Post by furandfeathers on Dec 10, 2007 19:04:55 GMT -5
Whoa, I wrote something.
A/N: The following story is actually mostly true. We went to Six Flags New England for our senior class trip last year. Yes, we went on the Superman mega-coaster four times, yes we got soaked when the water park was CLOSED, and yes, someone almost did get sick on the teacups. We also had our teeth rattled out of our heads on the old wooden rollercoasters, but that would have made a really long story. Kind of like this author's note. Oh yeah, the characters don't belong to me. That's all J.K. Rowling, but she doens't let them have enough fun.
Minerva McGonagall strode briskly down the empty corridor towards the Headmaster’s office. She had just watched the Hogwarts Express pull away from the Hogsmeade station and was going to see her husband. Just as she reached the gargoyle, it sprang aside. Severus stepped off the stairs and upon seeing her, gave a snort, barely reigning in his laughter.
“What is so funny?” Minerva demanded.
“I expect you’ll find out soon enough,” he said, sweeping away still chuckling. With a suspicious glare in his direction, Minerva began the ascent to her husband’s office.
“Good afternoon, my dear,” Albus said, looking up from his desk when she entered.
“Hello, Albus. Do I have something on my face?” she asked, moving across the room.
“No, why?”
“I ran into Severus, and he was laughing at me, though he wouldn’t say why,” she explained.
“That probably has something to do with the location I picked for our holiday this year.” He told her.
“What have you done?” she asked, moving to stand beside him.
‘Look,” he said, pulling her down onto his lap, and winding his arms around her waist as she looked at the brochures on his desk.
“Six Flags New England!?” she shrieked after a moment. “Albus, you’re not serious!”
“What’s wrong with Six Flags?” he asked, looking up at her, his lips forming a pout.
‘It’s a place for children.” She told him.
“You tell me that I’m childish all the time,” he pointed out.
“True,” she said, wondering what point he was trying to make.
“Come on, Min, have you ever been to an amusement park?” he pleaded.
“No, have you?” she asked, then added as an afterthought, “And don’t abuse the right to call me ‘Min’ or I’ll take it away.”
“Please?” he asked, looking so excited about their trip to the amusement park, that she couldn’t very well say no.
“All right. I’ll go.”
“I promise that you’ll have a good time.”
“Famous last words.” She snorted.
A few weeks later, they were walking up the many steps towards the gates of Six Flags New England in Massachusetts.
“Albus, do they have any rides that aren’t roller coasters?” Minerva asked, gripping his hand tightly.
“I’m sure they do. You have to try a roller coaster though, you won’t know if you like them until you do.”
“Because being held into a small car on four wheels seventy five feet in the air by only a little seat belt sounds like so much fun,” she said sarcastically.
“Well I don’t want to go by myself,” he whined.
“Then you should have picked Aruba for our holiday. I would gladly accompany you on a day at the beach.”
The couple continued bickering as they handed the ticket attendant their entry tickets and made their way through the gates, not noticing the strange looks they were receiving. Although they were dressed in muggle attire, and Albus had shortened his beard and hair, they were by far the oldest couple there, and they were one of the few people who didn’t have screaming children running around with them.
“Where to first?” Minerva asked, opening the map that they’d been given.
“Well, Hurricane Harbor isn’t open it. It’s too early in the season.” Albus said.
“What?”
“The water park part. It’s too early in the season. It’s not open yet. I was disappointed.” He said, and Minerva rolled her eyes. Honestly, the man was such a child. Who actually enjoyed walking around all day sopping wet?
“I heard that,” he said.
“Heard what? I didn’t say anything!” she protested.
“Doesn’t matter, I heard it anyway.” He told her, and then something caught his eye. “Look Min…erva,” he amended at her sideways glare, “Let’s go on that, we can see the whole park from there!”
Following his pointed finger she saw a tiny little car suspended above the park on a thin cable. There was a family inside the car, pointing out various things to each other, and waving to the people below.
“That looks relatively safe,” she said hesitantly.
“It will be fine, and we can see the whole park from there. We can pick what we want to ride next.” Albus told her, taking her hand and leading her in the direction of the entrance.
They hadn’t gone very far when a large black and white cat jumped in front of them, smiling and waving, and trying to hug them. Minerva jumped, giving a little shriek, and reaching for Albus.
“What is that?” she asked him, ready to hex the offending creature, and not caring that she would then have to obliviate the whole park.
