Jily from the POV of everyone's favorite sassy transfiguration teacher for week 3 of jilytober. Enjoy! -Petals
James Potter had been in Minerva's office for over an hour. He'd come in originally ranting about the homework Professor Anya has given in runes for over the summer ("Professor it's just not fair, runes isn't even applicable to today's society") but the topic had quickly diverted into both of their favorite subjects: quidditch. Minerva didn't mind, James always kept her awake with his constant babbling. Currently, he was giving her a play-by-play of his work out regimes that he'd copied off the Foulmouth Falcons. He was so into his own head that his hands were flying in every direction and his hazel eyes were bright with promise.
Smiling, Minerva grabbed his biscuit tin and passed it to the young Gryffindor, "Have a biscuit Potter."
"Thanks."
He chewed for approximately a nanosecond before he continued his well thought out rant. Being as James was the newly appointed team captain of Gryffindor quidditch, he had brought it upon himself to start preparing for the next season…six months ahead of schedule. Minerva fondly remembered her days at quidditch captain and let young Potter sit in her office every night during finals week, explaining how he'd take Gryffindor to the top of the score board.
Minerva had long since learned that the best way to handle James was to let him talk himself to silence. She often graded papers and wrote lesson plans with James sitting there, babbling, in her office. James didn't seem to mind that sometimes she wouldn't offer a word in edgewise at all because he could easily prattle on for over two hours as Minerva made her lesson plans.
Potter rarely felt silent and when he did—it scared Minerva half to death. She'd only heard the boy quiet twice in her entire life. Once after Minerva had disciplined James for sneaking out and the second time was after he came to her crying that Sirius Blacks family had kicked Sirius out for being pro muggle born. So James' sudden silence came as a surprise to her on the last day of school before summer vacation. Minerva was half asleep over a parchment assignment when the steady lull of James' voice died suddenly like a canary had stopped singing in a coal mine. The silence rang like a warning in Minerva's ears and she looked up quickly, expecting to find the boy suddenly overcome with a tongue tied jinx.
Instead, she found Potter frozen like a deer in the headlights, staring at a curvy figure leaning against doorframe. For the first time in five years, James looked as if he'd never uttered a word of English in his life. His mouth was clamped shut as if someone had spell-o-taped it. His left hand jumped into his hair, grabbing at the roots before falling instantly to his lap as if he'd shocked himself.
Minerva cocked a eyebrow at her favorite student in wonder. he looked so flustered and she couldn't recall the last time she'd seen James Potter look even remotely defenseless. His hazel eyes were stuck on the red haired witch leaning casually on Minerva's doorframe like the witch was sporting fifty heads and a wedding gown.
"Professor McGonagall." the girl finally spoke, her tone insinuating importance.
"Miss Evans," Minerva turned her head to the young Gryffindor witch pleasantly, "How can I help you?"
With auburn hair that fanned out over her soft facial features and a smile that lit up every room she entered, Lily Evans was a very popular girl. She was in the same year as James and top of her class in charms as well as potions. Minerva considered Lily one of her favorite students simply because Minerva had never met a young woman with as much kindness in her as Lily showed for just about everyone.
Of course, Lily had a spunky side too and Minerva assumed that's what James liked most about Lily. She was constantly sticking up for younger students and Minerva had personally delivered Lily to detention herself many times after lily let her quick sit get the best of her among students she didn't get along with. Lily's kindness stemmed from her ability to share a smile with anyone—but Lily wasn't quick to forgive if anyone hurt her or her one of her many friends.
Like James, Lily wasn't a naturally quiet girl. So to have both of them, silent at the sight of each other? The entire situation positively intrigued Minerva. James was staring stupidly over the rims of his glasses at Lily. If he had been a dog, he might've been drooling. Lily either didn't notice James' obsessive stare or she didn't care, because she kept her eyes on Minerva pointedly.
"Professor Flitwick sent me over to see if you had any spare Standard Book of Spells Year 7 that I can borrow over the summer. All his were already checked out."
"Year Seven?" Minerva managed in a surprised tone, "Miss Evans that's two years ahead of your curriculum."
Lily nodded, "Yeah, I was interested in the charms theory offered in chapter eighteen."
"Charm Theory." Minerva was impressed by Lily's dedication to her lessons, "That's not until the end of the seventh year, are you looking into studying that particular area?"
"I don't know," Lily said honestly, "I'm just interested in the schematics of charms, I guess."
"No interest in transfiguration though, I presume?" Minerva nodded to James who looked embarrassed at being motioned too, "James just gave back my book in human transfiguration theories. You enjoyed that one, didn't you James?"
