the_debt_of_time

"Sirius Black showed he was capable of murder at the age of sixteen," Professor Snape said. "You
haven't forgotten that, Headmaster? You haven't forgotten that he once tried to kill me?"
"My memory is as good as it ever was, Severus."
She and Harry had known of Sirius's innocence relating to the murders of James
and Lily Potter, and they had fought to convince Snape, Fudge, and Dumbledore with
everything they could, but in the end, they knew it would not be enough. The words of a
couple of teenagers, an escaped convict, and a werewolf would hold no power.
"If all goes well, you will be able to save more than one innocent life tonight."
Innocent.
Sirius had been innocent of murder then but was sent to Azkaban anyway. Mia
knew that Sirius, this younger Sirius, would suffer, and it didn't matter when or for what
crime he had committed. He would suffer.
"He is a confused boy. A confused and angry boy who is fighting against the
prejudices of his family by lashing out, but... he is a good man, and he's punishing himself
enough for what he's done," she said firmly, recalling the red rims of Sirius's eyes as he
waited outside the Room of Requirement, his remorse evident.
Dumbledore's smile returned. "Thank you, Miss Potter. I will take your words into
consideration."
He had. Dumbledore had been amazingly creative with his eventual punishment of
Sirius—who had spent years in detention and showed nothing for it. Rather than make
him shine trophies or candelabras, or even go so far as expelling him, Dumbledore had
insisted that Sirius—who was much too smart for his own good—tutor other fifth years
who were struggling with preparations for their O.W.L.s.
The punishment forced Sirius to interact with the other Houses—Slytherins
included—and also made his own revising mandatory. When Mia had been told what
Sirius's punishment would be, she laughed as she remembered a conversation she and an
older Sirius once had, where he promised to one day tell her how he managed to get nine
O.W.L.s.