Author: George Weasley’s Girlfriend

Title: I Never Should Have Let Them Dance

Rating: PG

Minerva McGonagall sighed dejectedly and placed her square spectacles back onto her crooked nose.

"Tell me again why you felt it was necessary to push Mr. Malfoy into the lake, Mr. Potter," the Hogwarts Transfiguration professor requested for what seemed like the tenth time that afternoon.

"Malfoy called Frank Longbottom a Mudblood," James Potter said, crossing his arms. "So I pushed him into the lake."

"Why didn’t you get a teacher? I believe Professor Kettleburn was perusing the grounds at the time." The student’s face clearly gave the argument that getting a teacher would have been the sensible thing to do, something James Potter avoided at all costs.

"His words were out of line, but so were your actions," McGonagall said, in an almost apologetic tone. "Mr. Malfoy is arranging his detention with his house teacher, Professor Poe. It is only fair if you are to arrange your detention with me."

"But Professor—" James began to protest. McGonagall cut him off with a stern glare.

"No excuses, Potter. You’re lucky you’re not getting suspended for putting Mr. Malfoy’s life in danger."

"Danger?" James sputtered. "The Merpeople were trying to help him out, for Merlin’s sake!" Professor McGonagall leaned back in her chair and sighed. To hear Lucius Malfoy tell it, one would think he’d fought off the entire village with one arm.

"Nonetheless," McGonagall went on, "You will be serving your detention—" She was cut off suddenly by a knock on the door. She stood and answered it. With an internal forehead slap, she realized she had also scheduled a meeting with Lily Evans, a pretty but quiet Muggle-born who was also in Gryffindor with James Potter.

"Oh, dear, do come in. I completely forgot about our meeting," McGonagall said, stepping backwards to let the girl in. "Why don’t you sit down while I finish arranging Mr. Potter’s detention here?" She nodded shyly and took the seat next to James, who smiled broadly at her.

"Why is she here?" James asked, cocking his head in Lily’s direction. "You can’t possibly be telling me that an innocent girl like her could be arranging a detention!" James said with an exaggerated look of shock. Lily covered her mouth with her hand to hide a smile.

"As a matter of fact, Mr. Potter, she is not here for a detention, but she will aid you with completing yours."

Both teens gave the professor a surprised look. McGonagall continued, "Lily here is in my office because her parents have requested that I give her dancing lessons, as she will no longer be able to take them in the Muggle world during the school year. You, Mr. Otter, will be her partner."

James stood at this, shaking his head dramatically and nearly knocking his chair to the floor.

"Professor, I don’t dance. I can’t dance."

"Well, I suppose it would be a lesson for both of you then. Mr. Potter, I would think you would be grateful for not having a worse detention."

"What could be worse?" James said morosely, dropping back in his seat. He placed his chin on his palm glumly.

"Plenty of things. Let us not waste any more time. Please stand." Obediently, Lily stood and chewed her lower lip nervously, watching James fume for a few more moments. "Mr. Potter?" With an annoyed look, the young man stood.

"I—I’m not very good at this," James warning, stepping close to Lily. Awkwardly, he put his left hand on her waist and took her left hand in his right. They began to waltz offbeat, concentrating very hard on their feet.

"No, no. Lily, allow James to lead," McGonagall said, stepping in. She rearranged their hands and the pair began dancing again, slower.

As she watched the two students waltz stiffly, McGonagall remembered the day Lily’s parents, Matthew and Jillian Evans, had first spoken to her about the lessons. Lily had been brought up in a very proper home and participated in high society events with her sister, Petunia.

"Because our Lily won’t be able to attend lessons in England," Jillian had said, "Would it be possible for her to take ballroom dancing lessons in the little village near the school?" McGonagall informed her that there were no dance studios in Hogsmeade, but that the professor herself would provide the lessons.

"Potter, pay attention!" McGonagall snapped as the boy’s concentration once again drifted away from the day’s Transfiguration lesson to Lily Evans. He snapped up in his seat and blushed a little, startled. His best friend, Sirius Black, nudged him and laughed. Blushing harder, James punched Sirius’s arm.

Lily smiled gave a smile and a small wave to James, who grinned broadly and waved back shamelessly. McGonagall cleared her throat noisily but the two seemed to ignore her and continued smiling and waving. What have I done? McGonagall thought.

Professor McGonagall tapped her foot on the floor in beat with James and Lily’s steps. As surprising as it was, the two were getting much better than they had at their first lesson. Though she had to listen to much complaining, James had been forced into enlisting as a partner for Lily’s next three lessons. As time went on, however, the complaints had been fewer and far between.

"Very good… you are both improving quite excellently," McGonagall commended, expecting them to ask if they could finish early. Contrary to her prediction, they hadn’t even left each other’s arms yet. In fact, they were very close, eyes locked. Slowly, they closed and James tilted his head slightly as he leaned towards Lily.

Professor McGonagall cleared her throat loudly and pretended to shuffle through the essay tests ("Explain why Animagi need to be registered.") on her desk. She looked up to see the two startle apart. Lily looked shocked, possibly at what had almost happened, and stammered, "A—are we done for the day, Professor?" McGonagall nodded, waving her hand. Without even a goodbye, Lily hurriedly swept out of the room. The look on James’s face brought tears to the hardened professor’s eyes.

Regardless of the interruptions and excessive shyness on Lily’s part, Minerva McGonagall was awakened in the middle of the night to witness Lily and James’s wedding… erm, elopement. As members of high society, the Evans would have nothing to do with James Potter. Having exceptional talents was one thing, but to marry into an almost dirt-poor wizarding family was a whole different matter all together.

Though exhausted, she did stay long enough to watch James and Lily dance together. She felt herself swell with pride as they waltzed perfectly… until she saw Lily whispering, "One, two, three," in James’s ear along with the beat. After what seemed like ages, the song ended and Lily giggled softly, pulling slightly away from her husband. They kissed and, this time, McGonagall didn’t stop it.

Seventy year-old Professor Minerva McGonagall watched as her first year students attempted to turn a matchstick into a needle, an enormously tedious task she’d assigned for the very first day of Transfiguration each year. She walked up and down the aisles and saw that Hermione Granger, a bright girl from a Muggle family had made her matchstick almost completely transform into a needle.

"Impressive, Miss Granger," McGonagall said with a rare smile. Hermione beamed as the teacher set the needle back on the student’s desk and walked on. Finally, McGonagall came upon young James – no, it was Harry - Potter, whose matchstick had turned a dull silver color, but remained the same shape and size.

Your father did the same on his first day, McGonagall thought. Almost changed the matchstick but not quite. Your mother got it right away. Her eyes cast downward as she moved back to her desk. She sat heavily, swallowing hard as she listened to Harry’s conversation with Hermione.

"Hermione, how did you do that?" the nervous Potter’s voice came from a few feet in front of McGonagall.

"Quite simple… watch here…" McGonagall couldn’t bring her eyes up to watch the instruction. "I got my school books ages ago so I’ve been able to study. Don’t worry."

"I… I didn’t even know matchsticks could be turned into needles until about a month ago," Harry said, a little laugh in his voice. At the same time, there was a mix of sadness.

It’s my fault, Harry. It’s my fault you didn’t know, McGonagall admitted soundlessly. If I’d have made James scrub the dungeon or not agreed to Lily’s dance lessons, they probably never would have fallen in love, never married… and never died for each other and forced you to grow up with those horrible Muggles. Harry, I’m so sorry.