the_debt_of_time

"Mr Potter, is there anything I can do for you?" Lily quietly asked.
Charlus looked down and smiled sadly at her, clearly grateful for the offer. "Thank
you, Lily, no. I'm just going to spend a little more time here to collect my thoughts and
begin preparations. If you wouldn't mind seeing that my children make it home safely,
though?"
"I'll do that. I owled my parents earlier and told them what happened. I'll stay at the
manor for a while and help you all where I can, even if it's just making sure Sirius doesn't
snap and do something stupid. If that's all right with you, of course."
"I would be very much indebted to you, Miss Evans."
Remus leant against the wall, watching Lily do what she did best: take care of people.
As much as he prided himself on being a good prefect, he knew that Lily was leaps and
bounds better than him. He performed his duties admirably, of course, but it was Lily who
made sure that the first years were tucked away for the night at appropriate times, that none
of the younger children were too homesick, that all the Muggle-borns—not just
Gryffindors—knew how to use the owlery and other things that often confused children
who had not grown up in a magical household. Remus took care of his friends and Mia.
Lily took care of everyone.
He wondered if it helped her, considering her own family had all but shut her out
of their lives. Having heard about her sister's new husband, he assumed that Lily might
have been eager to stay at the manor if only to avoid her own home. Apparently, her sister
and new brother-in-law had chosen to forgo the honeymoon due to financial matters; both
had guilted Lily and their parents into gifting them more money than any of them could
afford in order to help secure a new house the couple had found over in Little Whinging.
"If you'll allow it, I'd like to send Tilly to take care of you until you return home,"
Lily said.
"That would be appreciated." Charlus nodded but then frowned. "I imagine she'll
have already been alerted to Dorea's passing and will be very determined to try and make
herself busy."
Remus wondered if Tilly's magic had been connected to Dorea. He felt a pull on
his heart telling him to get to the manor now and send Tilly to St Mungo's to be with
Charlus; that way neither would have to grieve alone.