Post by ginger newts on May 18, 2005 18:59:41 GMT -5
Title: Challenge 30 Response
Summary: Albus and Minerva get a little silly when they try to stay awake for days. (Dedicated to Karlie.)
Rating: 10+
The relief was almost palpable as the last staff meeting of the year drew to a close. The entire staff of Hogwarts was gathered in the small staff room, most sprawled out in a most undignified manner, glad to finally see the arrival of the summer holidays.
“I think I could sleep for a week,” Filius said with a yawn.
“I don’t know how our students manage to study all night during exam time,” Pomona agreed.
“That’s because you’re all getting old,” Severus mumbled. Unfortunately, several people heard him.
Minerva was about to reply scathingly, when the headmaster interrupted her. “That will do, Severus,” Albus said calmly. Then he grinned like a school boy, “Speaking as the oldest person here, I’ll have you know that staying up all night is not a feat only for the young. It requires stamina and strength of mind.”
“Then a woman ought to have a much easier time of it than a man,” Rolanda quipped, earning appreciative laughter and murmurs of agreement from the rest of the women.
“Not bloody likely,” someone replied, the identity of the speaker lost amid the outburst of arguing and bragging.
“Enough!” Minerva exclaimed, putting an end to the racket. “Either put your money where your mouths are or go home for the summer.”
“Is that a challenge, my dear?” Albus teased.
She sniffed, “Hardly.” Suddenly, she turned to Albus with a sweet smile, “Besides, there wouldn’t be much point, we all know the women would win.”
The female members of staff burst into laughter. “You tell him, Minerva!” several of them cheered.
“That sounds like a challenge to me,” Filius protested. “I say it’s high time we men show the women what we’re made of. Who’s with me?”
There was a chorus of agreement on both sides and suddenly the Hogwarts professors had entered into a bet almost certainly due to end-of-term fatigue and unclear thinking. Rules were set forth: no magical aides allowed, everyone must stay up for a minimum of twenty-four hours, no spells allowed to put the opposition to sleep, and whichever staff member stayed awake the longest could choose the price to be paid by every member of the opposite gender’s team. It was further agreed that they would pair off to watch each other. The names of all the women were dropped into a hat and the men each chose a slip to determine who they would be paired with for the duration of the competition. Albus debated with himself over whether or not he would ever tell Minerva that he cheated to be sure he chose her name; he felt it prudent considering what might happen if she were to be paired with say Severus.
“Alright, everyone, remember the rules and stay with your partner as much as possible,” Albus reminded everyone as they left the staff room, some happier than others about the person they were about to spend Merlin knew how many hours with.
“Shall we?” he asked Minerva, offering her his arm.
She gave him a skeptical and suspicious look, “Shall we what?”
Albus laughed, “Whatever you would like, my dear.”
“Don’t be so chummy, Albus, this is a competition. Remember? Oh, and I’m going to win, by-the-way.” Minerva started to walk away and Albus rushed to catch up to her.
“How about a side bet then?” he asked. “Regardless of which team wins, if I stay awake longer than you then you have to do something for me and if you stay awake longer I’ll do whatever you ask.”
Minerva smiled, “Alright, then, it’s a bet.”
*****Twelve Hours Later*****
“Tired, Minerva?”
She stifled a yawn, “Not even a little. Your move.”
“Are we allowed to keep each other occupied, do you think?” Albus asked with a grin. They had started playing chess a few minutes ago just to have something to do.
“Well, Headmaster, I figure it would look pretty bad if the heads of the school couldn’t make it through the first night,” she answered coyly.
“Very wise, my dear.” Albus made his move.
*****Another Twelve Hours Later*****
“Albus, are you hungry?”
Minerva lay sprawled on the stone floor of his sitting room, her arms spread out to her sides, her long hair beginning to unravel from the tight bun she had been wearing. Albus was seated in an arm chair, his feet near her left hand, and she raised one hand idly and began to toy with the hem of his dark blue robes.
He chuckled, “If only your students could see you now. What would they think?”
“Who can think at all?” she retorted. “I asked if you were hungry.”
Albus laughed again, “Alright, get up and we’ll ring for a house elf.” He reached out a hand to her and pulled her up from the floor, using a bit too much force so that she lost her balance and toppled onto his lap.
“Albus, do be more careful next time,” she chided, pulling playfully on his beard.
“Do you plan to spend the rest of our time lying on my floor then?” he teased her.
Minerva sighed and leaned her head against his shoulder. “Maybe,” she answered thoughtfully, beginning to braid his beard.
A few minutes passed in silence and then Minerva sat up and looked at Albus accusingly. “Hey! I thought we were going to eat.”
He laughed and leaned forward to kiss her cheek. “You’re absolutely right,” he said, as if that was the most profound thing he had heard in a long while. “We were.”
