(AN: This chapter is based on the HP story A Girls Night Out by Mini-
Minerva)
Chapter 37
Poor Professor McGonnagal
In the late afternoon that Saturday, Professor McGonnagal---as agreed--- headed down for her appointment with Harry at the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade. With some trepidation, she made her way inside, and sat down at an out of the way table, and placed her hands upon the tabletop and waited. She didn't have to wait too long, and soon the vaunted Trouble Trio made their appearance. She most reluctantly raised her hand to gain their attention. They ambled over, smiling at her, and took seats across from her---with the exception of Ron, who headed over to order them all something to drink.
"Ah, good day to you, Mr. Weasley," Madame Rosmerta, the curvaceous tender of the bar said.
"Oh, hello," Ron replied, blushing as he usually did around her. "Um, I was wondering, erm...I have a friend...er, and he'd like something to really knock him back a spot. Do you have anything like that?"
"Ronald Weasley, you're not old enough for that sort of thing. Besides, Molly'd have my hide if I did...and you know that! Now, why are you asking me something like that?" Rosmerta asked back.
"Um, no! It's not for me! You see...we, that is Harry, Hermione, and myself are planning a little something special for Professor McGonnagal...for her birthday, mind you," Ron tried to explain.
"Of course," Rosmerta said, no way convinced as of yet. "The Professor, you say? And what might this plan of yours be then?"
"All right, I'll tell you. But, I don't want her to hear, so...this is what we have in mind," Ron whispered Harry's plan into her ear.
Madam Rosmerta's eyes went wide a moment, then she glanced over at the prim and proper McGonnagal and she giggled a bit. "I've got the very thing for you, young Master Weasley," she declared in a whisper herself. She brought out a small appertif glass, added a half water, then withdrew a small stoppered vial of a brilliant blue liquid. She unstoppered the vial, and both Ron and Rosmerta blinked at its pungent aroma. "Now...you take this back to her, she instructed him. "Poor Minerva...it's 'bout time the poor woman should be able to relax, let her hair down, don't you know. Why, after three sips of that burburberry brandy there, why she´ll be as drunk as Hagrid was last Cristmas Eve."
"Thanks! Oh, and three butterbeers too, if you please," Ron requested. Ron paid for the butterbeers, but then frowned. "Madame Rosmerta? What can we all do to make this up to you?"
"Ah now...I've got the very thing, Ron. You take a picture of Minerva after you've got that brew in her, then come back next time you're in town, and show me," Rosmerta proposed.
"You got it!" Ron smiled and took the tray of drinks back to the others sat. "Here we are! Drinks for everyone." Ron placed a butterbeer before himself, Harry and Hermione, then put the brilliant crystal blue cordial before the Professor.
"Now, what is it that you three intend for me?" McGonnagal asked suspiciously.
"Ah ah, Professor. No need to worry about the details," Harry said in a mysterious voice that sent a shiver down Minerva's spine.
"Right then! Drink up!" Ron said, lifting his butterbeer and taking a swig. "Go on, Professor. That's from Madame Rosmerta, on the house!"
McGonnagal frowned at the blue concoction, looked over at Rosmerta---who smiled and winked at her---then took her first sip. "Bloody Hell!" she muttered at once, steam issuing from her ears a moment. She gasped, then licked her lips. "Potent...but quite tasty, really..."
"See? Now, cheers!" Harry said, as he, Ron, and Hermione sipped their butterbeers. McGonnagal took her next sip, downing the second third of her drink with the same spectacular results. Finally, she finished---rather unsteadily---her last of her drink, then looked blearily at her companions across the table.
"Professor? Just how many fingers am I holding up?" Hermione asked, holding up just a single finger.
"Three!" McGonnagal declared rather happily, if tipsily. "My, my...what a party! Why, there must be ten of us here. Well, the more's...er, the m-m- merrier, thas what I always say..."
Harry grinned; Ron chuckled; and Hermione clucked her tongue, shaking her head at the sight of the tipsy Professor.
"Harry, this isn't very nice," Hermione remarked as McGonnagal's hat slipped over her right eye.
"Hush, Hermione. This is great!" Ron whispered. Hermione frowned, but kept her peace.
"Come on, Professor," Harry coaxed. "It's time to take you back home."
"All righ...hick...Harry, my boy," McGonnagal replied, rising most unsteadily to her feet. She grinned stupidly, then abruptly sat back down in her chair. "Whoops."
