July 11, 1971


The woman sat quietly at the kitchen table as the rising sun’s rays streamed golden through the window over the sink. She was pressing a piece of parchment onto a page in the book she had laid open before her. She had sandy brown hair and an attractive, warm face. Her eyes glistened as the tell tale sign of a tear streak could be seen on her cheek. She flipped the book over and started to thumb through the pages of the journal.

Richard and Regina Lupin

Joyfully announce the birth of

Their son

Remus John

Born March 10, 1960

At 2:28 a.m.

7 pounds 8 ounces

20.5 inches long

She looked at another page which held pictures of her at a younger age, holding a baby. Though she looked tired, the joy was evident in her bright smile. 

May 3, 1960

Please forgive a mother’s bias, but isn’t he perfect? I feel so very blessed. Remus was born with such a sweet nature and seldom cries unless his nappy needs changing or he is hungry. He is such a pleasure. When he looks up at me with those sweet brown eyes, my heart just melts. Okay, enough gushing…for now.

I can’t wait to show him off to Lucinda and Rolph and the girls. I don’t want to be one of those women who talk of nothing but their child, but I can’t help myself. He is brand new. I’m sure they will forgive me …for a while anyway.

She flipped through several pages as she took a sip from the teacup sitting on the table.

March 2, 1961

Lucinda, Rolph and the girls will be here in a few days. I’m looking so forward to their visit. I know Remus is too young to really appreciate a full party, but how often does a child turn one? 

He took his first steps today. Four in a row before he fell and laughed his little head off, then tried again... and again…and again… I’m so glad he isn’t easily frustrated. Nothing seems to get him down. But I have to be sure to keep the doors locked or he’ll get away. He’s a natural born adventurer. 

May 15, 1961

Wow, Richard is being promoted to Associate Minister of Magizoology . It is a wonderful opportunity for him, but we will be relocated to France for a few years. He will be responsible for establishing a branch for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures in Alsace, and will then serve as liaison between the Ministry and the French Minist�re. Richard is very excited about it since he will have an opportunity to study the creatures of that region more closely. I, on the other hand will probably just put on 20 pounds when I acquire a taste for macaroons and wine. I don’t know how long we’ll be there, but hopefully we will be back before Remus starts school. I really want him at Hogwarts even though Beauxbatons has a fine reputation. Of course, that’s a few years off so I shouldn’t start worrying quite yet.

September 4, 1962

Richard will be in Ireland next week to collect a flock of Augureys. Apparently, there is a farm that has become infested and the owners want them gone before the rainy season gets underway. He will get to see Rolph and they plan to catch the Quidditch match that weekend. He is taking Remus along even though I told him a 2 and a half year old won’t care anything about Quidditch. Men!! Fortunately, Remus is very patient. As long as he has a book to look at, he will sit there quietly. I think I have a reader on my hands. Thank goodness.

July 18, 1963

Richard and I took Remus for a visit to Ireland to see Lucinda and Rolph. It was so good to get away and Remus can’t stop talking about it. He has asked me every morning when we will go back so Dad and Uncle Rolph will take them to find “mooncow poop” again. He helped me spread it, and the garden I have this year is truly amazing. We’ll never eat it all. 

I love these pictures of the children catching luna flies. I was so afraid Remus would crush them, but he is so gentle.

I had to owl Lucinda and have them return a leprechaun to the forest. I don’t know how Remus managed to sneak it all the way home. Mischievous little bugger.

March 14, 1964

These are pictures of Remus and his cousins, Shannon and Leah, at his birthday party. I was so glad they got to come in for it. Remus would have been terribly disappointed if he hadn’t seen them. He simply adores the puffskein, too. 

March 16, 1964

Today, Remus got into real trouble for the first time. He sneaked off to the lake by himself. Somehow, he managed to catch a Grindylow and hide it in the bathtub. Quite a shock when I went to run his bath, I’ll tell you. It was very difficult for Richard to act angry when he was practically bursting with pride. But Remus has to learn to have a healthy respect for these dangerous creatures. Still, I hated to see him in trouble. He’s such a good boy, even if he did think it was funny when I practically jumped into the toilet when I saw that thing in my tub!

June 11, 1964

Lucinda and Rolph kept Remus for four days, while Richard and I were in South America. We had a wonderful trip. Richard was so excited to see a Peruvian Vipertooth and wanted desperately to share the experience with his son. I, on the other hand, was glad Remus was safe in Ireland. He had a wonderful time and helped me make a batch of fudge beetles (his favorite) to send to Lucinda to say thanks. 

