Chapter 23: What were Albus Dumbledore and James Potter Thinking?

Sixth year,

Things at Hogwarts had started to calm back down. The Mini-Marauders (A/N: Thank you for the name. It's much better than what I had before.) had all gotten excellent scores on their OWLs. However, Dumbledore's age was catching up to him. Everyone was starting to worry.

0000

June of 2013,

Dumbledore was looking extremely tired. He knew that he didn't have much longer, so he was trying to make the start of the next year easier for McGonagall if he left before. He understood that he was only human. A mortal. People had found this hard to believe for ages since he was now 166 years old.

He had sent the letters to the new first years. He had already known where to find two certain first years whose identities will be revealed in the next chapter.

Just then, the floo network was activated.

"You wanted to see me sir." James Potter said stepping out of the fireplace.

"Ah. James. Yes I did. Please, sit down."

"Thank you." James said as he sat in the all too familiar chair.

James started chuckling to himself.

"What is it?" Dumbledore asked him.

"Nothing." James said. "Just remembering the number of times I was sent here. I always sat in this chair."

Dumbledore gave a small smile in remembrance.

"Not all of them were because you were in trouble." He reminded the younger wizard.

"Right." James agreed.

"James." Dumbledore said getting to the point. "You understand that I am human, just like you."

"Yes sir?" James said wondering where this was going.

"I feel like my time is growing short. As you know, when I am gone, Minerva will be the new headmistress."

"Pro…I mean Albus. You can't…It's nowhere near time." James said refusing to believe what was happening. "W-What does this have to do with me?"

Dumbledore smiled.

Flashback

"You wanted to see me Albus." Minerva McGonagall said as she entered the headmaster's office.

"Yes Minerva. Of all of you Transfiguration students still alive, who would you say would be your top pick?"

McGonagall was confused at this question.

"I would have to say a tie between Mrs. Hermione Weasley and Mr. James Potter. There were some other brilliant students, but they were the ones who managed to do exceedingly well in my class. Why?"

"I was merely curious." Dumbledore told her.

End Flashback

"As Mrs. Weasley is already a professor," Dumbledore continued, "you were the second choice to replace Minerva. She can't very well teach and run the school at the same time."

"You did." James argued remembering the time when his sixth and seventh year DADA teacher was injured and Albus covered.

"Yes. But that was only for a few days." Albus told him.

"But." James said trying to let what was happening sink in. "Me? A Teacher? Professor, have you forgotten that I was a Marauder?"

"As was Mr. Lupin. And he taught. Twice. And being an animagus, you also have an advantage since you will be covering them."

"But, I'm unregistered." James tried.

"No student needs to know that detail. And isn't Mrs. Newton in charge of that department?"

James thought about it. Lily was always saying that he was excellent at Transfiguration. Remus had even teased him in school about that if he wasn't so big-headed, he would make a great Transfiguration teacher. Even Professor Peeler said that he would make a great teacher. And Dumbledore was right about the animagus thing. McGonagall was one and that helped with the visual aspect in class. James remembered watching McGonagall change. It was because of this that he got the idea of becoming animagi for Moony.

"I'll do it." James said quietly.

"Thank you James. I know you will be an excellent teacher." Dumbledore said smiling.

"I just hope I'm not needed soon." James said as he made his way to the fireplace.

"Oh. James." Dumbledore remembered something.

"Yes?"

"I'll let you in on a secret that I haven't shared with anyone yet." Dumbledore said with that twinkle in his eye which never left.

"What?"

"Before you came in, I had finally picked the Head Boy and Girl. They are Mr. Lupin, and your daughter."

James starred at the elderly headmaster. "My daughter? Lily's going to get a kick out of this. Why?"

There was that twinkle again. "The same reason why you and your wife were chosen."

"You mean? Megan and Colin…" James laughed. "Ok. Now Moony's going to get a kick out of this. Wait. Was it because of my infatuation which was quickly turning to love, or the fact that she was the only one who could control me?"

"For you and Mrs. Potter," Dumbledore answered, "I'll admit it was both of those reasons. As for Miss Potter and Mr. Lupin, it would be the first reason."

James laughed. "My little girl's growing up."

0000

"What did Dumbledore want Prong?" Sirius asked as James returned to the Ministry.

"Moony. I blame you." James said pointing at Remus who was in Sirius' office.

"What?" Melissa (who was visiting) asked confused as James laid the blame on her husband.

"Dumbledore's talking crazy." James explained. "He's acting like he's going to die any moment now. He was looking for replacements for McGonagall and he asked ME! A Marauder! Teaching!"