Harry and Ron each took one of her arms, supporting her, as Hermione opened the door. The three took her down to one of the shadier shops in Hogsmeade. They smiled at the sign that displayed this shops wares, nodded to each other, and headed inside. Once in, they meet a wizard with long red hair who appeared to be in his late thirties. "Right, lads," he said. "What can I do for you all?"
"Not us," Harry replied. He then motioned to McGonnagal, who sagged in Harry and Ron's arms. "Her. Now, here's what she told us she wanted," Harry began to explain.
Hours later, Minerva McGonnagal awoke, the room spinning ominously as she lay upon her bed, her head pounding like mad, and her mouth tasting like it was the bottom of the Owlery.
"Good morning, Professor," a bright voice proclaimed.
"Is it? I think not," McGonnagal groaned, clapping a hand over her eyes. Why was it so infernally bright in here? "Exactly what are you doing in my bed chambers, Ms. Granger?" McGonnagal asked, when she was able to open her bleary eyes to see Hermione sitting on the floor, petting Leon her lion.
"You'll be pleased to know that I'm here to give you something for that hangover of yours," she replied, pointing to a glass on McGonnagal´s bedside table, that was a bilious green and smoked.
She eyed the tankard dubiously, considering. But the hideous pounding behid her eyes and the nauseous taste in her mouth convinced her to drink the vile-looking---and smelling---brew. Perhaps, she thought, it might kill me. Dead wouldn't be so bad right about now, she thought. "Thank you. That's most kind of you, Miss Granger," McGonnagal said. She drank. It was vile, her stomach recoiling as it slid home. But, it did alleviate her headache. "So, what did you three do with me...after you made me roaring drunk, I might add?" Minerva asked, finishing drinking her potion with a long grimace. God, that was vile! But, then again so was that hangover. What on Earth did those children get her to drink?
"Do to you? Why, nothing, Professor! But, well, we had a devil of a time keeping you from doing things on your own. You'd better take a look at yourself," Hermione suggested and pointed towards a full-length mirror that rested across the room.
McGonnagal rose unsteadily from her bed, bracing herself against the bedpost. When she felt more confident, she headed over to stand before the mirror.
Hermione snorted, trying to contain a fit of the giggles.
"Stop that! Just what are you giggling at, young lady?" McGonnagal asked, still grumpy after her hangover.
"You'll see. Just look into the mirror," Hermione said kindly, yet her eyes twinkled.
McGonnagal frowned at her, then turned to look at her reflection in the mirror. It was lucky there was a high-backed chair nearby, for she nearly fainted dead away then. She gazed into the mirror and noticed something appearing under her pajama top around her belly. She screwed up her courage, lifted her top, and yelped! "But...that is, I---" She now sported a many-colored tattoo of a lion across her abdomen... right above her belly button. "Heavens," she murmured a moment later as she noticed something else peeking out from under the short sleeve of her top. Apparently she had gotten yet another tattoo...this time of the Gryffindor Crest right across her bicep.
"Wha haf I done?" she questioned, her eyebrows rising. Which brought yet another revelation. Her eyebrow---the left one, in fact---now sported small ring through it! And that wasn't all...
She began to worriedly inspect herself in the mirror. Lord! She now had a piercing in her belly button (a ring), left eyebrow (a bar), her chin (a bead), multiple piercings in both her ears, and one small diamond in the side of her nose.
"Isth thisth it?" She asked, noticing she was lisping for some reason. She frowned.
"Don't worry, check your tongue," Hermione suggested, then tittered to herself.
McGonnagal did as she was told, "Great Merlin!" she groaned. She then rounded on Hermione.
Hermione put her hands over her mouth in an attempt to stop her fit of the giggles. "You were really really wild last night, Professor!"
"That, I can well see, girl! What will people say? Why, there goes Minerva McGonnagal, the Illustrated Woman," she said snidely to herself.
Hermione burst out in belly laughs then, which caused Minerva to shake her head. "This is not funny, young lady!" But, her lips quirked oddly as she said it. Finally, a grin appeared. "No, then they'll say, there goes Minerva McGonnagal, the Wizarding Answer to a Pin Cushion!"
Hermione rolled over on the floor, laughing, clutching her stomach, tears rolling down her cheeks as she laughed. "S-S-Sorry, P-P-Professor! But...it's just too funny!"
