the_debt_of_time

"My sister invited her Muggle boyfriend over for the holidays," Lily said with a
grimace.
Mia mirrored her expression at the thought of Petunia and Vernon Dursley, two of
the most heinous Muggles that Mia was glad to not have had the displeasure of meeting yet
in this time.
"Since we can't let him know that I'm a witch, I was forced to just sit there and try
to explain my boarding school without any details while he looked at me like I was some
nutter." Lily sighed dejectedly, adding in a slightly bitter tone, "I'm pretty sure Petunia told
him that I was sent away to an asylum."
"Your parents just let that happen?" Mia snarled, remembering stories from Harry
about how his aunt and uncle had told their friends and neighbours that they had sent him
away to St Brutus's Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Boys.
Lily shrugged and stared down at the floor. "Petunia's pretty sure that Vernon's
going to propose soon, so my parents didn't want to ruin her chances by making a fuss.
Plus, I think they miss the old days when I was... normal."
Sirius threw an arm around her shoulders and smiled as he continued to levitate her
trunk in the air. "Muggles aren't normal, Evans; when will you learn?"
Remus and Mia followed behind as Sirius led Lily and the levitating trunk down the
hallway.
"I would have thought you'd rather be with Alice or Mary," Remus said in a teasing
tone, "what with James living here and all."
Lily smirked, feigning nonchalance, her tone much too light—the one she used
when lying—as she said, "It's a sacrifice I'm willing to deal with."
Mia was one of few people who knew that Lily was not so hard on James lately.
After seeing what had happened when he nearly sacrificed his own life to save his best
friend, even Lily had to admit that James Potter was not a complete and total prat.
"Alice is spending Christmas with Frank's family―"
"Ouch." Sirius laughed. "Hols with Madam Longbottom. That ought to provide
some good stories when we get back to school."
"—and Mary is in France with her mother," Lily added, looking slightly perturbed
over being interrupted, especially since Sirius briefly lost concentration and her trunk
rattled mid-air.