the_debt_of_time

good Sirius's aim was, so this wound was meant to be a warning. She examined it closely
and held her wand up, running it over the slash to close it cleanly.
"Is anyone going to clue me in on what exactly that was about?" Regulus snapped,
hissing when something she did stung.
"Sirius has issues with Death Eaters," she explained. "After everything that's been
in the Daily Prophet lately, he was bound to snap at some point."
"So, he attacks me because... ?"
"Why do you think?" She eyed him carefully, her gaze drifting down to his left arm.
Reflexively, he pulled it close to his chest and stared at her as though he were waiting
for her to make the first move and attack. When his eyes looked less cold and angry, and
more sad and empty, she sighed as a thought occurred to her.
"You'll need dittany if you don't want this to scar. If you don't want Madam
Pomfrey to ask too many questions, I'm sure you could just summon Kreacher and he'd
bring some to you," she suggested, watching Regulus's reaction carefully.
His eyes widened only slightly as he stared sceptically at her when she said the
house-elf's name. "I'll be fine."
"Oh?" She tilted her head to the side, watching the wizard carefully like a serpent
would before striking. "Is there something wrong with Kreacher?"
"What do you know?" Regulus demanded, his eyes narrowing.
It's starting, Mia thought, feeling a strange sense of dread and relief at the same time.
"I know that you're not a bad a person. Don't get me wrong, you were a little prick
when you were younger. But I know that Sirius wanted to save you back when he was
attacked. When they tried to mark him." She frowned at the memory and noticed a lost
look in Regulus's eyes as he hugged his arm tighter. "It's not fair that the two of you were
put against one another like this."
"Yes, well." Regulus cleared his throat. "Life isn't fair."
"No," Mia agreed. "It's not."
"You're not going to tell anyone?"
She shook her head. "No."
"Why?" he questioned suspiciously, his brows furrowing.
She sighed, exhausted. "A few reasons. Firstly, I think if Sirius were to find out for
certain, he'd hate himself for what he might do in reaction," she explained truthfully,