Something Like the Taste of Freedom

Watching as the dirty brick wall wriggled and melted away, leaving a stone archway and winding, cobblestone street in its wake, Sirius did his best to school his features into a look of nonchalance. A gaping mouth or look of awe were all the encouragement his mother would need to go into another tirade about the proper comportment required of a son, and heir no less, of the House of Black. Having endured just such lecture, again, over this morning's breakfast, he wasn't eager for a repeat performance.

Sirius took a step forward and Diagon Alley spread out before him. He had never seen anything quite like it - apothecaries, emporiums, bookshops, animal dealers, and food stalls of all shapes, sizes and colours. His body warred between running ahead to see and touch everything in sight and standing stock still in awe. It wasn't that he didn't know places like this existed, Bella, Andromeda and Cissa had all told him about them. It was just that up until today his world had been almost exclusively made up of the interiors and gardens of the townhouses, manors and summer homes of family and friends. His parents rarely let him, or Regulus, anywhere else.

The sound of his mother's voice roused him out of his thoughts. He looked over and spotted her talking with Mrs. Rosier.

'I'm taking Sirius over to Ollivander's for his wand and I think we'll have Mr. Delaney come by later to do a fitting for his robes. I never did like how the Malkins cut their fabrics.'

Mrs. Rosier wrinkled her nose. 'Too true,' she agreed.

'I've already sent one of the house-elves to take care of everything else. I don't like spending anymore time here than strictly necessary. I don't see why Mr. Ollivander won't make house calls.'

As Sirius watched the exchange he felt Regulus slip his small hand into his own and give it a tight squeeze. Sirius turned his head and winked at him in response.

'It's brilliant, isn't it Reg?' he whispered.

Regulus simply nodded and, slipping his hand out of Sirius', headed over to where their mother was waiting.

Walburga Black said her goodbyes to Mrs. Rosier and she and Regulus began heading up the street.

'Hurry up Sirius, we haven't all day,' she called over her shoulder. 'I am expecting Aunt Druella at three and don't want to be rushed.'

*

The interior of Ollivander's was nearly as overwhelming as Diagon Alley itself. The walls were haphazardly lined with thin black box after thin black box. Sirius, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, watched as Mr. Ollivander poured through them while muttering to himself; a growing pile of boxes floated next to his head.

His mother was tapping her foot rather impatiently. They had been left waiting twenty minutes while Mr. Ollivander helped a quiet, brown-haired boy, who Sirius didn't recognise, select his wand. The boy left with a ten and a half inch, inflexible ash.

Watching his mother's growing agitation, he had to admit that he was becoming rather impatient himself. He couldn't wait to own a wand of his very own and he knew exactly what he wanted to do with it when he got home. Of course, he had a wand since the age of six - same as most everyone he knew - but that one was purchased on his behalf. This one would be different. This one would be attuned specifically for him. He balled his hands in his sleeves in a futile attempt to contain his excitement.

'Mr. Ollivander,' Walburga interrupted, 'if I may be so bold, how many wands do you need to go through? This can't be all that difficult.'

'Patience my good woman. We want to make sure we get exactly the -. Oh, here we go.' He held out a box to Sirius. 'Mr. Black let's give this one a try. It's mahogany, nine inches and swishy.'

Sirius picked up the wand and gave it a good flick but to no effect.

'Hmm,' murmured Ollivander, scratching his chin. 'Here then, give this one a go - beech, dragonheart string, a bit on the bendy side.'

Sirius repeated the process but, again, nothing happened.

Ollivander gave a questioning look in Sirius direction before turning back to his stack of wands.

After rummaging through the pile for a moment he announced, 'ahh. I have just the thing.' He handed another box to Sirius.

Even before Sirius lifted the wand from its nest of tissue paper he knew it was the one. He could already feel the magic coursing between the wand and his hand. He gently removed it from the box and before he could give it a true flick a series of red and green sparks emanated from the tip.

Regulus turned his attention away from the window. 'Found it, yeah?' he asked.

Sirius nodded at his brother but didn't remove his attention from the wand in his hands. He was about to ask about the wand's make up when Mr. Ollivander spoke up.

'Willow with unicorn hair, eleven inches, quite pliant.' He turned to Walburga. 'This one will be a healer,' he remarked to her.

'Hrm, we'll see,' she replied evenly. 'I would hope that the heir to the House of Black might have a somewhat more noteworthy future.'

'Well, of course, nothing is set madam but that wand is powerful and will be excellent for healing. And it is the wand that favours the owner, don't forget.'

Sirius, still staring at his wand, tuned out their conversation and made his way over to where Regulus was perched. He turned the wand over in his hands a few times trying to get a good feel for it.

'What do you think?' he asked his brother.

Regulus looked down at it and shrugged.

'I don't see a difference. It isn't like you haven't had a wand for going on five years now anyway,' he responded, a bit of petulance creeping into his tone.

'Oh, you are just jealous. Come on, you'll have yours soon enough.'

Regulus shrugged again and turned his attention back to the window.

Sirius sighed. He knew Regulus' quietness wasn't really jealousy, at least not over the wand. In less than three weeks Sirius would be heading to Hogwarts and leaving him alone. Not really alone, Yaxley, Gibbon and Carrow were all still too young for Hogwarts as well but he understood that it wasn't quite the same.

'Hey, Reg?' he asked, a slow grin began to spread across his face as he remembered what he came over to ask. 'Mum said Aunt Druella was coming over this afternoon, right?'

'Yes, I think she's coming for tea.'

'You think Bella might come with her? I still owe her for those hexes from last week and I bet with this wand I'll be quick enough to trip her up.'

An identical grin began to form on Regulus' face and his eyes began to crinkle up in the corners. 'I've got the perfect spell, nicked it out of one of dad's books.'

Sirius smiled, grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the counter. 'Come on,' he said, 'before Mum starts yelling at us. You can tell me about it when we get home, we should have just enough time before they arrive.'