The Marauders and the Arenotelicon

"Phineas!" Tom leaned forward and beamed at the two Lupins as they entered the small, unobtrusive pub called The Leaky Cauldron. "What're you doin' in London?"

"Taking my boy shopping for Hogwarts, Tom," bragged Phineas, causing Remus to blush slightly. Several people congratulated the youth before turning back to their drinks.

"Well, stop in for a pint 'afore you leave and have a chat. Been a long time since we done that, old friend!" called Tom as Phineas led his son to the small courtyard behind the pub. He tapped on the correct sequence of bricks and Diagon Alley began to appear as bricks shifted to reveal it.

Remus had arely been to Diagon Alley and it was usually by Floo Powder, but this time, his father said, they would do it like Muggles. Phineas Lupin liked Muggles and often attended various Muggle community functions in their home village to "keep abreast of what's going on around us." Remus hadn't understood all of his father's reasons but he did admit that Muggles were a curious lot. Besides, one day he may have to live as a Muggle. Better to learn about them just in case.

"What's first on your list?" Phineas tipped his hat to several of his wife's former friends. One tersely smiled back but the others stared as if he were something that crawled from the gutter. Supressing a sigh, he turned to his son, who'd thankfully missed the exchange, intent on reading his letter.

"I need robes, three plain black work robes." Remus looked up with a slight smile. "I've got one set at home..."

"Nonsense," Phineas interrupted. "You'll need new ones. Leave the old ones at home. Might get a couple a bit bigger than you are now, you're growing pretty fast." Both immediately thought that he would need more than three, considering the condition of some of Remus' clothes following a full moon. "And we'll get some spares, Dumbledore will understand."

Remus wasn't about to argue. He followed his father, with brief stops as Phineas was waylaid by friends and acquaintances, to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. There were several other children Remus' age standing in line to be fitted with robes and Remus found himself standing awkwardly near two other boys.

Curious, not used to being around others his own age, Remus surreptitiously scrutinized the other boys. One had tousled black hair, hazel eyes and animated features. He was speaking rapidly with an older woman Remus assumed was his mother. "And then I want an owl, Mum, that way I don't have to use the school owls to send letters to you and Father," he was saying when Remus stopped in line close enough to hear.

"James, stop babbling, you're driving me insane!" The woman smiled fondly at her son and clucked as she tried to put order to his hair. "Just like your father," she murmured, shaking her head in consternation at the futile attempt. Remus noted that every strand returned to its former chaotic position.

The other boy got Remus' attention by tugging on his sleeve. "Hello, I'm Peter Pettigrew. I've never seen you here before. Are you a Muggle?"

Remus looked down at the small-statured boy with almond-shaped eyes and brown hair a bit lighter than his own. "I'm Remus Lupin and no, I'm not a Muggle. We just don't come to the city often."

"Oh!" Peter smiled in a friendly manner. "Your first year at Hogwarts? Mine too. Kinda surprised though." Peter leaned forward with an impish grin. "My mother's a Squib you see. We thought that might affect my chances at getting into Hogwarts. I'm not very magical myself, but I can do some stuff."

Remus gave a weak smile. He'd not done anything on his own. Everything he'd done had been either by accident or with his father's help. "I don't think I'm very good either," he confessed nervously.

Peter's brown eyes shone brightly. "Well, looks like we'll be in this together then, eh?" He stuck out a short chubby hand and Remus tentatively shook it. "I don't have many friends and I look forward to having some at school."

Remus felt a warmth spreading through his body. He knew without a doubt he'd made his first friend. "Are you taking the train to Hogwarts?" he asked eagerly, missing the almost relieved look his father was giving him.

Peter nodded, a lock of brown hair falling in his eyes. He huffed a breath to push the lock aside. "Yeah," he replied with another nod, causing the wayward lock to fall back into his face. "You want to sit together?"

"I'd love it!" Remus' enthusiastic exclamation caused a couple of people to turn and stare at him, including the tousled haired boy.

"You two new at Hogwarts this year?" he asked. Both Remus and Peter nodded. "Me too." The boy stuck out a hand first to Peter and then to Remus. "James Potter."

"Potter?" Phineas said in surprise. "Elaine, is that you?"

James' mother looked up and burst into a sunshine smile. "Phineas! Bless me, it is you. I wasn't certain, it's been so long since we've seen each other. I didn't want to say anything and look foolish."

"You, dear lady, could never be foolish. You married Matthew Potter, after all. Nothing foolish about that." Phineas winked at James, who grinned. "How is the old boy? Haven't gotten an owl from him in ages!" As Elaine and Phineas began conversing the three boys were left to talk on their own.

