Once Again

I never knew that I would teach three generations of them. Three generations of red hair and green eyes. Three generations of black hair and hazel eyes. If you had asked me those many years ago, when I first started teaching the first pair, I would have scoffed at any notion that they'd one day produce a son that would combine and balance their features. They hated each other.

But love is a fickle thing, and these two young, bright students of mine married soon after Hogwarts. Not long after they had a son, a son with black hair and green eyes. He came to me thirteen years later as a timid first year. When he was at school he met a young, red-haired woman. After graduation, they married.

And now I am preparing for a speech for the new graduation class. In this class is a special pair—twins. Looking at them takes me back many years, so, so many years.

Back to the beginning of this continuous cycle.

Once again, I see their faces. My favourite students live on in their grandchildren.

And I have lived to see it.

Part I: James & Lily

My favourite students.

When I first started teaching them, in 1972, they were exact opposites.

Lily, well, Lily was muggle-born and completely new to the idea of magic.

The reason she did so well was because she was brilliant. A mind like no other.

James was a pureblood, and he had been trained and immersed in magic since he was born.

He was brilliant as well but chose not to apply himself as much.

Lily followed the rules.

James broke them constantly.

Lily never skipped class.

James did often.

Lily hated James.

James hated Lily—until fourth year, where he finally realized she was a girl. Unfortunately, he didn't realize that he needed to respect her, not torment her, in order to win her over to his side.

Seven years I taught them—and not just transfiguration.

I taught them how to work together, how to be a team. I taught them how to be part of a community.

But they taught each other the most important things.

James taught Lily to love.

Lily taught James respect and hope.

And in seventh year, Head Boy and Head Girl, they came to share a love so strong it would one day save the world.

I remember that after their graduation, I thought the school felt empty.

James and his marauding friends, Peter, Sirius, and Remus, were gone, and never again would such laughter ring out in the corridors.

They were a team like no other.

Mischief galore, laughter aplenty.

They had both—and now you can just imagine their footsteps and laughter ringing out in the empty halls.

I would never be called Minnie again for a long time. And the next time I would be called that, I would collapse because it was my memories alive in front of me.

There would never again be pranks that lived up to the Marauder's standards.

Oh—they were meticulous in planning.

Their map, which they thought I never knew about, was brilliant. Astounding. They planned everything down to the last detail.

But now—they were gone, mere ghosts in the halls of Hogwarts.

Lily was gone too.

I wouldn't have someone as inquisitive as her for a while into the future.

No more bright eyes like hers staring at me pensively, asking a question to which I knew no answer.

She was remarkable.

She learned to 'tame' the Marauders, if you wish to call it that, but at the same time, they learned to tone it down a wee bit.

They fit each other, Lily and the boys.

They got married in October 1979.

The wedding was beautiful, and I was honoured with an invitation.

They danced that one night without any indication that they were involved in a battle, a battle that was killing their friends and shadowing their footsteps.

A year after, they had their son, Harry.

He was a miniature James.

I have to say I was worried that I would have to deal with a new prankster generation, but I soon realized that Lily's personality would balance this child out.

Then, as I was holding him, he woke up from his nap and opened his eyes.

They were green. Emerald green.

And I knew that once again, I would have this little one with green eyes asking me inquisitive questions.

And once again, I wouldn't know the answer.

I also knew that I would be giving out detentions to another Potter.

I remember when I first heard the news.

Everyone was rejoicing in the streets of Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, as well as the Ministries of Magic in all countries.

Voldemort was dead.

Harry Potter had killed him—but at a terrible price.

I was in shock.

I couldn't believe it.

They were the best of the best. Passionately loving, passionately real.

Brilliant young adults with their whole life ahead of them but soldiers in a war that robbed them of their youth.

Lily and James were gone.

Their vibrant lives were snuffed out like a candle before they even reached their peak.

And poor Harry was now an orphan.

But I can still see James and Lily, for they remain etched in the walls of Hogwarts, never to be forgotten.

Part II: Harry & Ginny

In 1991, Harry Potter arrived at Hogwarts, looking so much like his father but acting so much like his mother.

Even though he wasn't muggle-born, he was raised that way.

He learned to fit in at school, despite being the boy-who-lived.

He joined the Quidditch team in first year, an unthinkable feat—just like his father.

He was a total combination of James and Lily.

Smart, but not terribly studious.

Broke the rules, but only because he had too.

Applied himself, but only as much as he needed to pass.

Yes, I decided after first year, he was his parent's son.

The next year, Ginny came to Hogwarts.

She was a year younger than Harry, and his best friend's little sister.

I remember watching her in Transfiguration class as she whispered with her friends about Harry.

She had a young girl's crush.

Harry took no notice of her until his sixth year, really.

They started dating when Harry was sixteen and Ginny, fifteen.

They broke up for the Second Great War, and afterwards, they married.

I was once again invited to the wedding of a red headed bride and black haired groom.

Does it matter that the eyes were switched?

For the groom had green eyes and the bride had hazel.

They lived a peaceful life for while, and ended up having twins.

Their names are James Henry and Lily Grace.

James and Lily once again.

But the Potters can never escape tragedy, it seems.

For once again, the parents died to save the children.

It wasn't Voldemort this time, nor was it a best friend betraying them.

Almost unbelievably, they were killed a muggle way, gunned down on a hike in the woods outside London. Survived a wizarding war - and for Harry, two wars - and died in a random and violent attack.

