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When Remus received, not only his acceptance letter, but permission from the Headmaster himself, he waited ever so patiently for the end of August to arrive. When it did, Remus found himself feeling nervous to the point where he was getting himself dizzy. He looked at his mother with uncertainty but she nodded encouragingly and held up a pot with powder, indicating to her son that he should take some.

"Are you ready?" Hope asked.

"I dunno," Remus said earnestly.

"That means you are."

Hope nudged the pot into his hands and Remus grabbed some. He stepped into the fireplace, ducking his head to avoid hitting it and tucking his elbows a little closer to his body.

"Speak clearly, Remus," Hope warned and took a step back. "Off you go now."

"Wait, what happens if I don't?" Remus asked in a flurry, panicking slightly.

"Just speak clearly," Hope said, avoiding the question all together. "Go on."

"Diagon Alley," Remus said in a clear voice, threw down the Floo Powder, and erupted into green flames.

He felt himself spinning, getting rather queasy, he waited desperately for the flash of Diagon Alley to come into view; he never understood why people enjoyed Floo. Coming to an abrupt stop and this being being a rather new concept of transportation, Remus lost his balance when he reached his destination. He fell to the ground with a groan, but got to his feet and looked around, taking the time to marvel at everything he saw, allowing the sound of a bustling city fill his ears like beautiful music.

He realized that he had never seen so many wizards in one place of all ages. Some were young, some were old, and some came with big families while others came with smaller families.

"I wouldn't have imagined all this," he murmured to himself.

They all seemed to be shopping for their start of the school year. He lost track of the ones he watched as they disappeared into the Wizarding stores, each captured his attention as he read the signs. He dusted off his buttoned down shirt and waited for his mother, his nervous feelings not quite going away like he wanted them to. However, when his mother arrived (gracefully might he add), she took motioned for him to follow her close by.

Remus noticed how he would earn stares from the passersby and shrunk closer to his mother, feeling uncomfortable. Hope seemed to have noticed this for she waved at the ones who waved at her first; their eyes would always travel down to Remus.

"How do you know all these people?" Remus asked his mother. "Why do they all look at me? Do they know what I am? How did they find out? Who told them?"

Hope smiled.

"One question at a time, Remus—successful Aurors are always popular and well known among the Wizarding World. They know you because they know your father."

"They. . .they knew?" Remus said, feeling his face heat up.

"About the night you were attacked was the night your father died, yes," she answered and pulled Remus closer with a hand around his shoulders. "No one told anyone who you are, Remus."

Remus frowned. "Are you sure they don't know about my condition?"

Hope smiled at Remus and put her arm around his shoulder. "They only know you were attacked; no one knows about your condition."

Remus still felt little to no reassurance.

James waited impatiently with his father, who looked at his watch and over James's shoulder for his wife. She came bustling into the living room with a large pot of familiar gray powder.

"Floo," James exclaimed.

"Gently, James!" Mrs. Potter exclaimed as James made a reach for the pot.

The boy grabbed a handful and stepped inside the fireplace, bending his head so he would not hit it and looked at his parents.

"Remember to speak clearly," Mrs. Potter said and raised her eyebrow at James who grinned madly. "James? Did you hear a word I had just said? James!"

"Mum, relax," James said, clearing his throat theatrically, making a show to pound a fist against his chest. "Hem hem, it can't be that hard. I'll be fine."

"Ready, James?" Fleamont, or Mr. Potter asked.

James nodded and opened his mouth, inhaling a mouthful of ashes but clearing his throat he threw down the powder and said "Diagon Alley" in a strong voice. He burst into the emerald flames, which licked his robes playfully, filling him with a warm feeling until he started spinning uncontrollably. He definitely liked the Floo although the spinning he could go without.

Soon enough, he found himself on his back looking up at the blue sky and his head filled with the sounds of people and their indistinct conversations. He heard a whoosh behind him and got to his feet, looking at the source of the noise.

