I'm back! Bwahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!! And you thought you were rid of
me. Oh well, here's another one of my insane notions. Tell me what you
think.
************************************************************************
Minerva McGonagall sat at her desk pensively shuffling her student's papers. She came to Hermione Granger's and smiled. It had made 110. She then peeked behind it to see Draco Malfoy's which was marked with a 109.
McGonagall began to chuckle which developed into laughter as there was a faint knock at her door. "Come in."
Severus Snape opened the door. "Excuse me Minerva, but Dumbledore has requested to see us."
Minerva's brow furrowed, "What for?"
Snape shrugged "Search me."
Minerva rose and accompanied the Potions teacher to Albus Dumbledore's office. Fawkes sat peacefully perched to the right, his brilliant feathers in stark contrast to Dumbledore's white beard. "Hello Minerva, Severus. Please be seated."
The two professors did so and leaned forward attentively. Dumbledore cleared his throat. "I understand it that you and Severus have been attempting to promote harmony among your houses."
"Yes Headmaster, we have." replied Minerva.
Albus nodded. "Well, I would like to exercise a method of my own if that's alright."
Snape nodded "Of course Headmaster."
"This is my proposition. The Muggle Studies teacher is absent this week for Easter holidays. Therefore it is for you two to teach the sixth year students I select about the Underground Railroad, you are familiar with the Underground Railroad?"
Minerva nodded, "Of course but what would you have us do?"
"I have selected fourteen students at random to learn about the Underground Railroad. Here are your instructions." Dumbledore placed a strip of rolled parchment into Snape's palm before dismissing them with a wave of his hand.
Minerva and Severus exited the office slightly repulsed. As the gargoyle returned to it's position Severus burst. "What does he think we are? Performing monkeys!!"
"Well you do kind of resemble a baboon."
Snape rounded on McGonagall. "That's not funny Minerva. Now open that envelope so we can get this over with and get on with our lives."
Minerva sighed, she unrolled the scroll slowly. Snape watched her eyes travel across the writing. When they stilled a smile played across the Transfiguration teacher's lips. Her looked up to meet Snape's. "You're not gonna believe this Severus." She handed him the parchment.
Snape looked at the writing
These 14 students,
Harry Potter
Ronald Weasley
Hermione Granger
Pansy Parkinson
Ginny Weasley
Cho Chang
Parvati Patil
Vincent Crabbe
Gregory Goyle
Padma Patil
Seamus Finnigan
Neville Longbottom
Lavender Brown
Draco Malfoy
Have been selected to participate in what I call Runaway Railroad. You will release these students on Toad Island. They will paddle across the lake to the Dark Forest, which has been cleared of all monsters by Hagrid under my order. Once there they will have to get back to Hogwarts. But it is not that simple, you shall assign half of the students to be slaves and the other half to be constables. The constable's goal is to capture the slaves before they reach Hogwarts. The slave's goal is to get to Hogwarts uncaptured. They may take anything they think they will need. They will be dropped at the island at midnight tonight. Wish them good luck for me.
Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore
Snape looked up from the note. "What's a Toad Island?"
Minerva laughed "It's that tiny island beside the lake."
"Helpful. Well do you want to call the students or me?"
McGonagall sighed "I will."
Hermione ran down the steps to the Great Hall when she ran into Ginny. "Ginny? It's eight o'clock what are you doing here?"
"I was called." replied the younger girl.
"So was I." returned Hermione.
They both entered the Hall wearily, taking in a dozen of their classmates. Hermione and Ginny went to stand beside Harry and Ron. "What's going on?" Hermione whispered to Harry, her gaze on Snape.
Harry shrugged "Beats me. Maybe we're all in trouble again."
Hermione scanned the room for Draco and found him leaning against the wall adjacent to his house table. He looked up suddenly and caught her gaze, and smiled.
"Oh God," Hermione whispered to herself "What's he done this time?"
"Your attention please?" Minerva spoke up. "You have all been gathered here to participate in a learning activity Professor Dumbledore created. It is called Runaway Railroad."
Draco groaned "Another game?"
Snape shot his dark eyes at Draco "No, Mr. Malfoy, a learning activity."
"A game." Retorted Draco flatly.
Snape sighed. "In your Muggle Studies class you were taught about the Underground Railroad, correct?"
The students all bobbed their heads.
