House: Gryffindor
Position: HoH
Category: Short
Prompt: McGonagall/Snape
Word Count: 637
Betas: Tigger and Shibalyfe
Minerva walked back to her office. The start of term faculty meeting had just concluded and the professors had scattered.
Like the other Heads of Houses, she was responsible for ensuring that the first year dormitory was in order before the students arrived on the Hogwarts Express that evening. She just needed to pop into her office quickly to locate the password to give to the Fat Lady and she'd be able to head to the grand staircase to meet the incoming students.
"Minerva," a voice called out.
She turned to find her Slytherin counterpart, Severus, heading her direction.
"Everything all set in the dungeons?" she asked politely.
He nodded. "I've just been in my office and noticed that the Quidditch Cup was out of place again. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"
Minerva managed to school her face into a neutral expression. She'd tried to coerce one of the house elves into pilfering the Cup and bringing it to the trophy room. Minerva was just so sick and tired of seeing it on the shelf of Severus's office year after year. Despite the fact that Severus would easily see through her ruse, she decided to plead ignorance. "I have no idea why that would be."
"It would be most unfortunate for the Quidditch Cup to disappear again. Not after the Slytherin team worked so hard to earn it. What is this? Five years in a row? Six perhaps?"
"Seven," Minerva said with a scowl.
Severus laughed.
"But Gryffindor is going to win it back this year. Mark my words!" she declared.
"What do you say we make this year a little more interesting?" Severus drawled.
Minerva knew that she shouldn't take the bait. The Quidditch Cup was for the students' enjoyment. But Severus knew her well enough to know that she couldn't resist a friendly wager.
"When Gryffindor wins the Quidditch Cup, you have to scour the Gryffindor Quidditch changing rooms without magic."
"I would object to that, but seeing as there is no way that Slytherin is losing this year, I accept. When Slytherin wins, you need to replenish the potion store room with one hundred vials of Stink Sap. And due to the temperamental nature of the potions which require Stink Sap, you must do so by hand."
Confident in her team's ability to win, even without a returning Seeker, Minerva nodded. "Shall we shake on it?"
"Now see here," came a third voice. Filius joined his colleagues in the hall. "What if Ravenclaw wins the Cup this year? Or Hufflepuff?"
Minerva met Severus's eyes and an unspoken acknowledgment passed between them. No other house could win the Quidditch Cup. But to be fair to the other houses, Minerva said, "Well if Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff wins, neither Severus nor I have to complete our bets. Unless you want in on this wager, Filius?"
Filius shook his head. "I've heard better than to make a friendly wager with the two of you. Both of you always figure out a way out of your ends of the bargain. But don't count Ravenclaw out of the running this year." He checked his pocket watch. "I promised Poppy I'd help out in the infirmary by pre-charming some bandages. I'll see you two at the start of term feast."
Minerva and Severus waited until Filius was out of earshot.
"Slytherin is going to win again," Severus boasted. "Charlie Weasley graduated and you don't have any students qualified to play Seeker."
"You never know, Severus. Somebody might just pop up and surprise us all."
"I'll believe that when I see it," he said. "Good luck, Minerva. You and your Gryffindors are going to need it."
"May the best team win." With a firm handshake, Minerva parted ways from Severus and continued her walk to her office.