Post by ginger newts on Aug 31, 2004 12:41:50 GMT -5
I wasn't sure where to put this, it's a response to the connect the lines challenge. And I didn't just write it at work....
Just a Typical Afternoon
The school year was finally almost over, the Triwizard Tournament had ended in tragedy and the Ministry was refusing to believe in the return of Voldemort, but some people had still found ways to laugh. Minerva McGonagall was sitting in the staff room having her afternoon tea with the school nurse Poppy Pomfrey and the Astronomey teacher Serena Sinestra when Rolanda Hooch walked in. The three ladies had been discussing the events of June 24, the last night of the Triwizard Tournament, Minerva and Poppy were relaying to Serena what had happened between the Headmaster and the Minister in the hospital wing.
"It was terrible, Fudge absolutely refuses to see that Albus and Harry are telling the truth. I'm worried about how far he'll go in his pursuit to keep his head burried in the sand," Minerva said.
Rolanda burst out laughing, drawing odd looks from the other three, and said, "Don't you remember what Mr. Longbottom said?"
Minerva blushed and said, "For the last time, Rolanda, I was talking about chess!"
"Sure you were," came the reply, followed by a bout of laughter that left her doubled over gasping for air.
Poppy looked at Rolanda with much confusion and said, "What does Neville Longbottom have to do with anything anyway?"
Minerva looked like she wanted the floor to open up and swallow her and she gave Rolanda the sort of look that kills, but the woman told her story anyway. As well as she could tell it between fits of giggles.
"Yesterday afternoon I was walking down the hall and I heard Mr. Longbottom and some of his friends talking about what had happened between the Headmaster and the Minister and worrying about the outcome. Neville says 'It's alright, Headmaster Dumbledore always ends up on top!'" Here she paused to laugh again and Minerva glared and tried to shut her up, to no avail. "And Min's walking by, I don't know WHAT she's thinking, but she pauses just long enough to say 'Not always, he doesn't.' And then she turned bright red and hurried away before the students could work out what she said, but Nearly Headless Nick and the Grey Lady were floating by just then and they didn't miss it. I tell you, Nick's head fell off he was so shocked."
"I keep telling you, I was referring to chess," Minerva said, turning red from both anger and embarassment. "I had just beaten him that afternoon and he was a sore loser as always."
Poppy was also highly amused at this point and she said, "Oh really? Just how often do you beat him?"
Even Serena couldn't hold back a snort of amusement at the tone in Poppy's voice. Unfortunately for Minerva, Severus Snape entered the staff room at just that moment. Looking around at the three laughing women and the angry Deputy Headmistress, he scowled.
"You're worse than the students! Just what is so amusing?"
Rolanda looked up at him from where she was rolling on the floor and said, "Oh, Severus, Minerva was just telling us about beating the Headmaster," before she dissolved into yet another round of laughter.
Severus just looked at Minerva, thinking he'd never seen her look so embarassed, and she spat, "I don't want to hear any of your sarcastic comments, Severus Snape, we were talking about chess."
"Right," he said. "Look, what you and the Headmaster do on your own time is your business, I don't want to hear about it. Actually, I don't care what you do as long as I get paid." Suddenly, there was a loud bang from the direction of the stairs to his dungeon. "PEEVES," he shouted before he ran out, pausing momentarily to throw one last disgusted look at the three still laughing witches.
"Alright, that's it, I can't take this anymore! You three are as bad as the students, I would expect better behavior and cleaner thoughts from adults!" The next thing they saw was a little black and grey tabby cat streaking out of the staff room.
"Uh oh," was all Poppy said, but the other two knew what she meant. When an angry Minerva became an angry cat, there was no telling what the damage might be.
Meanwhile, Albus Dumbledore was going for a stroll around the grounds to try and collect his thoughts about the previous evening. He looked up when he heard angry hissing and meowing coming from the vicinity of a group of first years not far from him in the courtyard. Deciding to investigate, he wandered in their direction.
"Here, kitty, kitty, kitty... Nice kitty..." one of the young girls was cooing as she reached down to try and pet the cat.
Albus recognized the spectacle markings around the tabby's eyes and, being more than a little familiar with the angry noises Minerva was making, he rushed over to protect the students from her wrath.
"Ahh, that would not be advisable at the moment, I don't think this particular cat is in a playful mood," he told them.
Unfortunately for him, there was a hint of amusement in his voice and Minerva recognized it. She flew at his leg, claws outstretched, hissing violently. Albus, however, was used to this and his reflexes had been quickened over the years spent with Minerva. So, before she could sink her claws into him he grabbed her by the stomach and lifted her up to eye level where she twisted and flailed trying to get free. He just tucked her tightly under his arm and headed back inside.
