the_debt_of_time

"Tell me what's going on," Harry demanded, looking at Sirius as though he could
see right through him.
"Fine. Fuck. Right." Sirius ran a hand nervously through his hair. Knowing that he
would have to start somewhere educational before he even got to the issues with Hermione,
he cleared his throat. "What do you know about magical bonds?"
"Bonds?" Harry's brows furrowed in confusion. "Didn't Bill and Fleur have
something like that at their wedding?"
Sirius groaned painfully. "Oh, Merlin, I've really failed you as a godfather."
Harry's ire visibly retreated a bit at the comment, and he shook his head to disagree.
"What? Don't say that, you've―"
Interrupting, Sirius sat down at the table, dragging Harry by his elbow into the chair
beside him. "I'm fixing this starting now before someone shows up and starts hexing my
arse for neglecting my magical duty."
Already, he could see Mia's flashing amber eyes and hear her screaming: "You didn't
even teach him about bonds? That's the most important foundation a wizard or witch needs to know,
Sirius!"
"All right, so bonds," he began, clapping his hands together. "There are several
different types. Familial, which you are usually born into unless adopted. Marital, which is
self-explanatory. Servitude, meaning the bond between a wizard and a house-elf. And Soul,
meaning, well, soul mates. Werewolf packs can also have bonds."
While he still looked slightly bewildered by the new topic, Harry appeared to be
doing his best in trying to keep up. "So, Tonks and Remus?"
Sirius bowed his head in acknowledgement. "Are bonded twice, yes. Once, because
she's his mate—similar to a soulmate but it's more werewolf pack oriented—and again
because they were bonded at their wedding."
"Were my parents bonded?" Harry asked. "I've never really thought about their
wedding."
Sirius smiled, remembering the way Lily's eyes lit up at the sight of the floating
bluebell flames he had created for her. "Yes. It was... It was beautiful," he whispered.
"When your mum and dad bonded, Lily was magically sealed into the Potter family.
Divorce is nearly impossible in the Wizarding world, Harry. Breaking a bond is physically
painful because your magic is interwoven with the others who share the bond. Familial is