"And you blame me why?" Remus asked.

"I tried to use the "I'm a Marauder" excuse. His reply was that YOU taught. TWICE!"

"If I recall correctly." John said. "You taught as well."

"Not really. I was just there for the moral support. The stress relief. Giving Harry excuses to leave class." James started to rant. "And when I did teach, it was to the kids when they were becoming animagi. And I had help. This is one teacher and many students."

"That's not the problem, is it Prongs?" Sirius asked reading his best friend.

"You're right Padfoot. It's Dumbledore. He's accepted the fact that he's going to…" James started as he sat down. "What will we ever do without him?"

"Continue." Sara answered. "Continue on with our lives. We can always tell our grandchildren stories about him."

"Sara." John warned pointing at James. "Ixnay on the andchildrengray"

Sara quickly covered her mouth.

"No news." James said knowing what she was covering her mouth for.

"Do you think he went where he went last time?" Sirius asked.

"I don't know. Maybe." James said.

Remus had grabbed one of his old defense books he had lent Sirius and was flipping through the pages hoping to find something that could help find Harry, Ginny, Tara, and Taran.

Just then, Remus got a look of recognition after he read something. Then, he turned to the wall and started banging his head.

"Moony?" James, Sirius, and John asked.

"Do you remember the Professor's name?" Remus asked.

"Which one?" Melissa asked.

"Sixth and seventh year Defense." Remus told them.

"Harold Peeler." Sirius said. "I don't remember much of him though."

"I bet if we asked someone to remove a powerful memory charm, we will remember him clearly." Remus explained.

"We'll see." Melissa told him. "Well, I have to go make sure Colin didn't burn down the house."

All of a sudden, James started laughing.

"What?" Remus asked.

"If I tell you guys, will you promise not to tell anybody?" James asked. "Well, at least the kids. I'm going to tell Lils when I get home."

"Marauder swear." Remus, John, and Sirius said.

"Likewise." Sara and Melissa agreed.

"Just before I went for my meeting, Dumbledore had picked the Head Boy and Girl. Mr. Colin Lupin and Miss. Megan Potter."

Everyone starred.

"And that's not all." James said looking at Remus and Melissa. "He told me he did it for the same reason he made me Head Boy and Lily Head Girl."

"Which of the two real reasons that we decided on?" Sirius asked interested.

"The first."

Sirius laughed so hard he fell off his chair.

"What was reason number 1 again?" John asked "I forgot."

Flashback

On the train to Hogwarts at the start of the Marauders' 7th year, everyone was trying to figure out what Dumbledore had been drinking the night he picked the heads.

"Maybe he's trying to hook you up with Evans." Sirius had suggested. "Since you can't do it yourself."

James whacked him upside the head.

"Maybe he did get drunk." Peter suggested.

"Dumbledore doesn't get drunk Peter." John told him.

Remus laughed at his thought. "Maybe it's because Lily Evans is the only person who can really control you Prongs. You and Sirius are the ringleaders of the Marauders, so if you're under control, then we are."

"Yeah right. NOBODY can control James Potter." James boasted.

"POTTER!" Lily Evans screamed as she entered his cabin. "You are supposed to be up in the front car with the prefects."

"Coming Evans." James said getting up and leaving the cabin causing the others to laugh.

"LUPIN!" Lily continued. "You're still a prefect. Move it!"

End Flashback

"Oh yeah. The hook up." John said laughing.

"Makes sense." Melissa said.

"What do you mean Melissa?" James asked.

"I mean, have you ever looked in on your child the past couple of years?" Melissa told him.

"We've heard Colin muttering Megan's name in his sleep." Remus said. "You're probably not going to like this part, but once we caught him doing what you used to do to your pillow. Except calling it "Megan" instead of "Lily"."

"What?" James asked shocked.

"Remember when we walked in on Sirius and James taking a nap over by the lake?" John asked Remus as he reminisced. "Sirius was calling James "Spica" and James was calling Sirius "Lily.""

"We were not!" the other two Marauders defended.

"I have the magical video tape to prove it." John said.

Sara and Melissa were now laughing because they had seen it.

TBC

A/N: In case you haven't figured out the meaning of the title, it means What was Dumbledore thinking for asking James to teach and what was James thinking when he agreed. Now, for the preview:

"Now, as tradition, the start-of-term feast will begin."

At her signal, the food popped out. As the students started piling food on their plates, James walked up to McGonagall.

"What's Uncle James up to?" Ariel said noticing him.

McGonagall looked towards the gang, smiled, and nodded at James. He smiled and started walking towards them.

"We haven't pulled any pranks yet." Megan said.