James's parents arrived secondly and grimaced at the state of their son's clothes. They quickly dusted his shirt and looked at Diagon Alley.

"Did you come prepared? Did you bring your list?" Mrs. Potter said, taking a deep breath.

"Where to, Mum?" James asked, hanging her his Hogwarts acceptance letter and looking around as well. "Oh! How about that Quidditch place! I bloody love Quidditch!"

"Language!" Mrs. Potter scolded, tutting her son with a disapproving glare. James looked apologetic for about a second before he was back at his usual hyper antics. "We will go there after we finish your required shopping."

"Fair," James said at once then looked at his mother. "What's first?"

"Let's go and get your books, first of all," Euphemia suggested. "You hold onto the list of your supplies, and I will show you were to go. You can find your own things, though."

They all turned into the nearest bookstore, Flourish and Blotts, a bookstore that sold many of the textbooks the Hogwarts students required. James barely had enough time to marvel and take in the sights before his mother and father nudged him along down to bustling streets to get what they came for.

Sirius came clambering down the stairs, fixing the high collared shirt and a tie to top it off. It was an outfit he was forced to wear; he knew that his parents made him wear the uncomfortable yet striking shirt because it made him look superior and intimidating. It was a mere image to preserve the Black family reputation (a reputation Sirius never held close to his heart in the first place mind you).

Regulus was forced to wear something similar and was trying to casually pull the collar down, which seemed uncomfortably tight around his pale neck. Sirius's father was hovering over them, watching what his sons were doing as they waited for Mrs. Black.

When she came in, she was wearing a black jacket that went down to her knees with a tight bun tied in her black hair. Her eyes surveyed her sons and grabbed the Floo powder that was in a glass bowl. Sirius was shoved into the fireplace by his father who nodded at him; the rest of his family hung back as he walked into their beautiful stone fireplace.

"Hurry up," his mother snapped.

Sirius took a handful of powder, fighting back a glare of loathe at his mother. "Diagon Alley."

Sirius was engulfed in flames, being able to enjoy the warmth from the fire for only the briefest of moments before he started spinning fast enough to make anyone sick. He suddenly stopped and nearly fell to his feet when he arrived at Diagon Alley. He had, of course, used Floo before but he had not quite grasp the feeling of it quite yet.

His father, brother, and mother came along shortly after he did and nudged him forward. The Black family was looking at the crowd with judgmental eyes.

"This is Diagon Alley, Sirius. This is where I shall be getting your supplies," Walburga explained.

Sirius looked around at the buildings and shops in awe.

"Speak only to the people I speak to," Mrs. Black demanded and grasped Sirius's shoulder. "Is that clear?"

"Very," Sirius muttered and tugged unconsciously on his collared shirt.

"Good," Mrs. Black said and raised her chin.

She set down through the crowd who parted their ways slightly to avoid the superior looking woman and her family that followed behind. She waved to two families that Sirius did not recognize but had a feeling that they came from a pure-blood bloodline.

Peter looked at his parents and already had a handful of the gray powder and was now waiting for instructions from his parents.

"Remember to speak clearly and focus on where you want to go," Mrs. Pettigrew said kindly and took a step back. "Whenever you're ready, Peter."

"It's called Diagon Alley, right?" Peter asked just in case. He would rather be safe than sorry, especially in this situation. Ending up in a foreign land because he did not know where to go was the last thing he wanted to do today.

Mrs. Pettigrew nodded. "Diagon Alley."

"Diagon Alley!"

Peter threw down the powder and he was immediately swallowed by the emerald flames. It frightened him at first, making him want to step right back out. However, he had no time, he could not move his feet, and he was already spinning. He was spinning faster and suddenly fell on his back and groaned, the first thing he saw was a brick building towering high above his head.

He, then, heard the roar of the crowd and instantly knew that he had successfully made it to Diagon Alley. His parents joined him and bustled along looking at his supplies list.

