Post by ginger newts on Jan 2, 2006 15:29:01 GMT -5
Title: An Evening Off – Challenge 51 Response
Summary: The students have turned Minerva into a non-smiling, far too strict shadow of her former self and Albus makes it his mission to get her to smile again.
Rating: Safe for all
A/N: I hope I answered the challenge properly. Sorry it’s so late.
Minerva McGonagall felt like a walking ball of stress. It was only her third month of teaching at Hogwarts and a group of seventh year students seemed to have decided it was their mission to drive her mad before the end of term. They hadn’t let up since her first day and today’s disruption had been the worst yet. She was currently in her office, where she had been since the bell rang to dismiss class, battling tears of frustration and trying to figure out where she had gone wrong in dealing with these boys. After their first prank, Minerva had decided to use the opportunity to show all her students just what would happen to those who fooled around in her classroom. Unfortunately, the severe loss of house points and hours of detention only served to make the boys more determined to beat her. The resulting battle of wills meant Minerva had to be more strict and harder on her students than she liked. She knew that she had now set the tone for her entire career.
While she was puzzling over the problem, a knock sounded at the door.
“Come in,” she called, surprised to hear how weary she sounded.
The door opened to admit her co-worker Albus Dumbledore. His auburn hair was more grey than it had been when Minerva left the school fifteen years ago, but his blue eyes held the same magical twinkle she remembered and loved. He had been going out of his way all term to make sure that Minerva was settling in nicely and had made himself available from her first day for advice, or just to listen when she had a problem to work out. She had found that Albus made a very good sounding board and often just listened while she talked herself round to a conclusion. It was quite helpful to have a friend like him, Minerva just hoped she wasn’t taking up too much of his time.
“Good afternoon,” Albus greeted her pleasantly. He took a long look at her troubled eyes as he sat across from her in the straight backed wooden chair for visitors. “I came to ask how your day has been, but I can see you must have had another trying lesson. Care to talk about it?”
Minerva sighed and sat back in her chair. “What’s to talk about?” she said. “It’s the same story as every other day for the past three months. The upshot is that being so strict with a few students has brought everyone else into line for good. All I can do is just keep on being firm with them, so they know they haven’t ‘won’.”
Albus shook his head sadly. “You’ve become far too serious in the last months, my dear. I remember a young woman who used to have an easy laugh and sparkling green eyes, but I don’t think I’ve even seen you smile in weeks.”
“Those days are long gone, Albus. I suppose the stern unsmiling version is the new me since I’ve become a teacher.”
“I’m afraid I can’t let that happen,” he answered. “Come on.” Albus stood and held out his hand to Minerva.
She looked at him questioningly, not moving from her seat.
“I’m going to get you to laugh again this evening or die trying. Now come on.” Albus crossed to the other side of the desk and took Minerva by the arms, pulling her out of the chair.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“You’ll see. Now are you going to come with me, or do I have to carry you?”
Minerva couldn’t help it, the devilish look on Albus’ face and the image of him carrying her through the castle made her smile.
“I saw that!” he charged.
“You saw nothing,” she gave back, wiping the smile off her face.
“Oh really? Well, in that case...” Without further warning, Albus bent down and picked Minerva up by the waist. He draped her over his shoulder and headed for the door.
“Albus!” Minerva yelled. “Put me down!”
He ignored her and reached for the doorknob.
“All right, I confess. I smiled.”
Albus smiled and put her down. “That’s what I thought. Now, are you going to come quietly?”
With a heavy, overly dramatic sigh, Minerva agreed and they left the office. Albus tucked Minerva’s arm through his and gently guided her out of the castle and into the town of Hogsmeade. He led the way to the Three Broomsticks, which was moderately crowded as witches and wizards finished their day’s work.
“Two butterbeers, please,” Albus requested of the barman.
“Butterbeer?” Minerva asked. “I haven’t had one of those since I was in school.”
“That’s exactly the point,” Albus explained. “I want you to relax and feel like a kid again.”
He paid for the drinks and steered Minerva to a table near the back. Unfortunately, she spent most of the time worrying that they should be at the school for dinner and that popping into town for a drink on a weekday afternoon might be frowned upon by the rest of the staff. Because Albus was deputy headmaster and because he had been at Hogwarts for so long, he had gained some freedom to move about during the week, but Minerva was afraid that as the newest staff member her actions would more easily come under review.
Finally, Albus put down his butterbeer and excused himself from the table. When he returned, he was carrying two brown paper bags, one of which appeared quite heavy.
“I think we need to try something else,” he said. “You’re obviously not relaxing. I’m going to take you somewhere else, but first you have to promise to stop worrying about taking the evening off. You’re with me, no one is going to question you.”
“I’m sorry,” Minerva said, dropping her head in shame. Albus was going to so much trouble to give her a nice afternoon and now she was ruining everything by worrying. “I promise to stop fretting so much and enjoy our time away from school.”
“Good, only don’t apologize.”
Minerva nearly said “sorry” again, but managed to stifle the knee-jerk response and instead rose to follow Albus out of the pub.
He took her gently by the arm and, as Albus guided her down a small side street and out of town, Minerva couldn’t help wondering where on Earth they were going. It was a rather warm day for early March and even though the sun would soon be setting, Albus felt it was pleasant enough for a picnic. He led Minerva to a nearby grassy hill, from which they could see both Hogwarts and the village, and transfigured a rock into a blanket. Once they were settled on the blanket, Albus unpacked the two bags. The first contained several sandwiches and the second more butterbeer.
