yes, sir. It's a large, violent species of tree known for attacking anything that gets within the reach of its limbs or roots."

        Dumbledore's brows arched slightly at the suddenly brandished intelligence behind the tired-looking boy before speaking. "Very good, Professor Sprout would be proud."

        Remus blinked. "Professor Sprout, sir?"

        "She will be your Herbology teacher this term. New to the staff but quite competent. She will also be Hufflepuff's head of house," he explained with a minute wave of his hand. "But that is not a subject to be discussed here. The fact is, in preparation for your time at Hogwarts, I had a Whomping Willow brought to and planted on the school grounds under the guise of study. It is situated directly atop an underground passage that leads to Hogsmeade, a neighboring village.

        "The passage leads into an old house I've procured in my long life that is boarded up and enchanted so that no one may get in or out, unless through that single passage, which, coincidentally, is guarded by a very intimidating Whomping Willow. Ideally, every month, you will be smuggled down the passage and into the house to undergo your transformation without endangering yourself or your peers. When the transformation is over, you can return to the school, make up your homework, and go about life as normal. How does that sound?"

        It sounded wonderful, truthfully, but Remus saw one problem. "Won't people notice I leave every month?"

        Dumbledore sucked on his teeth for a moment before nodding. "Yes, unfortunately. Your teachers will cover for you, of course, but it will be up to you to make your excuses believable to your classmates." Dumbledore hesitated there, an odd, grinning twinkle in his eyes. "Be creative."

        Remus couldn't quite get rid of the pensive frown, but he nodded in understanding, despite.

        "Now, then," Dumbledore rose from his seat at that, the tankards of butterbeer vanishing as he did so. "I do believe you have some school supplies to get, yes? I'll see you in a week."

        Remus nodded and stood, looking up just in time to see Dumbledore vanish with a slight, whip-like crack that made a few heads turn in Remus' direction. Shaking off a bit of the shock at the sudden exit, Remus buried his hands in his pockets where the weight of his money was situated before turning and falling into stride for the back of the Leaky Cauldron.

TBC