"Well, we are going to have half of you as slaves trying to escape from the south and the other half constables stopping them."
It then occurred to Minerva they hadn't divided them. So she decided "It will be girls against boys."
Draco raised his hand. McGonagall sighed "Yes, Mr. Malfoy?"
"Which are the slaves?"
"The girls. We are instructed to drop you off at Toad Island."
Everyone's hand went up. "Toad Island is an island in the lake."
Each hand fell.
"We will drop you off at Toad Island at midnight tonight. You will have seven boats waiting. The possession of the boats is first come first served. Once across the lake, you will cut through the Dark Forest, which has been cleared of all monsters, to Hogwarts. Once the slaves get through those doors they are safe and cannot be captured. For each slave captured 100 points will go to that person's house. And for each slave free 100 points will go to her house, any questions?"
"What do we do with the girls if we catch them?" Seamus wanted to know.
"Anything but sexual harassment Mr. Finnigan." Minerva replied.
Seamus snapped his fingers disappointedly. Each girl around Seamus backed away from him.
Harry raised his hand "How are we supposed to catch them?"
"You may bring anything you deem necessary, aside from guns."
Seamus again snapped his fingers.
"Please don't do that Mr. Finnigan, it disturbs me."
"So, we're free to pack?" Draco questioned.
"Yes Mr. Malfoy, go, pack." Minerva waved her hand tiredly. Draco winked at Hermione and strode through the doors.
Harry knocked on Draco's door.
"Enter."
Harry opened the door cautiously "Draco?" He saw the blonde bent over a leather backpack intently cramming things into it.
Draco suddenly spun around holding a dagger to Harry's throat. Recognizing Harry he lowered the weapon. "Sorry, don't sneak up on me like that. What did you want?"
"Uh, Snape says we have to be downstairs in an hour." Harry was slightly shaken.
Draco nodded. "Good. Take this." He extended the blade to Harry.
Harry looked at him, shocked "Are you nuts? That could hurt someone!" Draco rolled his eyes "Never mind." He twirled the blade in his hand a couple times before quickly sliding it into a holder in a horizontal belt loop on his jeans.
"Let's go." With that they strolled down stairs prepared for battle.
************************************************************************ One down. Tell me what you think. Tootles!
Minerva McGonagall sat at her desk pensively shuffling her student's papers. She came to Hermione Granger's and smiled. It had made 110. She then peeked behind it to see Draco Malfoy's which was marked with a 109.
McGonagall began to chuckle which developed into laughter as there was a faint knock at her door. "Come in."
Severus Snape opened the door. "Excuse me Minerva, but Dumbledore has requested to see us."
Minerva's brow furrowed, "What for?"
Snape shrugged "Search me."
Minerva rose and accompanied the Potions teacher to Albus Dumbledore's office. Fawkes sat peacefully perched to the right, his brilliant feathers in stark contrast to Dumbledore's white beard. "Hello Minerva, Severus. Please be seated."
The two professors did so and leaned forward attentively. Dumbledore cleared his throat. "I understand it that you and Severus have been attempting to promote harmony among your houses."
"Yes Headmaster, we have." replied Minerva.
Albus nodded. "Well, I would like to exercise a method of my own if that's alright."
Snape nodded "Of course Headmaster."
"This is my proposition. The Muggle Studies teacher is absent this week for Easter holidays. Therefore it is for you two to teach the sixth year students I select about the Underground Railroad, you are familiar with the Underground Railroad?"
Minerva nodded, "Of course but what would you have us do?"
"I have selected fourteen students at random to learn about the Underground Railroad. Here are your instructions." Dumbledore placed a strip of rolled parchment into Snape's palm before dismissing them with a wave of his hand.
Minerva and Severus exited the office slightly repulsed. As the gargoyle returned to it's position Severus burst. "What does he think we are? Performing monkeys!!"
"Well you do kind of resemble a baboon."
Snape rounded on McGonagall. "That's not funny Minerva. Now open that envelope so we can get this over with and get on with our lives."
Minerva sighed, she unrolled the scroll slowly. Snape watched her eyes travel across the writing. When they stilled a smile played across the Transfiguration teacher's lips. Her looked up to meet Snape's. "You're not gonna believe this Severus." She handed him the parchment.