Summary: The students have turned Minerva into a non-smiling, far too strict shadow of her former self and Albus makes it his mission to get her to smile again.
Rating: Safe for all
A/N: I hope I answered the challenge properly. Sorry it’s so late.
Minerva McGonagall felt like a walking ball of stress. It was only her third month of teaching at Hogwarts and a group of seventh year students seemed to have decided it was their mission to drive her mad before the end of term. They hadn’t let up since her first day and today’s disruption had been the worst yet. She was currently in her office, where she had been since the bell rang to dismiss class, battling tears of frustration and trying to figure out where she had gone wrong in dealing with these boys. After their first prank, Minerva had decided to use the opportunity to show all her students just what would happen to those who fooled around in her classroom. Unfortunately, the severe loss of house points and hours of detention only served to make the boys more determined to beat her. The resulting battle of wills meant Minerva had to be more strict and harder on her students than she liked. She knew that she had now set the tone for her entire career.
While she was puzzling over the problem, a knock sounded at the door.
“Come in,” she called, surprised to hear how weary she sounded.
The door opened to admit her co-worker Albus Dumbledore. His auburn hair was more grey than it had been when Minerva left the school fifteen years ago, but his blue eyes held the same magical twinkle she remembered and loved. He had been going out of his way all term to make sure that Minerva was settling in nicely and had made himself available from her first day for advice, or just to listen when she had a problem to work out. She had found that Albus made a very good sounding board and often just listened while she talked herself round to a conclusion. It was quite helpful to have a friend like him, Minerva just hoped she wasn’t taking up too much of his time.
“Good afternoon,” Albus greeted her pleasantly. He took a long look at her troubled eyes as he sat across from her in the straight backed wooden chair for visitors. “I came to ask how your day has been, but I can see you must have had another trying lesson. Care to talk about it?”
Minerva sighed and sat back in her chair. “What’s to talk about?” she said. “It’s the same story as every other day for the past three months. The upshot is that being so strict with a few students has brought everyone else into line for good. All I can do is just keep on being firm with them, so they know they haven’t ‘won’.”
Albus shook his head sadly. “You’ve become far too serious in the last months, my dear. I remember a young woman who used to have an easy laugh and sparkling green eyes, but I don’t think I’ve even seen you smile in weeks.”
“Those days are long gone, Albus. I suppose the stern unsmiling version is the new me since I’ve become a teacher.”
“I’m afraid I can’t let that happen,” he answered. “Come on.” Albus stood and held out his hand to Minerva.
She looked at him questioningly, not moving from her seat.
“I’m going to get you to laugh again this evening or die trying. Now come on.” Albus crossed to the other side of the desk and took Minerva by the arms, pulling her out of the chair.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“You’ll see. Now are you going to come with me, or do I have to carry you?”
Minerva couldn’t help it, the devilish look on Albus’ face and the image of him carrying her through the castle made her smile.
“I saw that!” he charged.
“You saw nothing,” she gave back, wiping the smile off her face.
“Oh really? Well, in that case...” Without further warning, Albus bent down and picked Minerva up by the waist. He draped her over his shoulder and headed for the door.
“Albus!” Minerva yelled. “Put me down!”
He ignored her and reached for the doorknob.
“All right, I confess. I smiled.”
Albus smiled and put her down. “That’s what I thought. Now, are you going to come quietly?”
With a heavy, overly dramatic sigh, Minerva agreed and they left the office. Albus tucked Minerva’s arm through his and gently guided her out of the castle and into the town of Hogsmeade. He led the way to the Three Broomsticks, which was moderately crowded as witches and wizards finished their day’s work.
“Two butterbeers, please,” Albus requested of the barman.
“Butterbeer?” Minerva asked. “I haven’t had one of those since I was in school.”
“That’s exactly the point,” Albus explained. “I want you to relax and feel like a kid again.”
He paid for the drinks and steered Minerva to a table near the back. Unfortunately, she spent most of the time worrying that they should be at the school for dinner and that popping into town for a drink on a weekday afternoon might be frowned upon by the rest of the staff. Because Albus was deputy headmaster and because he had been at Hogwarts for so long, he had gained some freedom to move about during the week, but Minerva was afraid that as the newest staff member her actions would more easily come under review.
Finally, Albus put down his butterbeer and excused himself from the table. When he returned, he was carrying two brown paper bags, one of which appeared quite heavy.
“I think we need to try something else,” he said. “You’re obviously not relaxing. I’m going to take you somewhere else, but first you have to promise to stop worrying about taking the evening off. You’re with me, no one is going to question you.”
“I’m sorry,” Minerva said, dropping her head in shame. Albus was going to so much trouble to give her a nice afternoon and now she was ruining everything by worrying. “I promise to stop fretting so much and enjoy our time away from school.”
“Good, only don’t apologize.”
Minerva nearly said “sorry” again, but managed to stifle the knee-jerk response and instead rose to follow Albus out of the pub.
He took her gently by the arm and, as Albus guided her down a small side street and out of town, Minerva couldn’t help wondering where on Earth they were going. It was a rather warm day for early March and even though the sun would soon be setting, Albus felt it was pleasant enough for a picnic. He led Minerva to a nearby grassy hill, from which they could see both Hogwarts and the village, and transfigured a rock into a blanket. Once they were settled on the blanket, Albus unpacked the two bags. The first contained several sandwiches and the second more butterbeer.
And then watching the sunset....awwww.
