You can do anything as long as you can dream it -- Summer 1971 (DONE)

Remus had received his letter to be able to go to Hogwarts on his eleventh birthday.  Unlike most children, he was crushed by that letter.  I knew that his curse kept him from thinking he could do things like a normal boy.  I tried to ensure him that he could do whatever he wanted to do, but being a young boy, of course he had doubt.  Admittedly, I had doubt of what he would be able to do, but I never let that show to him.  I had set up a meeting with Professor Dumbledore and we had devised a plan so my boy could go to school and actually stay there in a dorm and have certain precautions with his curse, of course.  I had gotten Remus's favorite dessert -- cherry pie -- to celebrate the good news.  I walked through the door and set down my briefcase from the long day at the office and set the pie down on the dining room table.  "Remus?  Are you upstairs?" I called out, thinking that he should have been home.  I always felt bad for him because he was always home by himself, but he never seemed to mind.

I was upstairs in my bedroom folding some of my laundry when I heard Dad calling for me from downstairs.  I told him I'd be down in a minute.  I looked at the clock and realized he was home kind of early.  I felt bad for him; he worked all the time to keep things going here.  I knew that he tried to save anything he could to see if there was anything new out there to help with my curse.  At least Dad and I were able to joke around about it a little bit.  I also knew that Dad felt bad that I didn't have any friends... but it was me and him against the world in my opinion.  Would I love friends?  Yeah, what 11 year old kid wouldn't?  Did I know those friends would turn their backs on me the minute they found out what I was?  Most definitely.  I was okay with it being just me and him... it was safer that way for everyone anyways.  I came down the stairs and found Dad in the dining room.  I saw the pie and I looked at him figuring he was trying to bribe me to do something.  "What's the pie for?" I questioned, seeing that it was cherry.  Alright, something was definitely up.

I laughed and shook my head, pointing to a chair at the table. My son sure got straight to the point, didn't he? Especially with his favorite pie on the line. "Well, Remus, I went to have a meeting over at Hogwarts today," I started to explain. The look of bemusement left my son's face and it faded to disappointment. I put a hand on his shoulder. "Now, don't be looking like that until you hear the entire story," I told him.

I hated that Dad brought up Hogwarts.  Just thinking about it made me so disappointed.  That school was what a ton of wizards dreamed about going to and I was not going to be able to go.  "That's what the pie is for... to lessen the blow?" I asked, trying not to give my dad that hard of a time.  It was not his fault that I was like this.  I slumped in the chair a little bit and kept quiet so Dad could finish the story.  He apparently felt like he needed to give me all the details about the refusal or something.

I tried not to laugh at my son; such an optimist, wasn't he? I knew he had been disappointed in his life too m any times for being so young, so it did not surprise me that his thinking was negative on this. I smiled at him and squeezed his shoulder. "Well, Professor Dumbledore does not see why you should not get the same education offered to everyone else," I explained to Remus. I figured I'd let that little bit sink in to see if he caught on to what I was telling him. Which I knew he would; Remus is smart as a whip.

I listened to my father and felt my eyes widen when he paused to let what he just said become comprehensible in my head.  "Wait... are you really saying what I think you're saying?" I questioned, trying not to sound too excited.  No need to get my hopes up if I was misunderstanding what Dad was telling me.  Were they really going to let me go to school?  With that many other students?  They didn't think I was dangerous?  A life-threatening animal to the other students?  My mind was filling with so many questions... but I had to know the answer to the only one I voiced.

I let my face spread into a grin. "I am saying exactly that. You're going to school in September, Remus," I told him, loving that I was able to give this to him. He had such a hard life growing up... I felt so horrible... but we had a hidden basement downstairs that was pretty much werewolf-proofed so he could change and go rampant down there and not put anyone else in harm's way. Of course I put all sorts of protection spells around it so he could not escape and harm me. The one thing I did for my son was to sacrifice my night and stay awake with him -- even though he was in a different form. I would bade him goodnight but I would stay awake not too far from the entrance of the basement trapdoor. It was the least I could do for him.

I jumped out of my chair and gave Dad a huge hug.  "You're being serious right now, right?  Because this would be the worst joke you have ever played on me," I told him, giving my own father a stern look.  The smile on his face told me he was indeed being serious.  "I can't believe it... Dad, thank you so much!  You are the best dad ever," I assured him.  I don't think that anything would ever beat this moment that my dad had just given me.

I hugged Remus and was so glad to see him this happy.  "And tht's why I got the pie, to celebrate," I said, answering his unasked question that I could see in his eyes.  "Of course they have certain things to help make sure you don't harm any other studetns... but you have a chance to be out there with everyone else."

I could not believe that I had a chance to be like any other normal kids. I could not wait! I grinned at my dad and walked into the kitchen. When I returned, I had plates and forks for each of us. "I think that this is definitely worth celebrating; great idea, Dad," I said, grinning at my father still. I had a feeling that this smile would not leave my face any time soon. This was the best day I think I have ever had in my life -- all thanks to my dad!

I cut us each a slice of pie and I was so glad to see Remus getting the chance to be a normal kid. That's all I wanted to give to my boy and I finally was able to do some good for him. I grabbed the whipped cream and added it to our pieces and set the plate down in front of him. "Looks like we're going to have to go school shopping," I told him. "We might not be able to get you brand new everything... but you'll have the best I can give you." That was the bad thing about being a single parent. It was hard to give the best and have the best be brand new. I made money, but not that much. I wanted to have some put away so if anything woul dhappen to me, Remus would be set for a little while... especially with how he was; he would have difficulties finding a job later in life.

I thanked my dad and said, "Dad, I don't need brand new.  I'm just thankful for this opportunity.  We can go to the used book store and stuff... I think I'd enjoy using old books.  They might have little tricks written in them that would make the material easier to understand."  Of course, I typically understood everything I read just fine.  I was a very well read kid and I was probably above average intelligence.  Not to brag or anything, but I also didn't want my dad to worry about finances.  I was perfectly okay with having used things.  I was more concerned with being able to cope with being away from Dad and stuff.

I was so thankful for an understanding son. He made things so much easier sometimes. I smiled at him and clapped his knee a little bit. "Well, we can head out shopping this weekend, does that sound like a plan?" I asked. It would not be a full moon and it would give my boy something to look forward to all week long. Unfortunately I had to work late the next couple of nights, so that eliminated going after work. But this weekend would be a fun guys day out. Perhaps he would run into some potential school mates or something.

I grinned at my dad.  "That would be awesome," I said, glad that we were going to go out and actually have fun.  Sometimes we had more chores and stuff than fun.  Not saying we never had fun... but we were both laid back people.  And sometimes we had too much fun sometimes.  But today was just probably one of the best highlights of my eleven years.