Author's Note: I got this finished a little early, so I'm posting a bit early (it's Thursday evening here for me). We will be back to the normal Friday posting next week. Thanks for everyone who is reading and reviewing, it's the first time I've ever had a 3000 hit day. MNF

Chapter 20:

Into my hands

It was well into the afternoon when the three British gentlemen exited the Du Benefe wand shop and moved back onto the bustling street in the magical enclave within San Francisco. Harry kept his hand in his pocket, fingering the two gemstones embedded into the handle of his wand. He'd ended up with a rather remarkable combination of powdered horn from a Horned Serpent within the core of Aspen. The Horned Serpent was dangerously magical on its own and was known for its intelligence and fierce eyes. One of the two gemstones also came from the same serpent that the horn was from, thus granting Harry the power of its invisibility and flight. While Harry had his father's invisibility cloak and was a superior flier already, Sirius couldn't help but wonder what advanced skills his wand might bring out in Harry.

Aspen wood, too, was an odd choice. It was unheard of in the UK to be used for a wand; it was a common wood within the US, although not often used for wands. The wood was known to be that of heroes, and their crowns of quaking Aspen leaves allowed them to pass to the underworld and return to the living with no ill effects. Sirius didn't like the similarity to Harry's accounting of what happened in the graveyard. Aspen was also known for producing powerful shields, and the Shield Charms magicals used. He was hopeful that Harry wouldn't need powerful shields in the future.

The second gemstone was fascinating as it was jade, which produced serenity and equilibrium. It was protective in nature and would enhance the natural wisdom of the wielder. Moreover, it was a powerful wand. Messer De Benefe was surprised when the elements presented themselves for someone so young. He called it the wand of an elder mage. Harry certainly wasn't an elder anything, but was he already a mage? He would need to test Harry's abilities sooner than later.

Remus was pleased with his wand, although he was happy to simply have a wand back in his possession. His wand was made with Hodag Horn, which is powerful in helping the bearer resist the effects of magical and non-magical alcohol, some mind-altering magical potions and non-magical hallucinogenic items. Oddly, the horn could also produce a powerful sleep charm on the wielder. This was something Remus thought would be helpful on the day after the full moon.

The horn was housed in the wood of the cottonwood tree. There were many legends about cottonwood in America, like how a native American legend said that it was the tree which gave birth to the stars by holding star seeds within its branches. The wood symbolized hope, healing and transformation, something his life was also undergoing. Remus had carved the runes for hope, health and shift into the handle himself while Harry was going through his rather lengthy process of discovering the perfect core for him.

"Sirius, do you believe what Messer Du Benefe meant about people needing different wands for different points in their life?" Remus asked his friend.

"Well, this wand is about as different as you could get from my school wand," Sirius answered. "Mahogany, thirteen and a half inches with a dragon heart-string core compared to pecan, a mere ten inches with a Snallygaster core. In my first wand, I had carved the runes into the handle that said, 'more or less human', which does typify the first thirty-five years of my life. I was an arrogant arse of a child, a boisterous and bigoted teen and then lived more as a dog than a human." The others laughed at Sirius's description but agreed with it.

"Now, I have a wand that represents love and family, intended for the protection of the innocent. Yes, there is some truth in the idea," he finished the thought.

"I was intrigued by the idea of a focusing stone on the wand," Harry said. "Do you know anything about them?"

"Well, my great-grandfather's wand had an obsidian stone at the end. Sirius the second, I'm the third, had crafted his second wand after he became an Unspeakable. He died just before I was born, but my grandfather, Arcturus, loved to show us the wand and tell us stories of the great things his father had done."

"Like what?" Harry asked.

"Well, whether these stories are true or not is entirely up to debate, but grandfather said his father once moved an entire house that had fallen in on itself to save the family hiding in the basement. A task like that would usually need three or four magicals."

"Impressive," Harry said, looking every bit what he said. "So, you think the obsidian made it so powerful?"

"I don't know, Harry. Focusing stones were important when wands were first made. Still, as wand-crafting became more of a science rather than an art, they seemed unnecessary."

"Why?"

"Good question, but I think it was because the ends of wands could be perfected in a way they hadn't been before that. By the time my great-great-grandfather became Hogwarts headmaster, they were requesting that focusing stone laden wands not be sent to school for fear that they would produce too 'strong' of magic among the student body."

"That doesn't make any sense," Harry said. "Wouldn't you want to ensure that everyone who had a strong magical response learned to use it in a safe environment?"

"You would think that Harry, but I know when I was teaching, the ministry was breathing down Dumbledore's back to teach theory without teaching the practical skills of casting the spell," Remus interjected. He opened the door of the café where they'd eaten breakfast, and they filed in.