"Hmmph," Minerva said, still eyeing herself, twisting about to see just what else she'd done.
"In case you're wondering, you've found most of it. Oh, though you do have another tattoo on your back. Here," Hermione told her, handing her a wizarding photograph. It showed Minerva's back with a tattoo of the Hogwarts crest done up in color.
"Marvelous," McGonnagal said dryly. "Well...I suppose most of it I'll be able to hide," McGonnagal said gratefully. "The tattoos and the belly button ring I can hide under my robes, I suppose..."
"Sorry, Professor. But...I'm afraid it´s not quite that simple," Hermione said contritely.
"Whatever do you mean, girl? Speak up!" McGonnagal asked.
"Well," Hermione began uneasily. "You do remember losing that bet, don't you, Professor?"
"Yes," McGonnagal replied cautiously.
"So...that means you have to do what Harry decides, right?" Hermione continued.
"Yes. I suppose I do at that," McGonnagal answered, still worried.
"Well...then, I suppose now is when I tell you that this is what you're supposed to wear today," Hermione said, indicating the clothes hanging on the back of her door with a jerk of her chin.
"Dear God," McGonnagal said softly, raising her hand to her mouth. "He can't really expect me to be seen in that?"
"Sorry...but he does," Hermione declared.
She looked at the clothes on the hanger. Not just clothes...but Muggle clothing. Not just Muggle clothing...but young female Muggle clothing...teen- age Muggle girl's clothing to be exact. The outfit consisted of a very immodest lengthed mini-skirt in red and yellow stripes, with a yellow top that bared her midriff, showing off her belly---tattoo and piercing too. The outfit was completed with the addtion of a pair of red high-heeled platform boots. "Harry Potter...you will be lucky indeed if a certain Dark Wizard gets the opportunity to kill you, young man..." she growled softly under her breath.
"Oh, wait! One more thing. Harry said I was to help you with your hair," Hermione added.
McGonnagal felt up to her hair done up in a tight bun. "And, what's wrong with my hair, Miss Granger?" she asked acerbically.
"Oh, nothing...other that I'm to help you do it up in a braid," Hermione replied.
Minerva's lips thinned dangerously, and she found she was grinding her teeth in fury. But, a bet is a bet, she told herself. "Well, I've only three months of this," McGonnagal reminded herself softly as she sat down to let Hermione braid her hair.
As Minerva shuddered as she donned her new "outfit", she asked, "By the way, Hermione, have you any idea why Harry is doing this to me?" McGonnagal asked.
Hermione paused as she slipped the final loop of the rubber band around the tip of Minerva's new braid. "Now that you mention it, I believe he did mention something about paying you back for not telling him about something sooner,"
Hermione responded.
Minerva knew precisely just what that was about. She stretched futilely at the skimpy yellow top, trying vainly to get it to cover more of her bared middriff. "Um, could it have be about something to do with his relatives?" she inquired a bit meekly.
"Why, yes! That was it...something about a great grandmother of his," Hermione replied, helping her into her platform boots. "Well, Professor, I'm to get you down to breakfast," Hermione told her. "Harry's simply going to insist, I'm afraid."
Minerva sighed. "Very well, Miss Granger. If you'd be so kind as to lead off?" she declared, and followed Hermione out her chambers. "That´s odd," she said after a while.
"Oh? What is?" Hermione asked.
"We're nearly to the Great Hall, and yet...I haven't seen one student yet. Not that I'm complaining, mind you," she said and looked down at herself, shuddering again.
The pair made it to the doors to the Great Hall, and Hermione looked inside. "Stand here a moment, Professor," she said to McGonnagal. "Oh, now do remember that whatever people say or shout to you, they really don´t mean it, Professor."
"I have a sinking feeling that I know precisely where the entire student body is located," McGonnagal said miserably.
"Sorry, Professor...but a bet is a bet," Hermione said and gently pushed her inside, following after her.
Harry and Ron had seen Hermione and McGonnagal and Harry called out in the Great Hall, "Good morning, Professor McGonnagal!" Everyone looked up to where McGonnagal stood shakily upon her garish boots, and started to cheer loudly. McGonnagal took a deep breath, and walked up to the head table while everyone whispered, cheered laughingly and applauded.
She finally made it to the table and took her seat between Xiomara and Dumbledore.
