the_debt_of_time

since she had not grown up with a house-elf. Even Mia had lost what few domestic skills
she might have had—though she had never exactly been as talented with a cooking pot as
she was with a cauldron.
Mia decided to step away before Lily ended up hexing James. She greeted
Dumbledore with a stiff nod as he stood in the corner of the room, admiring a shiny, red
package in his hands.
"Socks," Dumbledore said with a bright smile. "Minerva knows me so well, every
year she gives me socks for Christmas." When she did not return his smile nor participate
in the small talk, he cleared his throat and set the box down on a nearby table.
Mia stared at it, watching as the light reflected off of the shiny red wrapping paper,
reminding her of the box that Future Remus had given her for her birthday. Socks, she
thought to herself. Not a Time-Turner. Not a Portkey. She stuck her hand into her pocket,
rubbing the Tele-Portkey she kept on her at all times. For some reason, it settled her nerves.
She wondered how bad the consequences would be if she were to give one to Dumbledore.
"I am glad to see, my dear, that you are doing well, considering Remus's recent
recovery."
She squeezed the Tele-Portkey hard, pinching it between her fingers until it hurt.
"I'd prefer not to talk about Remus, sir," she said, her voice laced with a manipulative
sweetness that her mother would have been proud to hear. "I've been told that any threat
to his person or character tends to make me react a little... violently."
Her gaze flickered across the room, where she spotted Marlene McKinnon scowling
at the back of Remus's head as he tried to hold back an enraged, redhead. James stared on
in amusement, an enchanted look on his face that so reminded Mia of the way Harry often
looked at Ginny when she went into a fury about something.
"It's a character flaw I've been working on."
"I understand."
Mia turned her attention back to Dumbledore with an excited smile. She let go of
the coin in her pocket and laced her fingers together in front of her. "I've actually come to
give you a Christmas gift, sir."
"Oh?" Dumbledore raised a brow. "I hope you didn't go out of your way, my dear."