After the experience at Olivaders things got exciting and nerve wracking.  I was excited to go to school, but at the same time, I was nervous.  Would I be able to make friends? What if someone figures out my secret?  What house would I be sorted into?  Would I do well academically?  So many questions were running through my head.

“Remus,” called my dad as I was heading to my room to be sure my stuff was fully packed seeing as I’d have to arrive at Hogwarts early.

“Yes?” I asked returning to my dad who was sitting in the living room.

“With you going off to school in two days I want to be sure you know the excuses we worked on for you to give if asked about your disappearances.”

“I know,” I sighed, “If I am asked then I will claim that I’m sick, say that I have an aunt who’s died, or that Mum is sick.”

“Good, what else?”

“What I say is not a lie, but rather an excuse, and I should not use one excuse too many times,” I answered with a sigh.  I knew what my dad said, but it still felt like lying to me no matter what I was told.

“That’s my boy. You’ll do fine,” assured my dad clapping me on the shoulder.

There were two more conversations like these before my parents saw me onto the Hogwarts train.  It was quiet and empty.  I sat in the back compartment where it was quieter.  With the moon fast approaching and the excitement of going to school combined, I was running short on sleep so I too the opportunity to catch up on it a bit.  Not that I could exactly keep my eyes open if I wanted to.  Seeing as I slept most of the trip, it went fairly quickly.  When the train stopped I awoke.  When I disembarked, a very tall man who had a very long and wild hair greeted me.

“Ello,” he greeted looking down at me with a smile. “How was yer ride?”

“Hello,” I greeted, “My ride went well.  I was told to leave my things on the train?”

“Those will be sent ter your room.  Yeh need to come with me.”

I nodded my head and followed the giant like man.  As I did such, my mum’s words began to circulate in my mind.  They ran through my head to the point that it was over whelming.  I had to listen to her.   Though I am not exactly one to randomly introduce myself, I did this time.

“I’m Remus,” I quietly offered as I followed the giant.

“Rubeus Hagrid, nice to meet yeah,” answered Hagrid as he sauntered toward the lake.  I had to take two steps for his every one.

“Nice to meet you too,” I agreed starting to pan just a bit.  Knowing that I have an edge in strength over others, at least according to my dad, I couldn’t help but wonder how someone else would have faired walking next to Hagrid.  Not that others would be where I was.

“So what brings you the Hogwarts early,” asked Hagrid looking down at me his pace slowing a bit.

“Lack of transportation,” I answered trying to make eye contact.  It was a truth after all, just not all of it, “Had to get special permission from Professor Dumbeldore.”

Hagrid let out a sigh of pride, “Great man Dumbeldore.”  By this time Hagrid had stopped at the edge of a great lake where a boat was waiting.

“You’re telling me,” I answered knowing what Dumbeldore was doing was more than just merely having me arrive really.

“There’s only one boat fer the two of us, might be a bit crowded, but it’ll do.”

The boat was quite crowded to tell the truth, I wasn’t one to complain, I was just glad we weren’t trying to fit my things on the boat with us as well.

“All the firs’ years that will be here in a few days will travel like this,” explained Hagrid, “Led em across here last year, doin it again this year.  I ‘spect Dumbeldore’ll have me do it every year.  S’all part of being Keeper of Keys and Grounds ere at Hogwarts.”

“Aside from leading first years across the lake what do you do as Keeper of Keys and Grounds?” I politely asked trying to keep the conversation going.

“I make sure that nothing from the Forbidden Forest creeps onto the grounds.  I help keep the place orderly an if I see some students miss behaving I lend a helping hand and try to put an end to it,” answered Hagrid a smile on his face, his chest seemed to puff out, he seemed mighty proud of his job.

“So you’ve only been at the job for a year?”

“Yep” answered Hagrid, “Dumbeldore was kind enough to talk Headmaster Dippit into letting me stay after I got expelled.  I learned all about the grounds keeping from a friendly bloke named Og, jus’ retired last year.”

Hagrid and I continued to talk as we crossed the lake.  I asked about why he got expelled and Hagrid wouldn’t tell me and remarked how he shouldn’t have told me what he did.

“Well here we are,” announced Hagrid when the boat came to a stop just inside the castle.  “All yeh need to do is go up the stairs, Professor McGonagall will meet yeh at the top.”

“Thank you,” I answered as I crawled out of the boat.

Hagrid waved farewell to me as I made my way up the stairs.  I waved back and then took the long trek to the top.

“Good evening Mr. Lupin,” greeted Professor McGonagall.

“Good evening Professor,” I answered looking up at her.  She did not hold a warm smile like Hagrid.  Her look was quite business like.

“If you follow me we’ll go up to Professor Dumbeldore’s office,” she explained.  I could tell she wasn’t as conversational as Hagrid and so the walk to Dumbeldore’s office was a quiet one.  We then stopped in front of a statue at the end of the corridor.

