And Then There Were Three

Chapter 2

As soon as Remus opened the door for Harry, he immediately noticed the cane in Remus's hand. He looked back up at him with worried eyes. "Are you alright?"

Remus smiled and nodded. "Yes, yes, I'm fine. Come on in. You've seen me use a cane before."

"Not lately," Harry replied as Remus stepped aside and Harry walked past him and into the parlor.

"Well, I assure you, Harry, that it's nothing to be worried about. I'm just feeling a bit weaker today."

Remus lowered himself into a plush armchair with a sigh. "Are you excited for classes to be over?" he asked as he waved his wand and a tray of tea and biscuits appeared on the table between them.

Harry took his seat on the couch before reaching for a teacup. "I'd be more excited if Dad wasn't already getting on to me about stuff."

"Like what?" Remus took a sip of his tea and settled back into the chair.

"Like not wearing socks, and packing, and "Don't be late, Harry or I'll levitate you through the castle." You'd think he would lighten up just a little now that it's summer."

Remus let out a laugh and the lines around his eyes crinkled. "That sounds about right. Did you know that he would do all of his summer schoolwork within the first two weeks of being home?"

Harry shook his head. "He and Hermione would have gotten along well together. I'm sure he'll want me to as well. Did you get your work done early?"

Remus took a bite of a chocolate biscuit and swallowed it before saying, "Not as early as he did. Before my parents died, I would let it stretch out over the summer. Doing a little here and there. Sometimes at your dad's house and between full moons. But once I was adopted, I started getting it done quicker. You can't have Minerva McGonagall as a Mum without her being on you constantly to study and not put things off til later." He finished the last of his biscuit and said, "Besides, they had this rule about not being allowed to visit with friends until all the summer work was finished."

Harry rolled his eyes. "I bet that's what Dad will make me do."

"It's not actually a bad habit to get into, Harry. I just didn't agree at the time."

Deciding that it was a good time to change the subject, Harry asked, "Did you go on Summer Holidays after the adoption?"

"Sure," Remus replied. "We went to the seaside or to a cottage in the country. We even went to America once, but that was a disaster and both me and Sev swore we would never go back."

"What happened?" Harry asked after taking a sip of tea.

"We got into loads of trouble. The muggle police were involved."

Harry's eyes widened. "What happened?! This is a story I definitely need to hear!"

Remus laughed and shook his head. "Maybe on a day when the chances of Severus murdering me for telling you are a little more slim."

"What?! You can't just let that out and not give the rest!"

"Sorry, Cub. Now what about you? Have you picked a place for holidays yet?"

Harry groaned and let his head fall back against the couch cushions. "No. He said it was up to me and he gave me a bunch of options, but I'd rather just stay at the Manor."

Remus's brows knit together as he looked at his nephew. "Why? I thought you were excited to go somewhere."

"Well, I'm not now. That's all." He bit into the last biscuit as he pulled his legs up onto the couch and leaned against the arm. "It's too much and I don't want to do it."