A/N: This is my contribution to National Write a Novel Month (November). Will be MMAD but also includes Lilly/James and Harry/Hermione. I know AD is gay in Canon and normally I'd stick with Canon pairings but I had always hoped these two were together. This story starts at the start of James and Lily's sixth year, after the whole deal with Snape. This explains what changed between James and Lily.
MMAD For You
1
The evening of the first of September arrived clear a cool, the enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall reflected to colors of the last bit of the sunset. Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry sat with his Deputy, Minerva McGonagall, Transfiguration professor and Head of Gryffindor House, in his office playing their customary game of chess while waiting for Hagrid's owl saying the train had arrived.
The rest of the staff were overseeing the rest of the castle, making sure the schedules were in the offices of the Heads of House, the feast had been prepared and the dormitories all prepared for the students. The owl from Hagrid appeared just as the last bit of light from the sun vanished in the horizon. Their game lasted a few more moves, culminating in Albus knocking his King over in surrender. Minerva had a smug smile on her face with her victory that Albus just wanted to kiss off of her face; so that's what he did. He pulled her to him and gave her a sweet, passionate kiss. Knowing that he would have to refrain from such behavior now that school was back in session. After all, they wanted to remain professional in front of the students.
The held hands as they descended from his office and down the stairs to the first floor. Minerva smiled at him and pecked him on the lips before heading down the stairs to the harbor while he headed to the Great Hall. The rest of the staff was already sitting at the head table and he took his spot in the center of the table, the spot on his right empty for Minerva when she returned with the first years. He struck up a conversation with Horace as he heard the sounds of the carriages bringing the older students to the castle entrance. The first years would set sail on the boats by now and would reach the harbor in 30 or so minutes.
He watched his students enter the Hall, most excited to return. But not all. Albus watched a greasy haired Slytherin boy slouch to his seat. Snape's summer must have been rough, Albus thought to himself before noticing Lily also looking rather down. Ah, that was it, it was the first year those to hadn't been joined at the hip. He remembered the unfortunate encounter from last spring after the exams were over. He started at the sound of laughter as the Marauder's entered the Hall. Sirius and James were laughing at something, Remus was trying not to laugh, though his shoulder's shook and Peter flitted from friend to friend, left out of the joke. They sat down with James and Sirius on one side of the table and Peter and Remus on the other. They sat close to Lily, and Albus watched as James smiled at her. Lily turned her head away and let her eyes roam the head table until James turned back to his friends with a frown on his face.
Oh how taken young Potter was with Miss Evans, Albus thought to himself just as his own heart entered the room with the first years. The sorting was over with and he stood up to start the feast, hungry and knowing the students were too. He ate in silence listening to the hum of chatter around him, and started when he felt Minerva's left hand on his thigh. He finished eating his main course and covered her hand with his, feeling the cold of her wedding ring. She would take it off later that night and put it on the chain she wore around her neck. He waited until Dessert was in front of him before letting her hand go and returning to his food.
When the food portion of the feast was over he stood again to welcome everyone and made his announcements before letting the prefects lead the first years to their dorms. He watched as Remus herded the older years up to the dorms, spreading the password for the common room around as Lily took charge of the first years and herded them up to the seventh floor. Term had started.
The next morning at breakfast the owl post came, startling some of the Muggle Born children as the owls descended with letters from parents and forgotten items as well. Albus smiled at the sight of safe and happy students. He watched as the Heads of House started passing out schedules started with years one through five and seven. They all scampered off to class leaving the sixth years to get their schedules after making sure that they had the required grade on the OWL to continue in their chosen classes.
He smiled as he saw Minerva had Lily her schedule with a rare smile before turning to the boys and warning them. Then she gave James a smile and pointed at the captain's badge he wore and Albus knew she was telling him that she wanted him to concentrate on winning the cup and not on their pranks. She wanted to win the cup and so did he.
The week passed and both Albus and Minerva were surprised to find James and Sirius actually helping the first year students find their classes, though they were known to point Slytherin first years in the opposite direction they needed to go, but that was expected. The Marauders also seemed to not pull too many pranks on other students. No doubt they were waiting for the weekends and breaks before the pranking began.
