the_debt_of_time

Mia had been unlike any girl he had ever known. She was James's sister, but nothing
like a sister to Sirius. She had always been his friend—more than a friend. She had been
his safe place for as long as he had known her.
"I... I didn't know."
"You don't even bother to try," Remus accused bitterly.
"What the hell am I supposed to do with this, Remus?" Sirius asked, wide-eyed.
"She's James's sister. She's Mia. She's our friend... She's... She.. ." he stammered as he
paced back and forth in the room.
He had been out in the snow not an hour ago, locked in his first snog with a fourth
year Ravenclaw who obviously fancied him. It had been one of the best nights of his entire
life, and that did not say much considering how shitty his life had been up until Hogwarts.
Until he had met James and Remus and Peter and...
Mia.
"She's ours," Remus said firmly. "Ours to take care of. Ours to protect," he went on,
his eyes fierce. "Our job. Remember, Sirius?"
"I remember," Sirius whispered.
That first night in Potter Manor had been horrible. He thought the Potters to be
this perfect family with perfect children. James and Mia exuded joy and love. To hear her
screaming in the night had terrified him. He remembered watching as James crawled into
her bed and pulled her tight against him, and suddenly, she had calmed down. Just like that.
It had been like... magic. Sirius remembered feeling envious of his friend for having a
power that felt so important. Sirius wanted that power. Wanted to be able to calm her
screams and dry her tears. So he had taken it upon himself to declare that she belonged
to all of them: James, Remus, and himself.
It had felt right at the time. James was her brother, and Remus had always been her
best friend, and Sirius was... was...
Oh, fuck.
"Our job," Sirius repeated, the words feeling like they were trying to choke him as
they came out.
"Then do it! Bloody take care of the girl, and stop hurting her by being an arrogant
prat! James can't take care of her forever, and if you don't man up and do it―" Remus stared
at Sirius, eyes hard with conviction. "Someone else will."