Minerva's eyes fluttered to the boy sitting by her bookshelf. Lily looked too, her expression hard and unfriendly. Potter seemed shaken by Minerva's bragging tone.
"Er," he swallowed, eyes fluttering to Evans, "Yeah well, I didn't get much of it but it was a decent read."
If Minerva wasn't suspicious before, she certainly was now. Minvera knew that Potter had just blatantly lied to their faces. He'd started plenty of discussions about the theory of human body transfigurations with Minerva and she knew he'd understood the theories as well as a dragon understood a dinner bell. James' face was flaming red as Lily finally looked him over, her own eyebrows raised in either impression, or shock.
"Well then," Minerva cleared her throat, "James check the shelf for Miss Evans, please."
His voice cracked when he answered, "of course, Professor."
With his back turned to her, Minerva watched as Lily's eyes finally softened to look at the back of his head. Lily's face was as red as James; and her shoulders relaxed, as if she was better without James' eyes nailing into her.
Still, the minute James turned back with a thick book in his hands, Lily's shoulders squared again, like she was putting up walls. Their eyes met and when Potter passed her the book with a shy smile. Lily grabbed it quickly, careful to not let their fingers brush, as if James was made of thorns. Minerva's eyes narrowed even more when Lily's cheeks gave off a pink hue.
"Thanks Professor." the red tinging Lily's cheeks was noticeable, even in the haze of the candle lit room.
"You're very welcome Miss Evans."
"Have a good summer."
Minerva's eyes stayed fixated on James, who watched Lily leave with the oddest expression on his face. Even odder, was how James turned to look at Minerva with literal hearts seeming to burst from his eyes.
"I'll be right back." he muttered, jumping up from his seat.
"Of course."
Minerva shouldn't have been so invested in the way James bounded from the office or the panicked way he shouted after Lily. She shouldn't have ruffled her papers softly, trying to catch bits and pieces of the conversation happening down the hall.
"Are you mad at me?"
"What were you playing at?" Minvera recognized Lily's cool tone almost instantly, "You and I both know that your a quick hand at Transfiguration."
"I didn't want too—I didn't want you to think I was bragging." James' voice sounded defeated, "You said you hated it when I was a pompous git."
"I hate it more when you're pretending to be someone else just to try and get people to like you." Lily scoffed smarty.
James sounded disgruntled, "Sorry for wanting to be friendly."
"That's not what I meant and you know it James Potter."
Minerva's eyebrows joined her hairline at the boldness falling from Lily's mouth. Minerva had only ever heard Sirius Black challenge James head on before. Minerva had always respected Lily's cheek, especially when it was well deserved. Right now, she was serving James a set of facts that sent him fumbling into apologies.
"I'm sorry." he said, "I don't know why I do it. I mean I do. I mean you—"
"I meant what I said last week." Minerva wished she could see them, just to know if they were actually looking at each other defiantly or if they were looking away in embarrassment, "I've known you since we were eleven and I know you're better than jinxing Snape when you think no ones looking."
Minerva had heard that James and Snape (another student from Slytherin house) had gotten into another fight during OWLs. James had been given double detention but Minerva knew that the scar on James' face hadn't come from his own wand. Minerva wasn't a fan of Severus Snape, who was simply average in transfiguration and dark in looks. Some of the other teachers say Severus hung out with students who openly voiced support for dark wizards outside the Hogwarts halls. Minerva knew James was vehemently against dark magic and that made Snape his least favorite person in the school. Unfortunately for James, Lily happened to be friends with Severus Snape. Minerva had sent the off pair together before in the hallways, heads bent together in conversation.
James said something to Lily quietly and his voice didn't echo back to Minerva's office. Luckily for Minerva, Lily's voice did.
"I don't care what he called me."
"Yes, you do." James was angry now, "Mary Macdonald said you spent hours crying in the dorm room after."
"So you just gossip about me with my friends then?"
"No," James' hand had to be in his hair now, messing it up with frustration like he did during his hard tests, "Lily, we're all worried about you."
Lily's icy reply made Minerva feel bad for young James, "I didn't know you cared so much."
"Of course I care."
There was silence and then Lily offered a softer, "I can take care of myself."
And James offered an even softer, "I'm sorry."
When James returned to Minerva, he looked frustrated but not all together unpleased. He dropped into the chair again and fiddled with his robes. Minerva waited patiently for him to start talking and when he did—all he could talk about was Lily. He held the tin of biscuits in his lap and chewed thoughtfully between bursts of Lily-Compliments.
