A Newt, Anyone?
By: neen
"You! Yes, you," McGonagall's cold, furious stare burned deeply into the terrified looking students sitting in front of her desk.
An interesting, crooked smile bent its way up on her face. "There, there. Sit still. I have some biscotti in my desk. Let me find them. Ah, here they are."
"It's not our fault, Professor!" Someone began to plead, but another person, sitting at the very edge snorted most derisively and carefully nursed his injured arm.
Ignoring the outburst and pulling out a silver tin, she took off its lid and shoved them under the two guilty people's noses, rattling the cookie container dangerously.
"Er, that's quite all right, Professor McGonagall. We just ate before coming." A tall, athletic boy with disheveled black hair and shining hazel eyes quickly said, shaking his head at the tin. For some reason, that tin scared him more than McGonagall's usual fury.
"Don't tell me such nonsense," McGonagall said immediately. "Have a Pumpkin Pastry."
"Really, pumpkins aren't my thing—" However, James quickly cut off his own sentence when he noticed the intense widening of McGonagall's eyes with, undoubtedly, incredible fury. "Er, I'll take one, thanks."
McGonagall had narrowed her eyes at James, who had taken the pastry, but made no move to put it in his mouth.
"Why aren't you eating it, Potter?" McGonagall demanded, rapping her hand on the mahogany desk very sharply. Alarmed at this loud noise, James automatically stuffed it into his mouth, choking a bit as he did so. "Water, please!"
McGonagall, with a swish of her hand, conjured up two small glasses of innocent-looking water. James, without hesitating, gulped it down with one sip.
"Much—better," he said, breathing heavily.
McGonagall gave a curt nod and shook the tin under another person's nose. A very handsome, silky black haired boy with warm gray eyes enlarged his eyes at this rather horrific sight. "Oh, no, Minnie, that's really fine! I don't like sweets much—give me a bad toothache." Pleased with this excuse, he leaned back farther in his chair.
This, was actually, a very bad choice.
Minerva McGonagall leaned over the desk and shoved the tin into Sirius's cheek. "Take one, Black, before I am forced to make you eat everything, including the container!"
"All right, Minnie, calm down," Sirius said, looking perturbed, and carefully selected a Ginger Newt after much considering between that and an apple strudel.
McGonagall was eyeing Sirius very closely, and Sirius glanced at James quickly, who luckily ate it and had not died yet, followed suit with James. Opening his mouth dramatically, he took a tiny bite. "Mm, delicious. It's so sad I'm not able to do this all the time due to my horrible teeth problems, but anything for you, Minnie."
McGonagall's eyes bulged at the constant usage of 'Minnie', but decided to let it pass.
McGonagall was about to continue when she heard the outraged cry of the third inhabitant in the room. "How come I haven't gotten anything to eat, Professor? This is unjust! I've been grievously hurt. This is because I'm in Slytherin, isn't it? Prejudice!" A sallow-skinned, dark-haired boy with his hair plastered to his face due to its oiliness gave a snarl as he saw he was not going to be addressed.
"Snape. Do calm yourself. These are special pastries," McGonagall explained, putting special emphasis on the word 'special', and Sirius and James looked at each other with great horror.
"Did you think she was going to seriously poison you?" Sirius said, gaping at James, who firmly shook his head.
"I thought she liked us! Had a special spot for us in her dear little heart! I'm too young to die—and I haven't asked out Lily yet today!" James cried out with pure dismay.
"Shut your mouths, both of you. You two aren't going to die," McGonagall said huffily, growing quite impatient.
"A disappointment," Snape said acidly and resorted to staring at a fly glide around lazily.
Sirius lunged over James and tried to strangle Snape's neck, but he was too far away. "I'll show you a disappointment!"
"Black!" McGonagall barked in a commanding tone, which Sirius grudgingly acquiesced to, but not before throwing Snape a very ugly glare.
