Chapter Text
Remus was never fond of the night.
To him, it was cold and dark and it made him feel vulnerable. The moon was no exception. It reminds him of his own personal horrors, his... situation. But he has always been fascinated by the stars.
The sight of it comforted him, reminding him that the moon was just a single entity and that he didn't need it to light up the dark sky. A small twinkle was all he needed. A sliver of hope from what seemed like an impossible source of light.
His thoughts was interrupted when he felt his father tap him on the shoulder. "Remus, someone is here to see you."
"Who?" he asked, his green eyes shining. They were never visited by anyone, much to his own fault he believed, and not that they could accommodate anyone in their small home.
"A friend." his father simply replied, leading him to the small portion of their house they would like to refer to as a living room. Immediately, he saw a man with reddish brown hair, some of which were streaked with grey, half-moon spectacles perched on his crooked nose. Behind them, kind blue eyes studied young Remus intently.
"Ah. Such a fine young man now, I see." the man said and Remus saw his mother smile.
"Excuse me, should I know who you are?" Remus politely asked, his hand seeking his father's for comfort.
"Ah yes. I am Albus Dumbledore, Hogwarts Headmaster." the man replied, smiling at him.
"Are you here to deliver my letter, sir? If that's the case then I would want to apologise because you just wasted your time. I... I already told my parents I'm not going." he asked, not leaving his father's side.
His mother walked over to him, her hands reaching for his face. "Just listen to what Professor Dumbledore will say before you decide."
Remus wanted to protest but something deep inside him yearned to hold that letter in his hands knowing that it was something he was truly entitled to. He sat by Dumbledore, his eyes meeting his.
"How very considerate of you, Remus, to think of the safety of the other students before your own interests. Your parents have told me how firm you were about not going. Rare have I seen someone with a heart as kind as yours." Dumbledore said. When Remus stayed silent, he continued. "With that, I have arranged a way for you to turn without hurting and letting anyone know."
Upon hearing those words, Remus's eyes were suddenly filled with joy. He felt his heart swell with such happiness that he shook his head in disbelief. Surely this is just a dream?
Dumbledore went to detail about his proposal and Remus considered all of the possibilities that might occur. After what seemed like an eternity, Remus raised his head and looked at Dumbledore with steady eyes.
"Can you promise me something, Professor?" he asked.
"Ask away, my boy."
"If I ever hurt anyone... Even with the slightest scratch... Or even if I scare anyone... Please sir. Promise me you'll send me away. Send me to Azkaban if you have to." Remus replied, his small hands clenched to fists on his sides.
Dumbledore studied him, his blue eyes seeing the resolve in the boy's eyes. "I promise." With that, Remus reached for the letter and thanked Dumbledore.
Later that night, Remus read the words over and over again: "You have been accepted at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
For the first time in his life, Remus felt like he was finally beginning to feel like he belonged somewhere.
***
Two weeks. Peter hasn't had a decent meal for two weeks.
He and his mother has moved from one place to another, finding a place to stay. They could no longer afford lodging in The Leaky Cauldron, much less go back to that shack they used to call home.
His mother started coughing violently, causing their journey to stop. Bringing her to Knockturn Alley by mistake, Peter found himself shaking both in fear and hunger as he carried his mother on his back, searching for a way out.
"Could you s--spare a Knut, good sir? Even just a Knut..." he squeaked, with his one hand holding his mother and the other clutching the patched-up hat his father used to own. It was the only thing he left after who knows what.
He wasn't afraid to cry. He admits that he was weak. He wanted to die right there.
But then he saw his mother clinging to his small frame and every smile she once gave him sparked a slight amount of strength. His voice grew louder and louder, asking for anything to spare them for the day.
To his surprise, an owl dropped a letter on his lap, the seal of Hogwarts on its flap. Little Peter's eyes grew wide.
"Mum... Mum wake up." he whispered and his mother stirred. She was too weak to speak but her eyes told him to go on. "I... My Hogwarts letter. It's here. They found me. They found us."
His mother gave him a small smile before choking in a fit of coughs. Peter held her close, his arms strong against her thin frame. He rocked her back and forth, as if that was enough to ease her pain.
In the cold pavement, a cloaked man came to approach them. Peter grew scared, only seeing the man's pale skin and thin lips underneath the hood. The man grabbed his hand with long, spindly fingers rather harshly and he felt that it was cold as ice. Taking a pouch from his cloak, the man handed it to Peter.
Peter opened it with shaking hands and saw glimmering Galleons inside. "Oh good sir! Thank you, good sir! I will forever be in your debt, good sir!" he praised, tears running down his cheeks. The stranger merely smiled.
"You will indeed." was all the man said before walking into the shadows. Peter watched where he disappeared, his heart almost bursting with happiness.