“Chocolate Frogs,” suddenly stated Professor McGonagall.  At first I wondered why she said that out of the blue, seeing as there had been silence between us. Her words were explained when the statue jumped out of the way to reveal a staircase.  Professor McGonagall then proceeded to lead the way up he stairs until we stopped at a large oak door upon which she knocked.

“Come in,” came a friendly voice through the door, I couldn’t help but guess that it belonged to Dumbeldore.

Professor McGonagall opened the door and ushered me into the ornately decorated office.

“Welcome Mr. Lupin, Professor McGonagall, I anticipated that it was you.  Care for a chocolate frog?”

Professor McGonagall politely refused when Dumbeldore offered a bowl to her.  I on the other hand selected one.  Chocolate was and is one of my favorite sweets.  It seems the cure all for everything.  I find chocolate hard to resist.

“Thank you,” I mumbled as I opened the package.  I caught the frog and took a bite hardly noticing that the card happened to be Dumbeldore.

“You are quite welcome,” beamed Dumbeldore setting the bowl down there was a merry twinkle in his eyes.  I couldn’t help but smile and like the headmaster immediately, everything that he was doing for me aside.

“Well first thing is first, you need to be sorted into a house,” remarked Dumbeldore, resting his hand on an old fray hat that sat on his desk.  “If you would have a seat pleas Mr. Lupin,” gestured Dumbeldore to a seat with his free hand.

I took the seat behind me as Dumbeldore approached.  I was suddenly nervous.  What house would I be in?  How was I decided? I never thought to ask.

Dumbeldore continued to hold a warm smile on his face as he approached me.  It helped to calm my nerves.  “What I have here is the sorting hat.  It will be placed on you head.  I will look inside you and determine what house you are to be in.”

I solemnly nodded my head as Dumbeldore placed it on my head.  Instantly I head a wizened old voice.  I wondered if Dumbeldore and McGonagall could hear it, I could see them for the brim of the hat covered my eyes.

[I]An early arrival, most unusual.  Ah, I see why, a werewolf eh?  Not to worry my lips are sealed.  It shall not taint my judgment.  Now where to put you?  Decisions decisions, I see a sharp and ready mind well suited for Ravenclaw like your father, the loyalty of a Huffelpuff, but what’s this I see?  The most strong and true characteristic in you is your courage best suited for[/I] “GRYFFINDOR!”

At the hat’s final proclamation the hat was lifted off my head.  I was a Gryffindor.  Dumbeldore still held his usual smile but now McGonagall held one too.  She held a new sort of fondness toward me even if it was hidden by her ever-vigilant professionalism.

“Being placed in Gryffindor, Professor McGonagall is your head of house, she will see to it that your things are sent to the correct room.”

“Your schedule will be placed upon your bed.  The password to the Gryffindor tower is hopscotch.  Welcome to the house of Gryffindor,” offered McGonagall before she got up to leave.

As information was given to me I tried to quickly memorize things especially the password into the tower.  As Professor McGonagall left I mumbled another ‘thank you’ to her before Dumbeldore began speaking once again.

“Now down to business, I suppose,” stated Dumbeldore taking a seat at his desk tepeeing his finger together where only the tips connected.  “We do need to discuss the reason you are here early and other relevant matter.”

“Yes sir,” I meekly agreed, talking about the moon was never a pleasant thing to discuss, but it was a necessary evil in this case.

“I will be assigning a house elf to you to be sure you have your supper and find your way properly to your dorm room.  Tomorrow Dopsy the house elf will continue assisting you by making sure you receive breakfast and lunch as well as help you find your way to the hospital wing where you will meet with Madame Pompfrey.  She is the school nurse and had been properly instructed in seeing to your needs.  She will accompany you to the shrieking shack and from there she will instruct you in the procedures that will need to be followed each month.”

“Yes sir,” I nodded, all the information I was receiving in one blow seemed quite overwhelming at the time.

“I am afraid I must apologize that you will need to enter the shrieking shack early due to the arrival of the students for the start of term feast.”

“I understand sir.”

“I was certain you would,” answered Dumbeldore a glint in his eyes and the ever-present warm smile on his lips, “Do you have any questions?”

“No sir, I believe I understand,” I answered thought the inundation of so much information still seemed overwhelming. I despite the feeling of being overwhelmed felt that I understood all that was told to me.

“Good,” agreed Dumbeldore, “Dopsy should be here momentarily.”

No sooner did Dumbeldore speak of the house elf that there was a crack in the room followed by the appearance of a male house elf.

“Dopsy here as requested sir,” announced the elf with a deep, low bow his short nose almost touching the ground.

“Thank you Dopsy,” responded Dumbeldore, “This here is Remus Lupin, the new student I asked you to see to today and tomorrow.”

“Yes sir,” bowed Dopsy a second time, after having stood up to look at me.

“Thank you Dopsy,” answered Dumbeldore.

“My pleasure sir.  If you sir would follow Dopsy he will lead you to the kitchens for some dinner.”

I got up to leave and follow Dopsy, “Thank you Professor Dumbeldore,” I remarked before tuning to follow the elf.

“Don’t mention it,” assured Dumbeldore as I made my way out of his office.