And talk they did. The three of them insisted on being fitted together so they could continue talking and then Elaine Potter allowed James to go with Phineas and Remus as the two Lupins continued their shopping. Peter waved farewell with a promise to look for them on the Hogwarts Express as his own mother dragged him off to the cauldron shop.

"Have you gotten your wand yet, James?" asked Phineas, frowning down at Remus' list after they'd visited the cauldron shop, Flourish and Blotts and several other stores that carried essential items for Hogwarts students.

"No, sir, not yet," confessed James.

"Well, then, you both shall be getting them right now. It's the only item left for Remus to get. Plus, I need to stop by Gringotts. We've spent everything I keep in the house, Remus, and I do need to get more monkshood, I just remembered. I'm certain that's a key ingredient to -" Phineas stopped talking suddenly and looked away slightly preturbed.

Remus could tell James was going to ask what the monkshood was for and quickly made up an answer to forestall his new friend. "My dad's an alchemist. He's always got some new potion idea brewing."

"Really?" James looked only slightly interested and quickly dropped the subject.

Phineas stopped in front of a dilapidated shop that had painted on it in faded, medieval style lettering "Ollivander's: Makers of Fine Wands Since 342 B.C." The three of them stepped inside and Remus looked around with great interest.

It was dusty. That was his first impression. There was also some broken crockery on the floor, but he didn't have time to wonder what had been broken. A voice spoke from behind the counter and his attention turned there.

"Phineas Lupin. Oak, ten and three quarter inches." The man was creepy looking to say the least. His eyes glinted at the three of them in the almost nonexistent light and Remus could have sworn those orbs were silver in color. "Here with your son, I see." Ollivander turned to James. "And this is -?"

"James Potter, Matthew and Elaine Potter's son," Phineas introduced.

"Ah yes, your father goes through more wands than I can count, Mr. Potter. I hope you will have better care?" It was said as a question, but James didn't answer it. He was staring slack-jawed at Ollivander, as if stunned by the man. Remus was sure he looked similar to James.

"Well, then, we shall start with Mr. Potter." Ollivander scurried to the back and emerged with an elongated box. He pulled the top off and gently handed it to James. The boy flicked his wrist and his hair immediately stood on end, making him look as if he'd been electrocuted. "No, no, obviously not. But it seems you have a bent for Transfiguration, Mr. Potter, so let's try," Ollivander disappeared in the back again and emerged with another box, which he was opening, "this one."

He handed James the new wand and James gave it a flick. Two of the shelving units collapsed on the spot. Ollivander grimaced and with a wave of his own wand, the shelves leaped into place, followed by their contents. James looked embarrassed. "No. Definitely not." Again the proprietor disappeared in the back and emerged with a wand, the box in his other hand. "Try this one, then."

James gave it a wave and a spray of rainbow sparks shot harmlessly from the end. "Perfect! Mahagony, eleven inches dead even, with a core of pegasus mane. Very good, very good." Ollivander replaced the wand in its box and handed it to James. "Seven galleons please." James handed over the money and Remus began to look around.

"Now then, Mr. Lupin the Younger." Ollivander approached him, coming around the counter. "I can tell you're going to be tricky, yes tricky." With a snap of his fingers a measuring tape appeared from thin air and began to measure every inch of Remus' body. "Right handed or left handed?" asked Ollivander shrewdly, staring at Remus as if inspecting his aura.

"Er, right?" Remus squeaked when Ollivander grabbed his arm and held it up, inspecting it this way and that.

"Hmm, yes, definitely, excellent, excellent. I know just the wand." Ollivander disappeared back in the stacks for several long minutes. Both James and Phineas gave Remus reassuring smiles but it did little to alleviate Remus' worry. Did Ollivander recognize him for a werewolf?

"Here you go, Mr. Lupin, give that a wave and let's see what it does." Remus took the proffered wand and gave it a swish. A cascade of red and white sparks burst forth. "Perfect match. I've been trying to sell this wand for years. First one I ever produced after my apprenticeship with my father, Mr. Lupin," approved the proprietor, replacing the wand in its box.

Phineas handed over seven galleons and turned to leave with a polite nod of thanks. James had already exited the shop and was staring down the street at something that had caught his interest. Remus paused before reaching the door and turned back to Ollivander. "Um, sir, what is the construction of my wand?"

Ollivander's silvery eyes stared inscrutably at him but Remus refused to look away. "Nine and three-quarter inches, walnut, with a core of werewolf whiskers." Remus blanched, nodded shakily and exited.

It took the farewell to James and half the ride to the Lupin bank vault through the underground tunnels at Gringotts Bank before Remus managed to stop shaking. He kept hearing in his mind what Ollivander murmured as Remus had shut the door behind him.

"The wand chooses the wizard, oh yes, the wand chooses the wizard."