the_debt_of_time

"All right, Evans?" James asked, the tone of his voice suddenly pleasant, deeper,
and more mature.
"Leave him alone," Lily repeated, looking at James with every sign of great dislike.
"What's he done to you?"
Sirius scoffed loudly and turned around, staring at Snape with absolute disgust.
"Well," James began, pretending to deliberate the point before glancing at Sirius for
confirmation. Sirius just shook his head sternly, as if silently telling James to keep his mouth
shut as to the real reason for their assault. "It's more the fact that he exists if you know
what I mean."
Mia stared down at Remus, who was still on the ground, nose stuck in a book that
he was clearly not reading. She narrowed her eyes and knelt in front of him. "Hello!" She
snapped her fingers in front of his face. "Prefect!"
Remus buried his face further with an exhausted sigh, and Mia shook her head in
frustration. Ever since he had nearly killed Snape months earlier, Remus had done
everything he could to avoid the Slytherin, which left Sirius and James without anyone
keeping them in check.
"I'm staying out of it, Mia," Remus muttered, shifting uncomfortably.
"'The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing,'"
Mia quoted with a frown.
Looking incredibly guilty, Remus confessed, "Mia, Snape's been after the two of
them for weeks. I tried the first few times, but I can't control James or Sirius, let alone a
Slytherin that keeps making snide remarks about my condition or talking about how you―"
He stopped mid-sentence and cringed, dropping his gaze and refusing to meet her eyes
again.
"How I what? Snape said something about me?"
"No, but the Carrows did. Alecto called you a... whore," Remus admitted with a
low growl. "Snape laughed. James heard him. That's why James and Sirius were in detention
all last week. They were caught hexing the Carrows outside the pitch. This is them getting
back at Snape."
"You four are toddlers. I'll take care of this myself." She moved to stand up, and there
was a sudden commotion. She heard Sirius yell and saw two flashes of bright light. People