A Perfect World

Chapter 8

Gamp's Law


Minerva had been grounded for her little adventure in Edenbough. She didn't really mind that much because she didn't have anywhere to go. The local children were all Muggles who thought she was the town weirdo so she didn't really have any friends in the neighborhood. She had been delighted when the Dumbledore's owl delivered the cathode ray tube along with the change in Muggle money. All she had to do then was the giftwrapping.

When Jupiter unwrapped her gift on Christmas morning his eyes widened like saucers, "A cathode ray tube! How? Why? Was this what the magic show was all about?"

Minnie nodded, then grinned as her father gave her a big hug and a kiss. "Thank you so much Pumpkin! You're still grounded though." He passed it to his wife, Selene who handled it like a two headed baby. Minnie knew her mother had very little interest in her husband's electronic hobby. But when you love someone, you put up with their little eccentricities.

"Now I can make a tellervision! That's the main part!" Jupiter exulted.

Minnie pondered the unfamiliar word. 'Television,' 'Distant seeing.' A device that lets you see things that are far away. She hoped it would help her out in her astrology class. With her poor eyesight she always had trouble making out the stars though the school telescopes.

Minnie's Christmas present was an old Oakshaft broom. It was the first broom she ever had for herself. She smiled and kissed both her parents. She would have rather had a Shooting Star though. Oakshafts weren't much good for Quiditch, they were fast but Noah's Ark could make sharper turns than an Oakshaft..

That night in her room she opened her copy of Elemental Transformations Volume 2. She intended to study as much as possible over the Christmas holidays. She flipped it open to chapter 12; Gamp's Laws of Transfiguration.

Five minutes later her parents heard a loud howl coming from Minerva's bedroom followed by a crash of breaking glass. They both rushed upstairs and flung open the door to find her standing next to her shattered mirror. "What happened?" Her father asked while Selene repaired the broken mirror with her wand.

Minerva was furious, "That bitch knew! You can't transform food! Gamp's Laws of Transformations! You try to turn a fish into a cupcake and all you get is a fish cupcake!" That damned bitch spent all that time torturing me to make a fish into a cupcake when you can't do it! It's impossible!"

"Watch your language young lady!" Jupiter's voice was stern.

"I have a right to cuss! You don't know what that bitch put me through!" Minerva was shaking with rage.

"No, I don't know what she put you through. But McGonagle's should always act like proper ladies and gentlemen. It's easy when everything's nice and perfect but we should also do it when we're angry and frustrated. When it gets really hard to act proper." He took her in his arms and could feel her trembling. "Don't worry Pumpkin, we'll send a letter to Professor Dumbledore, you'll never have to take any more lessons from that awful girl." Selena gently caressed her shoulder.

Minerva pulled away, "No Dad, I'm not gonna quit. Professor Dumbledore assigned me to Miss Hardy for a reason. I'm not sure why but I've got to stick it out. You understand don't you?"

Her mother nodded. "We understand Sweetheart, just be careful though."

4 January 1938

Minerva was waiting in the classroom her copy of Elemental Transformations Volume 2 open on the desk in front of her. As usual, Laura was running a bit late. When she finally blew in 25 minutes late she found Minerva glaring angrily at her. "You look like you're in a bad mood." She grinned.

"Gamp's Second Law of Elemental Transformations." Minerva read out loud. "Food can only be altered in shape but not substance." She slammed the book shut. "You tormented me for hours trying to turn fish into cupcakes when you knew all along it was impossible!"

Laura burst out laughing. "It's about damned time! What's it been? Five months? I've just about given up on you finding out about those!"

"Why did you do it! Why didn't you tell me! You're a real bitch in every sense of the word!"

"It was right there in your book the whole time!" Laura couldn't stop laughing.

"Professor Dumbledore told us not to read the chapters in the back. Not until we were ready."

"Professor Dumbledore told us not to!" Laura repeated in a mocking sing song voice. "Do you do everything Dumbledore tells you to?"

Well, yes!"

"You're letting other people put limits on you. Don't stick with other's rules. Make your own. Don't be afraid to look where others forbid! What I did was teach you Gamp's Laws in a way you will never forget! They're burned into your very soul!" She slapped the desk. "Now get your wand out. We've got some catching up to do."

