Chapter Five

The Choice of a Wand

Aurelius was positively horrified when he learned that his mother had no intentions of letting them go back to Aviation Park for the rest of the summer.

"Grey Quarry Park is nearly as big, and I won't have to worry about you breaking your necks dodging Bludgers before school starts," Jennifer said. "Besides, only the local children go there, and it's less likely that you'll run into any unpleasant crowd as you did yesterday."

"But all of my friends go to Aviation!" Aurelius complained.

"Then invite them to Quarry!" Jennifer said. "This subject is closed. I don't want you going back there this year, and that's final."

It did, indeed, seem to be final after Aurelius' attempts to persuade his father to change her mind merely resulted in him being sent to Corey's apothecary for sulfur, knowing all too well how much his son hated having anything to do with his adopted brother. To make matters worse, Corey always tried to be as nice as possible to the boy, and that only irritated Aurelius all the more.

But despite the disruption in Aurelius' plans, summer sped by very quickly; from morning lessons to meals to afternoons at the park, playing board games, reenacting scenes from books, or painting. Sometimes painting came with the added instruction of Francis Pyther, who was there one night a week to instruct Alicia, often under the unnerving scrutiny of her father. Severus had always made it perfectly clear that he didn't particularly care to have a vampire of any sort in the house, even one as docile as the artist was, and Aurelius couldn't help but delight in reminding Mr. Pyther of that any time their father left the room.

On a bright warm day near the end of July, a dusty grey owl appeared on the window just as they were finishing their breakfast, and Jennifer smiled enigmatically as she read them off while the children gazed intently at the red seals on the backs.

"Let's see, one for Professor Severus Snape," Jennifer said. Severus didn't bother to look up from his breakfast, merely holding a hand up for her to place the envelope in it. "One for Miss Alexandria Snape," Jennifer said, handing it across the table to the girl, who hurriedly opened it to see what her second year lists were going to be like. "And one for Professor Jennifer Craw Snape. Oh, that's me," Jennifer chuckled, going to open it.

"Is that it?" Aurelius asked sharply. Jennifer looked at him puzzledly.

"Were you expecting one as well?"

"That's not funny, Mum," Aurelius said, starting to grow nervous.

"Well, let me check again. Oh, wait, what's this?" Jennifer said, showing them another envelope hidden behind hers. "Mr. Aurelius Snape. Do we know anyone by that name?"

"Give me that!" Aurelius said as his brother and sisters chuckled and congratulated him as he finally got a hold of his letter, his father even rewarding him a rare smile.

"I suppose that makes us two for two now," Jennifer said, gazing at her husband lovingly as she sat back down.

"I'm not counting anyone until they're properly Sorted," Severus said calmly.

"With his marks, he'll be a Ravenclaw for sure," Jennifer argued and winked at her son, who grinned slightly before reading over his list again.

"Scholastic excellence has no true bearing on what house one is Sorted into. Each house has produced students with outstandings in both OWLS and NEWTs," Severus said evenly. "Danyelle Nelson of Slytherin, for example, Granger of Gryffindor."

"Yes, but have you ever met a Ravenclaw who was an idiot?" Jennifer asked flirtatiously. Severus looked over at her.

"You don't want me to answer that," he warned her.

"You don't think I'll get stuck in Gryffindor, do you?" Aurelius asked worriedly.

"What's wrong with Gryffindor?" Jennifer said with surprise.

"You don't want me to answer that either," Severus said, earning a jab in the arm from his wife. Severus decided to turn his attention to his letter.

"I'll remind you that your brother and your godfather Harry Potter both were Gryffindors, and both of them turned into very fine wizards," Jennifer said, finishing off her tea.

"Yes, but how much trouble were they while going to school?" Aurelius challenged. "I heard Professor McGonagall reminding Corey at his birthday party last week that she used to call him the Terror of Gryffindor."

"Not all Gryffindors are trouble makers," Alex admitted. "Rose isn't like that at all!"

"But you can't say the same for Conner, can you?" Rel smirked.

"There's a bit of that going on in each of the houses as well," Jennifer said irritably as she got up. "But you both had better not be in trouble! It's bad enough that your sister went nosing about and nearly got herself killed last year. And there'd better be no more of that, either!" she added, looking directly at Alex this time.