The weekend started with a walk around the grounds before morning tea with Hagrid before the members of the Order met in the Shrieking Shack before returning to the castle after hours and the teachers turning in for the night. Sunday was filled with time with Minerva and when the evening fell and it was time for bed, the secretly married couple curled up in his bed to get some rest before returning to spending the nights apart. They had almost fallen asleep when Fawkes shrieked. Albus got out of bed pulling on a dressing gown and headed into his office to find the Head of Aurors requesting permission to floo over to the school. Albus gave permission feeling the dread in the pit of his stomach.
The fire blazed green, and he knew that Minerva would have awakened with the light and would join him shortly. In fact she did just as Albus and the Auror sat on the couches instead of the desk. She joined Albus at his side and grabbed his hand, knowing the news was bad.
"Around 8 this evening, we got a call that Muggles in Godric's Hollow had seen a weird green light and weird projection in the sky east of their village. We sent a team of Aurors out there and saw the Dark Mark had been set over one of the Wizarding Manors just east of the Village. Upon entering the house we found evidence that Harry and Athena Potter had been tortured and murdered. It appears that The Dark Lord cast the Final spells himself." He said and watched as the strong Transfiguration professor break down in tears while her husband and boss held her close and let her cry on his shoulder. The Potters were her best friends and it was devastating to lose them. Finally her sobs had diminished though she hid her head in her husband's neck. Dumbledore's eyes were misty and lacking their usual twinkle as he spoke to the Auror.
"Do you need to return to work or are you here to deliver the news to James Potter?" He asked.
"I have to go back to work, the minister has ordered all hands on deck for this, he is determined that his brother-in-law's killer be caught." The Auror apologized and headed to the fireplace. He vanished in a swirl of green flames that left the two professors with a haunted look in their eyes. They locked eyes and he leaned in and kissed her before speaking.
"This can't wait until Morning. Please wake Poppy and have her prepare a couple draughts of dreamless sleep for us, then please go fetch Mr. Potter and Mr. Black." He said and she looked at him.
"Sirius resided with James and his parents almost every summer since his third year. It was only this past summer that he was able to get a small apartment with a loan from the Potters. He needs to hear this too." He answered her question softly and she nodded. Pulling her gown tighter around her frame she left to do as he asked. Albus sighed and felt Fawkes land on his shoulder softly as he relocated to his desk.
Ten minutes later she returned with the two confused Gryffindors. Albus conjured enough chairs for the three of them and they sat.
"Mr. Potter, I was just informed by the Head of Aurors that your parents were killed a few hours ago by Lord Voldemort, it appears that he himself killed your parents." Dumbledore said and he watched as the light in the boys' eyes go away and James cried. Sirius too, had tears in his eyes. Minerva put her shell aside and embraced the distraught boy and let him cry on her shoulder, creating the start of a strong bond between him and his head of house. Albus watched as the tears in Sirius' eyes leaked over. The three of them cried for a few minutes. "Boys, you both are excused from class tomorrow, and any work due shall be turned in next time you are in class. If you like Madam Pomfrey had sleeping draughts for all of us." He said herding the students out the door before wrapping his arms around his wife, knowing the boys wouldn't care, and they had come pretty close to discovering the secret marriage of the professors.
As expected, the two boys didn't attend classes the next day, and Sirius rejoined the school the next day, more somber than normal, in fact the other two boys were also subdued after Minerva told them after class the previous day. James didn't attend classes for the rest of the week and didn't attend meals, though his friends did smuggle him food from the table and the kitchens for him to eat. Three days after his parents' death, his uncle, the Minister made a statement about the identities of the deceased and all the information they were willing to release to the press. It hit the evening's prophet, and was reprinted the next morning.
And still James didn't come to class, he stayed in his bed and cried and mourned in peace while he friends were in class and pretended to sleep when they returned in the evening before seeking out Minerva after hours and hearing tales from his parents' days at school before falling asleep on her couch until Dumbledore carried him to his own dorm.
Both professors were worried about him the day the article came out, but not a lot of students received the evening paper, but most received the morning paper and that morning, the story was abuzz and students sent flowers, chocolate and food up to the Gryffindor dorm for the last remaining Potter. That evening, four days after James vanished from classes, both Albus and Minerva were in her office talking about what to do for him, when a soft knock on the door revealed Lily. She seemed surprised to find her headmaster and stopped in the doorway and came forward when Albus nodded for her to. She sat opposite her teachers and asked about James.