"Is that your cat, Headmaster?" One of the first years asked.
Albus turned back to the students and smiled as the cat under his arm gave a warning sort of yowl. "Ah, no, but sometimes when I'm lucky she lets me pet her." Then he walked away and left the students wondering what he meant by lucky.
On the way back inside, Albus leaned down and whispered in Minerva's ear, "Calm down, my dear, when we get back to my office I want to know what's gotten you in such a state."
Minerva settled down somewhat and let him carry her through the castle, but of course it was not to be an easy journey. The students seemed to be overly fond of cats this year.
"Oh, what a cute kitty! Is she yours, Headmaster?" Asked a Ravenclaw second year as she reached up to scratch Minerva behind the ears.
"Well no, but sometimes she comes to visit me. We get on rather well...most of the time," he told the girl. "Watch out now, if you rub a cat the wrong way, she won't like you. They are very tempramental creatures, you know." He added as the girl started to stroke Minerva's fur backwards, from her back toward her head.
The warning had come just in time too, as Minerva snapped her jaws toward the girls' hand just as she pulled it away.
"Wow, I hope she's nicer to you than that, Headmaster. My mom's cats never act like that," the girl said as she started to move away.
Albus just laughed and bid the girl good afternoon as Minerva started twisting and hissing in his arms again, making a play to get away. He just tightened his grip and brought her toward the gargoyle that led the way into his office. However, once they gained entrance to the office he didn't stop, rather he carried Minerva through to his bedroom and put her down on the bed. She changed back into herself at once, looking very ruffled and giving him he iciest of glares.
"Now my dear," Albus spoke nonchallantly, as if he was completely unaware of her anger, "whatever happened this afternoon to get you so riled up?"
"Trust me, you don't want to know," she said bitterly.
"Try me," he replied as he popped a sherbet lemon into his mouth.
So, Minerva relayed to him the story of what happened in the staff room. By the time she was finished, Albus had a wicked gleam in his eyes and a smile on his face.
"You know my dear, I do so love it when you beat me, and even more so when you end up on top," he said moving close to wear she sat on the bed.
Minerva smiled wickedly and said, "I think we could arrange that, Headmaster."
Albus leaned in to kiss her, but Minerva pulled back and said, "Oh no, we can't have that. I believe I need to be in complete control."
Knowing his role, Albus nodded and said very seriously, "Yes, ma'am."
"Right then," she said, drawing her wand, "the safety word is knee socks."
Fin
Just a Typical Afternoon
The school year was finally almost over, the Triwizard Tournament had ended in tragedy and the Ministry was refusing to believe in the return of Voldemort, but some people had still found ways to laugh. Minerva McGonagall was sitting in the staff room having her afternoon tea with the school nurse Poppy Pomfrey and the Astronomey teacher Serena Sinestra when Rolanda Hooch walked in. The three ladies had been discussing the events of June 24, the last night of the Triwizard Tournament, Minerva and Poppy were relaying to Serena what had happened between the Headmaster and the Minister in the hospital wing.
"It was terrible, Fudge absolutely refuses to see that Albus and Harry are telling the truth. I'm worried about how far he'll go in his pursuit to keep his head burried in the sand," Minerva said.
Rolanda burst out laughing, drawing odd looks from the other three, and said, "Don't you remember what Mr. Longbottom said?"
Minerva blushed and said, "For the last time, Rolanda, I was talking about chess!"
"Sure you were," came the reply, followed by a bout of laughter that left her doubled over gasping for air.
Poppy looked at Rolanda with much confusion and said, "What does Neville Longbottom have to do with anything anyway?"
Minerva looked like she wanted the floor to open up and swallow her and she gave Rolanda the sort of look that kills, but the woman told her story anyway. As well as she could tell it between fits of giggles.
"Yesterday afternoon I was walking down the hall and I heard Mr. Longbottom and some of his friends talking about what had happened between the Headmaster and the Minister and worrying about the outcome. Neville says 'It's alright, Headmaster Dumbledore always ends up on top!'" Here she paused to laugh again and Minerva glared and tried to shut her up, to no avail. "And Min's walking by, I don't know WHAT she's thinking, but she pauses just long enough to say 'Not always, he doesn't.' And then she turned bright red and hurried away before the students could work out what she said, but Nearly Headless Nick and the Grey Lady were floating by just then and they didn't miss it. I tell you, Nick's head fell off he was so shocked."
"I keep telling you, I was referring to chess," Minerva said, turning red from both anger and embarassment. "I had just beaten him that afternoon and he was a sore loser as always."
Poppy was also highly amused at this point and she said, "Oh really? Just how often do you beat him?"