"Did you know she's top of the class in charms and potions?" he asked Minerva almost dreamily.
Minerva, having never seen James so smitten, hid her smile as she replied, "Both Professor Flitwick and Professor Slughorn have spoken fondly of Lily's talents."
"Right." James nodded firmly, before settling back into his chair comfortably, "Right," he seemed uncomfortable now, as if he had been caught stealing the biscuits from her jar, "Anyways, about next season."
And Minerva had assumed the fleeting fancy between the two Gryffindors would pass but she had assumed wrong. James came back his sixth year with two inches added onto his height a husky deep vibrato implemented into his voice. Minerva noticed he carried himself taller around most girls in class. He'd offer charming smiles and flirtatious winks at half of Hufflepuff house in Advanced Transfiguration. His newfound confidence landed him a girlfriend named Hannah Holiday, a Ravenclaw that used her sharp tongue and good looks to get herself through life.
Minerva wasn't a fan, especially when James' afternoon meeting in Minerva's office would be interrupted by Holiday, who couldn't go five minutes without dragging James into corners for a snog. Minerva often had to tell Holiday to keep her hands to herself outside the Transfiguration classroom as Holiday often had her tongue shoved into Potter's mouth in front of everyone. Holiday barely paid attention in class too, Minerva caught her staring at anything but the blackboard. James' visits to her office were becoming far and few between. By November, the first match, Minerva was ready to give up on her favorite student, who clearly had lost all his good qualities the moment a bit of perfume and pretty eyes stepped into his life.
But then the disaster of the Gryffindor vs. Slytherin match played out. It was storming that day and windy enough that everyone on the field was fighting against wind more than each other. James, got hit in the face by a stray blunger fifteen minutes in and suffered a pretty bad concussion. Regulus Black, Slytherin's newest seeker, stole the snitch right out from under Gryffindor's nose without James there to lead and Black was the school's newest hero. With James no longer a quidditch hero (and suffering a pretty badly broken nose) Hannah Holiday moved onto the next best thing: Regulus Black. James was crushed and visibly so. Holiday didn't seem to care.
Minerva walked up to her classroom two days after the match to find Hannah showing off a gold ring band Black had apparently given her to the group of friends.
"Regulus is such an amazing quidditch player." she emphasized amazing in a snooty way, "I just knew he was going to beat Gryffindor, I mean, he's clearly the best flyer in the school."
Minerva couldn't resist a slight roll of her eyes as she went to unlock the classroom door but it was a defensive female voice that made her wrist pause.
"Funny, Holiday." Lily Evans had stepped forward from her group of friends, green eyes flashing dangerously, "I vaguely remember you saying the same exact thing three days ago about James Potter."
Holiday didn't have a retort and instead shot Lily defensively, "What's it to you Evans?"
"Potter's a better quidditch player and flier than Regulus Black, hands down." Lily said in defense of James and Minerva felt a surge of affection for the Lily until the next words tumbled from her mouth, "That's something anyone with eyes could see Holiday but you're so busy worrying about whose broomstick you'll be riding that you wouldn't know a real broomstick if it hit you in the—"
An all out riot broke out behind Minerva as Holiday let out a strangled scream and raced forward to push Evans into the wall antagonistically. A bad move on Holiday's part as Evans was well known for her efficiency with a wand. No sooner had Holiday blinked, Evans' wand was out and Holiday was sprouting puss filled boils all over her face. The screaming intensified and Lily started meeting Holiday's punches and kicks with moves of her own.
"That. Is. Enough!" Minerva turned and flicked her wand, throwing Evans off her feet and onto the floor where Sirius Black (James' best friend and confidant) knelt down to help her back up quickly, whispering urgently into her ear.
"You're a bitch, Evans!" Holiday shrieked, "You're just jealous because James won't fu—"
Lily didn't have to shove Sirius off her, he pushed himself off to grab his wand, ready for an all out brawl. Minerva looked at the ceiling and prayed for patience as she realized the subject wasn't being dropped.
Lily was holding her wand aloft at Holiday with vengeance clear rain her green eyes, "I'm so tired of your vapid whining!"
Holiday was covering her face, trying to hide the boils growing on her face at a rapid pace until they started popping, one by one. Puss was getting onto anyone who stood too close to Holiday. Lily looked triumphant and wild, her red hair surrounding her red face like a halo. Sirius, off all people, was trying to hold Lily back from doing anymore damage. Holiday was in tears and Lily was staring at Holiday venomously in Black's shadow.