Harry and Ginny flung themselves in front of their two year-old twins, protecting them from death.

That was the way they were found.

I never got the chance to meet James and Lily Potter II—that is, until now.

They were sent to live with their aunt and uncle, Ronald and Hermione Weasley.

Other students of mine.

Now, once again, there is a Potter back at Hogwarts.

And I remain to teach.

Part III: James Henry & Lily Grace

I remember welcoming the first years.

In the group was a pair of two, twins.

Twin Potters.

And when they took off their cloaks and hoods, letting the light flood their faces and hair, I bit back a gasp.

I was seeing my first James and Lily.

Henry grinned up at me, his hazel eyes twinkling behind his glasses.

The black hair of his stuck up all over the place, just like his father and grandfather's.

He was skinny little thing, and definitely cocky.

He already looked like he knew he would own the place.

Tears filled my eyes as I looked at the replica of my favourite student.

I turned to his sister.

Grace flung her red hair over her shoulder, glancing around the Great Hall with interest.

She seemed a wee bit shy, sort of hesitant

Then, her gaze fell on me, and our eyes met.

This time, tears started to roll down my cheeks.

Her emerald green eyes were bright and full of questions.

I knew, once again, I would never answer all of them.

Red hair, green eyes. Black hair, hazel eyes.

They were finally back on the right person.

She opened her mouth to ask me why I was weeping but I quickly vanished my tears and proceeded on with the sorting.

Just like their parents and namesakes, they were sorted into Gryffindor, and I clapped hard.

I noticed other teachers, such as Flitwick, who was still alive and teaching, watching them tearfully as well.

Lily Evans Potter had been his favourite student.

Severus Snape—cleared of all charges- was white in the face watching them.

He had just seen the past come to life again right before his eyes.

Time passed and the twins remained inseparable.

Henry and Grace were on the Quidditch team for Gryffindor.

Grace was the seeker, Henry a chaser.

Grace was a brilliant Charms student and was also gifted at potions—although Professor Snape refused to acknowledge it.

It was apparent, however, that he clearly favoured her above her brother.

Henry loved my class, Transfiguration, and after that, he hated every class.

Grace forced him to study, and the only times you saw him in the library was with her holding his arm.

They each made friends, and I saw new Marauders running the halls.

Not exactly the same, for none had a 'furry little problem', as I remember James calling it, but they did have possession of the Map.

I didn't have the heart to confiscate it, for it was a piece of their parents and grandparents, as well as godfathers, godmothers, and friends.

Now, it is June, and I am once again preparing to send some Potters into the unknown world.

Remus Lupin is at the graduation for his best friend's grandchildren and his surrogate son's children.

He thought nobody saw the single tear that rolled down his old face, but I certainly did.

He was watching his best friends living in the bodies of young adults. Unique, of course – they were there own persons, but so very, very similar.

The generations of footsteps echo in the corridors of Hogwarts.

The laughter rings out in the Gryffindor common room.

The ghost Quidditch crowd stands and cheers for 'POTTER! POTTER!', but I shall never know which one.

Four boys wander around the school invisible—but which group of Marauders?

A red headed girl is studying in the library, but she is a ghost of the past.

I blink, and she's gone.

I look into my classroom, and see a bespectacled boy sitting at a desk, waiting for me.

"Minnie!" he cries. "I'm waiting!"

I need to assign him his detention.

But which Potter is this?

James, Harry, or Henry?

They're three in one.

I pause, and in that pause, he disappears, leaving me, an old woman, standing foolishly in her classroom, wondering how time has gone by so fast.

I wonder why I've lived this long.

I've lived to see three generations of green eyes and red hair. Three generations of hazel eyes and black hair.

'I'm too old,' I think. 'I see them as if they're really there.'

Green eyes ask me questions, time after time.

Black hair is ruffled.

Red hair is flipped over a shoulder.

I watch the red haired girl give the Head Girl speech every graduation.

Once again, Lily and James were graduating.

Once again, it was red hair paired with green eyes, and hazel bespectacled eyes paired with ridiculous black hair.

Once again, I was watching history.

James and Lily, Harry and Ginny, Henry and Grace.

They lived again.

Once again.

And see, look – here they are in front of me.

All of them that have passed.

James is holding onto Lily and Harry.

Harry has his arm around Ginny.

James speaks first. "Hullo Minnie. Long time no see!"

I find my voice. "James Potter?"

"Who else?" he replies arrogantly.

I smile. Same as ever.

Next is Lily. "Welcome home, Professor McGonagall. Welcome home."

I am confused.

Harry tries to help. "We've been waiting for you, Professor. It's your time to come home."

Ginny opens her mouth. "It's time for you to leave Hogwarts behind and join us here."

I look around.

We are in Hogwarts!

Lily reads my thoughts.

"No, Professor. This is but a memory, a mere thought. This is where you believe you are most at home. This is where you remember us, so we are here. As soon as you are ready to leave it all behind, we will move on together."

James grins that famous grin, a small dimple appearing at the left corner of his lips.

"Sirius is waiting for us, Minnie. He's excited to see you. Says he has a prank planned."

I wipe my eyes and look around.

"But where are Grace and Henry? Why are they not here?"

Harry looks at me, his eyes sad. "It's not their time. We'll see them soon."

Ginny nods. "For now, though, let's go home."

I grab their hands and together, my red and black haired, green and hazel-eyed students and I, we walk into the light.

I am home.

A/N: As always...please review! xx