so this plot bunny came to me in the shower (as they do) and i went with it

a little artistic license is needed concerning where this takes place...after the fifth book, maybe sixth, im not sure

(image art by viria)

enjoy anyways

'Harry I called you in here to show you something,' Professor McGonagall said quietly, closing the door to the Headmaster's office. 'Something which may be of some comfort to you…at least I hope that is will.'

Harry frowned at her vagueness, 'okay?'

She strode over to the tall cabinet which contained Dumbledore's pensieve and pulled said object out, placing it carefully on the large desk. And with still no explanation for her actions, she drew out her wand and placed the tip to her temple, Harry watched curiously as she gently tugged a thin wisp of memory from her head and lowered it into the pensieve. She then turned to face him with her usual stern expression.

'I spoke to Remus Lupin, who informed me briefly of the conversation about your parents.'

Harry blinked; he had not been expecting this at all when Neville had told him that McGonagall wanted to speak with him in the headmaster's office.

'I will not be offering this to you again, and it is not a matter in which you should indulge yourself in Harry. But this memory I can offer to you, so that perhaps your understanding of your parents will become more clear to you.' She moved towards him and placed a hand on his shoulder, 'I'm sure you can show yourself out when you are quite finished Potter.'

And she swept from the room, leaving Harry feeling slightly bewildered. The door clicked shut behind him and he cautiously moved towards the pensieve holding McGonagall's memory of his parents. He deliberated for a moment, wondering what he would see – his father's arrogance again, perhaps bullying Snape in an attempt to impress Lily? Her shooting irritated glances at him, while he called after her.

Harry almost turned and strode from the room – his frustration with what he had seen in Snape's memory resurfacing. But McGonagall's words came back to him I will not be offering this to you again, this was his once chance to see his parents, perhaps from a different view. He realised with a painful constricting feeling in his chest that he wanted this desperately; he wanted to see them.

He leant forward over the pensieve and felt a familiar tugging sensation as he fell face-forward into the memory.

He landed on his feet in a classroom – McGonagall's classroom to be more precise, where said teacher sat at her desk, scribbling on some parchment and occasionally glancing up at the classroom before her. When Harry first landed, he had thought the room was empty of students, but he looked up again to see two students sat at two separate desks on the first row, bent over their own parchments.

It was a moment before Harry recognised the shock of red hair as his mother's and the mess of black hair next a few desks over belonging to his father. He felt the breath go out of him; they were older than they had been in Snape's memory – seventh year perhaps? Harry stepped forward slowly towards his parents, feeling his heart leaping in his chest.

James glanced up at McGonagall, blind to Harry and ripped a piece of parchment off before casting a silent spell on it which cause it to spurt delicate little wings and fly over tom Lily, landing in her hair. Lily jumped a little before tearing the makeshift bird from her hair and glancing at McGonagall as James had and shooting a glare at James, who grinned back. Harry stepped around behind Lily, looking over her shoulder as she surreptitiously read the note:

Dearest Lily,

I am suffering from a terrible case of boredom and require you to save me. Stop bloody ignoring me and being a goody-two-shoes.

With the greatest love in my heart, your James x

Lily turned over the parchment and scribbled a reply, glancing up at the top desk as she did, but McGonagall was apparently oblivious to their note passing, which was strange for her, Harry realised. He peered over Lily's shoulder again to see what she had written:

James idiot Potter,

It is neither my responsibility or duty to entertain you during a detention (a detention which, may I point out, we are in because of you), we have five minutes left, stop whining and sending notes before McGonagall catches us.

Love, your long-suffering girlfriend x

She sent the bird back with a discrete flourish of her wand and James grinned as he caught it under his desk. He read it and turned to look at her with an expression of mock-hurt, pressing his hand to his chest, you wound me, he mimed, causing Lily to roll her eyes at him. Harry walked over to James' desk and sat next to him, watching over his shoulder as he had done with his mother, as James scrawled out another note in his messy handwriting.

My Lily Flower,

It was as much your fault as mine that we got caught in the first place – you were the one who was hungry and therefore resulted in us having to go down to the kitchens in the middle of the night (not that I mind of course, because I live to make you endlessly happy as you well know). McGonagall won't catch us; I am the master of deception and stealth.

