Words from Remus's letter floated across her mind. It had been too long since she
had read it, but she needed the words now. She needed to remember her guide and her
rules. To remember that he had told her she could not save lives that were not meant to
be saved. She could not stop a war that was not meant to be stopped. And she could not
redeem those who, at this moment in time, were irredeemable.
"Can I assume that I'm headed to detention shortly, Professor?" Mia asked. "And
that I'm forbidden from attending Hogsmeade?"
"Absolutely, young lady. And I still want a proper explanation for your behaviour!"
"Very well." Mia almost smiled as she gathered her bags and turned to look at a very
pleased-looking James, Remus, and Peter. She grinned at her brother and best friend before
her eyes fell on the rat and she glared. "What can I say, Professor? I just can't control myself
when the people I love are threatened."
Her eyes were empty and cold, and her body language was eerily calm and collected,
but she noticed that Peter abruptly stopped breathing, only regaining the function of his
lungs once her stare relaxed.
Sirius slipped through the portrait hole with a bright, smug grin spread across his
face. His lips were swollen, and his hair was pleasantly dishevelled, or least it had been
when he caught a glimpse in a reflection.
There were a few lingering first years on the sofas, hunched over rolls of parchment
in a panic, still trying to find the comfortable routine of homework and life that the older
students had fallen into since the beginning of the year.
Sirius practically skipped up the stairs to the dorms. Upon entering, he spotted
Remus, who was sitting on his bed with a large book open in his hands, his body
surrounded by empty candy wrappers and discarded Chocolate Frog cards.
"Hello, my fine, furry friend." Sirius threw himself onto his own bed and rested his
hands lazily behind his head.
For as happy as Sirius was, Remus looked the polar opposite. He glared across the
room at Sirius. "Where the hell have you been? Curfew was an hour ago."