the_debt_of_time

Arthur Weasley was first on his list, knowing that the redhead and Mia had been
friendly. Arthur was shocked to hear that she was missing, having been told through the
rumour mill that she had been promoted to another department, though he was not quite
sure which one or even from whom he had heard the rumour. Sirius suspected signs of
Obliviation.
Laurel Greengrass had been next on his list, and the blonde heard a similar tale,
only one that involved Mia and Sirius eloping in some romantic getaway. When he
informed her that Mia was missing, Laurel did what most purebloods of her station did:
she threw money at the problem. Unable to do much on her own, she hired multiple private
investigators, including two Muggles, despite the disapproval of her husband.
When Laurel and Sirius caused enough of a stir, the Daily Prophet picked up the
story. The copies of the one printing about Mia's disappearance all but vanished the
following day. Immediately afterward, an Order meeting had been called where Moody
announced the search was being called off, and that Mia was dead. No more information
was given to them, just that she had been on a mission of her own decision that ended
badly. Save for the few friends she had at the Ministry, the Order, and their pack, Mia
Potter might as well have never existed in the memories of the Wizarding world. Her name
became something almost forbidden during Order meetings, and anytime Sirius brought
her up, he was asked to step outside or accused of selfishly forgetting that the war had not
ended with his loss.
James was utterly devastated. Lily and Alice were heartbroken. Remus secluded
himself in his room for weeks at a time, only coming out for the full moon or to
occasionally eat and attend Order meetings.
Sirius had gone into a mad rage and attacked Alastor Moody in the middle of the
Ministry Atrium, surrounded by hundreds of people. He very publicly quit his job as an
Auror by threatening to shove his badge down Moody's throat and was subsequently
arrested and detained by wizards who, up until moments before, had been his co-workers.
Grief-stricken, Sirius spent three weeks in detainment, which was apparently how long it
took for Moody to calm down and drop the charges against him.
After his release, Sirius did nothing but try to drain both his Gringotts vault and the
United Kingdom's supply of firewhisky in order to bury his pain.
There had been only one small light in the darkness of Sirius's world.