"My, my, Min...you should wear a braid more often. It really suits you," Hooch declared as she nearly laughed aloud.
Minerva stuck out her tongue at her.
"Ah, you got one of those too, have you?" Hooch asked and couldn't help herself, starting to laugh.
"Oh, yes...as well as a tattoo on my back, and my stomach too," Minerva said.
"How did they pull that off?" Xiomara asked.
"With help from Rosmerta, I presume. Some drink that floored me in three sips," Minerva said.
"If it's any consolation, you'd might like to know that Didly's got Snape going about wearing robes in Gryffindor colors," Dumbledore said helpfully.
Down at the gryffindor table Ron supported Hermione, who was red-faced, her head down on her arms on the table. "I can't believe it. I can´t believe I actually did that to a teacher. I am so dead!"
"Easy up, Hermione! What we did is nothing!" Ron assured her. "If it helps, love, I know how we can help the house elves less work," he offered.
"Oh? How can we do that?" Hermione asked and looked into his face.
"Well, I am controlling Madam Hooch, aren't I?" Ron asked.
Hermione gaped at Ron. "You mean...?"
"Right you are. Yes!" Ron said. "She coming tonight for the first go- round. Not that she knows that's what she´s doing just yet," he added.
Harry got to his feet, and ambled over to the teachers table. "Good morning again, Professor McGonnagal," he said.
"Yes, morning, Mr. Potter," McGonnagal said back.
"All comfy? Oh, love the outfit by the way, Professor," Harry said. "Just consider this a payback for not telling me that we were related, so I had to go live with the Dursleys."
"Fair enough," McGonnagal agreed.
"But now I'm going to be nice. For your next task, meet me in the Gryffindor common room this evening with Madame Hooch," Harry told her. "Speaking of the devil...Potter, have you any idea what Weasley wants me to do?" Xiomara asked.
"No, actually, but it's most likely nothing compared to this," Harry said and pointed at Minerva.
"Thank goodness," Xiomara said in relief.
Harry held up a hand. "But...I didn't say it was going to be easy, either," Harry informed her.
"How can whatever you're hatching possibly be any worse than this?" McGonnagal asked incredulously, pointed at her belly button and its new ring there.
"Just you wait and see, Professor," Harry said. "Just you wait and see..."
Chapter 37
Poor Professor McGonnagal
In the late afternoon that Saturday, Professor McGonnagal---as agreed--- headed down for her appointment with Harry at the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade. With some trepidation, she made her way inside, and sat down at an out of the way table, and placed her hands upon the tabletop and waited. She didn't have to wait too long, and soon the vaunted Trouble Trio made their appearance. She most reluctantly raised her hand to gain their attention. They ambled over, smiling at her, and took seats across from her---with the exception of Ron, who headed over to order them all something to drink.
"Ah, good day to you, Mr. Weasley," Madame Rosmerta, the curvaceous tender of the bar said.
"Oh, hello," Ron replied, blushing as he usually did around her. "Um, I was wondering, erm...I have a friend...er, and he'd like something to really knock him back a spot. Do you have anything like that?"
"Ronald Weasley, you're not old enough for that sort of thing. Besides, Molly'd have my hide if I did...and you know that! Now, why are you asking me something like that?" Rosmerta asked back.
"Um, no! It's not for me! You see...we, that is Harry, Hermione, and myself are planning a little something special for Professor McGonnagal...for her birthday, mind you," Ron tried to explain.
"Of course," Rosmerta said, no way convinced as of yet. "The Professor, you say? And what might this plan of yours be then?"
"All right, I'll tell you. But, I don't want her to hear, so...this is what we have in mind," Ron whispered Harry's plan into her ear.
Madam Rosmerta's eyes went wide a moment, then she glanced over at the prim and proper McGonnagal and she giggled a bit. "I've got the very thing for you, young Master Weasley," she declared in a whisper herself. She brought out a small appertif glass, added a half water, then withdrew a small stoppered vial of a brilliant blue liquid. She unstoppered the vial, and both Ron and Rosmerta blinked at its pungent aroma. "Now...you take this back to her, she instructed him. "Poor Minerva...it's 'bout time the poor woman should be able to relax, let her hair down, don't you know. Why, after three sips of that burburberry brandy there, why she´ll be as drunk as Hagrid was last Cristmas Eve."
