the_debt_of_time

"It's also binding," Alice whispered. "Remus has basically stated he'll take no other
witches until Mia decides to cast him aside. Generations ago, that letter would have been
considered a marriage proposal for her parents to consider."
The letter was not entirely a surprise to Mia, but the fact that it was from Remus
had thrown her. Not only was he a half-blood, but in sending that letter so publicly, he had
put his heart and pride on the line. If Mia stood up and said she wanted to marry him,
Remus would be obligated to agree to it. She remembered how incredibly difficult the older
Remus had been in accepting his own mate, Tonks. She had overheard an argument in the
hospital wing the night Dumbledore died, during which Remus stated he could not be with
Tonks because he was too old for her, too poor for her, and a werewolf to boot. Of course,
they got over those little issues quickly and were married within weeks. Still, Mia felt guilty
that Tonks had to fight for Remus, while she was apparently gifted his heart so easily.
"Ignoring the fact that this sounds incredibly archaic—if not slightly romantic," Lily
said in a whisper, "why didn't he send one to her parents?"
"I did," Remus replied. "First chance I got." His eyes were still focused on James,
who finished reading the letter and stood up, staring across the table at him. Remus
followed suit.
"Then why is Potter reading the Letter of Intent?" Lily whispered, watching the
scene as though it were a formal class on pureblood society.
"It's a gesture." Mia smiled as she watched James extend a hand to Remus. Remus
let out a shaky breath and took James's hand, and James let a smile cross his face.
"Now that my honour is restored, can we eat?" The corners of Mia's mouth turned
up in amusement as Remus and James retook their seats, ignoring the fact that every girl
in the Great Hall was now eyeing Remus like he was the hero of one of Lily's ridiculous
romance novels.
"All or almost all, right?" Remus grinned at her, and Mia laughed, throwing her
biscuit at his face.
"I still don't see what the big deal is," Lily said. "I understand in older days that
would have been the precursor to marriage, but now? From what it looked like, Remus
passed James a note asking permission to date you, which he already did for a year."
"A Letter of Intent is about courtship," Mary explained, reaching across the table
and snatching the letter away from James so she could look at it. "It means that neither