Square One

The next day, Harry awoke to a loud crash and muffled cursing. Tonks had come to visit, he realised with a smile. He made it through his morning rituals a little more easily than he had the day before, but the stairs still seemed an impossible task. The timely appearance of Remus couldn't have been more welcome. The older man helped him down the stairs and led him through to the kitchen.

Tonks, Ginny, Hermione, Molly, and Arthur were all seated around the kitchen table, drinking tea and coffee and munching on pastries. Ginny and Hermione both greeted Harry with warm hugs, though Ginny's embrace lingered a little longer than Hermione's. Remus gave Harry's shoulder a squeeze before going to the parlour to help Ron with the kids, and Harry slid into a seat at the table.

As he munched on one of the croissants Ginny had brought for breakfast, he learned that the dinner George and Charlie had promised to work around today was really a large lunch for the extended family. It was rumoured that Charlie had even invited Samantha to join them.

Everyone pitched in to help with the preparations for the day. Arthur and Hermione set up tables in the backyard, Ginny helped her Mum in the kitchen, and Ron and Remus kept the children entertained. Harry and Tonks did their best to stay out of everyone's way. They ended up on opposite ends of the sofa, listening to Brian read a storybook to Remus as he cuddled on his lap.

Dinnertime came around at last, and everyone gathered in the back garden. George and Charlie had made it home, as promised, but Samantha didn't come along.

"It just wasn't working out with us," Charlie explained.

Nicolae was absent from table as well, working a shift at St. Mungo's.

"He works entirely too hard," Molly said.

"And entirely too much," Ginny added. "He's hardly ever at home. He doesn't get to spend as much time as he ought with Brian and me."

"He's got to work hard just to keep Brian in clothes that fit," Ron said with a grin. "I swear that boy grows an inch a week."

Ginny laughed. "If that were true, he'd be as tall as Hagrid by now."

"How is Hagrid?" Harry asked. "All George told me is he's still at Hogwarts."

"That's right," George confirmed. "Still at Hogwarts. Still infatuated with dangerous creatures."

"And still teaching," Charlie chimed in. "Only he's had a little help with his lesson plans the last couple of years, and things are going much more smoothly than when you were at Hogwarts."

"Help with his lesson plans?"

"What Charlie means," Ron explained, "is that he - Charlie - managed to convince Hagrid to let him advise him a bit. Basically Charlie makes sure that none of Hagrid's creatures are going to get anyone killed."

~ ~ ~

After lunch, most of the adults retired to the parlour. Remus and Tonks volunteered to keep an eye on the children, and Ginny and Harry chose to stay outside with the kids as well. Remus conjured up a blanket for the adults to sit on, though at least one of them at a time was up wandering the grounds with Lauren, making sure she didn't get into anything that might hurt her.

At one point, Remus was off pushing Brian's swing and Tonks was chasing after Lauren, leaving Harry and Ginny alone. Harry stretched out on the blanket, and Ginny guided his head to her lap, carding her fingers through his hair. He closed his eyes, and for a moment he was able to make believe that things were as they had been before he woke up to find he'd missed out on six years of his life.

He must have drifted off, because the next he knew, he was being carefully shifted. Looking up, he saw Nicolae watching Ginny with a familiar jealousy burning in his eyes. Nicolae took a deep, steadying breath and then began casting his usual diagnostic and monitoring spells on Harry.

Harry opened his mouth to tell Nicolae that nothing had happened between him and Ginny, but what came out instead was "What exactly are you doing?"

Nicolae gave him a little smile. "Making sure you're getting better instead of worse. Which you are." He produced a vial from his pocket. "You should be good as new in a month or so. The fatigue should continue to lessen each day."

Harry downed the potion and returned the vial. Nicolae's hand closed over Harry's for a moment, causing Harry to look into the other man's face. Again he had the eerie feeling that those indigo eyes could see into his soul. He shivered, and a small smile flitted across Nicolae's face before he let go of Harry's hand and headed into the house.