"Thanks! Oh, and three butterbeers too, if you please," Ron requested. Ron paid for the butterbeers, but then frowned. "Madame Rosmerta? What can we all do to make this up to you?"
"Ah now...I've got the very thing, Ron. You take a picture of Minerva after you've got that brew in her, then come back next time you're in town, and show me," Rosmerta proposed.
"You got it!" Ron smiled and took the tray of drinks back to the others sat. "Here we are! Drinks for everyone." Ron placed a butterbeer before himself, Harry and Hermione, then put the brilliant crystal blue cordial before the Professor.
"Now, what is it that you three intend for me?" McGonnagal asked suspiciously.
"Ah ah, Professor. No need to worry about the details," Harry said in a mysterious voice that sent a shiver down Minerva's spine.
"Right then! Drink up!" Ron said, lifting his butterbeer and taking a swig. "Go on, Professor. That's from Madame Rosmerta, on the house!"
McGonnagal frowned at the blue concoction, looked over at Rosmerta---who smiled and winked at her---then took her first sip. "Bloody Hell!" she muttered at once, steam issuing from her ears a moment. She gasped, then licked her lips. "Potent...but quite tasty, really..."
"See? Now, cheers!" Harry said, as he, Ron, and Hermione sipped their butterbeers. McGonnagal took her next sip, downing the second third of her drink with the same spectacular results. Finally, she finished---rather unsteadily---her last of her drink, then looked blearily at her companions across the table.
"Professor? Just how many fingers am I holding up?" Hermione asked, holding up just a single finger.
"Three!" McGonnagal declared rather happily, if tipsily. "My, my...what a party! Why, there must be ten of us here. Well, the more's...er, the m-m- merrier, thas what I always say..."
Harry grinned; Ron chuckled; and Hermione clucked her tongue, shaking her head at the sight of the tipsy Professor.
"Harry, this isn't very nice," Hermione remarked as McGonnagal's hat slipped over her right eye.
"Hush, Hermione. This is great!" Ron whispered. Hermione frowned, but kept her peace.
"Come on, Professor," Harry coaxed. "It's time to take you back home."
"All righ...hick...Harry, my boy," McGonnagal replied, rising most unsteadily to her feet. She grinned stupidly, then abruptly sat back down in her chair. "Whoops."
Harry and Ron each took one of her arms, supporting her, as Hermione opened the door. The three took her down to one of the shadier shops in Hogsmeade. They smiled at the sign that displayed this shops wares, nodded to each other, and headed inside. Once in, they meet a wizard with long red hair who appeared to be in his late thirties. "Right, lads," he said. "What can I do for you all?"
"Not us," Harry replied. He then motioned to McGonnagal, who sagged in Harry and Ron's arms. "Her. Now, here's what she told us she wanted," Harry began to explain.
Hours later, Minerva McGonnagal awoke, the room spinning ominously as she lay upon her bed, her head pounding like mad, and her mouth tasting like it was the bottom of the Owlery.
"Good morning, Professor," a bright voice proclaimed.
"Is it? I think not," McGonnagal groaned, clapping a hand over her eyes. Why was it so infernally bright in here? "Exactly what are you doing in my bed chambers, Ms. Granger?" McGonnagal asked, when she was able to open her bleary eyes to see Hermione sitting on the floor, petting Leon her lion.
"You'll be pleased to know that I'm here to give you something for that hangover of yours," she replied, pointing to a glass on McGonnagal´s bedside table, that was a bilious green and smoked.
She eyed the tankard dubiously, considering. But the hideous pounding behid her eyes and the nauseous taste in her mouth convinced her to drink the vile-looking---and smelling---brew. Perhaps, she thought, it might kill me. Dead wouldn't be so bad right about now, she thought. "Thank you. That's most kind of you, Miss Granger," McGonnagal said. She drank. It was vile, her stomach recoiling as it slid home. But, it did alleviate her headache. "So, what did you three do with me...after you made me roaring drunk, I might add?" Minerva asked, finishing drinking her potion with a long grimace. God, that was vile! But, then again so was that hangover. What on Earth did those children get her to drink?
"Do to you? Why, nothing, Professor! But, well, we had a devil of a time keeping you from doing things on your own. You'd better take a look at yourself," Hermione suggested and pointed towards a full-length mirror that rested across the room.
McGonnagal rose unsteadily from her bed, bracing herself against the bedpost. When she felt more confident, she headed over to stand before the mirror.