“I believe he is a character from a cartoon. Looney something or other,” he told her. “Excuse me,” he said to Sylvester the Cat, “We were just on our way to the ride.”
The person in the costume didn’t move though. He had been trained to harass the tourists, and he took his job very seriously. Shaking his large head, he turned the couple around, putting an arm around each of them. Behind them they found a woman holding a camera, ready to take their picture. Minerva tried to squirm away, but was held in place by an overly large white paw, while the annoyingly perky woman snapped their picture. The moment she was released, Minerva grabbed Albus’ hand and fairly dragged him in the direction of the ride. She didn’t let him go until they were safely locked in their little car and sailing high above the park on a little cable.
“I take it you don’t like the characters?” he asked, smiling slightly.
“Characters would not be my word choice,” she replied. Albus laughed.
Upon stepping off the ride, they came face to face with a bright orange mass of metal track. “Pandemonium,” Albus read aloud. “Let’s go on this, the line isn’t very long, and it doesn’t look too…” He was cut off by the sound of people screaming.
“About that,” Minerva said dryly.
“Please?” Albus asked, taking both her hands, and preparing to beg if he had to.
“Oh all right. If I fall out, my blood will be on your hands.” She told him.
“You won’t fall out. I promise.”
In just a few minutes, they were seated side by side across from two children in a four person car.
“Aren’t you too old for roller coasters?” the little boy asked, curiously.
“You’re never too old to have fun, my boy.” Albus told him.
“She doesn’t look like she’s having fun.” He replied, pointing to Minerva.
“She’s just a little nervous,” Albus told him, as Minerva latched on to his hand again. The car had just lurched into movement, and was slowly climbing to the top of the first hill.
“Oh this ride is fun!” the little girl told her encouragingly. Minerva gave her a strained smile as the car came to a halt at the top. She pressed as close as she could to Albus just as the car took off around the rest of the track, spinning in circles in the process.
“You didn’t tell me it spun!” Minerva screeched, not allowing herself to be undignified enough to scream like the children were.
“I didn’t know!” Albus replied. She buried her face against his shoulder as they whirled around the track. Albus, was having the time of his life. Just as suddenly as it had begun, the ride was over, and the car pulled slowly back to the platform.
“Oh.” Minerva said, looking up. “That wasn’t so bad.”
“We’re going on Superman next, do you want to come with us?” the little girl asked.
“Superman?” Minerva asked, confused.
“That one!” the little boy said excitedly, pointing. A bright red track rose over a hundred feet above the rest of the park, going straight up and straight back down at breakneck speeds.
“Well…” Minerva said, the color draining slightly from her face.
“We’d love to!” Albus answered for her. “Come on, you can do it. You’re the bravest person I know.” He whispered, kissing her lightly on the cheek.
“If I die…”
“I know, I know, it’s all my fault. Come on!” he said dragging her in the direction of the line, as the children ran ahead.
“I’m going to hex you into the next century, Albus Dumbledore.” Minerva said. She was strapped into a car beside him, her hands trembling as she clutched the bar that held her in. All she could see was a three foot wide track that rose up and up and up and seemed like it would never go down again. The children were seated behind them, and even they looked a little frightened by the ride that was now inevitable.
“This is certainly interesting,” Albus said as their car began the ascent. They were well over one hundred feet in the air, balanced only on the thin, red track, with nothing but air between them and the river below.
“What does a heart attack feel like?” Minerva whimpered, but Albus never got the chance to answer, because suddenly, they were going down, straight down and Minerva forgot all about dignity as she screamed. In a split second they had gone down, underground and were rocketing back up to do it all over again. After the initial drop, Minerva had stopped screaming, and Albus wondered if she was too frightened.
In two minutes the ride was over, and he hesitantly got out of the car, wondering if his wife was going to hex him right there in the middle of the amusement park. He was not prepared for her to fling her arms around his neck and cry, “That was amazing, can we do it again?!”
After riding it once more, the children went off with their parents, and Albus and Minerva decided to take a break from mega-coasters and go on something a little more tame.
“How about this?” Albus asked.
“White water rafting?” Minerva asked skeptically. “Won’t we get wet?”
‘Those people aren’t coming off wet,” Albus said, gesturing at the people exiting the ride.
‘Oh, why not.” Minerva said. After all, she’d had fun on the last thing he’d convinced her to do.
