Another place to drink

Remus sat himself down on an empty chair, tired and very much lost. He hadn't seen his father since Flourish and Blotts, and didn't really know his way around the place. It was a miracle that he had found somewhere to seat himself, and was no longer in the midst of the crowd outside. He had managed to buy himself Hogwarts, A History from the few galleons he had on him. But he was overcome with thirst, and knew that there was no better way to spend the last of them on a drink.

Glancing over the list of drinks available, mind you most of them he didn't even know what they were, he finally chose a normal butterbeer. Taking a sip of the unfamiliar drink, he gathered that it wasn't too bad to the taste, and smiled. That was the exact moment when someone placed themselves beside him, and caught his attention.

Peter, having escaped his mother's wrath for the time being, scurried into the Leaky Cauldron in hopes of losing her in the crowd. It worked successfully and he was able to get himself a butterbeer from the bar and sat down beside a boy who looked around his age and didn't seem as if he was likely to bully him.

Giving the boy a timid smile he stated, "H-hi. I'm Peter Pettigrew."

It was a long shot stating his surname since really his family although Purebloods,weren't highclass. Still, at least he could say that he came from a distinguished family.

"Umm, want a chocolate frog?"

Remus was quite pleased with the type of people he'd met that day, first James and now Peter. Smiling at the boy, he placed his manners into use, "And I'm Remus Lupin," he said, taking another sip of his drink. He supposed that he should return back to place often, it gave him some sort of home feeling. Chocolate frog, he heard the boy offer and gave a single nod to accept it. Anything that had chocolate in it was bound to be delicious, that's what Remus thought anyway.

Studying the boy closely, he concluded that they were of the same age, "Heading for Hogwarts?" he asked.

Seeing Remus nod, Peter's smile became a bit warmer and he happily pulled out two chocolate frogs that he'd gotten from the sweet shop. Handing one to Remus he opened his own and began to take a rather large bite, then savored the sweet taste of the chocolate.

Nodding to the other boy's question he replied, "Yes. I'll be a first year." Getting a little down he continued, "Though I don't know what House I'll be in."

Taking another bite of his chocolate knowing it'd make him feel just a tad bit better even for just a little bit, he fiddled with the remainder of it. Seeing he was making a mess, Peter's face flushed and he took out his kerchief and wiped his hands. "U-um, do you collect the cards? I don't so you can have mine," he offered.

James walked into the Leaky Cauldron, his arms full with new robes from Madam Malkin's. He thought he would be fine carrying them from the store and declined when asked if he wanted a bag. Now, as James constantly stopped to tuck a dragging sleeve back into his arms, he wished he hadn't.

He looked around for an empty table to unburden his load on when he saw a familiar face. He strolled over, grinning, ignoring, for the moment, the sleeve that had fallen back to the ground. He'd soon be free of them.

"Remus," James greeting, smiling. "Long time no see!" He looked across to the boy he was sitting with and saw what they were eating.

"Don't happen to have Ptolemy, do you? One of the ones I'm missing."

When someone called out the name of the boy next to him, Peter's head whipped around to see another boy their age with dark hair. Smiling nervously at the new boy, he looked down to see what the card was. "Um, s-sorry, it's Cliodna."

Pulling out the last of the chocolate frogs he'd reserved to eat if his mother found his stash of sweets, Peter handed it to the new boy only a tad reluctantly. The possibility of maybe getting a friend was worth more to Peter than a chocolate frog any day.

"You can have it. You might get lucky and get him," Peter offered optimistically.

Remus smiled at the boy, "Thankyou," he said simply, before ripping open the wrapper and taking a bite of the frog. It seemed like the chocolate wasn't alone - after all it was his first, he didn't know about the cards - and eyed it excitedly. When Peter spoke about Hogwarts, Remus had to agree that he wasn't so sure about what House he wanted to be in, or rather be sorted into.

The boy spoke once more, and Remus nodded nervously - he had been just wondering about the cards. Supposed you collected them, it wasn't too late to start now was it? Seeing James join them, Remus' face lit up and he grinned, "Hello there James, it has been awhile, I'm afraid".

James shrugged one shoulder, not upset that the card wasn't the one he was after. He accepted the frog from the clearly nervous boy, wondering what the odds were that the two most socially uncomfortable people he had met were sitting together. Maybe uneasy people attract.

"Cheers. It'll probably be Flamel though. I have about fifteen of him." James unwrapped the chocolate, holding onto the frog with a strong hand. James smiled, his prediction correct. James pocketed the card to take home and place it with the other fifteen.

"Yeah, it has been a while. Whatcha been up to?" James asked, and then turned to the boy who he didn't know.

"James Potter," he introduced himself cheerfully, taking a seat next to Remus, without asking whether that would be alright.

Relaxing even more only to have his eyes widen a bit to find that the other boy was obviously Remus' friend, Peter felt his own smile become even more genuine. When he introduced himself, Peter gave himself a mental shake.

"Peter," he finally got out when able to work his dry mouth. "Peter Pettigrew."

So he collected the wizarding cards? Peter didn't care for them but he could pretend to. "Is he that common then? That Flamel fellow?"

Peter had never heard of the wizard before today. That wasn't saying much as according to his mum, 'his head is full of holes'.

James tilted his head to the side, trying to think whether he recognised the last name. It certainly rang familiar, but James couldn't place ever meeting the boy before. James shrugged mentally, probably having heard it or read it from a family tree or something.

"Flamel?" James queried, laughing as if that was an self-explanatory question. "Yeah, reckon he has his ugly mug in one in every five frogs. I'll be happy to never see his face again."

James stretched back into the booth and ran a hand through his hair lazily, yawning as he did so.

"So... Peter, was it?" James asked. "Couldn't help but overhear you're a first year this year," James smiled, haphazardly.

"I am as well. Should be good, I'm thinking. You excited for it?"

"Nothing worth mentioning, just preparing for the upcoming school year" Remus replied with a small grin, before quieting and watching the interaction between his two new comrades.

He spoke up again at the subect of Flamel "He's an alchemist, the most famous and oldest one in history." Remus started "He's the inventor of the Philosopher's Stone," he continued before he took a sip of his beverage and fell quiet once more.

Remus never was one to look to holding peoples attention for too long. The background is where he preferred to dwell.