Minerva was still seething with anger as she got her wand out.

25 January 1938

"What's that glow over there?" Doris asked. "It's lighting up the whole sky!"

"It's the Aurora Borealis." Minerva answered grumpily. "You don't usually see it this far south." She had to admit it was beautiful. Much better than the Quidditch match she was suffering through. Gryffindor was getting royally trounced by Slytherin. Malfoy flung the quaffle directly at Betsy O'Donnell who shrieked and ducked out of the way.

"Another goal for Slytherin!" The announcer shouted. "The score is now 270 to 40!"

Doris was peering through her Omnioculars. :"I see the snitch! Hardy's looking right at it and ignoring it! Why doesn't she just grab the damned thing and end this! I'm freezing my tail off!"

"They're jacking up the score." Minerva answered. "The winner of the tournament is the side that gets the most points for the year. Not who wins the most games. Hardy will catch the snitch when they're tired of scoring."

Algie Longbottom flew up close to Laura looking around for the snitch. "Come on!" Doris yelled, "it's right there! Why doesn't he see it?"

Octavian Weasly laughed. "Algie couldn't find a snitch if it was crammed up his . . ."

Laura suddenly dived her arm stretched out."He's not gonna? Yes he is!" Doris shrieked as Longbottom dived after her. "That's the oldest trick in the book! He couldn't see the snitch so he's following her!"

Laura was diving directly for the ground, Longbottom directly on her tail. She suddenly pulled up, her feet lightly tapping the ground. Longbottom wasn't nearly as quick and slammed directly into the turf shattering his broom and tumbling across the ground. A loud cheer rose up from the Slytherin section as Dr. Mumbai rushed out onto the field to tend to his injuries.

"Algernon Longbottom just took a nasty crash!" The announcer shouted. "Gryffindor's second string chaser will be in the air in five minutes! Slytherin scores again! The score is now 280 to 40!" Minerva settled back into her seat and wrapped the blanket around her tighter. It was going to be a long night.

Later in the Gryffindor common room most of the students were crowded around the roaring fireplace trying to warm up. Longbottom was still in the infirmary. So Minerva didn't even have him around to focus her anger on. They really needed a new captain for their team. But since she wasn't on the team she didn't have a say in the matter.

Goliath Hogan hunched his squat, muscular body and held his large beefy hands out to the fire. "Who's the seeker on the Slytherin team? She's beautiful."

"Laura Hardy!" Doris snorted, "You're kidding right? She's skinny as a rail and flat as a board!"

"I like them skinny and flat!"

"And that gigantic beak of hers!" Betsy teased.

"I think her nose is magnificent!"

"She's a friend of Minnie's, maybe she'll introduce you." Doris said with a teasing voice.

"She's not my friend. She's a horrible person, stay away from her." Minerva told him.

"I"ll judge that for myself." Goliath was stubborn if nothing else.

"She hates Gryffindors, no wait, scratch that, she hates everybody. She just especially hates Gryffindors."

"I might win her over."

"She already has a boyfriend."

"I'm sure he doesn't appreciate her."

Minerva thought about all the bruises she'd seen on Laura's face. "No, I'm sure he doesn't. But stay away from her. She's nothing but trouble."

"I think she just needs a friend."

Minerva just shrugged her shoulders. "It's your funeral." She then got up and trudged upstairs.

4 February, 1938

Berlin

When Adolph Hitler opened his bedroom door he found Grindlewald already in there waiting for him. His fury rose and he lost his temper. "STAY OUT OF MY PRIVATE QUARTERS!" he shrieked.

Grindlewald casually pointed his wand at him stopping him in his tracks. "Did everything go as you planned?"

"Yes!" Hitler was still trembling in rage. "The War Ministry has been abolished. It's been replaced with The High Command Of The Armed Forces. I am in total command of the armed forces. All my weak and disloyal officers are being purged. I can now start the war whenever I please!"

"Excellent," Gellert smiled. "Well, I won't keep you up long. Have a good night." Then with a pop he was gone leaving Hitler alone in his room.