"Yes, Mum," Alex said, knowing that sometimes it was just better not to argue, but she exchanged side glances with her younger siblings who were trying their best not to grin.


Jennifer decided to beat the main school rush by going to Diagon Alley the next day, but first stopped at Willowby's Wands and Weeds in Haven's Bluff itself to drop off her orders for Hogwarts as well as Severus and herself. Corey was already well stocked for the school rush with kits stacked to the ceiling, tailored for students of every year. There were also huge bins of all sorts of bulk sands and powders filled to the rim, and barrels filled with freshly caught live insects and tadpoles and all sorts of other slimy things.

In the front of the store, the local townsfolk… mostly Muggles… sat and drank non-magical teas and welcomed everyone coming in, not at all put out for having wizards in their town, or the fact that an occasional magical ingredient became mixed up in the regular ones on occasion, causing rather extraordinary things to happen when they least expected it.

For Haven's Bluff had become quite literally a haven; a very close-knit community who stayed protective of its townsfolk whether Muggle or not. And despite many protests started by one purist wizard or another about the interaction, the town continued to thrive with its open policy, provided that nothing about the town's oddities caught the eye of the rest of the world. But Haven's Bluff was loyal to its own, and Corey Willowby, who had been born and raised there, had become one its greatest defenders. It was here and here alone that both cultures seemed to coexist in relative harmony; the only one like it anywhere in Europe, perhaps even the world.

Jennifer, Severus, and the children received a warm welcome from both Muggles and wizards alike as they stepped in. Jennifer stopped to chat with several of them before finally making their way to the counter where Corey himself stood, drumming his fingers as he waited for them to make their way up, his two clerks waving to the Snapes before getting back to work.

"That time of year already?" Corey grinned, holding out his hands as Jennifer held out two rolls of paper. He unrolled the first and frowned at it with a sigh as he glanced down the entire list. "Mom, this is the same exact list for Hogwarts that you gave me last year."

"No it isn't!" Jennifer said with surprise. "I wrote it on the last day of school." Corey handed her the list back, tapping the first row.

"Four barrels of fresh swamp eels, seven pounds of sleep sand, a small barrel of preserved Gillyweed, four dozen knuckle-cut dragon claws… are you still teaching them that version of Morton's All-Purpose Spiked Snail Repellent? There's a much simpler version of that now, you know."

"All right, all right, you made your point. And I teach that spell for complexity not versatility," Jennifer said defensively, Corey grinning even wider.

"I tell you what. Why don't we just standardize this Hogwarts list from now on, and if you need anything during the year that I notice you tend to constantly run out of, I'll just update it in my head and add it on. It'll keep me from having to read the same thing over and over again," Corey said.

"You and that memory of yours," Jennifer said proudly. Aurelius rolled his eyes. "Well, our personal list is always different, at least."

"Yes, especially that stuff you use for your Coca-cola experiments," Corey teased her with a wink before glancing at the list. "Feistyweed? Didn't you just spend years getting rid of that in your garden?"

"Well, I found some use for it after all," Jennifer protested. "And I'd rather buy it in a sack than have it strangling my garden. We also need a potion kit for Aurelius, of course."

"So you got your letter, did you?" Corey said to the boy cheerfully. "Hogwarts will never be the same again," he chuckled. "All right, I'll pick you out a good one."

"I'd like to pick my own out, if you don't mind," Aurelius said, going over to where they were stacked and grabbing the rolling ladder.

"Suit yourself," Corey said, seemingly unperturbed as he turned back to the others. "Look, this is obviously going to take me awhile, but I have an idea. Andrew and Alicia are probably going to be bored silly looking at books and shopping for these two. If they'd like, they can help me here for a few hours, and perhaps earn a sickle or two."

"Can we stay, Mum?" Andrew asked excitedly.

"You wouldn't forget my sketch paper if we stayed, would you?" Alicia asked. Jennifer exchanged a glance with Severus who nodded slightly.

"Oh, very well, you can stay. Thank you, Corey," Jennifer said warmly.