"Have read this morning's paper, my dear?" Albus asked her softly. Lily shook her head, she never read the Prophet much, because she didn't like the writers they had on staff. Albus brought that morning's paper and handed her the story. They both watched as Lily's eyes widened as she read until she too had tears in her eyes. She looked down at her lap and only looked up when she felt Dumbledore's hand on her shoulder.
"I believe some hot chocolate is in order, hmm?" He questioned softly before standing. He made to leave when he heard Lily's clear voice speak.
"Professor, can you get the work he needs to do in his classes for me, and I'll help him get it done?" She asked, addressing Minerva, the two professors looked at each other and he nodded before leaving. He did as she asked, and returned with parchments detailing the assignment James needed to complete and Hot Chocolate. The two professors watched Lily while drinking the hot sweet and she stayed in the room when Albus left, after being told that James would show up sometime soon. She banished the make-up work to her room as Albus left.
Sure enough an hour and a game of chess later, James knocked on Minerva's door. He came in with red eyes, that while Minerva saw that every day, it shocked Lily who ran to him and just held him. He held her to him and cried into her shoulder. Minerva watched with a soft smile on her face and felt the arms of her invisible husband wrap around her waist and his head rest on her shoulder.
The next day James returned to class and spent the evenings either with his team or with the group and Lily, all four of them helped him catch up in his classes. He was more subdued and truly focused on Quidditch and class for the rest of the year. His team did win the cup that year and Minerva and Albus read his lips as he whispered for you, mom and dad before raising the cup above his head. He also seemed closer to Lily now and no longer tried to win her heart.
That summer he went to stay with Remus and his parents along with Sirius. Lily wrote him every other day, allowing his replies to come on the off days. Love was blooming and Minerva and Albus watched it from afar.
They spent the first half of the summer break at their cottage deep in the Scottish Highlands. The returned to Hogwarts in August and started to get ready for the coming school year. The Heads of House submitted their two names for their new prefects and the badges were made. Now all that was left was assign textbooks and find a Head Boy and Girl for the year. Lily was an obvious choice, but the whole staff couldn't decide on a Head Boy until Dumbledore nominated James, then they all agreed after seeing how the boy had matured in the light of his parents' deaths. So the letters were ready to send out to the students and the owls of Hogwarts departed the second of August, leaving plenty of time for everyone to get their school supplies.
That year brought many surprises: the pranks were limited to weekends and breaks, the groups' grades improved and James asked Lily out during the first week, well that wasn't surprising he'd been asking her out since year four, what was surprising was that this time she said yes and it became common place for her to be with the group during meals and outside during breaks.
One evening that winter, term was almost over and most students were ready for a break, Minerva was walking past the History of Magic classroom when she clashes and bangs that caught her attention. She opened the door prepared to dish out punishments when she smiled. The floor of the room had been transformed into black and white squares and the chairs and desks had been transformed into chess pieces. James and Lily were in the place of their kings and were directing the rest of the pieces. She watched the chess match for a little before James looked up from the board and spotted her. His wide eyes caused Lily to turn around and look after having one of her bishops take a pawn to save it from his queen.
"Professor." Lily greeted before facing the board game. James raised an eyebrow at her and she nodded, conjuring a chair for her to sit and watch the game. James smiled before turning to the board and scanning it while thinking through each of his moves. The game went on until Lily had him cornered in checkmate when he got cocky. He surrendered by kneeling and with a wave of his wand the pieces went back to their original forms and Lily waved her wand removing the color charms on the floor, it was now back to the brown brick it had been before. She smiled at him and picked up and gave him a kiss when started pouting. The kiss made him smile and he wrapped his arm around her waist before stepping up to their Head of House.
"Now that was an interesting game. Who transfigured the pieces and who charmed the floor?" She asked.
"I transfigured the pieces." James answered and Minerva wasn't surprised he had always been good at Transfiguration. She nodded and looked at Lily.
"I charmed the floor." Minerva had heard that Lily was rather good at Potions and Charms.
"100 points to Gryffindor, each." She said quietly and James smiled, it was the largest amount of points he had been awarded outside of the Quidditch Pitch. He usually lost points for his house. She nodded to them and watched them leave. She then headed back to her office and checked her turned in essays. She had indeed graded them all so she left and headed to her husband's quarters for the night.
NEWTs came and the Hospital Wing had fifth and seventh years in with anxiety about the tests right from the start of the last quarter until the day of exams. Then it changed to injuries suffered during their practical exams in Potions, Herbology and Defense Against the Dark Arts. Seventh years had to duel an Auror or a member of the Hit Squad for their practical and while it was more fun than other practical exams, it was still draining.