"This," Minerva shared a stern look between the girls, "is a place of learning so kindly keep your disagreements to yourselves."
Minerva didn't miss the way Lily and James' friends all glared at Holiday as they entered the classroom under Minerva's watchful eye. Remus Lupin was saying something into Lily' ear and Sirius was throwing the bird at Holiday over his shoulder. Holiday's friends were calling Evans every possible slur they could think of under their breathes to Holiday, who was crying into her puss and tear filled palms.
"Miss Ellis," Minerva said to one of Holiday's friends, "Please take Miss Holiday to the Hospital Wing."
Minerva strode into her classroom and walked over to the desk where Evans was sitting amongst her friends, looking livid. Lily's expression only faltered when she saw Minerva standing over her with a frown.
"Miss Evans please see me after class."
A chorus of "ohhhhhh's" rang around Lily, who now looked embarrassed at being called out in front of some of her classmates. Minerva quirked a brow before continuing up to the chalkboard to begin class. Lily kept low in her seat the entire class and didn't even take any notes. Instead she sat there, lips pursed, staring at her fingernails.
Lily came to Minerva's office as promised. She sat down in James' usual seat, looking as if she'd set the castle on fire. Minerva stared at the young woman, wondering how to go about punishing Lily for sticking up for James. Finally, Minvera lifted her tin tray filled with ginger snaps and pushed it towards Lily. Lily stared at the cookies in wonder.
"Have a biscuit, Evans." Minerva tempted Lily.
Cautiously, as if she was afraid the gingersnaps would snap her fingers right off, Lily took one. She heard it up other mouth and took a bite slowly, her green eyes never leaving Minerva's face. It was like Lily was afraid to look away from Minerva. When Lily finished her biscuit, Minerva continued.
"I expect you to apologize to Miss Holiday for covering her face in boils." Minerva said firmly and Lily ducked her head in submission, "You will serve detention tonight. You will not allow your pride to get the best of your tact."
"Yes ma'am." Lily whispered before looking u at Minerva with passion akin tot he boy she was defending, "But you heard Holiday yourself."
"Miss Evans—"
"She was saying James wasn't a good quidditch player and he's the best Gryffindor's got! I couldn't let her just take a hit at our house like that! Especially with James in the hospital—"
Minerva only knew one way to get Lily to be quiet, "I didn't know you cared so much."
If Lily had been red earlier, it was nothing compared to the violent shade of purple she turned when James spoke up from where he was leaning against the doorframe. He wore his quidditch gear still and was suffering an terrible bruise on the side of his face but his smile was wide and all for the girl who had just been defending him with her all. Minerva knew she shouldn't be thinking it—student relationships were not her concern—but she wanted these two together.
"You're okay." Lily's voice was flat as James stepped farther into Minerva's office, "good, erm, we were worried."
James' hazel eyes flickered behind his glasses, "I was lying there in the hospital and imagine my surprise when my ex girlfriend waltzes in with boils the size of knots on her body…only to find out you gave them to her while defending my honor."
"Who told you that?" Lily rolled her eyes but her cheeks were flushed and she was clearly embarrassed at being caught.
"Sirius."
Lily crossed her arms, "Be sure to tell that idiot our friendship is terminated."
James' smile could've lit up Minerva's office, it was so bright, "You don't mean that."
James' smile was poison and Lily drank it up like wine. Her own smile flickered across her face, mirroring James' stupid-in-love expression. They stared at each other a few more moments before Minerva cleared her throat and they both looked away quickly from each other. Minerva felt like she'd caught them snogging behind a tapestry—not flirting in her office.
"Detention Evans," Minerva reminded the red haired witch, "Tonight at eight, sharp."
"Yes ma'am." Lily stood up and smoothed her skirt, "See you later."
Minerva watched as Lily side stepped in front of James in the doorway. He grabbed her wrist carefully before she could try and run away without another word.
"Thank you." he whispered softly.
Lily's face was set halfway in horror and halfway in disbelief as she ripped her hand from his grasp like he'd shocked her. When she turned though, she shot her head back for one last look at the lanky quidditch player in the doorway. James sent her a smile and a wave that sent Lily's face into it's own shy version of a flirtatious smile.
"Isn't she amazing?" James half sighed to Minerva as he sat down in Lily's abandoned seat.
"She's as much trouble as you, that's for sure." Minerva pulled out a quill to start grading papers, "How's your face?"
"Haven't look in a mirror yet," James quipped, "But Sirius tells me I'm still devilishly handsome."