On our way home from picking him up, we stopped in London and saw Richard’s mum and dad. Granny Beatrice took Remus to the Muggle library and he had a wonderful time. Apparently the library was featuring a new children’s book on gypsies, and had a display with a crystal ball. Of course, Beatrice had to explain to a couple of Muggles that Remus has a very vivid imagination when he told their children about how his father makes fun of our neighbor for reading her crystal ball. I guess the Muggles thought Remus was deranged, so Bea bought him the book and left. Now we read it every night. I think Remus has a crush on the main character, which tickles Richard to no end. He just ruffles Remus’ hair and says, “My boy knows a pretty girl when he sees one!” Men!!! Remus is four for Merlin’s sake! Between you and me, I think all men worry a bit about their son’s masculinity. I think Richard worries just because Remus is so gentle and kind natured. He doesn’t seem to realize his son is just like him, and I am so thankful he is. Richard just sees how different he is from the boys up the street. They are such bullies and so destructive. They’ll end up in Azkaban some day. I’m so glad Remus is a sweet child.

The woman tensed when she turned to a page that was crinkled, stained and smeared. Obviously something had dripped on it, and rather than being magically refreshed, the page had been left to dry on its own.


Oct. 12, 1964

Something horrible has happened. I don’t know if I can bear this. We almost lost Remus two nights ago. He is stabilized now, and the healers believe he will survive. For that, I am so very thankful. I couldn’t bear to lose him. Still, we are in for a rough time. Remus has been infected with lycanthropy. It is a miracle that he survived the attack, but there are some who don’t seem to agree. Richard has taken a leave of absence from the Ministry, at least until Remus can leave the Hospital, which will be after the next full moon. I don’t know what I am going to do. Thank God Richard is so strong. I have to tell Lucinda and Rolph, but I just don’t know how. I can’t stop crying. 

Richard said he would tell them through the Floo. He says we need to keep this as quiet as possible, for Remus’ sake. It all sounds so frightening.


A tear ran off the woman’s chin and added another smudge to the crinkled parchment.

Nov. 13, 1964

We brought Remus home today. He is still so weak. Fortunately, he had a wonderful healer who was so kind to us all. Not all at the hospital were. Some of the nurses refused to care for him. It was infuriating. Nurses should know better than to think he is a danger to them when it isn't even full moon. It has me so worried about how people who don't know better will react when they find out. 

I still can’t believe this has happened. Poor Richard is feeling so responsible because he is the one who taught Remus about the Mooncalf. Of course, I should have seen to it that the doors were locked. Who would have thought a four-year-old would go searching for “mooncow poop” by himself? But he saw the full moon out his window, and knew the Mooncalves would be active. Why do they both have to come out only at the full moon? How many times did Richard take him out to gather Mooncalf dung? Never once did they encounter so much as a hair off of a werewolf. Why did Remus have to be born so curious? 

Well, why’s and what-if’s don’t solve anything, do they? I’m looking forward to Christmas. Hopefully, being with loved ones and celebrating will be good for us all. It is something to look forward to, at least. Lucinda and Rolph will be there with the girls. It will be so good to see them. We need something to take our minds off things. Not that anything really could.

Dec. 27, 1964 

We just spent a few days at Granny and Pop Lupin’s. Lucinda and Rolph ended up not coming because they said Shannon was ill. I can’t help but wonder. It was a very quiet visit without the other children. Remus is still weak, but he would have enjoyed the company. He hasn’t had anyone to play with for a while. He did play with the Muggle boy who lives next door to Beatrice; though I think the child was a bit frightened by Remus’ scars. I’ll be so glad when they fade. I asked him if it bothered him for the boy to stare and he said “Well, they are rather gruesome. We still had fun playing.” He is handling this so much better than I. He was blessed with a strong character, thank goodness. He is really going to need it, I’m afraid. 

Richard did get tickled by Remus telling the boy he was attacked by a Hippogriff. He had to explain that the boy was a Muggle and they don’t believe in Hippogriffs. Remus said next time he’d say it was a shark attack while snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef. I hate encouraging him to lie, but I don’t see that there is an option. We are already having trouble in the neighborhood. But enough of that. I’m trying to take lessons from my four and a half year old in understanding and avoiding bitterness. 

