Title: Situations
Author: Unicornpearlz
Fandom: Harry Potter (pre-series)
Rating: PG
Summary: Harry is six, and living with Sirius and Remus. While Sirius is away at an Auror convention, Remus comes down ill.
Bunny: #3

Remus scratched the back of his neck. He itched. That was bad. He only really ever itched when he had a fever. And he only had a fever when "Hackchoo!" he was sick.

He sniffed wetly and felt the chilled ache rest in his sinuses. This couldn't have happened at a worse time. Little Harry was just getting over the chicken pox, and Sirius was away at an Auror's convention.

"Hakchoo!' He felt his sinus' throb as he blew his nose. He scratched the back of his neck again. Part of him was concerned that he'd caught the chicken pox. But, the rational side of his brain knew that it couldn't be, since he'd already had it...twice.

He coughed gruffly and got out of bed. He felt dizzy. 'Dang it,' he thought as he pulled himself through his morning routine.

He made Harry bacon and eggs and had a bit of yogurt for himself.

Harry was full of childhood energy. "What are we going to do today, Uncle Remus?" he asked, bouncing with excitement.

Remus knew that he'd promised Harry that they'd go to the zoo. But, he barely felt well enough to sit in his chair, let alone walk around. "Not today. I thought we'd just hand in."

Harry's face fell. "But you promised," he whined.

Remus coughed slightly. I know I did, Harry. But, today isn't a good day for me."

"Why?" Harry demanded.

"Because," he paused, wondering if he should tell him the truth. "Because I have work to do."

"No you don't," Harry replied. "Sirius works. You just stay home."

The truth in the statement stung, but he let it go. "Just for today, Harry."

Harry stood up from the table, arms crossed.

"Harry sit down, please, and eat your eggs." Had he known this was going to cause such a fuss, he would have just gone to the zoo.

"No! You broke a promise! You lied! I don't like you anymore!" And, with that, he stomped off to his room and slammed the door.

Remus sighed. When Harry put it that way, Remus didn't like himself very much either.

"Kizizzle!" Remus sneezed, trying to suppress it. He whimpered against the pain in his head. He had set himself up on the couch with tech, a book, and a quilt. He dozed on and off and waiting for Harry to come out of his room. To his dismay, the young boy wouldn't talk to him at all. He had made a grilled cheese sandwich, but Harry told him to just put it outside the door and to go away. When he tired to apologize, Harry had told him he didn't trust him anymore and he felt safer alone. Suppressing his tears, and scratching his neck so hard it left welts. He retired to the living room and miserably nursed his cold.

"Ow!"

Remus woke up to a shout and a wail. Jumping off the couch and tripped over the coffee table. 'I can't make it,' he muttered to himself, meandering into the kitchen. Swaying with fatigue, he stood in the doorway of the kitchen. Little Harry stood cradling a hand with a bad burn on it.

Quickly, Remus healed the injured hand.

"Why was the stove on Harry?" he asked, sitting down. The world was spinning much to fast for his liking.

"You were sleeping, and I was hungry," was the simple reply.

"You could have woken me." Remus pulled out his handkerchief and sneezed harshly into it.

"No," Harry said, shaking his head. "I couldn't."

Remus digested that. Before Harry was in distress, Remus had no knowledge of Harry's whereabouts. Maybe he was worse off than he thought. "Hepkesshoo! Shoo!" He sniffed wetly. "I'll owl Sirius and tell him to come home. I'm so sorry, Harry. I hope you can...Hepsisshoo! Kesshoo! forgive me."

Harry paused and walked over to Remus. A pair of very concerned young eyes looked him over. "Uncle Remus, are you sick?"

Not feeling comfortable about lying to Harry again, he nodded.

Harry nodded. "I'll take care of you."

Touched by the sentiment, Remus smiled. "It's okay, Harry. I'll be fine." His voice sounded stuffy, so he snorted. "Really."

Mimicking him, Harry crossed his arms and said, "I'm not convinced."

Remus smiled. He suppressed a few coughs and looked around the kitchen, dreading cleaning up the mess.

Harry followed his gaze. "I'll clean up here. You go to bed."

Touched, Remus smiled again. "Don't you worry ab-about meh-heptshoo!" The sneeze pitched him forwards and ended in a long gurgling blow.

"I'm owling Sirius," Harry said, writing a quick note. "You're not all right. You go to bed. I'll bring you something when I'm done."

Realizing he was about to lose the argument to a six year old, Remus thanked the boy and hobbled to bed.

