the_debt_of_time

Remus watched his older self give the girl a tight smile before letting her go and
walking out the door, placing a hand on Sirius's shoulder before exiting the library.
Hermione frowned, clearly worried. "Is he okay?"
"He's got a lot on his mind," Sirius said. "We've been going through a few stints of nostalgia
lately. Brought up some intense memories from the past." He shrugged his shoulders and slowly walked into
the room, reaching for her bracelet-clad wrist and tugging her toward him. "It's almost the day after your
birthday."
"Is that important?" Remus asked.
"We were supposed to talk about the Soul Bond; about us," she explained with a
frown, looking longingly at the memory. "I'd only known about it for a year or so, and it
was confusing. Sirius knew, because he knows about it now, and he had promised to
explain it all to me, but... but I went back into the past, so we never got the chance to
talk. Pretty sure you both set it up that way on purpose," she added with a slight glare.
"I've been meaning to ask this for... Mia." Remus sighed, his eyes drifting between
the images of the older Sirius Black and Hermione. "Why did you never tell me about the
Soul Bond between you and Sirius?"
"Honestly? I don't know. At first because I didn't know what it meant, and then I
didn't know if I could, because I wasn't sure if you—older, future you—already knew about
it, and in the end it just... It got too complicated."
Remus slowly nodded his head in understanding.
"Before we dig into old magics and awkward adult conversations, will you allow an old dog one
last moment of recklessness?"
He widened his eyes slightly as he watched an older version of Sirius lean in and
kiss the young witch in his arms. She did not look much older than Mia currently was, but
Sirius himself looked to be forty if not close to it. It was briefly uncomfortable until Remus
turned to see Mia, who was staring at the scene as though it was life-giving. He suddenly
understood, this memory was not entirely for him. She needed to see it. She needed
to remember it.
"Happy birthday, kitten," Sirius whispered. "No matter what happens... promise me you'll just
try to be happy, all right?"
"Sirius, I don't underst―"