Proposal || Lily & Minerva
gryffinborn:
Lily might not mind being a little cheeky, but she’d never dream of actually talking back to Professor McGonagall. Anyone who would would have faced the censure of all of Gryffindor house. She mimed a face of innocence, shaking her head, “Only in my capacity as Head Girl. Although you must admit, it’d be a shame if any Gryffindor didn’t have a little bit of an adventurous spirit.” Her gaze travelled out the window, the familiar grounds of Hogwarts at once warming her and hitting her with a wave of nostalgia. The passing of time indeed. “I’m sorry, at times, to think I’ll never come back. I’m not sure I’ll ever be capable enough, as you say, but I suppose it’d be nice to send a child of my own here. One day.” If this war ever ends - that was the unspoken meaning behind it.
She felt a flicker of disappointment to not share this commonality with her favourite professor, but listening to Minerva further, Lily recognised a different one - perhaps a deeper one than something as superficial as blood. “I understand. I don’t know what I would have done if James was a Muggle but …” She understood in a different way, one that was no less painful, at least in Lily’s mind. “My sister, you know. I think she’d have forgiven me if I gave all this up. I never could, though.” Magic was too much a part of her to return to the Muggle world. “That’s alright, Professor. I’ll feel the same way myself, all these years I’ve been cursing the very name Potter,” she exaggerated, grinning.
“Lion cubs are particularly inclined to mischief.” she admitted with a small nod, “And, though you would never dare hear me utter these words around a student, it is often easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.” In smaller instances of course. There were some situations where students could put themselves or others in danger and that was one thing she would never stand for as an educator. “That is the trick of time, Ms. Evans. A person never misses something while they have it. It isn’t until it’s gone beyond our capacity to have it back that we truly appreciate how much we cared.” Such feelings had hit her when she’d given up her muggle love... If Albus hadn’t come across her crying that evening Minerva doubted she’d have recovered as well as she had.
“No parent ever thinks themselves capable enough, though most usually are.” She’d had several ‘concerned’ parents fretting for their children when they were thriving under Hogwarts; children were infinitely tougher than most seemed to think. “I think, if he had truly loved you, and not simply the idea of you, then you would have needed to give up nothing.” Though not aimed at herself those words gave away a great deal of what Minerva thought about her parents. “Magic is a part of who we are, Ms. Evans. We own no one apologies for being born as we are.” she said sternly. “Hmmmm,“ the older witch smiled softly, “Or course you were.” She’d watched those two for years, from her perspective it had been an easy end to see coming.














