Yes, as my sister said after reading the last chapter, poor Remus. The little sweetie is getting all the wrong ideas about Mia, and it is war, after all.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Chapter Seven

Mia had spent all day in her dorm room after her argument with Fred. He was furious with her, and she couldn't blame him. She was telling him that they couldn't save anyone, and it understandably upset him after meeting his dead uncle.

Still, she hated him being angry with her. He was all she had of her own time, and they were supposed to stick together.

She stayed in her room, reading or sleeping, until dinner. She was too hungry to skip another meal, so she pulled her robe back on and walked out of the room, thanking every founder and magical deity that the common room was empty.

She took the long way around, hoping that she could avoid seeing any Marauder on the way as she really didn't feel much like talking. After a few minutes, she found herself walking past the mostly empty dungeons to the Great Hall. She kept to herself as she passed a couple groups of Slytherins, but her steps faltered as she reached an alcove where two students were looming over a boy – a fifth year? – who was on the ground with some cuts on his face. She recognized that position easily, and pulled her wand on the bullies, shooting the Bat Boogey hex at the two of them before they could even react. When they turned around to yet, or maybe go to the infirmary, she saw they wore Gryffindor ties.

Shaking her head, she just stared at them. "Madame Pomfrey can fix that, but don't ever bully again. It makes me sick, especially since you're in my house." The bullies, for whatever reason, didn't put up much of a fight. Presumably because of the hex worsening with every breath – an improvement that Ginny had loved.

Mia kneeled before the fifth year, holding her hand out. "Are you alright? I'm so sorry for them. They give Gryffindor a bad name. Two on one, not giving you a chance," she shook her head sadly, sincere worry in her eyes. "They're cowards. How they got into my house, I'll never know." She raised her wand to heal him, but he frowned and shoved her hand away.

"Don't bother. What do you want?"

Mia blinked. "What?"

"What do you want from me?" the boy stood up – not the easiest feat, it seemed – and stared at Mia, looking annoyed.

"I… Nothing. I just hate bullies." She sounded uncertain and pointed her wand at his face again. "And your nose looks broken. Episkey!" She fixed his nose before he could refuse and heard the telling crack of the bone snapping back into place. "Scourgify!" She cleaned the blood off of his face quickly, while he was still in shock over his nose. "You should get some Dittany for the cuts on your- gah!" Before she could finish her sentence, he shoved her into the alcove and glared at her.

"Stop! Stop helping me, Lion." He snarled at her, but she didn't even hear his words. She stared at him, dumbstruck. He had long, obsidian hair tied back with a leather tie. His eyes were a sharp, silver grey that pierced her soul. He had sharp, aristocratic features which were twisted into a sneer, but she could tell it didn't fit quite right.

"Regulus Black." She spoke his name like it was smoke escaping her lips, and there was a painful sadness in her eyes that confused Regulus.

"Do I know you?" His words were a little softer, but they were still demanding and confused.

"I… No, you don't." But I know you. Know of you. I know that you have a good heart, I know that you died trying to stop a war that you shouldn't have been a part of. I know I want to save you, Regulus.

"Then why did you help me?"

"Because you…" deserve saving. "You were in trouble." She smiled at him a little.

"I was fine, Little Lion." The edge from his voice was gone now, and all she could think of was wanting to help him, wishing she could save him.

"You need dittany, Regulus. I might…" she trailed off, pulling out her bag and shoving her arm down in it, pulling out a clear vial of liquid after a few moments. "Ah ha! Knew I had some in here." She opened the vial and, before he could protest, put a drop on each of the cuts on his face. After a second of grumbling, he straightened up to watch her drop the vial back in and turn to him again.

"Why do you have Dittany in your bag? Couldn't you just go to Madame Pomphrey?"

Because if Harry, Ron, or I get hurt on the run, we might need to heal quickly.

"Well, sometimes she's busy or I find someone else needs healing who, like you, seems to not like the idea of being healed." She bent down and picked up a few fallen books, her eyes falling on a certain one. "Advanced Potion Making? Aren't you a fifth year?" Her curious eyes met his sharp grey ones and she shivered. They were too piercing. She felt like he saw her mind every time he looked at her.

"Yes, but I skipped a year in Potions. It's not that hard once you get the hang of it."

She sighed. Potions was the one class she couldn't claim to be confident about. "I can't get it. I'm great in all of my classes, but potions… I'm usually a little lost, especially since I just transferred here and I'm behind, which is rare, mind you. "

He gave her a crooked smile that looked way too much like Sirius. "I can help you out, if you like. I don't have a lab partner, so we can sit together and I'll talk you through." He seemed to have dropped his guard a bit, and Mia grinned.

"That sounds great. Thank you."

He gave a small nod and grabbed his books, tilting his head at her. "I never caught your name."

"Mia."

"Just Mia?"

She grinned at him. "For now."

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James frowned, staring at Remus like he was insane. "Wanna try again, Moony?"

"I'm serious, Prongs, I think they're Death Eaters!"

"Why do you think they're Death Eaters?"

"Okay, look, it's just suspicious. They appeared out of nowhere in the Forbidden Forest during class, Dumbledore calls all of us to his office, and they showed him his wand, at which point he kicks us out and talks to them in private."

"Exactly," Sirius said quietly, "Dumbledore talked to them himself. Don't you think he would know if he were letting Death Eaters into the school?"

"Not necessarily. Snape is here, isn't he? And the Carrows, and Avery, and McNair, and Dolohov, and pretty much every pureblood Slytherin in the school," James pointed out carefully.

"See? So they could've tricked him. But that's not all. Mia knew exactly where she was going this morning, remember? She ran to the DADA classroom and then her only excuse was a good sense of direction."

"Maybe it was a fluke, Moony. A coincidence."

