Post by QuillofMinerva on May 19, 2005 14:38:39 GMT -5
Anything You Can Do I can Do Better!
By Clayre
Dedicated to Karlynne
Summary: Gender wars are rife at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and the Women are equally as determined as the men to prove that one sex is mightier than the other. Response to the challenge tag set by Karlynne.
Rating: 13+
Minerva McGonagall strode into the staff room looking slightly worn out, she had been spying for the order all night and just as she was returning, she found herself offering to help the hapless Neville Longbottom find his blasted toad once again. She was going tired of him constantly losing his toad and told him sternly that she did not want to see or hear the toad unless he was with it.
Severus Snape looked up from his marking and dipped his head to acknowledge her presence before returning to his marking. Normally he didn’t do his marking in the staff room, he preferred to do his marking in the dungeons. He felt more at home in the dark, damp dungeons than the airily, light staff room but the house elves had been ordered by the headmaster to do a thorough clean of the dungeons before the new term started and Severus found himself without an office for the next few days.
“Oh Minerva,” said Poppy Pomfrey with a critical, concerned eye “you look worn out!”
Minerva didn’t answer her friend, she sat down in the nearest comfortable chair and closed her eyes. She had begged Albus to send her on the latest mission, it had been months since the stunner attack and she refused to be wrapped up on cotton wool any longer. Perhaps, she had pushed to herself to far but she wasn’t going to let anyone else know that she thought that.
“I am fine Poppy!” she finally answered
“Perhaps your personality trait of being stubborn,” said Severus looking up from his work again “has got you into this mess!”
“And perhaps,” replied Minerva “you should go back to the dungeons where you belong!”
“Temper, temper Minerva!” warned Severus who had always enjoyed teasing Minerva “we don’t want you making yourself ill. Hogwarts would crumble without your presence.”
Minerva’s eyes flew open and she fixed Severus with an icy glare that actually made him feel rather uncomfortable.
“Careful Severus,” she said, “one would think that you were trying to say that I am not fit for my job. I know you wouldn’t be so stupid to suggest such a thing.”
“Oh I am not saying that,” replied Severus “just saying that women do not have the stamina when recovering from a shock to the body as men do.”
The room was suddenly alive with the disgruntled mumblings of the female workers that were also in the staff room while the male colleagues simply nodded their heads in agreement with Severus.
“What utter poppycock!” exclaimed Minerva “Women have just the same or even more stamina then our male counterparts.”
Severus didn’t reply apart from scoffing at her remark, he glanced over at his fellow male colleagues and flashed them a rare but twisted smile. Minerva glared at him, she couldn’t quite believe he was dismissing his female workers as he was and she for one was not going to take it lying down.
“I bet,” she suddenly declared “that anything you can do, I can do better!”
“Is that a challenge Minerva?” asked Severus
“You can bet your entire potion collection it is!” she replied just as the staff room door opened and in walked Albus Dumbledore.
No one acknowledged his arrival, which put him out slightly; he had expected a pleasant welcome from his staff. After all, it was very often that he had the time to spend sometime with his staff in the staff room. As soon as he had walked in to the room, he had immediately become aware of the tense atmosphere that was consuming the room. He glanced across at Minerva and saw that she was ready to pounce on something and out of the corner of his eye; he noted that Severus was the intended prey. He really wished that his deputy and potions master would get on and not try to get the other one worked up; he had enough complications in his life already.
“Very well Minerva,” said Severus with a grin “you have yourself a challenge.”
Minerva beamed proudly; she knew that she could do anything he could, ten times better and with her eyes shut. She wasn’t afraid of his determined gleam in his cold, black eyes. She tilted her head to the side and looked determined as she felt, no one was going to declare her past it.
“May I enquire what is going on?” asked Albus
“Men versus Women,” answered Xiomara “well Minerva versus Severus!”
Albus looked at the Quidditch mistress with intrigue but found that she wasn’t going to give him the answers to the questions he had. They were finally answered by the charm professor, Filtwick who was rather excited by the whole scene unfolding before them.
“I think it only fitting that the best man should be chosen to tackle such a challenge,” announced Severus “it is only far that Minerva face someone who can match her. I wouldn’t want to hurt your pride Minerva so I think it wise for the Headmaster to face you in this gender challenge.”
The potion masters surprise announcement took everyone by surprise and Albus shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. He had expected to be brought into this challenge, he was an innocent bystander in all this but now he had managed to get himself involved.
Minerva was even more amazed that Severus had decided that she should face Albus in this task; she had wanted to prove her point to him and not her best friend.
“Headmaster,” said Severus “do you think that in some cases men are stronger than women?”
“It depends in what circumstances.” Albus answered, he was trying to remain neutral
“Ah so you do think that men are better than women!” cut in Severus
“Now I didn’t say that….” Albus replied, jumping to his own defence
“But you didn’t deny it either,” added Severus “so I believe a challenge needs to be set.”
