Maggie stood in front of the Hogwarts Express, feeling just as content as she did the very first time she saw the locomotive. There was something so comforting and so peaceful about the red train that made her feel as though all was safe in the world. Maggie could not remember a time she felt more at ease.
Sighing in perfect bliss, Maggie threw her briefcase over her shoulder, adjusted her witch's hat and pushed her glasses further up her nose.
"Mummy?" Hermione asked.
Maggie had to peer down at her daughter, who apparently was not going to inherit the height of McGonagall women. She smirked slightly, remembering how Sirius had always fought with James over which boy was taller.
"Yes, love?" Maggie smiled warmly, quickly brushing some soot from Hermione's cloak. The young girl was not yet used to Floo powder.
For a brief moment, Hermione looked conflicted, as if she did not know how to translate what her brain was putting together. These moments were rare, as Hermione had always been a girl who knew exactly how she felt and exactly how to convey that. Maggie knew her daughter well enough not to pry, as Minerva had done the same thing when Maggie was a young girl.
"Well, what if I am…I suppose…well, what if I don't want to be in Gryffindor?" Hermione looked up at her mother with a nervous glance.
Maggie smiled softly and pushed back some of her daughter's messy brown hair.
"You've been talking about Gryffindor all summer. What in Merlin's name has changed your mind, dear?" Maggie asked incredulously although she had the faintest idea where this was leading to.
Hermione blushed furiously.
"What if I'm not brave enough? I certainly don't want to be the first McGonagall woman to not be sorted into Gryffindor all because of a silly old hat, I mean honestly—"
"A hat that observes and analyzes the most endearing parts of you," Maggie interjected with a raised eyebrow. Maggie then bent down to level herself with Hermione. "I happen to remember a little girl who went to the pet shop and freed all of the cats when she was five years old. With no magic. If memory serves correct, I believe that same little girl also stood up to Severus Snape when he questioned her intelligence. A year later, the very same young witch went with Hagrid to save an injured Hippogriff in the Forbidden Forest. I don't think timid girls do those kinds of things, do you?"
Hermione thought long and hard. She pursed her lips and glanced toward the train, as if contemplating boarding.
"And what is the difference between bravery and stupidity?" Hermione asked.
"Oh, there's loads of stupid in bravery, love," Maggie smiled, returning to her normal height. "Sometimes, the best decision isn't the safest or wisest. Every brave person chooses to do what is right. And that comes with its own consequences as well as its glory."
"But I thought a sharp mind is the best thing a witch can have?" Hermione asked exasperatedly, knitting her eyebrows together.
"What have I always told you, Hermione?" Maggie asked with a knowing, bright smirk.
Hermione had to stop herself from rolling her eyes.
"There are more important things than books and cleverness if you're brave enough to find them." Hermione answered in a monotone. "But what does that even mean, mummy? What could be better than being a smart witch…an intelligent witch like you and Gran? Isn't that why everyone respects you?"
"I'd say they respect us a lot more for our bravery than our minds," Maggie replied thoughtfully.
"That doesn't sound nearly right," Hermione this time allowed herself a full roll of her eyes.
Maggie chortled. "Alright now, missy. Onto the train you go. I've got to go instruct the Prefects."
Hermione took a deep breath and nodded. She adjusted her robes properly, much to the displeasure of Maggie who had pleaded with her to change into them on the train rather than prior to boarding, and entered the train in a rather confident manner.
Maggie sighed once more and then went to board the train herself, feeling much different than any other year. This year, her daughter would be at Hogwarts with her. Something about that worried and exhilarated her.
"Fred! George! Lee!" Maggie barked at the two Weasley boys and Lee Jordan who were gleaming over a small box that clearly held something inside.
"Professor, we weren't doing anything, we swear!" Fred exclaimed.
"Honestly, professor. Would we be doing something troublesome out in the open here?" George added with a quirked eyebrow.
Maggie bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. She instantly thought back to two mischievous boys she had met her first year on the Hogwarts express doing something strikingly similar. She felt a strong pang in her chest.
"I don't want to see you three doing anything against school rules on this train, am I clear?" Maggie demanded sternly.
"Anything for the best looking professor at Hogwarts!" Fred grinned broadly.
"Best looking professor ever!" George winked back.
Before Maggie could chastise the Weasley boys on their continued inappropriateness toward her appearance, the boys and Lee Jordan skirted off, leaving Maggie alone.
Maggie spent a great deal of her time instructing the Prefects on their usual duties, the code of honor and all of that nonsense that Minerva had instructed her to reiterate into the lot. Maggie was more than pleased when she was finally relieved from her duties. They were nothing short of dreadfully boring.
"Honor serving the school, Professor McGonagall. I'll do Gryffindor proud!" Percy nodded seriously toward Maggie.
"As you've always done, Percy," Maggie smirked. "Now run along. I'd start monitoring over by your brothers' compartments. And do check in on Hermione will you?"
"On Gryffindor's honor, Professor." Percy puffed out his chest and left at once.
"Long day?" Madam Hooch asked as she took a seat across from Maggie.
"You would't believe." Maggie sighed with a smile. "Who's gone and put you on train duty? Usually it goes to the youngest professors."
"Or the newest in my case," Rolanda replied. "Why are you out patrolling? Isn't Quirrell the newest after me?"
"Yes but Quirrell hasn't got a daughter starting her first year," Maggie replied. "I traded him. He's going to cover my Hogsmeade trip. Oh, for Merlin's sake, Rolanda don't give me that look!"
Rolanda held out her hands in surrender.