"No problem, Mom, anything to help out," Corey replied. Just then there was a thunderous noise. The three of children jumped and turned around, while Jennifer and Severus had wands in their hands and Corey had a hand poised to strike. But they relaxed as they saw only a pile of potion cases, Aurelius' head appearing among them as he sat up, looking a bit dazed.

"Did you find the one you were looking for?" Corey asked calmly, somehow managing to keep a straight face.


Needless to say, Jennifer was already in an irritable mood by the time they reached Diagon Alley, not completely convinced that the 'accident' was unintentional. The stern look she gave her son told him as much as they entered the Leaky Cauldron, waving absently to those greeting them.

Flourish and Blotts was the first stop. Jennifer took a hold of Aurelius' list while Severus accompanied Alex, unusually tolerant of her prattling as she began getting excited about learning dark creatures this year in Defense.

"We won't need all of these, Aurelius," Jennifer said. "Alex has quite a number of up to date books from last year you can use. She'll need a couple of them as reference, of course, so we'll need get you a new Standard Book of Spells and Potions…."

"What? I don't want to use her old books. I want my own set! It's not like we can't afford them," argued Aurelius. "That is why you both work, isn't it?"

"Aurelius, I am not putting up with your attitude today," Jennifer snapped. "And I've no intention of having four copies of A History of Magic and Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration in the house when one copy is more than enough. It's a waste of money, and I've no intention of doing it."

"Then why don't I just stay home and not go at all?" Aurelius snapped.

"Don't tempt me!" Jennifer said, on the verge of dragging him out of the shop by the ear.

Just then, she heard her name called and looked up to see Mr. and Mrs. Shea, her demeanor held in check as she went over to talk to them. Left on his own, Aurelius was quickly working to gather every book on the list, hoping to get them to his father before his mum caught on. But then he got distracted as Ranly and Heph came up to him.

"Guess what wand I got! You'll never guess!" Heph said in a tone that indicated perfection. "Mahogany dragon scale. Can you beat that?"

"I haven't got my wand yet, we just got here. What'd you get, Ranly?" Aurelius asked.

"Red maple centaur hair. Probably the good doctor's himself," Ranly said proudly. "I bet you get something good too."

"Peter didn't," Heph snickered. "He ended up with a fairy's tooth! Could you imagine going to school with a wand like that? He'll be walking down Hufflepuff row for sure."

"Peter always was a bit of a pushover at school," Aurelius agreed. "Imagine the humiliation! I'd have demanded a different one."

"He tried, but Ollivander doesn't take to none of that. It's the one or nothing with him, and you know his parents, they can barely afford a wand, let alone a custom one," Ranly said. "Although I hear your brother has affordable ones."

"Adopted brother," Aurelius pointed out. "His wands aren't as good as all that. They can't be, can they, if my parents don't trust him to make our wands and with him being almost family. It'd be Grendelbane's or nothing if you ask me."

"Sure! If you have the vault of cash it'd take to purchase one of those. Wands are expensive enough as it is," Heph said.

"My mother has a Grendelbane wand. Of course, the Craws used to be loaded in the old days. Maybe it will be again if my grandfather gets out of prison. He's up for parole soon, you know."

"You don't think they'd really let him out, do you? Isn't he dangerous?" Ranly asked.

"Of course he's dangerous, he's a Craw. Have you really ever heard of a Craw who wasn't?" Aurelius asked calmly.

"In fact," Severus said, so close to Aurelius ear that he nearly jumped out of his shoes, "If your mother were over here instead of me at this moment, I think she would be very dangerous indeed."

"Well, I best be moving along," Aurelius said carefully, waving to his friends who nodded nervously at the tall professor. Severus took his son by the collar and turned him towards the front, dropping off several of the books Aurelius had acquired back onto their tables.

Jennifer was still talking to the Sheas when they approached the clerk. Alex, her books already packaged and in hand, stood beside them talking to Mandria at a rapid pace about the new school year. After Aurelius had his own parcel to carry, Severus stepped up to join his wife, finally persuading them to head out of the bookshop.

"Jennifer, why don't you go ahead and take Alex to Malkin's, and I can take Aurelius over to Ollivander's? Perhaps we can save some time," Severus suggested.

