"I never believed you murdered Muggles," Laurel insisted. "Rigged a Quidditch
game? Perhaps. Robbed Gringotts? Maybe. But murdering Muggles? How utterly boring of
you, Sirius."
"If it makes you feel any better, I was framed for the Muggles while attempting to
kill a traitorous wizard," he offered, his grey eyes flashing.
Laurel grinned. "Oh, see, that's much better."
"Forgive me," Draco interrupted. "Madam Greengrass, you recognise this witch?"
he asked, indicating Mia with a gesture.
Laurel smiled down at the boy as though he were slow, a look Draco was clearly
unused to. "Of course I recognise her, dear. I may not have seen her in twenty years, but I
know my best friend when I'm looking at her."
Mia looked over Laurel's shoulder to the confused Draco. "Laurel has never
met Hermione Granger," she informed him, hoping that it was a simple enough explanation
as to why the woman recognised her as Mia Potter when the rest of the Wizarding world
was distracted with their image of the Muggle-born heroine.
Gasping, Laurel turned back to face Mia. "You know Hermione Granger?"
Sirius smiled as Mia told Laurel the grand story of her trip through time, though the
details of who sent her and why were left to the imagination. The fewer people who knew
of the Time-Turner theft and Remus's involvement, the better, as far as they were all
concerned. Once Posy and Pansy Parkinson were directed out of the restaurant, Laurel
brought her daughters in to meet Mia. Daphne and Astoria both had apparently gone to
school with Hermione, but were wonderfully polite and delighted to listen to the story of
their mother's long-lost friend and the connection they all now shared.
With the witches catching up on gossip and fawning in adoration over Mia's
engagement ring, Sirius, Remus, Harry, and Draco stepped outside to the adjoining balcony
to share firewhisky, bourbon, and a few cigars that were brought along for the occasion.
"Didn't Hermione make you quit those?" Harry asked.
"She requested that I stop smoking cigarettes," Sirius clarified. "These are cigars." He
wandlessly produced a bluebell flame in his hand and held it out for each of them to use.