Hermione snorted, trying to contain a fit of the giggles.
"Stop that! Just what are you giggling at, young lady?" McGonnagal asked, still grumpy after her hangover.
"You'll see. Just look into the mirror," Hermione said kindly, yet her eyes twinkled.
McGonnagal frowned at her, then turned to look at her reflection in the mirror. It was lucky there was a high-backed chair nearby, for she nearly fainted dead away then. She gazed into the mirror and noticed something appearing under her pajama top around her belly. She screwed up her courage, lifted her top, and yelped! "But...that is, I---" She now sported a many-colored tattoo of a lion across her abdomen... right above her belly button. "Heavens," she murmured a moment later as she noticed something else peeking out from under the short sleeve of her top. Apparently she had gotten yet another tattoo...this time of the Gryffindor Crest right across her bicep.
"Wha haf I done?" she questioned, her eyebrows rising. Which brought yet another revelation. Her eyebrow---the left one, in fact---now sported small ring through it! And that wasn't all...
She began to worriedly inspect herself in the mirror. Lord! She now had a piercing in her belly button (a ring), left eyebrow (a bar), her chin (a bead), multiple piercings in both her ears, and one small diamond in the side of her nose.
"Isth thisth it?" She asked, noticing she was lisping for some reason. She frowned.
"Don't worry, check your tongue," Hermione suggested, then tittered to herself.
McGonnagal did as she was told, "Great Merlin!" she groaned. She then rounded on Hermione.
Hermione put her hands over her mouth in an attempt to stop her fit of the giggles. "You were really really wild last night, Professor!"
"That, I can well see, girl! What will people say? Why, there goes Minerva McGonnagal, the Illustrated Woman," she said snidely to herself.
Hermione burst out in belly laughs then, which caused Minerva to shake her head. "This is not funny, young lady!" But, her lips quirked oddly as she said it. Finally, a grin appeared. "No, then they'll say, there goes Minerva McGonnagal, the Wizarding Answer to a Pin Cushion!"
Hermione rolled over on the floor, laughing, clutching her stomach, tears rolling down her cheeks as she laughed. "S-S-Sorry, P-P-Professor! But...it's just too funny!"
"Hmmph," Minerva said, still eyeing herself, twisting about to see just what else she'd done.
"In case you're wondering, you've found most of it. Oh, though you do have another tattoo on your back. Here," Hermione told her, handing her a wizarding photograph. It showed Minerva's back with a tattoo of the Hogwarts crest done up in color.
"Marvelous," McGonnagal said dryly. "Well...I suppose most of it I'll be able to hide," McGonnagal said gratefully. "The tattoos and the belly button ring I can hide under my robes, I suppose..."
"Sorry, Professor. But...I'm afraid it´s not quite that simple," Hermione said contritely.
"Whatever do you mean, girl? Speak up!" McGonnagal asked.
"Well," Hermione began uneasily. "You do remember losing that bet, don't you, Professor?"
"Yes," McGonnagal replied cautiously.
"So...that means you have to do what Harry decides, right?" Hermione continued.
"Yes. I suppose I do at that," McGonnagal answered, still worried.
"Well...then, I suppose now is when I tell you that this is what you're supposed to wear today," Hermione said, indicating the clothes hanging on the back of her door with a jerk of her chin.
"Dear God," McGonnagal said softly, raising her hand to her mouth. "He can't really expect me to be seen in that?"
"Sorry...but he does," Hermione declared.
She looked at the clothes on the hanger. Not just clothes...but Muggle clothing. Not just Muggle clothing...but young female Muggle clothing...teen- age Muggle girl's clothing to be exact. The outfit consisted of a very immodest lengthed mini-skirt in red and yellow stripes, with a yellow top that bared her midriff, showing off her belly---tattoo and piercing too. The outfit was completed with the addtion of a pair of red high-heeled platform boots. "Harry Potter...you will be lucky indeed if a certain Dark Wizard gets the opportunity to kill you, young man..." she growled softly under her breath.
"Oh, wait! One more thing. Harry said I was to help you with your hair," Hermione added.
McGonnagal felt up to her hair done up in a tight bun. "And, what's wrong with my hair, Miss Granger?" she asked acerbically.
"Oh, nothing...other that I'm to help you do it up in a braid," Hermione replied.