By the time that Harry made his way inside a few minutes later, Ginny, Brian, and Nicolae had gone home.

~ ~ ~

Later that evening Harry swallowed his pride and asked George to help him in the bath. He simply wasn't sure he could manage climbing in and out of the slippery tub on his own. George didn't mind.

"I had to do the same for Charlie ages ago," he explained as he helped Harry into the bathtub. "Nicolae practically lived at the hospital at the end of the war. They worked him non-stop for months. He only cut his hours back a few weeks before Brian was born. Mum had her hands full with Dad, and Ron...." George paused, taking the cloth from Harry's hands to scrub his back. "Ron spent a lot of time at St. Mungo's, too. We had a hard time getting him and Ginny to leave your side, at first - even for a few hours."

Harry nodded, but said nothing.

"Anyway," George continued, tipping Harry's head back so he could wet his hair, "that left me to look after Charlie."

George helped Harry wash his hair, and then sat nearby as Harry finished washing up, entertaining him with tales of the new products he and Charlie were developing for the shop. After, he helped Harry out of the bath and wrapped him in an oversized dressing gown. Harry refused to meet his eyes, but George would have none of it. He cupped Harry's chin and urged his head up.

"No worries, Harry. We all need help sometimes. It's just good you've finally learned to ask for it."

Harry answered George's wry grin with a weak smile. "And it only took nearly dying for me to figure it out."

"You never were too bright, were you, Harry?"

Harry smiled a little wider as he let George help him down the stairs to his room.

~ ~ ~

The next day or two were much the same, consisting largely of sitting around the house and nodding off at odd times, interspersed with brief visits from Nicolae. By the third day, though, Harry was able to navigate the stairs on his own as he went down to breakfast. He still needed help getting back up them to head to bed, but it was obvious that his strength was returning.

On Wednesday morning, Harry ventured into the back garden after breakfast. As he rounded the corner of the house, he caught sight of Nicolae and Brian standing together in a shady spot near the pond. Nicolae was stepping and stretching in some sort of routine that Harry thought might be a form of martial arts - though nothing like the imitation karate that Piers and Dudley used to engage in. Brian, beside his father, tried his best to copy Nicolae's movements. Occasionally Nicolae would pause to correct Brian's posture or footing. Curious, Harry wandered closer, noticing as he neared that a radio was playing nearby.

"Good morning, Harry," Nicolae called when he noticed the other man approaching.

"Good morning, Uncle Harry," Brian mimicked.

Harry smiled. "Good morning."

Beyond the greeting, the other two ignored Harry's presence, continuing to move in time to the music.

"Is that...tai chi or something?" Harry asked.

Nicolae grinned at him. "Something like that. Would you like to join us?" Harry's skepticism must have shown on his face, because Nicolae continued, "It's a good exercise routine. It will help rebuild your muscle tone, increase your flexibility and stamina. It develops coordination...grace."

"Sounds like Tonks could use some lessons, then."

Nicolae laughed. "I haven't the strength or energy to take that one on. But you should join us."

Still unsure, Harry moved to stand beside Nicolae.

The movements were simple, as Nicolae was teaching a five year old, so Harry had no trouble following along. Occasionally Nicolae would correct him, as he did Brian, guiding him with his hands and feet when he needed to.

By the time they'd made it through what Nicolae said was his and Brian's daily routine, Harry was slightly out of breath and more than a little fatigued. He sat down to rest with his back against a tree and used the tail of his t-shirt to wipe sweat from his brow. Brian picked up a stick and knelt near his father to draw in the dirt.

Nicolae changed the music on the small player to something more upbeat and began to move in a more advanced routine. Harry couldn't help being both awed by and jealous of Nicolae's easy movements. As he watched, Harry slowly became aware of exactly what it was that Nicolae was doing.

"You taught me to dance," Harry said as Nicolae dropped down to sit beside him beneath the tree.

"Not yet," Nicolae said. "But I will if you'd like. Today was only the first lesson."

"I didn't know you could dance like that. I didn't really know anyone could dance like that."