"Oh, but Aurelius needs to be fitted for everything, and Alex just needs a new coat and a few hems changed," Jennifer protested, heading to the seamstress.

"Then lets have Aurelius done first, and the two of us will run ahead. You know how long it can take to find a wand." Severus suggested.

Jennifer hesitated. She really didn't want to miss seeing Aurelius get his wand, but did see the sense in splitting up. She also saw quite plainly it was an intentional ploy on her husband's part to give her some cool down time away from her incorrigible son.

"Oh very well, but don't leave the shop until we get there. I want to see what he gets too," Jennifer insisted.

"I'm sure you'll have plenty of opportunity to see it over the year," Severus pointed out, reluctantly stepping into the busy seamstress shop.

Robes, shirts, pants and more passed by in neatly folded bundles as Madam Malkin and her assistants hurried to get the steady stream of students fitted for the new school year. Older students who saw Snape quickly hurried by as they remembered all of their summer assignments still left undone, while some of the second and third year students seemed a bit leery of even attempting to pass by him at all.

Aurelius held his head up as high as possible hoping to disguise his short stature, but Malkin only smiled at him knowingly as she finished the measurements.

"Make sure this one has a double hem, Violet. He looks due for a growth spurt, two inches before December by the looks and length of his arms," she commented to one of her assistants, winking above his head.

"Yes, ma'am," the assistant smiled, whipping out a robe as Malkin went for shirts and ties. Within minutes another bundle of packages had appeared in Jennifer's arms, and Alex headed up for her turn. Severus nodded to Aurelius and stepped outside, impatient to get out of the crowd. He immediately went over to the wand shop, walking at a pace Aurelius found hard to keep up with.

"Father, this list says to bring a cat or owl or toad. Does that mean I can't bring Achilles?" Aurelius asked.

"That is to keep students from bringing something exotic, or a familiar that can't be easily carried. You'll find that no one will blink at seeing snakes or rodents in the mix," Severus said, opening the door for him. The place was quite empty, and Aurelius found himself looking around the dusty shop with skepticism. "And now that we have a moment alone, I would appreciate it if you would make an effort not to do anything to further irritate your mother today. I think you've done your fair share of 'testing' for one morning."

"I wasn't trying to test anyone!" Aurelius protested.

"Aurelius," Severus kneaded his temples with a sigh, glancing at the vacant counter before turning back to him. "I understand that this is a stressful time for you, involving a lot of very important changes. But what you must realize is that you are not the only one affected by these changes. Every choice one makes in life has a direct impact on others around them, whether they want them to or not."

"Now there is a familiar voice," someone said from the back room as Ollivander stepped into view. "Ah, Professor Snape! And this must be Aurelius! I have been expecting you!" he said warmly, pulling out some boxes. "And how is Mr. Willowby? I hear he's become a very good wandmaker in his own right these days."

"Very well, thank you," Severus said, nudging Aurelius forward. Aurelius viewed Ollivander with new suspicion.

"Grendelbane mentions him on occasion, of course. Quite fond of the boy, he was. Always nice to see a fresh outlook on wands after all these years," he smiled, opening the boxes.

"You don't think it's a bit odd that a Focus Caster would be making wands?" Aurelius asked, earning a disapproving look from Severus.

"Actually, most good wandmakers are, Mr. Snape. And exceptional memory never hurts either," Ollivander said tolerantly. "Twelve and a half ebonwood serpent's tooth, isn't that correct, Professor? I never forget a wand."

"Can I have a serpent tooth wand too?" Aurelius asked with interest.

"As a matter of fact, I did pull out an oak serpent tooth wand as one of the possibilities. Care to try that first?" he smiled, handing Aurelius the wand. But at just the quickest of waves, Ollivander snatched it a way with a frown. "No, that would never do, not at all. Something with a bit less punch, I think."

"With a bit less punch?" Aurelius repeated, not liking the sound of that at all.

"Perhaps we ought to try the Unicorn Horn wand," Ollivander said, glancing up at Severus enigmatically.

"What's this one?"