Minerva's lips thinned dangerously, and she found she was grinding her teeth in fury. But, a bet is a bet, she told herself. "Well, I've only three months of this," McGonnagal reminded herself softly as she sat down to let Hermione braid her hair.
As Minerva shuddered as she donned her new "outfit", she asked, "By the way, Hermione, have you any idea why Harry is doing this to me?" McGonnagal asked.
Hermione paused as she slipped the final loop of the rubber band around the tip of Minerva's new braid. "Now that you mention it, I believe he did mention something about paying you back for not telling him about something sooner,"
Hermione responded.
Minerva knew precisely just what that was about. She stretched futilely at the skimpy yellow top, trying vainly to get it to cover more of her bared middriff. "Um, could it have be about something to do with his relatives?" she inquired a bit meekly.
"Why, yes! That was it...something about a great grandmother of his," Hermione replied, helping her into her platform boots. "Well, Professor, I'm to get you down to breakfast," Hermione told her. "Harry's simply going to insist, I'm afraid."
Minerva sighed. "Very well, Miss Granger. If you'd be so kind as to lead off?" she declared, and followed Hermione out her chambers. "That´s odd," she said after a while.
"Oh? What is?" Hermione asked.
"We're nearly to the Great Hall, and yet...I haven't seen one student yet. Not that I'm complaining, mind you," she said and looked down at herself, shuddering again.
The pair made it to the doors to the Great Hall, and Hermione looked inside. "Stand here a moment, Professor," she said to McGonnagal. "Oh, now do remember that whatever people say or shout to you, they really don´t mean it, Professor."
"I have a sinking feeling that I know precisely where the entire student body is located," McGonnagal said miserably.
"Sorry, Professor...but a bet is a bet," Hermione said and gently pushed her inside, following after her.
Harry and Ron had seen Hermione and McGonnagal and Harry called out in the Great Hall, "Good morning, Professor McGonnagal!" Everyone looked up to where McGonnagal stood shakily upon her garish boots, and started to cheer loudly. McGonnagal took a deep breath, and walked up to the head table while everyone whispered, cheered laughingly and applauded.
She finally made it to the table and took her seat between Xiomara and Dumbledore.
"My, my, Min...you should wear a braid more often. It really suits you," Hooch declared as she nearly laughed aloud.
Minerva stuck out her tongue at her.
"Ah, you got one of those too, have you?" Hooch asked and couldn't help herself, starting to laugh.
"Oh, yes...as well as a tattoo on my back, and my stomach too," Minerva said.
"How did they pull that off?" Xiomara asked.
"With help from Rosmerta, I presume. Some drink that floored me in three sips," Minerva said.
"If it's any consolation, you'd might like to know that Didly's got Snape going about wearing robes in Gryffindor colors," Dumbledore said helpfully.
Down at the gryffindor table Ron supported Hermione, who was red-faced, her head down on her arms on the table. "I can't believe it. I can´t believe I actually did that to a teacher. I am so dead!"
"Easy up, Hermione! What we did is nothing!" Ron assured her. "If it helps, love, I know how we can help the house elves less work," he offered.
"Oh? How can we do that?" Hermione asked and looked into his face.
"Well, I am controlling Madam Hooch, aren't I?" Ron asked.
Hermione gaped at Ron. "You mean...?"
"Right you are. Yes!" Ron said. "She coming tonight for the first go- round. Not that she knows that's what she´s doing just yet," he added.
Harry got to his feet, and ambled over to the teachers table. "Good morning again, Professor McGonnagal," he said.
"Yes, morning, Mr. Potter," McGonnagal said back.
"All comfy? Oh, love the outfit by the way, Professor," Harry said. "Just consider this a payback for not telling me that we were related, so I had to go live with the Dursleys."
"Fair enough," McGonnagal agreed.
"But now I'm going to be nice. For your next task, meet me in the Gryffindor common room this evening with Madame Hooch," Harry told her. "Speaking of the devil...Potter, have you any idea what Weasley wants me to do?" Xiomara asked.
"No, actually, but it's most likely nothing compared to this," Harry said and pointed at Minerva.
"Thank goodness," Xiomara said in relief.
Harry held up a hand. "But...I didn't say it was going to be easy, either," Harry informed her.
"How can whatever you're hatching possibly be any worse than this?" McGonnagal asked incredulously, pointed at her belly button and its new ring there.
"Just you wait and see, Professor," Harry said. "Just you wait and see..."