Remus stared out of the car window, watching the fields fly past. "Dad?"
"What?"
"Can we have the radio on?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"It's distracting."
"Please?"
"No, we're here now anyway." Lyall parked the car and the family climbed out.
"Lyall!" Two men made their way over.
"Max." Lyall nodded.
"After all these years, I finally got you up here." Max laughed as he shook Lyall's hand. He turned to the younger man stood next to him. "Billy, get the bags."
Billy nodded, "Right away."
"I kept the best cabin for you." Max told Lyall. Remus sighed and followed Billy to the boot of the car. He grabbed two of the bags and placed them down on the ground.
"Hey, thanks a lot. You want a job?" Billy laughed.
***
"Mum, Dad, I'm going up to the main house to look around." Remus called as he left the cabin. He followed the path and made his way up the steps into the main house. There didn't seem to be many people around.
"There are two kinds of help here. You waiters are college guys, and I went to Cambridge and Oxford to hire you. And why did I do that? Why?" Remus heard someone saying. He followed the voices. "I shouldn't have to remind you." He watched Max through the door. "This is a family place. That means you keep your fingers out of the water, hair out of the soup and show the daughters a good time. All the daughters, even the dogs."
Remus made a face.
"Take them out to the terrace, show them the stars. Romance them any way you want."
"Got that, guys?" Remus looked at the guy who had just entered. He was part of a small group.
"Hey, hold it! Hold it!" Max called. "Well, if it isn't the entertainment staff. Listen, wise ass, you got your own rules. Dance with the daughters. Teach them the Mambo, the Cha-Cha, anything they pay for. That's where it ends. No funny business, no conversations, and keep your hands off!"
"It's the same in all these places. Some ass in the woods maybe, but no conversation." One of the guys said, causing the others to laugh.
"Watch it, Davy."
"Think you can keep that straight, Sirius - what you can and can't lay your hands on?" One of the waiters laughed as he got back to work.
"Just put your pickle on everybody's plate, college boy. Leave the hard stuff to me." The guy winked.
Remus backed away.
***
"Sit down, sit down. I'll get you some wine." Max said as he pulled out Hope's chair.
"Thank you, Max." Remus sat down in between his parents.
"This is Lyall and Hope Lupin, and their son Remus." Max gestured to the family. "Everyone, this is your waiter, Caradoc Dearborn. Cambridge."
"Ah." Lyall nodded.
"Caradoc, these people are my special guests. Give them anything they want." Max turned back to the family. "Enjoy."
"Thanks, Max." Max patted Lyall on the shoulder before walking off.
***
"Max, our Remus will change the world." Max clicked his fingers and a pretty girl came over.
"Lyall, I would like you to meet somebody. My Granddaughter Lily. She's at school studying hotel management."
"Remus goes away to study this autumn."
"Oh, great." Lily smiled at Remus. "Allow us to take you through to the hall."
The family got up and followed Max and Lily through into another room where people were already dancing.
"Remus, why don't you ask Lily to dance?"
"Do I have to?" Lyall raised an eyebrow and Remus sighed. "Lily, would you like to dance?" Lily smiled and took Remus' arm.
"Are you going to study English?" Lily asked.
"No, economics of underdeveloped countries."
"Sounds interesting."
"Yeah."
The music changed and Lily's face lit up. "Mambo! Yeah, come on!"
Remus continued to dance with Lily. He looked over her shoulder, the guy from earlier was dancing with a pretty blonde. He watched as they danced around the room in sync, almost showing off.
"Who's that?" He asked Lily.
"Oh, them. They're the dance people. They're here to keep the, uh, guests happy."
The guests parted as the couple moved to the middle of the room. Lily sighed.
"They shouldn't be showing off with each other. That won't sell lessons."
Remus watched as the guy dipped the girl. The room burst into applause as he then lifted her above his head. Remus noticed Max gesturing for them to stop from the sidelines. The pair looked at each other and then parted, going their separate ways.
"Hi, kids. Having fun?" Lyall asked. Lily grinned.
"Yeah. Actually, I've got to excuse myself. I'm in charge of the games tonight." Lily turned to Remus, twirling her hair around her finger. "Say, would you help me get things started?"
"Sure he would." Lyall nudged Remus.
