the_debt_of_time

"Everyone's safe. But Sniv—Snape," James corrected himself, "found a way beneath
the Whomping Willow. I got there just in time. Snape's with Dumbledore, but Remus was
in a state when the sun rose. Professor Dumbledore asked us to deal with him, but Mia...
he won't listen to us."
"How did Snape figure it out?" she asked, looking directly at Sirius, tears already
welling in her eyes. Had it not been just days ago he refused to break eye contact with her
as they held each other in a dark corner, confessing feelings of affection and making
promises of safety?
"I let him overhear me," Sirius mumbled. "I made him think that we were keeping
something secret up in the shack. Made him think that we'd all be expelled if we were found
out. Then.. ." He brought his hands to his face and shook his head, exhaling shakily. "I'm
so sorry, Mia. I let him hear me talk about the notch in the tree."
She closed her eyes, unable to yell at him. "Sirius, you could have killed him. You
could have destroyed Remus over this. His whole life."
"Mia, please," Sirius rasped, voice raw. "Scream at me, hit me, tell me you hate me."
"I won't bother." Mia sighed, unable to give him anything but her quiet
disappointment. "The saddest thing about you, Sirius, is that I expected something like this
to happen. I don't even have the energy to be angry with you because it won't change
anything. Nothing ever changes," she said sadly and looked at the door. "Jamie, let me in
the room. I want to see Remus."
"Just be careful," James whispered as he walked to the door. "He hit Padfoot a few
times."
"Good," Mia said.
"Mia, I'm so―" Sirius began, tears streaming down his face.
"I'm not the one you need to apologise to. You were supposed to be a good man,
Sirius."
Her eyes widened once the door to the Room of Requirement closed behind her.
James had apparently asked the room to recreate the Gryffindor common room like it had
the night of Remus's birthday party. Was it really only four days ago that they were all in
here, laughing and enjoying each other's company?