The Heads of the four Houses made frequent late night visits to their Houses' Common Rooms to make sure the students actually made it to their rooms and slept there. And finally the exams were over, the proctors left the grounds to deliver the tests to the graders and the end of the year dwindled to the Leaving Feast and the honoring of the Seventh years who wouldn't be returning. Gryffindor had won the Quidditch Cup and the House Cup that year and Minerva had a smile on her face the entire night that shocked most of the students and staff. Of course it helped that she was wearing her ring and holding her husband's thigh under the table.
The day after the Feast was a mess of making sure the students was ready to leave on the train. Minerva saw what she thought were the last of the students to the carriages and returned to her office to pack before meeting her husband. She was surprised to see James and Lily waiting outside the door, their bags at their feet. A simple raised eyebrow asked the question and James just smiled before Lily answered.
"We wanted to talk with you and Professor Dumbledore." She said. Minerva nodded before ushering them into her office and disappearing into her private quarters and changing into a simple ruby robe and meeting them back in her office. She led them to Albus' office and up the staircase. She entered without knocking and James' smile grew, he was so going to win the bet with his girlfriend.
Albus was wearing his usual attire of deep blue robes with moving stars and was conversing with the portraits while waiting for his wife, the only thing different was that he too bore his wedding band. James noticed and pointed it out to Lily. She rolled her eyes, knowing that she was going to lose the bet. But that was okay with her.
"Our two lovebirds have something they wanted to say to us." Minerva announced to let him know that she wasn't alone, though seeing his ring sent a thrill through her. Her husband looked up and smiled at the three of them. He stood from his seat and met them over by the fireplace and the couches, though was surprised when Lily gave him a hug. He hugged her back and she stepped back and let James hug his mentor. Albus was surprised but hugged him back as well. He watched as Lily again stepped forward to his wife and hugged her tightly. She whispered something in her ear before stepping back and again let James hug her too. This time Albus and Lily heard what he told her.
"Thanks for saving me from myself." Minerva's eyes were watering by the time he let her go and all Albus wanted to do was hug her. He caught Lily's eye and she nodded and mouthed that they already knew, so he stepped forward and hugged her, she tensed up for a second before relaxing into his embrace.
"How long have you two been married?" He asked a happy smile on his face.
"13 years in two days." Minerva answered turning to Albus' side and resting her head on his shoulder. James smiled before speaking.
"Then I have something for you both, just let me go finish it." He told them and Albus gave him the password to get past the Gargoyle. James dashed out the door. Lily shook her head and turned to the professors.
"He actually has the gifts in his pocket, he just needs to add the number and wrap it, he left to let me say what I really wanted to say in privacy, or relative privacy." She said eyeing the portraits along the walls. Albus looked at each one and those with second portraits left and the others fell or pretended to fall asleep. She smiled before taking a deep breath.
"I don't know if either of you know this, but when I first got my letter almost seven years ago now, my parents were thrilled. My sister was initially thrilled until she realized she couldn't come with me. After my first year, 'Tunia hated me, wouldn't speak to me at all, and I dealt with it until my fifth year when I lost Sev. After that for some strange reason my parents changed, and were no longer happy to have a witch in the family. I was scorned by my father and ignored by my mother. So I stopped going home during breaks and Professor McGonagall could always be found for a game of chess during that time. And she was there for James when he lost his parents, so don't be surprised to be invited to special events because in some ways you both are more of our parents now than ever before." She started of strong but then as she got to the last part she started to rush in her effort to get it out and looked down at her feet, chewing on her lip.
She felt a gentle hand under her chin and looked into the eyes of her stern Transfiguration Professor and Head of House. The older woman pulled the younger one into an embrace. Lily latched onto the motherly hug and clung to Minerva who again had tears in her eyes. Albus too had tears in his eyes, as he did know what went on at the Evans' house, though he had expected it, it was common for Muggle parents of Wizarding children. He was surprised that she admitted it and thought that James may have been the impetus for the admission.
The door opened slowly and James back in, causing Lily and Minerva to let go of each other and Minerva to return to Albus' side and James handed both of them a small package wrapped in tasteful white paper. He nodded to them both and guided Lily out of the room and down to the gates, aware of the sparkling eyes of the professors watching from Dumbledore's office.