As he settled into bed, hot tears of shame welled up in his eyes. He was being cared for by a six year old! This was inexcusable! He had suffered from worse before, why couldn't he handle it now? He imagined how disappointed Sirius would be of him. Harry had been correct: Sirius worked hard to support the family, and all he really asked of Remus was that he tried to get work, tried to stay well, and took good care of Harry. Well, he hadn't been employed in over four months. And now he was sick - again. And, worse, he couldn't care for Harry, and had to be cared for by him.

The humiliation and feeling of failure over-whelmed him and he let the tears flow freely. He curled into the fetal position and sobbed into the palms of his hands.

"Uncle Remus?" a small voice asked from the doorway.

Remus stifled his tears at once. Sniffling wetly he kept his head down. "Yes, 'arry?"

"Are you crying?" he asked. His voice was so small and soft it made Remus want to cry all over again.

"I'm sorry. I'm just very tired Harry." Remus let loose a quivering sigh, and felt the bed move. Harry snuggled into him, and started stroking his hair.

"It's okay, Uncle Remus," Harry said, tenderly. "I'll take care of you."

Remus wrapped an arm around Harry, and held him close for a second. "Thank you, Harry." He quickly turned his face into the pillow. "Hik-izzle!"

He released Harry from the hug, and sniffed wetly. "I think you should get down Harry. I don't want you catching this. You were just sick."

Harry looked at him, seriously. "Are you getting chicken pox?"

Remus smiled. "No, but that doesn't mean I want you getting what I have either."

He grabbed a tissue off the bedside table and blew his nose. "Oh!" he exclaimed. "You wanted dinner. Let me make that..."

"Honey, I'm home!" Sirius' voice called from the main room.

Harry's face lit up, and Remus couldn't help but smile himself.

"Uncle Sirius, we're in here!" Harry called.

Sirius walked briskly into the bedroom. "Harry, what's wrong? I got your note about needing me to coming home right away, and - oh no, Remus not again..." His voice trailed off as he realized that Remus was under the covers and Harry was on top of them.

"Sorry," Remus mumbled, feeling the tears welling up again.

Sirius frowned. He heard the remorse in Remus' voice. "Harry, why don't you go set the table and let me have a talk with your old Uncle Remus here."

"Sure," Harry said brightly, and he gently placed a kiss on Remus' forehead before skipping out of the room.

"Remus," Sirius said in a low grumbling voice. "I just left yesterday. Can't you not get sick and let me have a normal life just once?"

He was angry, and Remus couldn't blame him. "Sorry. I was just about to make Harry dinner."

"No," Sirius practically yelled at him. "You were about to take a nap, when Harry needed you. Why? What is wrong with you?"

"I'm just not feeling good, Sirius. I'm sorry."

"Sorry, again. I just wanted one weekend where I didn't have to worry about you or Harry. And, you couldn't even hold down the fort until tomorrow."

The tears started to flow freely again.

"Don't start that again. You'll have Harry thinking you're weak. You're not weak, you're just useless sometimes."

Remus felt his heart break, and felt himself slip into the darkness.

"Honey, I'm home!" Sirius' voice called from the main room.

Remus shook himself out of his nightmare. Harry was still wrapped in his arms and they were snuggled together on the bed.

Harry's face lit up, at the sound of Sirius' voice and Remus couldn't help but smile himself. It had all been a dream. He should have known. Sirius would never have spoken to him that way.

"Uncle Sirius, we're in here!" Harry called.

Sirius walked briskly into the bedroom. "Harry, what's wrong? I got your note about needing me to coming home right away, and - oh no, Remus not again..."

Or, maybe he would.

Remus brushed aside the feeling of déjà vu. "Hey hon, I'm sorry. I didn't feel well this morning, and I just couldn't handle Harry tonight."

"Hey Harry," Sirius said, jumping on the bed and giving Harry a great big hug. "You taking care of your uncle?"

"Yup!" Harry said proudly. "He made me breakfast and lunch, and we didn't go to the zoo, but it was a pretty good day anyway. We both slept a lot, and I read some books."

Sirius smiled. "Good, Harry. Now, why don't you go set the table, while I talk with Remus."

"Okay!" Harry said brightly. "Feel better, Uncle Remus"

After Harry left, Sirius nuzzled into Remus. "How bad are you feeling love?"

"Start of flu I think. Sirius I'm sorry for having to call you home."

Sirius shook his head. "Can't keep you well for anything can I? That's okay. That's why I told you to call me if you needed."

He rubbed Remus' arm. "Chicken pox?"

"Flu."

"You sure?"

"Sirius, I've had the chicken pox twice, I think I'd know if I had it."

"Okay."

"How was the convention?"

Sirius' face lit up. "It was SO cool Rem. The new ways we are coming up with to capture dark creatures... it's just amazing."

Remus smiled. "Tell me about it until I drift off?"

"Of course!"

Remus listened to the soft baritone of Sirius' voice until he drifted off to better dreams than he had before.