Snape looked at the writing
These 14 students,
Harry Potter
Ronald Weasley
Hermione Granger
Pansy Parkinson
Ginny Weasley
Cho Chang
Parvati Patil
Vincent Crabbe
Gregory Goyle
Padma Patil
Seamus Finnigan
Neville Longbottom
Lavender Brown
Draco Malfoy
Have been selected to participate in what I call Runaway Railroad. You will release these students on Toad Island. They will paddle across the lake to the Dark Forest, which has been cleared of all monsters by Hagrid under my order. Once there they will have to get back to Hogwarts. But it is not that simple, you shall assign half of the students to be slaves and the other half to be constables. The constable's goal is to capture the slaves before they reach Hogwarts. The slave's goal is to get to Hogwarts uncaptured. They may take anything they think they will need. They will be dropped at the island at midnight tonight. Wish them good luck for me.
Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore
Snape looked up from the note. "What's a Toad Island?"
Minerva laughed "It's that tiny island beside the lake."
"Helpful. Well do you want to call the students or me?"
McGonagall sighed "I will."
Hermione ran down the steps to the Great Hall when she ran into Ginny. "Ginny? It's eight o'clock what are you doing here?"
"I was called." replied the younger girl.
"So was I." returned Hermione.
They both entered the Hall wearily, taking in a dozen of their classmates. Hermione and Ginny went to stand beside Harry and Ron. "What's going on?" Hermione whispered to Harry, her gaze on Snape.
Harry shrugged "Beats me. Maybe we're all in trouble again."
Hermione scanned the room for Draco and found him leaning against the wall adjacent to his house table. He looked up suddenly and caught her gaze, and smiled.
"Oh God," Hermione whispered to herself "What's he done this time?"
"Your attention please?" Minerva spoke up. "You have all been gathered here to participate in a learning activity Professor Dumbledore created. It is called Runaway Railroad."
Draco groaned "Another game?"
Snape shot his dark eyes at Draco "No, Mr. Malfoy, a learning activity."
"A game." Retorted Draco flatly.
Snape sighed. "In your Muggle Studies class you were taught about the Underground Railroad, correct?"
The students all bobbed their heads.
"Well, we are going to have half of you as slaves trying to escape from the south and the other half constables stopping them."
It then occurred to Minerva they hadn't divided them. So she decided "It will be girls against boys."
Draco raised his hand. McGonagall sighed "Yes, Mr. Malfoy?"
"Which are the slaves?"
"The girls. We are instructed to drop you off at Toad Island."
Everyone's hand went up. "Toad Island is an island in the lake."
Each hand fell.
"We will drop you off at Toad Island at midnight tonight. You will have seven boats waiting. The possession of the boats is first come first served. Once across the lake, you will cut through the Dark Forest, which has been cleared of all monsters, to Hogwarts. Once the slaves get through those doors they are safe and cannot be captured. For each slave captured 100 points will go to that person's house. And for each slave free 100 points will go to her house, any questions?"
"What do we do with the girls if we catch them?" Seamus wanted to know.
"Anything but sexual harassment Mr. Finnigan." Minerva replied.
Seamus snapped his fingers disappointedly. Each girl around Seamus backed away from him.
Harry raised his hand "How are we supposed to catch them?"
"You may bring anything you deem necessary, aside from guns."
Seamus again snapped his fingers.
"Please don't do that Mr. Finnigan, it disturbs me."
"So, we're free to pack?" Draco questioned.
"Yes Mr. Malfoy, go, pack." Minerva waved her hand tiredly. Draco winked at Hermione and strode through the doors.
Harry knocked on Draco's door.
"Enter."
Harry opened the door cautiously "Draco?" He saw the blonde bent over a leather backpack intently cramming things into it.
Draco suddenly spun around holding a dagger to Harry's throat. Recognizing Harry he lowered the weapon. "Sorry, don't sneak up on me like that. What did you want?"
"Uh, Snape says we have to be downstairs in an hour." Harry was slightly shaken.
Draco nodded. "Good. Take this." He extended the blade to Harry.
Harry looked at him, shocked "Are you nuts? That could hurt someone!" Draco rolled his eyes "Never mind." He twirled the blade in his hand a couple times before quickly sliding it into a holder in a horizontal belt loop on his jeans.
"Let's go." With that they strolled down stairs prepared for battle.
************************************************************************ One down. Tell me what you think. Tootles!