Balloons
AN: Yes, I am working (slightly) on the next chapter of Seemingly Simple, but the only thing I have is the outline…I am trying to work out my scribbles to see what I scratched, but it is proving fruitless at the moment. So to cure the lack of MMHG fics that have been out there, here is some nonsense about…you guessed it…BALLOONS! That will hopefully put some sunshine into your day…:)
"Do you think she'll be surprised, though?" Asked Pomona Sprout as she opened yet another box of decorations.
"I am not entirely sure that 'surprised' is the appropriate word. I was thinking something along the lines of-" Poppy Promfrey was interrupted as she hung a banner over the doorway.
"Infuriated beyond all reason?" Finished one Xiomara Hooch while offering Pomona a set of extra hands with the décor.
"Really, what was Albus thinking?" Pomona ranted. "I mean honestly…wait a moment," she picked up a plastic bag out of the box. "what are these obscene looking things?"
Xiomara picked up another of the obscure bags. "Aren't these the decorations from Hermione?" She questioned as she hesitantly opened one.
"Oh yes. What did she say they were again? Blowloons?" She asked, walking over to seek out the 'blowloons.'
"No, it says here, BALLOONS." Xiomara pulled one of the colourful rubber objects from the bag and flipped it over. "But blowloons makes more sense…I think we are supposed to blow into them and fill them with air."
"Wait, but here it says to fill them with 'He.'.." Poppy interjected as she read on.
Pomona's faced dawned an expression of complete and utter confusion. "These crazy muggles! Really, what man is going to fit into that thing?"
Poppy looked up from the bag and examined a red, unblown balloon in the light as if she were gazing into a vial of the latest healing potion. "Well," she concluded, "Filius is small, but I don't think even he can fit into one of these."
Xiomara finished reading the package and almost died in laughter. "Oh my!" She held her sides as the laughter rolled on. "Not 'He'!" She giggled. "What fools we are!"
"Poppy dear, do you have a potion for fits like these?" questioned Pomona as she stared in disbelief at her friend.
"No, no! I'm fine…" Xiomara finally stopped her spasm and wiped her eyes where tears of sheer fun had formed. "Helium, dears…Helium. If we want the balloons to float we need Helium."
"Helium? Well, I'm sure we'll find none of that around here," said Poppy as she placed her hands on her hips in near hopelessness.
Pomona scratched her scraggily kempt head. "Hmm…Speaking of Flitwick, that gives me an idea. Why don't we just blow air into the balloons and charm them to float for the duration of the evening?"
Xiomara placed a hand on her comerade's shoulder. "An excellent idea! I think a simple levitating charm should do the trick," she continued as she stretched the balloon she was about to blow into.
Just as Xiomara put her mouth around the neck of the balloon while everyone gazed in awe and anticipation, Professor Granger came bursting through the doors of the staff lounge.
Panting, she placed her hand over her racing heart. "So sorry I'm late. Devon Harper, a student, a Hufflepuff, no less!" Hermione shot a death glare at Pomona. "Wanted to know why his paper was bleeding."
Poppy gasped in horror. "I specifically told them all along that those charms were forbidden in this school!"
Hermione continued on. "I tried to explain to the dear little chubby thing that his paper was in fact not bleeding."
"Well, what happened then?" Inquired Xiomara.
Hermione picked up an emerald balloon. "It took me no less than twenty minutes to tell him in short that his paper was merely dreadful, and that the corrections were made by my hand in red ink."
Pomona sighed. "I suppose I'll be called later to check on the poor dear. Thanks, Hermione…Professor Binns might have been as interesting as white knickers, but you take no prisoners."
"Well, I learned from the best, didn't I?" said Hermione. "Now, these balloons aren't going to blow themselves up. Hop to!" Hermione ordered as she blew into the balloon.
"Really, Albus! What was so important that you had to pull me away from my papers? You know it is close to the end of term, and I am far too busy to be discussing the properties of a sherbert lemon or something of the sort," ranted Minerva McGonagall with her arms crossed at her chest while Albus Dumbledore ushered her into his office.
"My dear, I'm sure you will manage, but we have an emergency meeting that cannot wait, I'm afraid," Albus stated gazing over his half-moon spectacles while offering his deputy a seat.
Minerva became perplexed by the severity in the headmaster's voice. "Whatever is this meeting about?" she questioned while fingering her collar nervously.
Albus popped a bright, yellow, acidic, and altogether infamous little ball of joy into his mouth. "Well, as you know, this weather as of late has been extremely dry," he explained as his rosy cheeks began to pucker. "and I'm afraid that the Whomping Willow is beginning to wither."
Minerva wanted nothing more at this particular moment than to slap the candy out of his mouth. Honestly! A bloody tree? How absurd. "Albus," she began as she massaged her temples in agony. "it's only a tree. Can't Pomona deal with it?"
"I have yet to speak with anyone about the matter, but I am sure she is aware of it," replied Albus with an alarmingly stoic tone in his voice. "And besides, the Whomping Willow is deeply rooted, if you will excuse the pun, into Hogwarts' history." He shot Minerva a slight disciplinary look that left a pang of guilt in her chest. "If one member of the staff feels that saving the tree is possible, then I expect every member of this staff to give their full support."
Silence filled the air following this statement. So many thoughts were running through Minerva's mind. 'Is he sincerely pressing this matter? Should I feel a bit guilty for suggesting its insignificance to me?'
Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted by Albus. "Your face reads like an open book, dear. It is, if I may be so bold, one of the finest qualities you possess."
The deputy blushed at the comment from one of her closest friends. "Why thank you, but I hope you weren't alluding to my age, Albus."
Albus smiled. The old bastard gave that smile that spoke of mischief and mayhem…That smile that Harry Potter had witnessed on many occasions. "Why no my dear, but speaking of age," he paused to gaze at his deputy. "isn't it your birthday today?"
"Well yes, but as you well know, after forty years on this earth, I stopped celebrating." Minerva sighed at the thought of her age and then she thought of the large gap between Hermione and herself. She almost shuddered, but on the inside her heart dropped through her stomach. Ever since the grown woman had come back to take the position of professor Binns, Minerva had begun to notice ceratin…ASSpects…that had previously gone under the radar during her student years.
Albus turned the page in the book of Minerva and was not surprised by what he found there. "Well, then I'm sure it will be no real issue to join us at the meeting, no?"
Minerva thought of the bottle of scotch in her quarters and the sad and lonely evening that was waiting for her arrival. "No, not at all Albus…not at all." She gave a rare smile as she replied.
Albus raised himself from the chair at his desk. "Then let us make our way to the lounge…I'm afraid the tree is not getting wetter or younger."
He offered Minerva his arm and he chuckled as she softly muttered, "Nor am I, unfortunately…"
And so the pair made their way to the lounge, and toward an evening that proved to have…interesting…effects.
AN: As usual, I have completely ignored book six in this lovely series in which we so often meddle…it is an AU and the title is mildly irrelevant right now, but you will soon see their significance…lol. This started out as a one-shot, but it is developing into a full story based on nothing except for a CAT AND A BALLOON!!
!
I can't believe it myself, but I am enjoying the ride of writing it. I hope you are too, and I would love to hear from you all!!
Much love,
Ashton