the_debt_of_time

"As am I," McGonagall said bitterly. "Three students from my House claimed to
have heard Miss Carrow mention You-Know-Who, and then she threatened Mr Black's
life clear as day, in front of the others."
"Are you certain they aren't lying?" Scrimgeour frowned, and McGonagall looked
positively outraged at his accusations. "I mean no offence, but if I'm to report this to the
Ministry, they'll want to know how not one, but two potential Death Eaters were found
inside the school, let alone how they escaped!"
"Is this really the right place?" Charlus Potter asked as he stood from his seat beside
his wife, to approach the trio of professors. "Certainly this argument could be had
elsewhere while my family tries to heal through this ordeal?"
"Please accept my apologies, Charlus," Dumbledore said sadly. "Rest assured, I will
make certain to do everything I can to see that the boy is well tended."
With that, the headmaster led the professors out of the infirmary, leaving behind
the Potters, Sirius, Peter, and Remus.
"It's my fault."
Mia watched her mother envelop Sirius in her arms as he sobbed into her shoulder.
"I'm so sorry, Mum," he cried. "It's my fault. It should've been me. It was supposed
to be me."
"Don't you dare say anything of the sort," Dorea chided him, and Mia stifled
another sob as she looked back down at James's unconscious form, lying there on the bed.
While she could never blame him, Sirius was right. It was supposed to have been
him. Alecto had her wand aimed at Sirius, and from that angle, the Sectumsempra Curse
could have easily slit his throat open. She had first heard of the curse when Harry used it
in her original sixth year in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom against Draco. The second time
was after she and Kingsley landed at the Burrow and were told about George's injury during
their retrieval of Harry from Privet Drive. The third instance she had seen with her own
eyes at Malfoy Manor when Draco took down Lucius in defence of his mother.
Mia had never been that close to the curse. Not until today.
The word "Sectumsempra!" ripped through her consciousness, and Mia felt her blood run cold.
Her body went completely numb, and she did not even feel the movement to the side of her as James willingly
leapt in front of Sirius, taking the curse in the chest.