"I'm not saying a word!" Rolanda laughed.
"Yes but your face says it all," Maggie rolled her eyes. "You think I'm just as overprotective as my mum."
"To be fair," Rolanda began. "I didn't get to see how Minerva raised you but based off of last week's Staff Quidditch game and that whole ordeal, I can take a fair guess that you may have been coddled."
Maggie gritted her teeth at the mention of that wretched staff Quidditch game. Sprout had accidentally hit a bludger straight at Maggie's chest, causing a few broken ribs. Minerva of course turned irate and ordered that the game be stopped immediately.
"I don't coddle Hermione in the slightest," Maggie waved her hand dismissively. "She's a very independent young girl. And yes, I admit, my mother was stubbornly overprotective but I had learned from her mistakes and I don't coddle."
"Well, thank Merlin for that," Rolanda replied.
Later at the welcoming feast, Maggie could barely keep herself in her chair at the staff table. Her nerves were building up so rapidly that she felt slightly sick. She could only imagine how her daughter felt.
Maggie sighed in relief when she saw Minerva march through the doors of the Great Hall, the long line of first-years trailing nervously behind her. For just a brief moment, Maggie caught Hermione's eye and smiled as confidently as she could muster. To her surprise, Hermione nodded back with an equally confident smile. Maggie beamed at her daughter. At least she had Sirius' confidence.
Maggie gripped the table with such intensity that Flitwick eyed her suspiciously.
"You know, my son was sorted into Slytherin and he was just about the brightest young wizard you could know," Filius whispered to Maggie.
"I'm sorry for that." Maggie made a sharp intake of breath.
Suddenly, Maggie felt the sinking feeling that perhaps Hermione might get sorted into Gryffindor. She felt her pulse quicken and her hands get even more clammy than before. Just as her nerves were shooting through the roof, Maggie hung her head slightly in shame. She felt as though the wind had been kicked out of her for thinking such things. She silently admonished herself for wishing her daughter not be in Slytherin.
Just as Maggie was about to pour herself some water to calm her nerves, she heard the familiar call of her mother.
"Granger, Hermione!"
Maggie inched herself to the edge of her seat, her heartbeat pounding furiously in her ears. She felt Minerva's eyes on her but she dared not take her eyes off of the back of her daughter's head. Maggie swallowed forcefully, the dryness of her mouth seemingly the only thing she could feel.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Maggie heard a high-pitched sound escape from her lips but thankfully the Gryffindor Table's cheering drowned it out.
Just as Hermione was getting claps on her back from her now fellow Gryffindors, Maggie was getting congratulations and hand shakes from the rest of the Staff Table.
At that moment in time, Maggie felt as though she were flying on her broomstick. She felt her chest swell with absolute pride. There was nothing more important, precious or perfect as seeing Hermione laughing and smiling at the Gryffindor Table where Maggie herself had sat so many years ago.
Maggie cast a glance toward Hagrid who was giving her a large thumbs-up and a bright wink.
Much to Maggie's relief, Harry Potter was also sorted into Gryffindor. She couldn't help but stand up and clap when Harry made his way over to Gryffindor Table. When he took a seat right next to Hermione, Maggie felt as though both were her children. Her cheeks were beginning to hurt from smiling so much.
Maggie watched curiously as the youngest Weasley very anxiously made his way up to the stool. His cheeks were burning red and Maggie thought back to when Bill was first sorted himself. He had been a smart boy, a very clever boy but he too harbored the same red cheeks. Maggie sighed for the last time in relief when Ronald was sorted into Gryffindor.
"Interesting lot this year," Minerva smirked as she sat down next to Maggie who was already shoveling loads of mashed potatoes into her mouth. "For Merlin's sake, Maggie must you always shove food into your mouth in such a manner?"
"Ha'got to eat, haven' all day, starv'g," Maggie replied incoherently.
Minerva rolled her eyes and began delicately eating her own tripe.
"Blimey that was fantastic, the house elves deserve ten raises," Maggie sighed as she pushed her empty plate away from her.
"Don't start on the house elf liberation nonsense again," Severus muttered.
"I'm sorry, Severus I don't recall asking your lousy opinion," Maggie smirked. "And what on earth are you doing sitting next to me? I thought we deemed the last seat at the table as Snape Available."
"I reluctantly come to you because I think something is awry with our treat in the dungeons," Snape said barely audibly.
Maggie froze.
"Whose trap is at fault?" Maggie asked worriedly.
"None yet," Severus replied calmly. "But it does appear as though the door has been touched. The students have only just arrived and as much as I hate not to blame the Weasleys, I don't think it was any of them."
"Aye," Maggie replied quietly. "I'll discuss with my mother and get back to you. In the meantime, maybe we just set Filch around there more regularly. A month's detention for anyone caught wandering around there just to set an example."
"Noted." Snape said in a note of finality before he stepped away from the Staff Table and back toward his own office.
"Something wrong?" Minerva asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I won't allow something to happen," Maggie said in a tone that reminded Minerva of her daughter's Auror days.
"Maggie," Minerva said in a warning tone.
"Mum," Maggie replied with a tired sigh.
"Enjoy your daughter," Minerva nodded her head toward Hermione. "You don't ever get this time back."
There was a sad longing look in Minerva's eyes that instantly changed Maggie's mood. Her hostility was replaced with gratefulness as she placed her hand over Minerva's.
"Mum, your bravery has raised some fine women," Maggie smiled adoringly at her daughter.
Unbeknownst to Maggie, Minerva was smiling at Maggie in the exact same way.