The line was short, and soon they were seated on a circular raft heading in the direction of some pretty big waves. Minerva was enjoying herself until near the end of the ride when a waterfall came into view. Somehow, the raft twisted, and she and Albus were directly under the waterfall, and got off the ride completely drenched.
“Only with you, could we get completely soaked when the water park is closed, Albus.”
“We could go on Superman again, that will dry us off.” He suggested teasingly.
“All right, let’s go.” She said.
They rode Superman two more times before stopping for lunch. After lunch, they walked around the other side of the park. Albus wanted a henna tattoo, but couldn’t decide on a design, so they continued on.
“Look, Minerva! Giant teacups!”
“That’s a kiddie ride,” Minerva scoffed.
“Let’s do it anyway.” He said.
Albus picked the green teacup, and once they were seated inside, the ride began. The teacups began spinning in circles around the little gazebo they were located in.
“I wonder what this does,” Albus said of the table in the middle of the teacup. “It spins.”
“Albus, it’s making us spin faster.” She said.
“Is it?” he asked, continuing to turn the table.
‘Yes, it is!” she cried, now pressed against his side.
“How do we slow it down?” he asked, beginning to feel a little nauseous.
“Try spinning it the other way?” she suggested. He did so, but the teacup didn’t slow down.
“Min! What do I do?”
“Just leave it alone! The ride can’t last much longer.”
It did however, and Albus groaned a little as his stomach churned, and buried his face in her hair. At last it was over, and she helped him off the ride, guiding him over to a bench nearby where she made him sit down.
“Tabby, I don’t feel good,” she said.
‘I know,” she told him gently, pulling him down so he could stretch out on the bench with his head in her lap. “Just rest for a minute.”
“I guess spinning wasn’t a good idea right after lunch.” He said.
“Probably not, but it’s already done. What do you want to do next?” she asked.
“How about that one, it’s purple!” he said twisting slightly to get a better view of the roller coaster.
“Batman?” Minerva said. “All right, I’ll do it, but you just rest a few more minutes.”
“You’ve become quite the roller coaster addict.” Albus chuckled.
“What’s wrong with that?” she demanded.
“Nothing at all. I’m glad you’re enjoying our holiday.”
“I am. Perhaps next year I’ll pick Disney World!”
A/N: The following story is actually mostly true. We went to Six Flags New England for our senior class trip last year. Yes, we went on the Superman mega-coaster four times, yes we got soaked when the water park was CLOSED, and yes, someone almost did get sick on the teacups. We also had our teeth rattled out of our heads on the old wooden rollercoasters, but that would have made a really long story. Kind of like this author's note. Oh yeah, the characters don't belong to me. That's all J.K. Rowling, but she doens't let them have enough fun.
Amusement Park Adventures
Minerva McGonagall strode briskly down the empty corridor towards the Headmaster’s office. She had just watched the Hogwarts Express pull away from the Hogsmeade station and was going to see her husband. Just as she reached the gargoyle, it sprang aside. Severus stepped off the stairs and upon seeing her, gave a snort, barely reigning in his laughter.
“What is so funny?” Minerva demanded.
“I expect you’ll find out soon enough,” he said, sweeping away still chuckling. With a suspicious glare in his direction, Minerva began the ascent to her husband’s office.
“Good afternoon, my dear,” Albus said, looking up from his desk when she entered.
“Hello, Albus. Do I have something on my face?” she asked, moving across the room.
“No, why?”
“I ran into Severus, and he was laughing at me, though he wouldn’t say why,” she explained.
“That probably has something to do with the location I picked for our holiday this year.” He told her.
“What have you done?” she asked, moving to stand beside him.
‘Look,” he said, pulling her down onto his lap, and winding his arms around her waist as she looked at the brochures on his desk.
“Six Flags New England!?” she shrieked after a moment. “Albus, you’re not serious!”
“What’s wrong with Six Flags?” he asked, looking up at her, his lips forming a pout.
‘It’s a place for children.” She told him.
“You tell me that I’m childish all the time,” he pointed out.
“True,” she said, wondering what point he was trying to make.
“Come on, Min, have you ever been to an amusement park?” he pleaded.
“No, have you?” she asked, then added as an afterthought, “And don’t abuse the right to call me ‘Min’ or I’ll take it away.”
“Please?” he asked, looking so excited about their trip to the amusement park, that she couldn’t very well say no.
“All right. I’ll go.”
“I promise that you’ll have a good time.”
“Famous last words.” She snorted.
A few weeks later, they were walking up the many steps towards the gates of Six Flags New England in Massachusetts.