"We can start again, mum. Little by little..." he whispered, securing his acceptance letter and the Galleons in his vest pocket over his heart.
***
Another hole in the tapestry. In all honesty, Sirius wondered when is his turn to be taken off it.
He watched as his mother burnt at least 3 names off the Black Family Tree because they 'highly associate themselves with those filthy Mudbloods'. It was pathetic and idiotic that made Sirius roll his eyes.
He locked himself inside his room as his mother, aunts, uncles and cousins laughed and jeered, obviously happy that they weeded out another family member 'unworthy' of their Pureblood status. Sirius stared outside his window, watching the sky grow darker, making him feel much more alone than before. He sighed.
Suddenly, he hear someone knock on his door. Now what? he thought. Slumping down to his bed, Sirius tried to drown out the sound by crushing the pillows to his ears. "Leave me alone!" he shouted, suspecting it was her cousin--pesky and nasty Bellatrix.
"Sirius, I brought warm milk. Please let me in." he heard someone say from behind the door, the sweet and soft voice bringing a sudden smile to his face.
"Midi!" he exclaimed, kissing little Andromeda on the forehead. "Come in!"
He was very fond of her, often bullied by her sisters Bellatrix and Narcissa for being too kind. She would often run to Sirius crying, telling him that Bella and Cissy often call her a Mudblood or a Blood-traitor if things don't go their way, fuelling his hatred for them even more. With every chance he's got, he reminds Midi that those are just labels used to make people scared but she doesn't have to be. He told her that calling people those things does not make you a better a witch or wizard and Andromeda understood.
"Sirius... If I marry a Muggle, would you come to my wedding day?" Midi asked, her big brown eyes hopeful.
"You're too young to be thinking about that, Midi..." Sirius laughed. "But yes. Whether you marry a half-blood, a Muggleborn or even a Squib, I would come and I would even walk you down the aisle."
Midi considered his reply and grinned. "Will you invite me to your wedding, Sirius?"
Sirius smiled. "Of course! Just don't bring your sisters... Or anyone else within a0 5 mile radius."
"I wish I'm already eleven so that I could just go to Hogwarts. I really think it'll be a lot of fun." she whispered, eyes glancing over the letter on his bedside table.
Sirius stared at the letter, taking Midi's hand. "I'll see you there soon. I'll write to you everyday." he simply said, making Midi smile as she was drinking the milk she brought in.
He almost forgot about the letter with all the ruckus happening. The joy that filled him when he realised he was leaving this house for a period of time dissolved as soon as his mother started yapping about getting into Slytherin and started her usual speech about how wizarding has been corrupted by the non-purity of those now welcome to practice it among the purebloods. But Midi was right. No one should ruin this moment for him.
He got his letter. He was leaving. He was soon to be free.
***
"When will my letter arrive, mum?" James asked impatiently, sitting by the windowsill of their living room with his nose almost pressed to the glass. Everyday, after his eleventh birthday, he waited and waited for his Hogwarts letter to arrive, excited to 'officially' be a wizard like his mother and father.
"You are sure to get yours, dear. Just you wait." his mother replied, smiling affectionately at him. James pouted, ruffling his dark hair as he did. He was never one to exercise patience, mainly because he got his way due to being an only child and also, that letter was the one thing he wanted his entire life. He heard so many great things about Hogwarts and had set his heart out to be in Gryffindor like his father (for he felt that he was not as academically-driven as his mother who was sorted in Ravenclaw).
And of course there's Quidditch! He has been practising the entire summer with his Nimbus 1500 that his father bought for his birthday. He couldn't forget the look on that pale-haired boy (who looked like he was already 16) he saw by the shop who had his hands on a Nimbus 1001, glaring at him furiously for getting the newest model.
Unable to wait any longer, James went up to his room feeling defeated, his shoulder hanging low, glasses almost to the tip of his nose.
"James, take this with you." his mum called, handing him a slice of cake. With a sigh, James did was he was told and headed upstairs. As soon as he entered to room, James saw a black owl with grey streaks on its head resting by his window with a letter to its beak, its huge eyes widening even further at the sight of him.
Dropping the cake to the floor in excitement, the saucer it was on shattered loudly but James didn't care. His hands were shaking as he hurried towards the owl who dropped the letter by his bed. Seeing the seal made his knees go weak and his heart thump loudly on his chest, he ripped the envelope open with a huge grin breaking on his face.
"Oh dear me! What happened here?!" his mother exclaimed as she ran up to his room to see what the fuss was all about, her eyes studying the mess on the floor.
"Mum, I got my letter! Here it is!" James said, almost bouncing as he did. "Dear Mr. Potter... We are pleased to inform you that..."
"...You will not go to Hogwarts unless you clean up this mess." his mother continued, glaring at him.
On a normal day, James would have complained. But today was not that day. He was going to Hogwarts. His dream was starting to come true.