McGonagall cleared her throat loudly. "As you three students know, you three were involved in a very serious breach of rules tonight. First, someone—(at these words, McGonagall gave Sirius a knowing look)—provoked another student--(McGonagall eyed Snape)—to go see Mr. Lupin change form into a werewolf. I want to remind you two, Potter and Black, that you two, three years ago, were told never to divulge Mr. Lupin's secret after you found out."
McGonagall took a deep breath. "This promise was broken tonight." Ignoring Sirius's mouth that was opening to protest, McGonagall continued, "This, in result, has endangered another student's life, and if it had not been for Potter's noble, albeit extremely unintelligent, act, Snape would have died tonight."
"Yes, Potter, unintelligent," McGonagall repeated, seeing the look on James's face. "You should have come to inform a teacher and not resolved to take the case upon yourself. However, seeing that you did, you must know that Snape and you are involved in a long-term relationship."
"A long-term WHAT?" James bellowed loudly, not daring to believe his ears. "I'm not involved with him in any way, Professor!"
"Professor, this is most insane!" Snape said, also looking outraged.
"By relationship," McGonagall said evenly, "I mean a Wizard's Debt."
"Oh." Two simultaneous sighs of relief could be heard. Then two yelps. "What?"
"Yes," McGonagall looked rather grave. "Severus Snape, you are indebted to Mr. Potter here. You will need to fulfill this in your lifetime or die trying."
"Die? For that filth?" Snape asked sneeringly, a look of utmost loathing etched permanently on his face.
James too, bore a similar expression. "I don't need him doing things for me. The foul dung." James declared loudly.
"There is no choice in the matter for both of you," McGonagall said snappishly and set her menacing eyes onto Sirius, who fidgeted most uncomfortably.
"Er, hi there, Minerva! Looking well today," Sirius started, edging towards the back of his seat. "Simply lovely."
"Take a sip of water, Black. Your throat must be dry," McGonagall said, flicking her wand so the second cup of water was floating in midair.
"Er, I'm quite fine, thanks," Sirius began, but McGonagall shot him THE LOOK. McGonagall then cleared her throat. "Apparently, Black, I was not being clear. Take a drink."
Sirius hesitantly grabbed onto the floating water and gingerly took a sip. "So…refreshing."
McGonagall sat back, nodding her head. "Good."
"Black," McGonagall then said, looking exceedingly grave. "I—"
"I did it," Sirius suddenly blurted out, looking remorseful. "I was the one who told Snape to go under the Whomping Willow, and I had full knowledge that Remus was about to change form into that of a werewolf's, and I'm so, so sorry. If James wasn't there, we'd all be dead."
"You confess to all this, Black?" McGonagall asked, raising a perfectly arched eyebrow.
"Yes, yes, Professor." Sirius eagerly nodded. McGonagall hid a smile.
"And you will never do this again or attempt it in any way, shape, or form?" McGonagall asked beadily, watching Sirius nibble his Ginger Newt carefully.
"Yes, Professor."
"I have your honor-bound word?" McGonagall asked, shooting him a severe look.
"Yes, Professor."
"Very well. Fifty points from Gryffindor for the stupidity of it all, twenty-five points to Gryffindor for an act of bravery, twenty points from both Gryffindor and Slytherin for students being out of bed. All of you are dismissed," McGonagall said, straightening her glasses that were perched at the tip of her nose. "Shoo, shoo, I haven't gotten time to look over you three."
With that said, the two Gryffindors very purposely bumped rough shoulders with the lone Slytherin as they walked out.
From within the shadows came a tall figure whose small smile could be seen in the light.
"Works every time, my dear Minerva. Your persuasion skills are rather excellent. I do wonder how you do it." A pair of twinkling eyes behind half-moon spectacles said, smiling slightly.
"It's my little secret, Dumbledore. You'll find out one day, perhaps." With a satisfied smile, McGonagall stuffed the cookie container into her hidden drawer, which would emerge yet another day.
Author's Note:
That was interesting. I just had to write it. Sorry.
Please tell me what you thought of it! Thanks.