“Albus, do they have any rides that aren’t roller coasters?” Minerva asked, gripping his hand tightly.
“I’m sure they do. You have to try a roller coaster though, you won’t know if you like them until you do.”
“Because being held into a small car on four wheels seventy five feet in the air by only a little seat belt sounds like so much fun,” she said sarcastically.
“Well I don’t want to go by myself,” he whined.
“Then you should have picked Aruba for our holiday. I would gladly accompany you on a day at the beach.”
The couple continued bickering as they handed the ticket attendant their entry tickets and made their way through the gates, not noticing the strange looks they were receiving. Although they were dressed in muggle attire, and Albus had shortened his beard and hair, they were by far the oldest couple there, and they were one of the few people who didn’t have screaming children running around with them.
“Where to first?” Minerva asked, opening the map that they’d been given.
“Well, Hurricane Harbor isn’t open it. It’s too early in the season.” Albus said.
“What?”
“The water park part. It’s too early in the season. It’s not open yet. I was disappointed.” He said, and Minerva rolled her eyes. Honestly, the man was such a child. Who actually enjoyed walking around all day sopping wet?
“I heard that,” he said.
“Heard what? I didn’t say anything!” she protested.
“Doesn’t matter, I heard it anyway.” He told her, and then something caught his eye. “Look Min…erva,” he amended at her sideways glare, “Let’s go on that, we can see the whole park from there!”
Following his pointed finger she saw a tiny little car suspended above the park on a thin cable. There was a family inside the car, pointing out various things to each other, and waving to the people below.
“That looks relatively safe,” she said hesitantly.
“It will be fine, and we can see the whole park from there. We can pick what we want to ride next.” Albus told her, taking her hand and leading her in the direction of the entrance.
They hadn’t gone very far when a large black and white cat jumped in front of them, smiling and waving, and trying to hug them. Minerva jumped, giving a little shriek, and reaching for Albus.
“What is that?” she asked him, ready to hex the offending creature, and not caring that she would then have to obliviate the whole park.
“I believe he is a character from a cartoon. Looney something or other,” he told her. “Excuse me,” he said to Sylvester the Cat, “We were just on our way to the ride.”
The person in the costume didn’t move though. He had been trained to harass the tourists, and he took his job very seriously. Shaking his large head, he turned the couple around, putting an arm around each of them. Behind them they found a woman holding a camera, ready to take their picture. Minerva tried to squirm away, but was held in place by an overly large white paw, while the annoyingly perky woman snapped their picture. The moment she was released, Minerva grabbed Albus’ hand and fairly dragged him in the direction of the ride. She didn’t let him go until they were safely locked in their little car and sailing high above the park on a little cable.
“I take it you don’t like the characters?” he asked, smiling slightly.
“Characters would not be my word choice,” she replied. Albus laughed.
Upon stepping off the ride, they came face to face with a bright orange mass of metal track. “Pandemonium,” Albus read aloud. “Let’s go on this, the line isn’t very long, and it doesn’t look too…” He was cut off by the sound of people screaming.
“About that,” Minerva said dryly.
“Please?” Albus asked, taking both her hands, and preparing to beg if he had to.
“Oh all right. If I fall out, my blood will be on your hands.” She told him.
“You won’t fall out. I promise.”
In just a few minutes, they were seated side by side across from two children in a four person car.
“Aren’t you too old for roller coasters?” the little boy asked, curiously.
“You’re never too old to have fun, my boy.” Albus told him.
“She doesn’t look like she’s having fun.” He replied, pointing to Minerva.
“She’s just a little nervous,” Albus told him, as Minerva latched on to his hand again. The car had just lurched into movement, and was slowly climbing to the top of the first hill.
“Oh this ride is fun!” the little girl told her encouragingly. Minerva gave her a strained smile as the car came to a halt at the top. She pressed as close as she could to Albus just as the car took off around the rest of the track, spinning in circles in the process.
“You didn’t tell me it spun!” Minerva screeched, not allowing herself to be undignified enough to scream like the children were.
“I didn’t know!” Albus replied. She buried her face against his shoulder as they whirled around the track. Albus, was having the time of his life. Just as suddenly as it had begun, the ride was over, and the car pulled slowly back to the platform.
“Oh.” Minerva said, looking up. “That wasn’t so bad.”
“We’re going on Superman next, do you want to come with us?” the little girl asked.
“Superman?” Minerva asked, confused.