"Maybe, but I went back to the common room to rest after lunch and I heard them talking. It was bad. Mia sounded… she didn't sound good, and Fred was angry. She said 'Sirius was meant to be saved' and then… She said someone had to die."

Silence fell in the room as James and Sirius pondered their friend's words.

"Are you sure?" Sirius stared at him, eyes boring into the side of his head.

"Dead sure."

"Did you have to phrase it like that?"

"Shut up, Prongs, this is serious." Remus sighed.

"No, I'm Sirius." Padfoot grinned triumphantly at the groans from his friends.

"Not the time!" Remus snapped at him.

"Look, I trust them. I know it sounds bad, but I'm sure they have a perfectly good explanation, Moony. If you're really so worried, we can trap them after dinner and demand answers." With a sigh, Remus reluctantly agreed and they sat back and ate the dinners that James snuck up from the kitchens.

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It didn't take Mia long to eat. She had no one to really talk to, aside from polite chit chat with Lily, so she ate quickly and decided to relax in the Room of Requirement for a while, so she made the quick trip, asked the room for a roaring fire and a library, and relaxed in a big, soft chair with a book the room provided on time travel.

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It had been three hours, and Mia was nowhere to be seen. James had begun to wonder if it really had been a fluke and Mia managed to get lost, when Fred walked into the room, frowning to himself.

"Have you seen Mia? We wanted to talk to the two of you."

"No."

"Well, will you help us find her?"

"No."

"Er, James? She's not here."

"I know she's not here, idiot, that's what I'm saying."

"No, she's not here." Sirius waved to a paper in his hand, and James's eyes widened. Fred looked over and saw what he was looking at.

The Marauder's Map.

But if she wasn't on it, that means she was…

"If I take you to her, will you let me leave and go to bed?" Fred raised an eyebrow at them.

"Swear it on Padfoot's grave."

"Hey!"

"Shut up, Pads, this is serious."

"No, I'm Sirius. I've told you a million times."

Everyone in the room rolled their eyes, and Fred waved his hand at them impatiently, walking down the stairs.

After a short walk, Fred began pacing in front of a tapestry, and the Marauders thought he was very possibly insane.

"Um, Fred?"

After two more turns around, a door appeared, and Fred smirked. "C'mon, let's make sure she's in there. Then I'm leaving."

"Aye, aye, Captain."

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Mia had fallen asleep with the book on her lap. It was a particularly deep sleep, because she didn't hear the door creak open. She didn't hear the quiet footsteps coming toward her. What she did hear, however, was some loud cursing and someone crashing to the floor.

Mia pulled her wand out and silently and wandlessly disarmed the people in the room all at once, catching the four wands in her hand expertly before she saw who it was.

"Oh."

"What was that for?!" Sirius pouted at her, standing on the other side of the chair she had been sitting on.

"Nothing, I… I didn't know it was you guys." Her grip tightened on the wands, though, as she watched Remus prodding a seemingly reluctant Fred in front of him.

"Merlin, Mia, that was silent and wandless! How did you do that?" James sounded amazed.

"I'm… What do you guys want?" she looked between them before her eyes settled on Remus, finally noticing the look on his face. "What's wrong? Why's Fred with you?"

"Gee, thanks."

"No, you prat, you're mad at me. I don't care if you're- ugh." She gave up and rubbed her face with her free hand, still holding their wands hostage. She didn't trust Remus, not right now. She was pretty certain that if he had his wand, it would be trained on her.

"You two have some talking to do. And I'll need you to show me your left arms." And it clicked for her. Sure, she had been a little sloppy in covering her tracks, but why on earth would he think they were Death Eaters?

She lifted her sleeve carefully, shifting the wands to her left hand. She shoved the clear skin at him, proving herself. After a second, Fred did the same, and Remus relaxed a little bit.

"Okay. Who has to die?" He asked bluntly, taking note of the shocked and pained look on Mia's face and the angry one on Fred's.

"How did you… We were alone!" Great defense there. He totally trusts you now.

"I have good hearing. Now answer the question!"

Mia glanced at Fred, and he did something he would regret.

"I wonder what would show on the Map if you were out of the room, Mia." His voice was disturbingly calm for the amount of anger it held, and her eyes widened, realizing what he was trying to do. "No!" It was all she could think of. Why does that damned Map have to screw this up?! I could've just… Shit!

"Wh… Map? How do you know?"

"You had it out earlier, I just took a guess." Fred lied easily, convincing even Remus.

"What do you mean, though? Are you saying this is why we couldn't find her? Because she was in here?"

Fred nodded as Mia looked on in horror. This was not supposed to happen!

And she let her guard down, giving Remus time enough to hit her wrist gently, but hard enough that she dropped all of the wands in her hand. He grabbed them swiftly before any hit the ground, and handed them back out… except for Fred's. He pocketed the dark wand and turned to Mia.

"Would you mind stepping out of this room for a minute, Mia?"

"Yes, I actually would mind, Remus."

"I'm sorry, but I must insist." He felt bad, actually, but he trained his wand on her. He could see her warring within herself, probably debating fighting him. Eventually, and extremely reluctantly, Mia walked toward the door and out of the room.

Fred nodded at Remus, and the sandy haired boy pulled out the Map, muttered 'I solemnly swear that I am up to no good,' and stared down at it.

"So, what's it say, Remus?"

"Who is… Hermione Granger?"

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Dun dun dunnnnn!

So, I had been gonna leave it here for the night, but padfootl0ve told me she would hack into my account and mess with the story if I did, so I'll get another chapter out.

I know my chapters are a little rough, but hopefully my finicky muse will calm down and I can smooth it out for you. In the meantime, I appreciate you sticking with me!

I hope you enjoy, and remember, reviews are friends!