"Is this it?" Peter asked in shock and awe. "Is this Diagon Alley? Is this what everyone has been talking about?"

"This is the place ever wizard and witch from London gets there supplies, Peter," Mrs. Pettigrew said and looked about the bustling shops. "It's exactly the same with the exception of new people running the stores."

"And you went here when you went to Hogwarts?" Peter asked.

"This is where I went," she said, still looking around.

"Oh and Mum . . ." Peter asked quietly. "Can I get a broom?"

"Brooms are rather expensive," Mrs. Pettigrew said and looked up from the list to look at her son. "I don't think I could answer that right at this moment, Peter. Perhaps this is something we can talk about."

"It doesn't have to be a new broom—" Peter said quickly and stopped, somewhat defiantly, as his mother smiled.

"I suppose," Deborah said and smiled at her son. "But don't go breaking the rules with this new broom. You know full well first years aren't allowed their own brooms."

"Everyone else is going to bring them regardless," Peter mumbled. "I just don't want to look like the odd one out."

"I understand, which is why I am agreeing," Mrs. Pettigrew said and looked at her son. "But seriously, no breaking the rules."

"Who said I would though?" Peter said and looked at his mother with a mild expression. "I just wanted a broom—you know, Mum—for flying purposes."

Mrs. and Mr. Pettigrew guided their son down the cobblestone streets of Diagon Alley, pointing out what stores sold what and who owned what stores while Peter breathed it all in, marveling at everything he saw.

"We'll get your books first," Mrs. Pettigrew said and pointed at a particular shop that many wizards and witches were coming in and out of, carrying books.

"Where do you get them?" Peter asked.

"I'll show you and you'll see," Mrs. Pettigrew said, guiding her son.

"Let's go to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions," Hope said, guiding Remus into the shop.

They have just emerged from the bookshop. Remus was absolutely glowing with pride as he now carried a book bag that swung on his shoulder with all his new books in it just like he had seen older students do.

"Okay," Remus said and looked at his book bag fondly. "Where's that?"

"Just there," Hope said and pointed at a store that had the brightest lights coming from within the store.

Upon entering the pert store, Madam Malkin came rushing up to greet them. She shook hands with Hope and Remus and looked at his mother in particular.

"What a wonderful opportunity to meet you," Madam Malkin said and looked grimly at Hope, who turned her green eyes around the store. "I've only read about what happened that night—and your son—"

She looked down at Remus, who tried not flinching away as Madam Malkin shook hands with Remus.

"You are much too well reserved," Madam Malkin remarked.

Hope laughed and looked at Remus with deep affection while Remus averted his gaze shyly elsewhere, his blue eyes darting around the store to avoid Madam Malkin's gaze.

"Let's fit you with some robes, shall we?" Madam Malkin asked smiling at Remus who turned his gaze back to her and nodded. She laughed and beckoned Remus and his mother to follow.

"Look at that Airbender! It's the fastest broom yet!" James said to his parents pointing at the broom displayed in the window of the shop, Quality Quidditch Supplies. Euphemia laughed and nudged James along.

"Yes, yes," she had said in an exasperated tone and looked sharp when she saw her husband right beside James, ogling at the broom with the same amount of enthusiasm as his son.

"Fleamont! We are not here to admire broomsticks! We're here for his supplies!" Euphemia said sternly.

Fleamont straightened up with a sheepish expression. "Sorry."

"We're going in here," she said pointing to Slug and Jiggers Apothecary. James followed his parents in and looked at his list.

Peter looked at the stores and his mother led him into one called Flourish and Blotts.

"This is where we will buy your textbooks."

"Mum, listen . . ."

"I'm still thinking about that broom, Peter," Deborah cut in.

"I was going to say I don't need a broom quite yet, I suppose," Peter mumbled.

Deborah gave Peter a little smile. "We never said we wouldn't get you a broom, dear. If you really want one we'll certainly oblige. Take good care of your broom though, promise me that?"

"Yeah," Peter said, perking up at once and beaming at his mother.