“That one!” the little boy said excitedly, pointing. A bright red track rose over a hundred feet above the rest of the park, going straight up and straight back down at breakneck speeds.
“Well…” Minerva said, the color draining slightly from her face.
“We’d love to!” Albus answered for her. “Come on, you can do it. You’re the bravest person I know.” He whispered, kissing her lightly on the cheek.
“If I die…”
“I know, I know, it’s all my fault. Come on!” he said dragging her in the direction of the line, as the children ran ahead.
“I’m going to hex you into the next century, Albus Dumbledore.” Minerva said. She was strapped into a car beside him, her hands trembling as she clutched the bar that held her in. All she could see was a three foot wide track that rose up and up and up and seemed like it would never go down again. The children were seated behind them, and even they looked a little frightened by the ride that was now inevitable.
“This is certainly interesting,” Albus said as their car began the ascent. They were well over one hundred feet in the air, balanced only on the thin, red track, with nothing but air between them and the river below.
“What does a heart attack feel like?” Minerva whimpered, but Albus never got the chance to answer, because suddenly, they were going down, straight down and Minerva forgot all about dignity as she screamed. In a split second they had gone down, underground and were rocketing back up to do it all over again. After the initial drop, Minerva had stopped screaming, and Albus wondered if she was too frightened.
In two minutes the ride was over, and he hesitantly got out of the car, wondering if his wife was going to hex him right there in the middle of the amusement park. He was not prepared for her to fling her arms around his neck and cry, “That was amazing, can we do it again?!”
After riding it once more, the children went off with their parents, and Albus and Minerva decided to take a break from mega-coasters and go on something a little more tame.
“How about this?” Albus asked.
“White water rafting?” Minerva asked skeptically. “Won’t we get wet?”
‘Those people aren’t coming off wet,” Albus said, gesturing at the people exiting the ride.
‘Oh, why not.” Minerva said. After all, she’d had fun on the last thing he’d convinced her to do.
The line was short, and soon they were seated on a circular raft heading in the direction of some pretty big waves. Minerva was enjoying herself until near the end of the ride when a waterfall came into view. Somehow, the raft twisted, and she and Albus were directly under the waterfall, and got off the ride completely drenched.
“Only with you, could we get completely soaked when the water park is closed, Albus.”
“We could go on Superman again, that will dry us off.” He suggested teasingly.
“All right, let’s go.” She said.
They rode Superman two more times before stopping for lunch. After lunch, they walked around the other side of the park. Albus wanted a henna tattoo, but couldn’t decide on a design, so they continued on.
“Look, Minerva! Giant teacups!”
“That’s a kiddie ride,” Minerva scoffed.
“Let’s do it anyway.” He said.
Albus picked the green teacup, and once they were seated inside, the ride began. The teacups began spinning in circles around the little gazebo they were located in.
“I wonder what this does,” Albus said of the table in the middle of the teacup. “It spins.”
“Albus, it’s making us spin faster.” She said.
“Is it?” he asked, continuing to turn the table.
‘Yes, it is!” she cried, now pressed against his side.
“How do we slow it down?” he asked, beginning to feel a little nauseous.
“Try spinning it the other way?” she suggested. He did so, but the teacup didn’t slow down.
“Min! What do I do?”
“Just leave it alone! The ride can’t last much longer.”
It did however, and Albus groaned a little as his stomach churned, and buried his face in her hair. At last it was over, and she helped him off the ride, guiding him over to a bench nearby where she made him sit down.
“Tabby, I don’t feel good,” she said.
‘I know,” she told him gently, pulling him down so he could stretch out on the bench with his head in her lap. “Just rest for a minute.”
“I guess spinning wasn’t a good idea right after lunch.” He said.
“Probably not, but it’s already done. What do you want to do next?” she asked.
“How about that one, it’s purple!” he said twisting slightly to get a better view of the roller coaster.
“Batman?” Minerva said. “All right, I’ll do it, but you just rest a few more minutes.”
“You’ve become quite the roller coaster addict.” Albus chuckled.
“What’s wrong with that?” she demanded.
“Nothing at all. I’m glad you’re enjoying our holiday.”
“I am. Perhaps next year I’ll pick Disney World!”
and poor Albus was the one who got sick, the poor man. 
Do they do the photo thing like that at Six Flags too? Here I thought it was only the parks here. Must be a training technique to charge outrageous sums of money for pictures. Hmmm...I do wonder what it would be like for them to go to Disney World. ;D