"My mother began to teach me the dance forms of our people when I was still a toddler. By the time I was four, she had enrolled me in ballet lessons. Later, I studied other forms on my own. Now I just mix them up as I please."

"It works."

"So you'll be joining us again tomorrow?"

"I'd like that."

"A word of warning - with my schedule, we have our lessons at all different times of day. Tomorrow it will likely be early evening, just before we head home for dinner."

"It isn't as if I'm doing anything else."

"Give it time, Harry," Nicolae said, clapping him on the shoulder. The next instant he was on his feet. "Brian, come away from there," he cried, already moving toward the boy. "I don't know how many times I've told him to stay away from the pond."

With that, Nicolae ushered his son inside, Harry trailing behind. Brian wandered upstairs to play, leaving the adults to chat over tea; it was decided that Brian would stay the night, and shortly thereafter, Nicolae headed home.

Harry spent most of that day and the next in Brian's company. The small boy had already grown rather attached to his 'uncle,' and Harry adored him in return. Harry helped Arthur and Molly with Brian's lessons, played simple games with the boy, and even sat for an hour or more drawing and coloring with him.

When Nicolae arrived the next evening, he found the two of them snuggled up in an armchair in the parlour; Brian was reading a storybook aloud, with Harry giving him a nudge here and there to get past the harder words.

He called out to them from the doorway, and both looked up with identical expressions on their face - partly irritated by the interruption, partly glad to see him - and the smile slid from his face.

"Nicolae? Are you all right?"

"I....Yes. I just...could you...would you mind keeping Brian again tonight? Ginny and I...I think we need to talk."

Worried by the other man's sudden pallor and the stricken look on his face, Harry readily agreed.

Mumbling his thanks, Nicolae darted back through the doorway and disappeared.

Late that night, a slight sound and a spill of light from the hallway pulled Harry from a sound sleep. He instinctively checked on the child sleeping beside him and then glanced up toward the open door. Even without his glasses, he could tell that it was Nicolae standing there.

After a moment, Nicolae moved into the room and knelt down beside the bed. He gently stroked Brian's hair back from his face, letting his hand rest on the top of the child's head. Up close, Harry could see tears pooling in Nicolae's eyes.

"What's wrong?" Harry said quietly.

"Ginny and I...have decided to...to...dissolve our marriage," Nicolae whispered hoarsely. He brushed tears away with his free hand. "I can't say why. I promised I wouldn't. But...I'm afraid that she...that she will try to take Brian from me."

"Nicolae," Harry said softly, his heart going out to the other man. It was obvious how much he was hurting. "I'll talk to her if you think it will help."

"No," Nicolae replied, shaking his head slightly. "You shouldn't....it would be better if you didn't get involved, I think." He stroked his boy's hair again. "I should go. I need to find somewhere to spend the night."

"You'll stay here," Harry said, pushing the blankets aside. Nicolae started to protest, but Harry cut him off. "Stay here, with Brian. There's still a spare bed in George's room, I think. I can sleep there."

Nicolae stood and steadied Harry as he climbed off the bed. "Thank you," he whispered. And then Harry was being pulled into a tight hug. Harry hid his shock and returned the embrace.

"Get some sleep," he said, snatching up his glasses and wand.

Shutting the door quietly, Harry slowly climbed the stairs to the next floor. He let himself into George's room almost silently and noticed immediately that there was only one bed, which was currently occupied.

"Harry?" George called groggily.

"Go back to sleep."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong." He paused. "Well, I don't guess that's exactly true. Anyway, I gave up my bed and thought there might still be a second one in here, but there isn't so...."

"Harry, you're rambling." George scooted over and held up the duvet. "I kick less than Brian does. And I'm not getting up to drag your ass up to Ginny's room, so get in."

Harry hesitated. He'd never really slept in the same bed with another person. But he was tired, and the stairs were just too much to face. So he climbed into bed, turned his back to George, put his glasses and wand in easy reach, and settled in to sleep.