"Why would you want a population of students who knew the theory of a spell but had never cast it?" Harry asked. "That's stupid."

"Not if you were uncertain in your position within the Ministry," Remus said, and it suddenly made sense to Harry.

"Fudge," he sort of growled. "Got it. Enough talk, let's eat."

"I swear your legs are hollow as much as you're packing away," Sirius said with a grin. "You had a sandwich at the wand shop not," he looked at his watch, "thirty minutes ago. I realize it's a bit late for lunch but honestly."

"At least I have table manners," Harry said. "Ron just shovels food into his mouth, and it sometimes dribbles out. I'm not sure if Ginny and Hermione attempted to get him to chew or something. I tried to avoid watching him eat. Crabbe and Goyle were just as bad, but they were across the room."

"It sounds like Ron eating was a bit like Pete eating when we were in school," Remus said.

"Let's not mention the rat," Harry grumbled rather loudly.

"No, you're right; Wormtail has no place at this table, but Peter was a sweet boy when we were young. He lacked social graces, however, hence the table manners." Remus said. "That said, whenever we went home for a holiday, Peter always came back with a huge tin of biscuits he and his mother had made. It always had a chocolate something for Sirius, a caramelly treat for James and oatmeal raisin for me."

"Still, Remus, think of what he became," Sirius implored.

"We all became something we hadn't expected," Moony continued. "I never wanted to be a spy. My kind had enough problems that I shouldn't have been prying into their private lives. I hated doing what I did during the war, and I was awful at it. I doubt James would have ever killed anyone had he not been protecting innocents. It was only a last resort with him. Your dad was far more likely to maim someone and disarm them then send them to St Mungos for treatment. Then there is you, Sirius. If you hadn't been James's brother in all but blood, you might have ended up killed by your own family. A short, arrogant, pig-headed life you'd have led. Instead, you're an important figure in the future of the wizarding world. We were four very different boys, and the war made us men no one would have predicted."

"It's the first time I've heard either of you reminisce about…him," Harry added reluctantly. He still didn't want to say the rat's name.

"Peter was a good kid, but he was weak in his magic and always looked for whoever could protect him. James and I did that throughout most of school, and we would have continued to do so. James even suggested that he and his mother move to America with the Potters footing the bill. However, Pete was terrified of the Death Eaters finding his mum; she was half-blood. So, unfortunately, he chose to hide behind a bigger bully than get safely away," Sirius added to the conversation.

"I wonder how I would have grown up if I'd had my parents or lived with you?" Harry mused. "I certainly would have learned about magic earlier and not been thrown into it headfirst. That first year was horrible. I could have used a Magical Studies class; thank goodness I had Hermione. She read everything, and since she has a photographic memory, she can recall it perfectly."

"Yes, I'm sure it was useful, but Hermione struggles when she can't regurgitate information back. She struggles so in Maia's class," Remus added.

"That's true, but she is making progress. Last week she made the roses bloom, which she couldn't do a few weeks ago when everyone else could. So we've been working hard on it," Harry said.

"Is there something I should know about you and Hermione?" Remus asked, and Sirius looked at Harry. Sirius was aware of Harry's feelings from their daily 'walk and talk', but he was the only one. Harry sighed.

"I like Hermione greatly and would like to take her on a date," Harry began. "I have hesitated, however, because she is also my best friend, and I don't want to ruin that friendship. Additionally, she was going with Viktor last school year, and they're still writing to each other. So I don't know what the status is of their relationship."

"That is a lot to consider, but take it from this old man who nearly waited too long, when you find that person who makes you feel whole, who you never tire of talking to, who always brings a smile to your face when they walk into a room and to whom you want to make their life beautiful; don't make the mistake of letting them slip through your fingers. Your life won't quite be as bright and wonderful without them."

"I'll take that under advisement," Harry said, and the waitress came to take their orders. After she returned with their beverages, Harry began to pepper the men with questions. "Why do magicals use wands? Why is it so hard to do wandless magic? Do you think I could learn?"

"Woah, you haven't asked so many questions in one breath in a long time," Sirius said. "To begin with the last, yes, I believe you can learn wandless magic since you do it all the time. But, for you, it will simply be learning how to channel your magic into a known spell rather than into something living. It's hard for most magicals to do wandless magic because they don't have a sound understanding of what their magic feels like. However, your mum excelled at wandless magic and could do many of her household spells with it. So I suspect your skills come from her."

"Why mum and not dad?"

"Ah, the question of all questions. I wish I could tell you."

"I know of a theory that says that those born of non-magical families or mixed backgrounds are stronger in their magic because their gene pool is stronger," Remus said. "Researcher Mya Gratgat believes that magic resides in what is commonly called 'junk DNA'. When two fully magical parents have a child, the chance of them having a magical child is high. However, if there are many generations of families intermarrying to keep the probability high-"

"Like mine, yuck," Sirius interjected.