Summary: Albus and Minerva get a little silly when they try to stay awake for days. (Dedicated to Karlie.)
Rating: 10+
The relief was almost palpable as the last staff meeting of the year drew to a close. The entire staff of Hogwarts was gathered in the small staff room, most sprawled out in a most undignified manner, glad to finally see the arrival of the summer holidays.
“I think I could sleep for a week,” Filius said with a yawn.
“I don’t know how our students manage to study all night during exam time,” Pomona agreed.
“That’s because you’re all getting old,” Severus mumbled. Unfortunately, several people heard him.
Minerva was about to reply scathingly, when the headmaster interrupted her. “That will do, Severus,” Albus said calmly. Then he grinned like a school boy, “Speaking as the oldest person here, I’ll have you know that staying up all night is not a feat only for the young. It requires stamina and strength of mind.”
“Then a woman ought to have a much easier time of it than a man,” Rolanda quipped, earning appreciative laughter and murmurs of agreement from the rest of the women.
“Not bloody likely,” someone replied, the identity of the speaker lost amid the outburst of arguing and bragging.
“Enough!” Minerva exclaimed, putting an end to the racket. “Either put your money where your mouths are or go home for the summer.”
“Is that a challenge, my dear?” Albus teased.
She sniffed, “Hardly.” Suddenly, she turned to Albus with a sweet smile, “Besides, there wouldn’t be much point, we all know the women would win.”
The female members of staff burst into laughter. “You tell him, Minerva!” several of them cheered.
“That sounds like a challenge to me,” Filius protested. “I say it’s high time we men show the women what we’re made of. Who’s with me?”
There was a chorus of agreement on both sides and suddenly the Hogwarts professors had entered into a bet almost certainly due to end-of-term fatigue and unclear thinking. Rules were set forth: no magical aides allowed, everyone must stay up for a minimum of twenty-four hours, no spells allowed to put the opposition to sleep, and whichever staff member stayed awake the longest could choose the price to be paid by every member of the opposite gender’s team. It was further agreed that they would pair off to watch each other. The names of all the women were dropped into a hat and the men each chose a slip to determine who they would be paired with for the duration of the competition. Albus debated with himself over whether or not he would ever tell Minerva that he cheated to be sure he chose her name; he felt it prudent considering what might happen if she were to be paired with say Severus.
“Alright, everyone, remember the rules and stay with your partner as much as possible,” Albus reminded everyone as they left the staff room, some happier than others about the person they were about to spend Merlin knew how many hours with.
“Shall we?” he asked Minerva, offering her his arm.
She gave him a skeptical and suspicious look, “Shall we what?”
Albus laughed, “Whatever you would like, my dear.”
“Don’t be so chummy, Albus, this is a competition. Remember? Oh, and I’m going to win, by-the-way.” Minerva started to walk away and Albus rushed to catch up to her.
“How about a side bet then?” he asked. “Regardless of which team wins, if I stay awake longer than you then you have to do something for me and if you stay awake longer I’ll do whatever you ask.”
Minerva smiled, “Alright, then, it’s a bet.”
*****Twelve Hours Later*****
“Tired, Minerva?”
She stifled a yawn, “Not even a little. Your move.”
“Are we allowed to keep each other occupied, do you think?” Albus asked with a grin. They had started playing chess a few minutes ago just to have something to do.
“Well, Headmaster, I figure it would look pretty bad if the heads of the school couldn’t make it through the first night,” she answered coyly.
“Very wise, my dear.” Albus made his move.
*****Another Twelve Hours Later*****
“Albus, are you hungry?”
Minerva lay sprawled on the stone floor of his sitting room, her arms spread out to her sides, her long hair beginning to unravel from the tight bun she had been wearing. Albus was seated in an arm chair, his feet near her left hand, and she raised one hand idly and began to toy with the hem of his dark blue robes.
He chuckled, “If only your students could see you now. What would they think?”
“Who can think at all?” she retorted. “I asked if you were hungry.”
Albus laughed again, “Alright, get up and we’ll ring for a house elf.” He reached out a hand to her and pulled her up from the floor, using a bit too much force so that she lost her balance and toppled onto his lap.
“Albus, do be more careful next time,” she chided, pulling playfully on his beard.
“Do you plan to spend the rest of our time lying on my floor then?” he teased her.
Minerva sighed and leaned her head against his shoulder. “Maybe,” she answered thoughtfully, beginning to braid his beard.
A few minutes passed in silence and then Minerva sat up and looked at Albus accusingly. “Hey! I thought we were going to eat.”
He laughed and leaned forward to kiss her cheek. “You’re absolutely right,” he said, as if that was the most profound thing he had heard in a long while. “We were.”
Krys