Love, your boyfriend of six months (long-suffering my arse) x

Harry waited amusedly as Lily received the new note, again glancing at the top desk before scribbling a message back and sending the note back with a flick of her wrist.

Potter,

You would be the same master of deception and stealth whom got us both caught and put in detention, even though you have an invisibility cloak and a map of every person's location in the school at your disposal?

Evans x

p.s. I wouldn't have been hungry at 1am if you hadn't made me skip dinner.

James hid his laughter with a cough as he read the note, raising the eyebrows of Professor McGonagall, who fixed him with a stern stare before returning to her own work. The notes flew between the couple quickly and silently now as Harry watched amusedly.

Lily my darling,

Please don't resort to surnames again, it wounds me greatly. And yes, even the greatest make mistakes, besides, Sirius was borrowing my cloak and I couldn't find the map. Also it's not my fault that Filch can walk through walls, the sneaky bastard.

Your loving boyfriend who is eternally grateful for your entertainment during detention x

…

James dear,

The great one admits he made a mistake? I'm sorry, this does not register, did you eat something funny at lunch? Which reminds me – we're missing dinner again because of this, what are you going to do about that? I can't go without another meal tonight.

Love, your hungry girlfriend who, for the record, doesn't approve of this note swapping business x

…

Lily,

It has been known to happen…on rare occasion. And, now you mention it, the chicken did taste a bit funny…
I shall treat you to a wonderful feast later tonight in the kitchens, and no we will not get caught this time, because this time we will have the map and the cloak.

James x

p.s. you love being a rebel don't lie

…

James,

I suppose I must be drawn to a little bit of unruliness or else I would not be going out with you, but if you get us caught again I won't speak to you for a week.

Your deadly serious girlfriend x

…

Lily flower,

Don't make me laugh Evans, you wouldn't last two days without my charming company.

Your even more deadly serious boyfriend x

…

Want to bet? X

…

Not really x

…

If dinner is particularly spectacular tonight then I promise I won't ignore you…as long as you're not a prat.

Lily x

…

It will be the greatest meal of your life I promise you. Even better than my mum's roast beef dinner.

James x

…

Can we have pudding?

…

Of course dear x

…

'Alright,' McGonagall said suddenly, causing both teenagers to jump. 'You may both go, as head boy and girl I don't want to have to see either of you again in this situation.'

'Yes professor,' Lily chimed, standing up and placing the pieces of parchment on her desk into her bag.

'Sure thing Professor,' James said as he unceremoniously shoved his belongings into his bag and threw it over his shoulder.

They walked to the door together and Harry felt a faint pang in his chest as he watched them go – this was McGonagall's memory, he would not be able to follow them. But, much to his delight, McGonagall stood from her desk and walked to the door, Harry followed, peering out into the corridor as she did to see the two teenagers loping off towards the Gryffindor common room. James was bouncing along with Lily on his back, his hands hooked underneath her legs, she laughed and latched onto his neck as he jumped and feigned dropping her.

McGonagall returned to her classroom, the tiniest hint of a smirk at her mouth.

And with very little warning, Harry felt himself being uprooted and dragged back through the memory until he landed on his rear-end on the hard floor of the Headmaster's office.

'Ow,' he muttered, dragging himself upright.

He stared around the room, feeling as if his world had shifted ever so slightly. He had seen his parents; they had been happy, and James had loved her, so much, that was inexplicably clear to Harry now. He walked from the office still in a slight daze, he almost crashed into Professor McGonagall on the other side of the door.

'Harry, how are you feeling?'

'Good,' he decided. 'I mean, actually really good.' He looked at her face, 'thank you.'

She inclined her head, 'my only wish is that you could have your own memories of them. But the past is done and the future will not wait for you as you dwell on old memories.'

Harry nodded, his eyes on the ground.

'Was I right to show you that Potter?'

He snapped his head up, 'oh yes professor. Definitely.'

'Good,' she smiled a little before stepping inside the office and closing the door behind her. Harry stood there for a moment, remembering his parents and allowing the memory to wrap around him like a cocoon, before sighing and walking in the direction of the Great Hall for dinner. It would not do for him to dwell in the past, but he would carry his parent's happiness with him, like a flicker of light in his heart, strong and unwavering in the whispering darkness of Harry's near future.