After some careful thought, it was decided that Minerva and Albus would have to stay up for as long as they could and the first one who fell asleep would lose. It was also decided that no magic was to be used by either party and that it would all take place in the room of requirement. Special charms would be placed upon both of them, these charms would monitor the progress of each contestant and the one who fell asleep would wake up with purple skin.
An hour later, Albus and Minerva found themselves being marched down the corridor to the door that led to the room of requirement. Minerva had her wand taken off her as did Albus but Albus also had to wizard promise not to use his wand less magic while he was taking part in this serious battle of the sexes. Minerva could hear her female colleagues cheering her on as she slipped inside the room but she could also hear the men cheering on Albus.
Minerva couldn’t quite believe that she had even agreed to such a thing as this challenge, she was a responsible adult for Merlin’s sake and not a children. Perhaps, if she hadn’t felt that there might have been truth in Severus’ words, she would have brushed his remarks off. She had begun to think that perhaps the stunners had taken more of her than she had previously thought.
“Well my dear,” said Albus breaking into her thoughts “I certainly didn’t expect to find myself doing this today when I walked into the staff room earlier on.”
Minerva gave him a warm smile and nodded, at least she would have enjoyable company. The room was catered for them both, books lined the walls and a chessboard was already set up for them to play. There was also food and soft music playing in the background. There were plush comfortable chairs that one could easily fall asleep on and even two beds at the back of the room.
“It seems that this room is trying to lure us into bed Minerva.” Albus observed as he looked around the room.
“So it seems!” she replied, “Shall we have something to eat?”
**Four hours later**
“What book are you reading?” asked Albus as he flung another book on the pile beside him.
“It’s called A Handful of Dust.” She replied, without even looking up from the page she was reading.
“Oh!” answered Albus “I am bored.”
“How can you be bored,” she asked, “look at all those books beside you.”
“I am not in the mood to read,” replied Albus with a childish pout.
“Why don’t you have a nap then!”
Albus was about to agree with her when her words suddenly registered and he shot her a disapproving look. Minerva chuckled to herself and continued to read her book. She could feel Albus’ eyes on her, she tried to ignore them but they seemed to be looking straight through her.
“Like a game of chess?” she asked
“Sounds like a wonderful idea!” he answered as he jumped to his feet with energy of a teenager.
By Clayre
Dedicated to Karlynne
Summary: Gender wars are rife at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and the Women are equally as determined as the men to prove that one sex is mightier than the other. Response to the challenge tag set by Karlynne.
Rating: 13+
Minerva McGonagall strode into the staff room looking slightly worn out, she had been spying for the order all night and just as she was returning, she found herself offering to help the hapless Neville Longbottom find his blasted toad once again. She was going tired of him constantly losing his toad and told him sternly that she did not want to see or hear the toad unless he was with it.
Severus Snape looked up from his marking and dipped his head to acknowledge her presence before returning to his marking. Normally he didn’t do his marking in the staff room, he preferred to do his marking in the dungeons. He felt more at home in the dark, damp dungeons than the airily, light staff room but the house elves had been ordered by the headmaster to do a thorough clean of the dungeons before the new term started and Severus found himself without an office for the next few days.
“Oh Minerva,” said Poppy Pomfrey with a critical, concerned eye “you look worn out!”
Minerva didn’t answer her friend, she sat down in the nearest comfortable chair and closed her eyes. She had begged Albus to send her on the latest mission, it had been months since the stunner attack and she refused to be wrapped up on cotton wool any longer. Perhaps, she had pushed to herself to far but she wasn’t going to let anyone else know that she thought that.
“I am fine Poppy!” she finally answered
“Perhaps your personality trait of being stubborn,” said Severus looking up from his work again “has got you into this mess!”
“And perhaps,” replied Minerva “you should go back to the dungeons where you belong!”
“Temper, temper Minerva!” warned Severus who had always enjoyed teasing Minerva “we don’t want you making yourself ill. Hogwarts would crumble without your presence.”
Minerva’s eyes flew open and she fixed Severus with an icy glare that actually made him feel rather uncomfortable.
“Careful Severus,” she said, “one would think that you were trying to say that I am not fit for my job. I know you wouldn’t be so stupid to suggest such a thing.”
“Oh I am not saying that,” replied Severus “just saying that women do not have the stamina when recovering from a shock to the body as men do.”
The room was suddenly alive with the disgruntled mumblings of the female workers that were also in the staff room while the male colleagues simply nodded their heads in agreement with Severus.
“What utter poppycock!” exclaimed Minerva “Women have just the same or even more stamina then our male counterparts.”
