the_debt_of_time

"Ugh, I am not having this argument with you again, Sirius Black!" Mia snapped at
him, heat rising in her chest that she knew could trigger a panic attack at any moment.
He blinked at her in confusion. "What do you mean again?"
"I... I mean.. ."
Shit.
How was it that he had the ability to make her forget what year she was living in? It
was those grey eyes. They looked the same. In thirty years, those eyes would still be the
same—the same infuriating, unnatural shade of grey that caused her to lose herself.
"Just drop it. I don't want to talk about it anymore." She reached for the handle of
her trunk, carrying it off toward the hallway.
"Young Miss!" Tilly popped into the room with wide blue eyes and an excited smile.
"Tilly is so happy you is home! Tilly will take Young Miss's trunk. Young Master tried to
sneak his trunk upstairs." She eyed Mia as though she knew she was behind it. "Yes he did,
but Tilly caught him. Now Young Miss will give Tilly her trunk, and Tilly takes care of it."
"See?!" Sirius pointed at the elf.
Tilly turned her attention to Sirius and examined him very closely. "You is Young
Master Black, yes you is?"
"Yes, I am," Sirius said.
Tilly continued to stare at him. "Young Master Black takes his own trunk." She
turned away from Sirius, taking Mia's trunk down the hallway.
"Oh, I should have mentioned," Mia said with a smug grin. "Your family was
apparently really mean to Tilly. So I guess you'll have to carry your own trunk."
Sirius should have been offended, but in the end, he laughed. "Anyone who doesn't
like the House of Black is okay in my book." He grinned defiantly at Mia and gripped the
handle of his trunk, following after the house-elf.
The excitement of being home for Christmas lasted the entire evening. Tilly had
made all of Mia and James's favourites, which happened to also be all of Remus and Sirius's
favourites. The manor was decorated with a brightly coloured Christmas tree in every
room, faerie lights twinkling from within, and mistletoe hanging over Charlus and Dorea's
room. The guests were given a tour of the manor, and the boys spent hours before bed
flying out back over the freshly fallen snow that covered the orchard and gardens.
It was perfect.