"Then I'll get you one and you can consider it as your birthday gift." Deborah finally decided and with a warm smile, her, Peter, and Peter's father bustled into the Quidditch shop.

After buying the last of the supplies, Remus looked at the Airbender and his mother smiled.

"Is this what you want?"

Remus looked up at her surprise. "You would buy this for me?"

Hope laughed. "This is my congratulations gift to you, my son. You are worth it, Remus."

Remus walked in and walked back out with his new broomstick, beaming from ear to ear. Not far behind was James Potter with his new Airbender and not far behind him was Sirius Black and his brother Regulus with their new broomsticks. Sirius Black had the Airbender in his hand. Peter on the other hand bought himself a decent broom that would satisfy him.

"Let's head to Eeylops Owl Emporium, shall we?" Hope asked.

Remus nodded still admiring his broom. He looked in awe awe at the amazing owls.

He stopped in front of one owl in particular. This one had spectacular gray, almost silvery feathers in this light and clear amber eyes. It clicked its beak at Remus and ruffled its wings, adjusting its taloned claws on its perch. A man came up and cleared his throat. Hope whipped around but relaxed when she recognized who the man was.

"You must be Remus Lupin, you were in the Daily Prophet," he said shaking Remus's hand, not bothering to introduce himself first. He looked from Hope to Remus then back to Hope. He seemed to have noticed that he had not said his name so he cleared his throat again and grinned.

"I am Caesar Doberman," he said and raised his eyebrow at Remus. "I know you probably can't remember what attacked you but I still think you are lucky to be alive."

Remus gave him a brisk smile. "I think I am lucky too, sir."

"I see you've been checking out that owl over there. He's something, that one is. He's a bit dominant with the other owls but a real reliable one, he can send letters across the ocean—I know that most owls can—but you won't be disappointed in that one over there," Caesar said with a wild smile and strolled over to the owl's cage. "His name is Ohanzee."

Remus looked at Ohanzee who hooted again. "Ohanzee is a nice name. I like it."

"Are you interested in taking him home?" Caesar asked, jerking his head at the owl. "Because he is for sale, of course."

Hope nodded silently and pulled out a money bag and plopped it in the man's hand. "Thank you sir."

Caesar looked pleased and handed the caged owl to Remus who took it graciously, saying his thanks, and looking at the owl who looked right back at him.

"He's wonderful," Caesar said and pointed at Ohanzee."But he's been in here the longest besides the animals over there on that wall."

Remus followed the man's finger and saw a large cages of turtles, frogs, and cats of various colors. The cats seemed to interest Remus the most; some were sleeping, others were pawing hopefully at the glass, others hung back suspiciously at the people who came to look at them, and others were hissing with flat ears.

"Thank you," Remus said again and departed from the store, now happily carrying his newly purchased owl, a new wand, and a new book bag. Remus could not have felt more elated, as if his lycanthropy meant nothing to him for the time being.

Sirius took the Floo back to his house, last of his family, and when he returned his brother Regulus laughed when Sirius smacked his head on a low lying piece of furniture. Groaning he dropped to his knees and stumbled out of the fireplace. Walburga snorted and whipped around herded Regulus into the kitchen. Sirius took all of his newly bought supplies and headed up to his room, hoping to avoid his family.

Regulus followed at a slower pace until he caught up with Sirius in the second floor.

"I wish I were going to Hogwarts . . ."

"It won't be long," Sirius promised, "you'll be heading off to Hogwarts next year. You don't have too much of a wait Regulus."

"Long enough," Regulus said bitterly and looked at Sirius with an envious expression.

Sirius sighed as he and Regulus made their way to the third floor, separating to different rooms, Regulus shot one last jealous look at Sirius before shutting his bedroom door, leaving Sirius to shut his own, locking himself in his room with his new owl and supplies.

He let the owl out, watching it with fascination as it soared around his room with a glorious screech of delight.

Thank you for reading!