"Yes, the Blacks are a perfect example of this. They intermarried to make sure they had magical children. Still, in doing so, they heightened the risk of what is commonly known as "The Black Madness". Sirius can also tell you that there were quite a few born without magic and countless others who died too young to be counted."

"Your family killed the non-magical babies?" Harry asked, disgusted.

"On at least two occasions that I'm aware of. Mother had a baby girl who we, Reggie and I, met at the hospital but who never came home from there and father's formal mistress, the one who mother knew about and who had a stipend from the family funds and such, she had a baby that we never met. I had always hoped they were put up for adoption, but by then, father was under Tom Riddle's spell and would have done anything to stay in his good graces."

"The Blacks were sick," Harry announced.

"Yes, they were," Sirius agreed.

"Anyway, as you can see with Sirius's cousin Andromeda, she married a wizard without a magical heritage and their child, Nymphadora –"

"She wants to be called Tonks, just Tonks," Harry reminded him.

"Yes, Tonks has the rare skill of Metamorphamagus. Magical genes are made stronger when the DNA of non-magicals is mixed in. Ms Gratgat's theory is that non-magical DNA makes the magicals skills stronger. I can loan you the paper if you'd like."

"That sounds interesting," Harry said just as their food arrived, and conversation ceased. At the same time, the trio ate and discussed what they might like to do that evening.

Just before bed that night, a pyjama-clad Harry walked onto the balcony where Sirius was enjoying a brandy and the lovely weather. Harry had waited until his conversation with Amy over the enchanted mirrors had ended.

"Thank you for bringing me here, for letting me get the wand I have, even though it frightens you," Harry said, taking the seat next to his Pater.

"Harry, it's not the wand that frightens me; it's the fact that you can wield it. We've never tested your magical core, and I think we need to. That isn't a problem; I just don't know who to trust to do it. I think Filius can, and we obviously have faith in him, but I'm unsure. Part of me wants to find someone wholly impartial. Someone who doesn't know you and your story."

"Why?"

"Because I'm concerned that someone who knows you, someone even as seemingly unbiased as Filius, won't look at the whole you. I know Harry James Potter, my godson. The world knows Harry Potter," he said, his arm making an arc in front of him, "the celebrity. The two share very little, but magic is one of those things."

"Why does it matter if I have a strong magical core? It sounds like my life will be spent dealing with financial matters of the many Potter funds and fulfilling the role of Lord Potter."

"That will be part of your life, but if you're smart, you'll hire someone like Remus to deal with it for you," Sirius said with a mischievous grin. "But your life can be so much more. Had there not been a war, your father would have gone on to be a Master in Transfiguration, probably teaching somewhere. I know that Minerva had talked with him about continuing his studies with her before the war exploded in our seventh year. Your mother was studying to be a Potions Mistress, specifically working in Medical Potions at St Mungos, until they fired her because she didn't have the right blood for them. You could become a Defence Master or a Charms Master – you excel in both areas."

"I've thought about studying Charms after I play some pro-Quidditch," Harry joked. "But Earth Magic is really intriguing, and the more I do, the more I want to do."

"Then it's in your blood, pup. I haven't said this before, but what you and Neville can do in tandem it's well beyond what a fifth-year should be able to do. I would hazard that Professor Sprout would be hard-pressed to find any students who can do what you do anywhere in the history of Hogwarts."

"Huh," Harry said quietly.

"Now, I don't want you to think I'm going to push you into anything because I'm not. You could become a great thinker and live on a beach somewhere drinking straight from coconuts, and I would still be proud of you and love you. You and Amy are the most important people in my life, and all I really want is to see you happy."

"Thanks, Pater. I want the same for you," Harry said, and he reached over to grasp Sirius's shoulder. "How are things at home?"

"Er, okay, I suppose. The first round of wand sales went well. Only seventeen people tried to use fake credentials to bump the line. Another forty-three tried to buy their way into a wand without going through the proper wait times. All of them are now at the bottom of the list. The next pair of wandmakers are from New Zealand and Brazil and will be here next month, just before the holidays."

"Cool, although we're going home with our wands."

"Yes, we are. Perhaps a second set too; I'm anxious to see what the class is like tomorrow."

"Me too, then maybe we can finally do some sightseeing? I really want to see the giant redwoods."

"And I will be going to the tables in Las Vegas before we leave," Sirius added. "I used to love going to Monte Carlo with your father."

"Do I get to go too?" Harry asked expectantly.

"To Vegas, yes, to do some gambling, no, you're too young." Harry looked crestfallen. "Good night, Pup; I love you."

"Good night, Pater; I love you, too."