"Of course he did." Minerva hid her smile by pulling out a stack of parchment from underneath her desk, "Are you here to help me grade?"
"No," James chuckled as he starched in his seat, "I wanted to run over some options about our beaters with you."
Minerva's thin mouth quirked up as James dove headfirst into a new plan for their Quidditch team. One of Minerva's favorite things about James was that nothing could really get him down for long. Minerva had to hand it to him, he bounced back after than a dragon stunned in the eye. She had a feeling though that a part of James' quick recovery had something to do with a particularly gifted witch named Lily.
From then on, Minerva felt like she was just watching all the pieces fall into place.
James would come to the office, a goofy grin on his face, after just parting with Lily. He told Minerva that Lily invited him to go for walks now, around the lake. He was helping her collect ingredients for Slughorn's lower levels but Minerva had a feeling Lily had only used that as a excuse to keep inviting James for walks because the walks got longer and longer as the weeks continued.
The day before Christmas vacation Minerva spotted Lily sitting next to James at the Gryffindor table. Her arms were wrapped around his neck and she was singing loudly with a few others, deafening James with Christmas music. Minerva knew the smile on James' face wasn't because of the singing, it was because of the arms draped so adoringly around his shoulders, keeping him close.
It was only a matter of time.
In classes they'd pass notes. Sometimes they were good about keeping it a secret but sometimes they were awful. Lily had a nasty habit of giggling at whatever James had drawn her, little comics that turned cheeks red. Minerva wasn't the only one who'd caught Lily and James mid note swap. The teachers compared the notes they had and it was clear in the way she dotted her i's with hearts—Hogwarts was about to get a new couple and Minerva couldn't be happier for James.
He was Minerva's favorite student and he'd met his soulmate, all the teachers knew it. Minerva especially, waited impatiently for the day they'd finally make it official. They had both managed to creep into her heart, she loved them both for their humor and kindness. Lily had a way of making James laugh that no one else, besides his best friend, had managed to achieve. James had a way of making Lily scream so loudly at quidditch games that her voice was hoarse when she answered questions in class the next day. He looked at her when she wasn't paying attention, keeping his eyes trained on her face like it might disappear at any moment. She looked at him when he was too busy laughing, her fingertips touching him lightly while she laughed too, as if to encourage him to continue his joyous refrain.
They were in love.
They didn't even realize it yet, they were so caught up in each other but Minerva could see it in the way James pressed his forehead into Lily's while they talked at lunch in tones so low that only the other could hear. She could see it in the way Lily jumped over the stands during quidditch practice to wrap her arms around James in a hug every chance she got. Minerva watched her two favorite students fall in love, slowly, from afar.
It brought her back to old haunting loves that escaped her. Back to an old farm from a long time ago and back to a man who used to look at her the same way that James looked at Lily when she stood in the doorway of Minerva's office simply recounting a story from earlier that day.
Lily didn't start going out with James until seventh year.
They made it official right in front of Minerva's open office door.
James was about to come in for his free section to go over quidditch plans with Minerva, they'd talked about it earlier at breakfast. Before James could even cross the doorway though, Lily came running into view wearing a Gryffindor scarf around her neck that was fastened with a pretty golden pin. Minerva and James both barely had time to register her appearance when Lily flung herself at James and kissed him, quite passionately, under Minerva's office beams. James looked surprised at first but then he started kissing her back, his hands wound up in her long red hair.
Minerva's heart warmed and she snuggled not to smile too much as she cleared her throat and the two seventeen year olds broke apart, both flushing red.
"Right." Lily was breathing like she'd just run from a dragon, "Anyways, now that we've dealt with that, I'll see you later for rounds. Bye James. Professor."
Lily offered Minerva a hearty wave before she walked back in the direction she came. James' mouth kept opening but no words were coming out. In fact, Minerva thought James rather looked a bit pale and she wondered if he was about to pass out from shock.
Minerva warned James, who was still gasping like a fish out of water, "I won't allow my Head Boy and Girl embarrass me by getting caught snogging after curfew, so keep your hands to yourselves on duty. Am I clear?"
"Lily did just kiss me, right?" James managed to gasp, "This isn't a dream?"
"Sit down Potter, before you pass out from shock."
Minerva had to bite back her smile as James fell gracelessly into the chair in front of her desk. For the fourth time in seven years, Minerva had speechless James Potter sitting dumbfounded in her office. Minerva grabbed her tin of shortbread and held it on front of James, shaking it a bit to capture his attention. James' hazel eyes looked up at her expectantly.
"Have a biscuit, Potter."
Let me know what you think.
-Petals