Yay for new chapters! I'm hoping that working on this story will give me the inspiration I need to finish a chapter for my other story. Hope you enjoy!
It was turning out to be a very confusing night.
Mr. Black, the scary man, had called Remus away ten minutes ago, and they still weren't back yet. He couldn't hear Uncle Vernon anymore, and that seemed odd, considering how much his uncle disliked strange people. He was yelling before and he usually kept yelling until whatever was bothering him went away.
Maybe they left, Harry thought. Dread began to pool in his stomach. He'd kind of liked Remus; he smiled a lot, and smelled a little like books, and he'd let Harry sit on the couch. He hadn't yelled, either, even when Harry called him Mr. Lupin by accident, instead of Remus like he'd been told.
He wasn't sure about Mr. Black though. He was wearing a leather jacket and motorcycle boots and his hair was far too long. If he'd passed Aunt Petunia at the market, she'd have clutched her handbag to her side and walked faster until he'd passed. He looked like a hoodlum, she would say. He'd looked really mad, too, and he'd threatened Uncle Vernon before Remus had taken him in the living room, and his uncle had actually looked scared. That had never happened before.
Harry almost jumped when Remus came back. Mr. Black was right on his heels, but he didn't look too upset anymore. He was grinning and bouncing, and he winked when he saw Harry looking. "Stunned him good, I did," he said. "You should have seen him."
Harry frowned. He saw Uncle Vernon every day, and he always looked the same to him.
Remus cast a disapproving (though still slightly amused) glance at the other man before turning back to Harry. He sat down where he'd been before, and Mr. Black sat on his other side, trapping him in. Harry bit his lip nervously.
"Harry," Remus began gently, "is it alright if I ask you a few questions?"
He gave a tiny little nod, and Remus smiled at him. It made him want to smile back. "Where's your aunt, Harry?"
"She took Dudley to the cinema for a treat."
Remus nodded slowly. "And why didn't she take you with her?"
Harry frowned at that. "I'm not allowed to go to the cinema," he said.
"Why not?" Mr. Black chimed in. His gray eyes went very soft when he noticed Harry's confusion.
Harry just shrugged. "I'm just not allowed, is all," he mumbled, studying his bare feet.
He flinched when he felt a hand on his back, and peered up into Remus's face anxiously. "And what do you get for treats, Harry?" the taller man asked.
He shook his head a little, not understanding. Freaks didn't get treats.
Remus seemed to understand, because he didn't ask Harry to explain himself. "What do you know about your parents, Harry?" he continued.
"They were drunken bums who went and got themselves killed in a car crash," Harry said flatly, echoing what his aunt had told him.
Mr. Black stood up suddenly, his fists clenched, and Harry cringed. Remus put his arm around Harry's shoulders comfortingly, even while he glared at his companion. "Padfoot," he said warningly.
Mr. Black shook his head and marched out of the room, and Harry watched him go. "What's a padfoot?" he said, half to himself.
Remus sighed a little. "It's just a nickname for Sirius," he explained. He wss silent for a moment longer, before suddenly blurting out, "Your parents were the greatest people I've ever known, Harry. Lily and James were brave and loyal, and they loved you very much." He took a deep, shuddering breath. "And they did not die in a car crash."
Short chapter, but it's all I've got. Reviews?