If Teddy was available, she would choose him as a napping partner over everyone
else, something that Tonks took great pleasure in poking fun at her husband over. Remus
was only slightly put out over being discarded for his own son.
The one bright spot had been when she and Harry escorted Sirius and Remus to
Fred and George's shop in Diagon Alley. Both Marauders stared at the old familiar building
before bursting into laughter. They smiled with silent amusement as the twins walked them
through the shop, showing them around, and even taking them in the back where they kept
their more volatile experiments. Mia took a gander at some of their current brews, making
mental notes of suggestions to tell them later, while Sirius was busy offering his own advice
on their latest line of charmed cloaking robes. When they stayed around to watch Fred and
George close up shop for the night, the twins invited everyone upstairs to their flat for a
round of butterbeers.
"Can I show you something?" Mia asked once the door to the flat shut behind them.
Fred and George each nodded while Sirius and Remus grinned from behind them.
She reached for one of her vinewood wands, lifting it to tap on the wall above the
front door. With mischief in her voice, she said, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no
good."
Slowly, much like the Marauder's Map always had, words began to emerge above
the doorframe reading:
Home of Sirius Black, Mia Potter, and Remus Lupin
Let All Who Enter Leave Laughing
The twins, for the first time in recorded history, were struck silent. Fred balanced
himself against a nearby wall. George dropped his butterbeer.
Sirius patted the boys on the back and said, "I want that copper clawfoot tub back
if it's still here."
Despite the momentary jolt of amusement, seeing her old home brought up
unwanted memories, and by the end of the first week since returning to 1998—with no
job at the Ministry to distract her from the pain like she'd had when Charlus and Mary died
nor Hogwarts classes and N.E.W.T.s preparation when Dorea had passed—Mia forced
herself into as many new projects as possible, the most important of which was removing
the Dark Mark from Draco.