Severus didn’t reply apart from scoffing at her remark, he glanced over at his fellow male colleagues and flashed them a rare but twisted smile. Minerva glared at him, she couldn’t quite believe he was dismissing his female workers as he was and she for one was not going to take it lying down.
“I bet,” she suddenly declared “that anything you can do, I can do better!”
“Is that a challenge Minerva?” asked Severus
“You can bet your entire potion collection it is!” she replied just as the staff room door opened and in walked Albus Dumbledore.
No one acknowledged his arrival, which put him out slightly; he had expected a pleasant welcome from his staff. After all, it was very often that he had the time to spend sometime with his staff in the staff room. As soon as he had walked in to the room, he had immediately become aware of the tense atmosphere that was consuming the room. He glanced across at Minerva and saw that she was ready to pounce on something and out of the corner of his eye; he noted that Severus was the intended prey. He really wished that his deputy and potions master would get on and not try to get the other one worked up; he had enough complications in his life already.
“Very well Minerva,” said Severus with a grin “you have yourself a challenge.”
Minerva beamed proudly; she knew that she could do anything he could, ten times better and with her eyes shut. She wasn’t afraid of his determined gleam in his cold, black eyes. She tilted her head to the side and looked determined as she felt, no one was going to declare her past it.
“May I enquire what is going on?” asked Albus
“Men versus Women,” answered Xiomara “well Minerva versus Severus!”
Albus looked at the Quidditch mistress with intrigue but found that she wasn’t going to give him the answers to the questions he had. They were finally answered by the charm professor, Filtwick who was rather excited by the whole scene unfolding before them.
“I think it only fitting that the best man should be chosen to tackle such a challenge,” announced Severus “it is only far that Minerva face someone who can match her. I wouldn’t want to hurt your pride Minerva so I think it wise for the Headmaster to face you in this gender challenge.”
The potion masters surprise announcement took everyone by surprise and Albus shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot. He had expected to be brought into this challenge, he was an innocent bystander in all this but now he had managed to get himself involved.
Minerva was even more amazed that Severus had decided that she should face Albus in this task; she had wanted to prove her point to him and not her best friend.
“Headmaster,” said Severus “do you think that in some cases men are stronger than women?”
“It depends in what circumstances.” Albus answered, he was trying to remain neutral
“Ah so you do think that men are better than women!” cut in Severus
“Now I didn’t say that….” Albus replied, jumping to his own defence
“But you didn’t deny it either,” added Severus “so I believe a challenge needs to be set.”
After some careful thought, it was decided that Minerva and Albus would have to stay up for as long as they could and the first one who fell asleep would lose. It was also decided that no magic was to be used by either party and that it would all take place in the room of requirement. Special charms would be placed upon both of them, these charms would monitor the progress of each contestant and the one who fell asleep would wake up with purple skin.
An hour later, Albus and Minerva found themselves being marched down the corridor to the door that led to the room of requirement. Minerva had her wand taken off her as did Albus but Albus also had to wizard promise not to use his wand less magic while he was taking part in this serious battle of the sexes. Minerva could hear her female colleagues cheering her on as she slipped inside the room but she could also hear the men cheering on Albus.
Minerva couldn’t quite believe that she had even agreed to such a thing as this challenge, she was a responsible adult for Merlin’s sake and not a children. Perhaps, if she hadn’t felt that there might have been truth in Severus’ words, she would have brushed his remarks off. She had begun to think that perhaps the stunners had taken more of her than she had previously thought.
“Well my dear,” said Albus breaking into her thoughts “I certainly didn’t expect to find myself doing this today when I walked into the staff room earlier on.”
Minerva gave him a warm smile and nodded, at least she would have enjoyable company. The room was catered for them both, books lined the walls and a chessboard was already set up for them to play. There was also food and soft music playing in the background. There were plush comfortable chairs that one could easily fall asleep on and even two beds at the back of the room.
“It seems that this room is trying to lure us into bed Minerva.” Albus observed as he looked around the room.
“So it seems!” she replied, “Shall we have something to eat?”
**Four hours later**
“What book are you reading?” asked Albus as he flung another book on the pile beside him.
“It’s called A Handful of Dust.” She replied, without even looking up from the page she was reading.
“Oh!” answered Albus “I am bored.”
“How can you be bored,” she asked, “look at all those books beside you.”
“I am not in the mood to read,” replied Albus with a childish pout.
“Why don’t you have a nap then!”
Albus was about to agree with her when her words suddenly registered and he shot her a disapproving look. Minerva chuckled to herself and continued to read her book. She could feel Albus’ eyes on her, she tried to ignore them but they seemed to be looking straight through her.
“Like a game of chess?” she asked
“Sounds like a wonderful idea!” he answered as he jumped to his feet with energy of a teenager.
I'm glad they finally confessed to each other. Great response!
loved it. yeah i agree *hint* continue it lol
Kandie