Hey! So I'm posting this a day early (I think, I can't be bothered to check. I'm too tired.) because I'm bound to forget to do so tomorrow. I think once I'm in the swing of things and the story is going, I'll post on Sunday regularly and maybe Friday if I'm giving you guys an extra chapter, but I honestly don't know how often that'll be. My muse is a little… flighty, shall we say? She gets bored easily, poor dear.

Anyway, there's 30 of you! What? God, you're all great!

Reviews are appreciated. Thank you!

Chapter Three

By the time the Potters got to know Mia and Fred a little and catch up with their sons, curfew had passed and the prefects were out. Dumbledore wrote a quick note and sent them on their way. Mia was worrying her bottom lip between her teeth and walking ahead of the boys, her hand clenched tightly around her wand. After just a while with the Marauders, Fred seemed to be fitting in perfectly fine, while Mia had to work a bit harder. Remus, she knew, would be easy. Even back in her own time, she had felt the beginnings of a friendship. Not to mention he'd saved her life the night Dumbledore died. A death eater – Dolohov, she thought – sent a nasty dark curse at her. Remus had pushed her away just in time, but it had sliced her, giving her an angry scar on her hip.

Yes, Remus was someone she could be friends with. He was intellectual but he made sure she smiled, too.

James… She didn't know about James. From what she had seen, he was a lot like Harry. Reckless, for one. He was also very caring, kind of like the mother hen of the group, which was usually her job. She sighed. He would be easy, too. She could be friends with him, maybe close. But… Oh, Harry. It wasn't fair. He should be here, not her. She shook her head, clearing those thoughts. There was nothing they could do about it. She could make memories and show him in a Pensieve when she got back. Because they would get back. She was nothing without Harry and Ron, and Fred… poor Fred. He was nothing without George. She decided she had to talk to him that night after everyone went to bed before she turned her thoughts to Sirius.

He was… interesting? Frustrating? Confusing? He had told her, and then Harry told her more, about the horrors that occurred in that damned house. The physical, mental, and emotional abuse throughout his entire childhood, leading up to a horrid day during Christmas break in his… Oh, Merlin, during his sixth year! She would have to do something, give him a way home to Potter Manor. Content with that task, she went back to analyzing. She knew how protective he could be for the ones he loved. She had seen it, even a little bit when Walburga Black's portrait had called her a mudblood and he had slammed the curtains down violently. She sighed to herself. She would protect him, and maybe even love him. She would keep him from as much pain as possible. Nodding, she moved on to the last Marauder.

Peter Pettigrew.

She had no clue what to do. She held so much… so much anger, hatred, so much of anything negative for him that she thought just releasing those emotions might make him explode. She would watch him, and watch him oh, so carefully.

She took a sharp breath, realizing she forgot to breathe. She blinked, realizing someone was now walking beside her. Looking to her left, Mia was surprised to see Sirius. He was silent, but he had a look that matched the one he had when he sat protectively next to his godson. "Hi." Hi? You've been talking for hours! You already said hi!

"I'm not gonna ask. Not today. Everyone deserves to have their demons, for a time. But you're hurting your hand, kitten, and you didn't really look like you were breathing there, for a minute."

Mia flushed, releasing the fist she was making and taking a deep breath. "Thank you. I'm just…" she sighed. This was already so hard. "I'm thinking. Sirius, can I talk to you, then, without you asking where I come from and stuff?" He nodded quietly. "My entire life since I turned eleven has been to… to protect and save my best friend, my brother. And now… I'm never going to see him again, Sirius. He's… gone, and I'm lost. Every year I saved his life, and he saved mine, too. The kind of bond that grows there, it's irreplaceable." She let her gaze fall to James, who was now walking ahead of them with Fred, talking animatedly about Puddlemore's recent match.

"Harry was, is, my best friend. He and I, well, I don't know. I haven't navigated this world without him. Sirius, I may have lost a lot in my life, and I may lose more thanks to Voldemort," Sirius visibly flinched, "Oh, honestly, it's just a name! Fear of a name increases fear of a thing itself!" She took another breath before continuing. "Anyway, I've lost a lot and am fully prepared to lose more, but not him. He… Harry was my brother in all but blood. Everyone knew, if someone was to survive, it was him until the very end. All of us, we would give our lives to make sure he survived, and…" She trailed off, looking at him so very sadly, tears streaming down her face now as she stopped walking. "And some of us did, Sirius Black. Some of the people we loved so dearly gave their lives to save my best friend." She looked at James who continued to walk ahead with Fred. When she looked back at Sirius, she knew he had a million questions, and she knew she couldn't answer any of them.

"People die. It is war. But Merlin, I wasn't supposed to lose him. I don't… I don't know how to do this… without him." She finished, tears falling freely, and avoided eye contact. She had said entirely too much and knew he had a million questions, but she couldn't answer any of them. She sighed, turning to tell him she couldn't answer questions, but his large arms were suddenly wrapped around her, and he was lightly stroking her hair.

"I don't know what's happened to you, Mia, and I won't ask. I told you you're allowed your demons and I meant it. But understand this: you are officially adopted by the Marauders, and we will protect you. Maybe we can't measure up to your old friends and family, but I promise we… I promise I will try… If you want, that is." Hearing his words, she couldn't speak. She wasn't sure why he wanted to protect her after having just met, but she thought it might have something to do with his future self and the bonds of friendship and family that everyone held. She would have to do some research, see if they could hold through time.

"I… I think you guys might be just what I need." She pulled away and gave him a shaky but sincere smile before breathing out softly. "We should hurry. James and Fred kept walking. They'll be wondering where we are."

Sirius nodded slowly before grabbing her hand for comfort and turning to walk back to the dorms. They hadn't made it half of the way from where they were before a prefect stopped them.

"Black, this is the third time this week that I've found you out of bed with a girl after curfew. I don't suppose you have a pass, do you?"

Mia turned, wide-eyed, as she came face to face with fiery red hair and brilliant green eyes.

Lily Evans.