Even Serena couldn't hold back a snort of amusement at the tone in Poppy's voice. Unfortunately for Minerva, Severus Snape entered the staff room at just that moment. Looking around at the three laughing women and the angry Deputy Headmistress, he scowled.
"You're worse than the students! Just what is so amusing?"
Rolanda looked up at him from where she was rolling on the floor and said, "Oh, Severus, Minerva was just telling us about beating the Headmaster," before she dissolved into yet another round of laughter.
Severus just looked at Minerva, thinking he'd never seen her look so embarassed, and she spat, "I don't want to hear any of your sarcastic comments, Severus Snape, we were talking about chess."
"Right," he said. "Look, what you and the Headmaster do on your own time is your business, I don't want to hear about it. Actually, I don't care what you do as long as I get paid." Suddenly, there was a loud bang from the direction of the stairs to his dungeon. "PEEVES," he shouted before he ran out, pausing momentarily to throw one last disgusted look at the three still laughing witches.
"Alright, that's it, I can't take this anymore! You three are as bad as the students, I would expect better behavior and cleaner thoughts from adults!" The next thing they saw was a little black and grey tabby cat streaking out of the staff room.
"Uh oh," was all Poppy said, but the other two knew what she meant. When an angry Minerva became an angry cat, there was no telling what the damage might be.
Meanwhile, Albus Dumbledore was going for a stroll around the grounds to try and collect his thoughts about the previous evening. He looked up when he heard angry hissing and meowing coming from the vicinity of a group of first years not far from him in the courtyard. Deciding to investigate, he wandered in their direction.
"Here, kitty, kitty, kitty... Nice kitty..." one of the young girls was cooing as she reached down to try and pet the cat.
Albus recognized the spectacle markings around the tabby's eyes and, being more than a little familiar with the angry noises Minerva was making, he rushed over to protect the students from her wrath.
"Ahh, that would not be advisable at the moment, I don't think this particular cat is in a playful mood," he told them.
Unfortunately for him, there was a hint of amusement in his voice and Minerva recognized it. She flew at his leg, claws outstretched, hissing violently. Albus, however, was used to this and his reflexes had been quickened over the years spent with Minerva. So, before she could sink her claws into him he grabbed her by the stomach and lifted her up to eye level where she twisted and flailed trying to get free. He just tucked her tightly under his arm and headed back inside.
"Is that your cat, Headmaster?" One of the first years asked.
Albus turned back to the students and smiled as the cat under his arm gave a warning sort of yowl. "Ah, no, but sometimes when I'm lucky she lets me pet her." Then he walked away and left the students wondering what he meant by lucky.
On the way back inside, Albus leaned down and whispered in Minerva's ear, "Calm down, my dear, when we get back to my office I want to know what's gotten you in such a state."
Minerva settled down somewhat and let him carry her through the castle, but of course it was not to be an easy journey. The students seemed to be overly fond of cats this year.
"Oh, what a cute kitty! Is she yours, Headmaster?" Asked a Ravenclaw second year as she reached up to scratch Minerva behind the ears.
"Well no, but sometimes she comes to visit me. We get on rather well...most of the time," he told the girl. "Watch out now, if you rub a cat the wrong way, she won't like you. They are very tempramental creatures, you know." He added as the girl started to stroke Minerva's fur backwards, from her back toward her head.
The warning had come just in time too, as Minerva snapped her jaws toward the girls' hand just as she pulled it away.
"Wow, I hope she's nicer to you than that, Headmaster. My mom's cats never act like that," the girl said as she started to move away.
Albus just laughed and bid the girl good afternoon as Minerva started twisting and hissing in his arms again, making a play to get away. He just tightened his grip and brought her toward the gargoyle that led the way into his office. However, once they gained entrance to the office he didn't stop, rather he carried Minerva through to his bedroom and put her down on the bed. She changed back into herself at once, looking very ruffled and giving him he iciest of glares.
"Now my dear," Albus spoke nonchallantly, as if he was completely unaware of her anger, "whatever happened this afternoon to get you so riled up?"
"Trust me, you don't want to know," she said bitterly.
"Try me," he replied as he popped a sherbet lemon into his mouth.
So, Minerva relayed to him the story of what happened in the staff room. By the time she was finished, Albus had a wicked gleam in his eyes and a smile on his face.
"You know my dear, I do so love it when you beat me, and even more so when you end up on top," he said moving close to wear she sat on the bed.
Minerva smiled wickedly and said, "I think we could arrange that, Headmaster."
Albus leaned in to kiss her, but Minerva pulled back and said, "Oh no, we can't have that. I believe I need to be in complete control."
Knowing his role, Albus nodded and said very seriously, "Yes, ma'am."
"Right then," she said, drawing her wand, "the safety word is knee socks."
Fin
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