the_debt_of_time

Sirius moved through the passage heading toward the Whomping Willow, following
behind the orange kneazle that led the way, and Remus, who was not only pulling a properly
tied up Pettigrew but also bearing the majority of the weight of the Weasley boy and his
broken leg. Floating ahead of him was an unconscious Severus Snape—which Sirius
thought made the best kind of Severus Snape—who was being levitated by his own wand
in Sirius's hand. A very small, very childish part of him thought about letting his head hit
the ceiling a few times.
Harry and the girl—Hermione—trailed behind him.
The girl.
Remus had promised that she was Mia, but there were obviously complicated
circumstances considering she looked different, was at least five years younger than he last
remembered her, her name was different, and what was most apparent—and upsetting to
Sirius—was that she did not know him.
"You know what this means, Harry?" Sirius abruptly asked as they made their slow
progress along the tunnel, ignoring the way the girl gasped when Snape's head
actually did run into the ceiling when he let himself lose focus. "Turning Pettigrew in?"
"You're free."
"Yes," Sirius said and let out a sigh of what felt like relief—what felt like hope. He
cleared his throat before speaking again. "But I'm also—I don't know if anyone ever told
you... I'm your godfather."
"Yeah, I knew that."
Sirius smiled, looking back at the boy who was an exact copy of James. "Well, your
parents, er, in the Wizarding world godparents are quite important. I should have
been.. ." he began but then stopped and ran a hand down his face in frustration.
Was now the right time to confess all of his guilt over not being there while Harry
grew up? Was now the right time to teach the boy about bonds and how, because of their
Familial Bond, he felt as though Harry was his own? Was that overstepping?
"Well, they made me your guardian," he said, finding the word to be completely
inadequate, but it was the best he could come up with at the moment. "I would understand,
though, if you want to stay with your aunt and uncle―" Even though he would not. "—
but, well, you can take some time to think about it. Once my name is cleared, if you wanted
a different home―"