"A thirteen-inch Horned Owl feather. Not as prestigious as your mother's, of course, but a very subtle wand," Ollivander said, handing him the wand, and after just one flick took it back away again. "But too subtle, I think, for you." As Ollivander reached for another box, dust free and lined in rich velvet, Aurelius noticed the symbol of a dragon claw on one of the other boxes in front of him and grabbed it, giving it a quick wave. As Ollivander turned and protested, Severus snatched it out of Aurelius' hand and put it back with such a warning glare that Aurelius shrunk back a bit.

"He reminds me of you when you were a boy," Ollivander commented as he stepped over to take the wand back and took out another. A bit of color entered Severus' sallow cheeks as he muttered softly under his breath, trying to keep his temper, but Ollivander politely took no notice, his eyes fixed on Aurelius. "This will go a lot faster, young man, if you trust my judgment. And I truly think that this wand may be meant for you and you alone."

"What is it?" Aurelius asked guardedly.

"A very special wand, Mr. Snape. There is not another exactly like it nor will there ever be again," Ollivander insisted, holding it out gently cradled in the palms of his hands. It was simply carved out of the whitest of birch, making it look almost like ivory. But so reverently was Ollivander holding it that Aurelius slowly took it, looking it over cautiously before giving it a wave. The tingle of magic in the air seemed to ripple through Aurelius as he held did so, the wave of the wand pulling through the air almost as if it were moving through flowing water. It was then that Ollivander's face began to beam with joy. "A perfect match! I should have guessed from the very beginning it would be! Your mother will be positively delighted."

"But what is it?"

"Twelve and a half Ghostbirch Unicorn Horn wand. And not just any horn…."

"What? I don't want this!" Aurelius shouted. "It's… it's a girl's wand!"

"Aurelius!" Severus snapped.

"Mr. Snape, the wand has chosen, and since it's chosen you, I should say it's most definitely not a girl's wand," Ollivander said sternly. "I have made a great deal of Unicorn wands that went to very bright young wizards."

"I'll get laughed out of school if my mates see me with this. There has to be some mistake. I want a different wand!" Aurelius demanded.

"Absolutely out of the question. That is the only wand I am inclined to sell you, Mr. Snape, today or ever." Ollivander said stubbornly. He glanced up briefly as the door opened, and then did a double take as he saw it was Jennifer and Alex coming in.

"We will be taking that wand, and I will be discussing this event with you later, Aurelius," Severus snapped at him, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"Whatever is going on now?" Jennifer asked, her eyes falling in amazement to the wand in her son's hand.

"I am not going to school with a Unicorn Horn wand. I'd rather not go to school at all than die of the embarrassment!" Aurelius said, throwing the wand down in its box and dropping the rest of his books and things as well. "Send me to Muggle public schools for all I care, or get me a decent wand, but there is no way I am going to Hogwarts with that thing!"

But as he stood there defiantly in the silence of the tantrum, he suddenly noticed that no one was looking at him at all. Instead, the shopkeeper, his father, and even Alex were gazing at his mother, who had the look of someone stunned after a physical blow.

"I think, Severus, if you don't mind… I need a bit of air for a moment," Jennifer said quietly, stepping outside.

Severus growled deep in his throat, his black eyes colder and angrier than Aurelius ever remembered seeing them. He turned to Aurelius, hardly trusting himself to speak.

"Alex, pick up your brother's things. The both of you wait outside while I finish this and we're going home. I'll get the rest of your school supplies myself," Severus said, his voice sounding as sharp as ice.

"What about Mum?" Alex asked.

"Do as you're told!" Severus snapped. Alex scrambled for the parcels, Aurelius sulkily following her as Severus paid for the wand. "He will use it, if I have to magically glue it to his hand."

"It's not altogether uncommon for a student to be unhappy with the wand that has chosen him at first," Ollivander said, gazing past Severus and out the front window at the child. "Although I find myself wondering why a wand so purely made and given would choose this particular boy?"

"Yes, I find myself wondering the exact same thing," Severus said curtly, carefully taking the bag offered to him. "Sorry about the trouble."

"It's quite all right, Professor. After all, the trouble for me has just ended, but I daresay the trouble for your family has just begun," Ollivander said sympathetically. Severus nodded at that before heading out the door, reminding himself to pick up a headache potion when he dropped them off at home. Ollivander watched them go then took the time to scribble a long note, setting it aside for the Owl Post.