disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter

warning: none for this chapter

Made it by my monthly deadline! Didn't think I would. This chapter is from Remus's POV about what's been happening between the three mates. I hope you all enjoy it. There is one little section that I'm really not happy with and may not make any sense, but I just couldn't get it right and for that I apologize.

Ladies and gentlemen, I have just found out that I have been nominated in the Fanatic Fanfic Multifandom Awards competition. Voting begins April 11-May 2! Please go and check out the site and look for my username. I've been nominated for 9 different categories, with multiple stories for some of those! It would mean to world to me if I were to win even one award! I would even been tempted to spend every waking moment dedicated to writing if you were to help me win!

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"Sirius, I don't know what to do," Remus lamented. He knocked back the shot of whiskey Sirius had poured for him, and motioned for another. "I haven't seen Harry in two days and Severus hardly says three words to me. He ignores me so much it doesn't seem like he stays in the same bed as me. I miss them. I miss my mates even though I live with them!"

"What did you do Remus?" Sirius asked, taking a shot of his own, and once again refilling their glasses. "I tried asking Harry and he said that he fixed everything, and James and Lily told me to stay out of it." He shook his head as he watched Remus take another shot before slumping back into his seat. Sirius turned towards the fire that was burning in the grate, "If you think you're lonely, try having no one, but house-elves, goblins, and paintings to talk to. I'm starting to go crazy over all the finances between myself and Harry and no other stimulus."

"Sirius please, I need help," Remus begged.

Ever since that day Harry had yelled at him, Remus' world had been turned upside down. Was he really to be blamed for the way Severus acted, or rather the reason why Severus needed to do something drastic to get his attention? Even Moony was confused by what had happened. Did Severus not deserve to be punished for what he accused of himself and Harry? That was the right thing because of the pack dynamics their instincts had, but Harry made it seem wrong. And what of Harry? The way Harry had yelled and talked back at Remus made him agitated, and yet he did nothing about the retaliation of his youngest mate. Did that mean he agreed with what Harry had said, should they work towards complete equality for all three of them? Maybe they could compromise and only change some of the pack habits he had.

Whichever they decided on what worked for them, nothing could be fixed without the three of them sitting together. And he wasn't sure how to make that happen. Every time he managed to find himself in the same room as Harry, the young man would smile and walk out of the room, or ignore him in favor of reading more books. Severus wasn't much better. Any words exchanged between them were mechanical; 'how are you' was followed by 'good'. At night Severus would lay on his side facing away from Remus, but he would never push Remus away when he curled around Severus' back. That had to be something, Remus would assure himself. But it wasn't enough. He needed his mates.

"Remus?" Sirius interrupted his thoughts. Remus grunted at Sirius in acknowledgement before reaching for the bottle once again. Only to have it disappear. He turned to Sirius with a growl beginning in his throat. "Getting pissed drunk is not the way to fix things. Have you spoken to Marius like Harry asked you? That was something you mentioned before. Or maybe you can get them gifts as a peace offering? I don't know, just do something that doesn't involve the bottom of a bottle."

"Marius," Remus snarled. That name itself left a bad taste in his mouth. And the fact that his name kept coming up in conversation left a bad feeling in his stomach.

"Are you jealous over a painting?" Sirius asked in disbelief. He carefully put some distance between himself and Remus, as his friend became more like a wolf right in front of him. He was worried he may have to prevent Remus from accessing the Hall of Portraits to protect the painting from being torn to shreds.

"No!" Remus shouted. He took a breath while running a hand through his hair. "Yes, maybe. I don't know. It's just that it isn't fair that I need the help of a painting to be in favor with my mates. Honestly, how is a painting of a long dead mer supposed to help me?"

"You won't know until you try. It can't hurt to ask him, even if he can't help you at least Harry would be happy that you tried." Sirius watched Remus as his friend lost himself in thought again, brows drawn together in concentration. If Remus didn't come up with a solution, he may just have to smack him even if it was a risk to his health to anger a werewolf.

"You think I should do that?" Remus asked.

"I think you should do something before you make me crazy! They're your mates Remus, it's not like they'll actually reject you. Just apologize or something."

"Fine! I'll leave you alone since I'm such a both." Remus stormed out of the room, leaving Sirius calling after him. He marched through the manor with no real destination planned, just wandering and trying to calm himself. He knew he shouldn't have snapped at Sirius, but the man just didn't understand what Remus was feeling. Sometimes Remus didn't know what he was feeling, and it was maddening. He needed to find Harry and Severus and make this whole situation better. So Remus continued on his march down to the spring room where he knew his mates spent most of their days; Severus always smelled like fresh water. He was surprised to find the door was not locked against him. Remus stormed in towards the water's edge where Harry and Severus sat. He didn't give himself or his mates time to register that he was actually there before he spoke. "I apologize and I plan to make this right. I would like for you to join me for dinner tonight." Then he left before anything else was said.

Did he really apologize and then demand his mates spend time with him? Remus scrubbed at his face as he thought of himself to be such an idiot. Making any demands of Severus and Harry, after all he did and was told how horrible he had been? Walking around the manor had allowed him to clear his thoughts. Maybe he had been too hard with Severus, but the things he had said about Harry seemed like a threat. He truly believed that if he was doing something that Severus didn't feel right about, he would have spoken to Remus.

But maybe it really was his fault. Sure he and Severus had spoken to Harry about being mates; however, that was only one time, and before they came to Potter Manor. He also never took the time to discuss any details of their changed dynamics with Severus alone. Instead, Remus had taken control of the whole thing as if he were the only dominant with two submissive mates. He had only acknowledged Severus' dominancy when Harry was still recovering in the bath. Just one time would not have eased the transition for Severus after twenty years being in one solid role. He should have been guiding Severus, not treating the same once Harry came into their lives as a third partner. How stupid was he? Right now he was a poor excuse of a mate, and a poorer excuse of an alpha in his standing.

So to begin to actually fix his mistake, Remus headed for the stairs. Popping into the library he searched for a book on Veela and their counterparts. Though he had read all he could about Veela when he mated with Severus, it never hurt to refresh one's mind. He was going to look for a book on merfolk, but he remembered the pile that Harry always carried with him was probably all that the manor contained. Besides, he was headed to a direct source where all amounts of information could be learned. Remus came to the Hall of Portraits, placed his hand on the crest and muttered the name that had been giving him headaches from just hearing of the man.

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"Do you think he really meant?" Harry asked, fiddling with the hem of his shirt. After Remus' announcement, he and Severus had gotten dressed and went to their rooms to shower and change before meeting in the dining room to wait for Remus. "He didn't give us a time."

"Remus meant his words, he always does, never doubt that Harry," Severus assured his young mate. He was just as apprehensive though, because he couldn't predict this time how Remus was going to act.

"I wonder what happened that made him change like that?" Harry asked, more to himself. He was glad that Remus was finally coming around, but he was scared by the way Remus had barged into the spring room and told them to have dinner with him.

"We will not know until he gets here, but when he does explain everything to us, please keep an open mind." Severus reached over and placed a hand at the base of Harry's neck to help calm him as they waited for Remus to show.

"Don't worry, I'm here," Remus said from the doorway. He gave a reassuring smile as he walked in when he saw the apprehension on Harry and Severus' faces. It saddened Remus that his mates felt that way towards him, but he hoped that after tonight, they would never look like that ever again.

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A/N: I hope this chapter wasn't too much of a disappointment! Also, if you haven't please go check out my new story called "100 Dates". As Always R&R- Echo Harmony