the_debt_of_time

platform nine and three-quarters, the only thing Sirius would say was, "I don't want to talk
about it."
Her boys were making it increasingly difficult for her to take care of them.
"I don't need you to protect me, Mia," Remus said irritably.
She glared at him, shocked by his tone. "Don't get snappy with me, Remus Lupin.
I know that's the wolf coming out."
Sighing in frustration, Remus threw an arm over his face. "I'm sorry. I just... I
miss enough of my life one day out of the month, never mind the lead-up to the moon and
then recovering. I don't want to have to constantly hide away in my room."
"You shouldn't have to." Mia brushed her fingers through his hair, and he opened
his eyes, squinting against the sunlight as he looked up at her. "I just don't like seeing you
in pain."
"Worry more about your brother being in pain." Remus sat up, gesturing to James
doing loops on his broom in the centre of the field. "Four Galleons says he loses his glasses
and crashes into something."
Mia smiled, allowing Remus to divert their conversation. She looked to where Sirius
sat on his broom near the end of the field, vertically balancing the Beater's bat on his
head—just as James had done with his wand. "Another four says Sirius hits himself with
that Beater's bat."
"Two Galleons says Peter falls off his broom."
"Only two?" Mia scoffed as she looked at the short boy, struggling on his broom
that barely hovered more than ten feet from the ground. "That's easy money for you, Mr
Lupin. You should have bet me twenty."
Remus laughed and then a cold breeze passed through the stands, causing his body
to shiver and tense in obvious pain.
"That's it. Lie down," Mia ordered, patting her lap.
"Lie down?" He eyed her beneath furrowed brows. "I'm not Sirius. I don't need you
to pet me."
She ignored him, his brusque tone, and his attitude. "If you refuse to go inside, then
I insist you lie down out here. There's plenty of room on the bench. I'll rub your shoulders,
too, if you like."