Chapter 10: Favoritism
James and Martha walked into transfiguration with a great idea on how to make the class fun.
"Good morning class," said Professor McGonagall as she closed the door to the classroom.
"Today, we'll be going over what we talked about last week. Please take down these notes before we begin with the practical work. Wands on your desks, please."
"Professor McGonagall!" Martha called out. "Do you have a favorite student?"
"Miss Hill," she said sternly. "You interrupted my class to ask about my favorite student? I do not have favorites. Ten points from Gryffindor." She turned back to the board to add more notes.
"Professor!" James called. "I am your favorite student!"
"Mr. Potter," she said sternly. "Do not interrupt my class."
"But Professor," Ryan Parks said. "You know perfectly well that I'm the best!"
"No, I am!" said James.
"No, me!" said Martha.
"Enough! I will have no more of this!"
"We'll leave you alone once you tell us who your favorite is!" James said with a grin.
"Mr. Potter, Miss Hill, fifty points from Gryffindor, each, leave this room at once. I will be in touch regarding your detentions," snapped Professor McGonagall, using her wand to open the door and slam in once they were out in the hall.
With more than a half hour before herbology with Professor Longbottom, James and Martha headed for the greenhouses anyway, not really sure what else to do. They found Professor Longbottom setting up the classroom space in one of the greenhouses for their class and joined him in the space.
"Professor," said Martha. "Do you have a favorite student?"
"Yeah," James said excitedly. "Who? Tell me it's me!"
"I like all of my students for different reasons. Why are you two not in transfiguration? Class does not end for thirty minutes and herbology does not start for forty-five," said Professor Longbottom.
"We may have asked an innocent question and Professor McGonagall got angry and kicked up out," said Martha. "Tell us about your favorite students!"
"Go take your seats and be quiet," said Professor Longbottom, his face unreadable.
"Fine," James said. "After you tell us..."
"Sit down. Twenty points from Gryffindor and a week of detention with me," said Professor Longbottom, cutting James off, mid-sentence. The normally mild-mannered professor looked angry enough to convince James and Martha to not push him any further.
They made it through herbology without any more problems before heading off for potions with Professor Snape.
"Professor Snape!" said Martha. "Do you have a favorite student?"
"All my students are dunderheads, especially the First Year Gryffindors," Snape growled. "Be silent and take your seats, you are interrupting class and wasting my time."
"Do you like any students? Which ones?" James and Martha asked together.
"Seventh Year advanced students of potions. No one else," snarled the Potions Master with a sneer. "Report to the Headmaster's office!"
"Not until you give us names," said Martha.
"Yeah," James said. "No one seems to have one. But of all people, you do, right Professor?"
Professor Snape grabbed them each by their collars and forced them to walk briskly to the Headmaster's office.
"Headmaster," he said once they reached his office. "These two Gryffindors are asking their teachers who their favorite students are, and they won't stop when asked to be quiet. I understand Professor McGonagall took house points and kicked them out of her class. Professor Longbottom took points and assigned detention. I will not be allowing them back into my classroom for a week. They will take zeros for all of their assignments."
"Miss Hill, Mr. Potter," said Professor Dumbledore. "Thank you Severus, you may go. Teachers must be fair and not play favorites with their students."
"Oh, come on," James said. "My dad was the teachers' favorite student! Even yours!"
"That was different," Professor Dumbledore said. "He was my ward. I had to take care of him. He worked hard for his grades and got into a lot of trouble along the way but he never purposely baited multiple teachers in one day."
"Professor McGonagall should pick me, seeing as she's my guardian for the time being," said Martha.
"Professor McGonagall is Deputy Headmistress and Head of Gryffindor House. She is unfailingly fair but it is not wise to cross her. She is you current but not your permanent guardian. At any time, any teacher might be an acting guardian to one or more students. She will protect you but not favor you in class. I recommend staying on her good side, she can be very creative with her detentions," said Professor Dumbledore.
"But..." James started.
"Enough," he said firmly. "Detention, both of you, with Professor Snape for two weeks after your week with Professor Longbottom and before any detentions Professor McGonagall assigns to you. All talk of favoritism ends now."
"Yes sir," they said in union.