The Wolf and the Raven

Ch 5 - Diagon Alley

When Sirius saw his friends, he dropped the boy's hand and ran over, nearly knocking James to the ground as he threw an arm around his neck. "Thank Godric! I swear to Merlin, if I had to put up with my family one more day....!"

"Who's this?" Remus nodded toward the small boy, who was trotting up.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "This is my little brother, Regulus. This is going to be his first year at Hogwarts."

"Mine too!" Branwen squealed. "I'm so excited!"

Regulus ignored her. He tugged on his brother's sleeve, then whispered something in his ear. Branwen thought she heard the words "muggle-born" and "half-blood." Whatever it was, when Sirius heard it his eyes narrowed and he shoved his brother's arm away. "Sod off! These are my friends! If you're going to say stuff like that, you can go hang out with Mum."

Regulus frowned, but said nothing else.

"Good." Sirius nodded. "Now," he rubbed his hands together, "what should we hit up first? Florean's? Gambol and Japes? Sugarplums?"

"None of those sell school supplies, Sirius," Remus rolled his eyes.

"Well, Reg and I are done with our shopping. We got here a few days ago."

"What!" James' eyes widened behind his square-brimmed glasses. "But we've been here too! How come we never saw you?"

"Mum wouldn't let us out of the suite. She had Kreacher do all the shopping. It's been so booooring."

"Well, I still have to get my stuff," Peter whined.

"I have everything but my wand," Branwen added.

"Well, Reg is going to need one of those too," Sirius rubbed his chin. "I guess we can all go to Ollivander's together."

So the six children set off down the street together.

"Wooow."

All of them had been in the shop before, either for their own wands or those of their siblings, still, the sight of thousands of wands, each neatly packaged in long boxes and stacked rows high, was a marvel.

"Ah, I've expecting the second Potter and Black," Garrick Ollivander climbed down a ladder in the rear of the store, approaching them with a humourless smile. "Who's first?"

Regulus edged forward eagerly, leaning over the counter. Ollivander's smile narrowed. "Very well, young man." He disappeared once more among the stacks. "Ah, yes. I think...." Ollivander approached once more and held out a worn cardboard box. A short, pale wand rested on a bed of crushed velvet.

Regulus' hand was steady as he reached for it. A small spark of electricity jumped from the handle of the wand, coursing through Regulus' fingers and up his arm.

"Yes, yes," Ollivander hummed. "I thought so. Willow. Dragon heartstring. Nine and a quarter inches. Solid. I've sold only one other willow in past ten years. To Lily Evans."

James tripped over the sentient measuring-tape he'd been examining, and Sirius nudged Branwen in the ribs. "The girl he fancies," he whispered.

"And now you, young lady." Regulus moved back from the counter, parting a gap through the older boys.

For Branwen, Ollivander produced an armful of boxes. First was a cedar, eight inches. It provided a few small sparks, but apparently not enough for Ollivander's liking, as he quickly exchanged it for a Dogwood, eleven and a quarter inches. This one jerked her hand around and she dropped it quickly. After a few more tries, a final box emerged.