February 1, 1965

Well, we will be moving on the 12th of this month. Richard has resigned from the Ministry. He has taken a job with a Hippogriff breeder for the time being, although he hopes to go into business for himself as a private consultant, so that he will have more flexibility to help me with Remus. We have found a place in North Wales, a few miles outside of Llanberis. It is rather remote and Richard believes it will be a good place for Remus. I’m afraid he will be lonely, but we are concerned for his safety. The house was vandalized last week and one of the boys up the street actually threw a rock at him. Fortunately, it hit him in the thigh and only left a bruise. How can people be so cruel to such a sweet child, as if he doesn’t suffer enough already? Of course, how can you expect children to act any better when their parents are as bad or worse. I almost exploded when he told me it was because they were afraid of him now. He said things would be better when they learned that he wouldn’t hurt them unless it was full moon and they realized we would keep him locked up when he was dangerous. That precious child made me promise to keep him locked up when he was dangerous! It will break his heart when he realizes that won’t be enough for many people. How do you explain prejudice to a little child? How do you tell him that people don’t want to learn the truth? 

I’m just so afraid of what this will do to him. What will happen to my happy, kind little boy when he realizes there will be far more rejections than acceptances in his once very promising life? He has been talking about school since he turned four. I can’t bear to tell him he can’t go now. Richard said we can tell him in a year or so. Might as well spread the disappointments out. Doesn’t that sound bitter? 

Oh well, I’ll be glad to be back in Great Britain, at any rate. At least there, the only ones who know are people Richard told himself, so at least they can be trusted. Richard has some connections there and, hopefully, we will be able to find people willing to teach Remus privately. Of course, Richard is an excellent teacher himself, in many subjects. We will make this work.

Remus’ birthday is next month. I have invited Lucinda and Rolph to bring the girls. I have a sinking feeling there will be a reason they cannot come. My sweet little boy, I can’t believe he will be five years old. 

We have an appointment with the healer in a little while. She is just about the only thing I will miss at this point. 

March 5, 1965

Well, it looks like Lucinda and Rolph won’t be able to make it for Remus’ birthday. Supposedly, Leah has a music recital of some sort. I didn’t know she was taking lessons. Remus was looking forward to having someone to play with, and showing the girls around the new place. It is quite lovely, really. But he says it would be better in the spring, anyway. I told him maybe then. I hate to lie to him. Richard says we have to start being more forthright with him. He is so intelligent, I know he’ll understand more than I think he will, but I can’t stand to see the disappointment in his big brown eyes. 

August 8, 1965 

We just got back from a visit with Richard’s parents and Remus had a wonderful time going into Muggle London and visiting the library. He got to play with the little boy next door; his name is David, by the way. Beatrice told us Rolph has been transferred to Australia. I hope they will all be happy there. It is so far away. We’ll miss them. Of course, we already do.

She flipped through a few more pages with pictures chronicling the life of a happy and curious young boy. His hair was light brown and he had large, thoughtful brown eyes. There were fading scars on his pale but charming face, and though his eyes were lively and bright, they were often framed by dark circles, as though he had not slept. There were pictures of him with various animals and creatures. There were some with his mother and some with his father, a tall man with medium brown hair and brown eyes like the boys. He was a handsome man with a face very similar to the boys, but with more color and minus the scars, save a small nick here and there. He looked like an active man who spent a good bit of time out doors. However, there were very few pictures of the boy with other children. The few that there were had Remus and the Lupins’ neighbor, Davidwritten under them. The last picture showed the boy smiling up as he closed his eyes and blew out eleven candles on a chocolate frosted cake. Underneath the picture was written: March 10, 1971 What did you wish for, Remus?

Finally, she wiped a tear from her cheek and flipped to the last page of the journal. She re-read the letter she had just added.

July 10, 1971

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Lupin,

I would like to schedule a meeting with you to discuss the possibility of inviting your son, Remus to attend school at Hogwarts this coming term. I am aware of his special circumstances, but feel certain there are precautions we can take to ensure his and the other student’s safety. I would like to discuss these with you so that things can be arranged to the satisfaction of all parties. I am available on the following dates. Please let me know if and when it is convenient for me to drop by. 

July 15, 2:30 pm or July 16, 2:30 pm 

If neither of these times is convenient, please let me know and we can work something out.
Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore
Headmaster, Hogwarts School 
of Witchcraft and Wizardry

She closed the book and ran her hand lovingly over the smooth leather cover, then hugged it tightly to her chest as the tears ran down her smiling face.