Chapter 17
Ron vs. McGonnagal
As the very next day was Saturday, the Terrible Trio didn't arrive in the common room until just before noon. There, they noticed a new posting on the notice board. It read:
Dear Students,
The first trip to Hogsmeade is scheduled for the 26th of September. Please remember that only Third years and above will be allowed to attend.
Professor Minerva McGonnagal Deputy Headmistress
"So, you two...we still going?" Harry asked Ron and Hermione.
"Of course we are," they both replied.
"Hello there, you three," Amelia and Mariah said, greeting them all.
"Oh, hullo, Mariah. Hey, Amelia," they replied back.
"Ooh! Are you going to Hogsmeade then?" Amelia asked, after reading the new notice.
"Yes, we are," Harry informed them both. Both girls looked glum a moment, but then pressed ahead. "Do you...well, think you could do us a favor?" Mariah asked sweetly.
Ron arched an eyebrow. "Sure! What did have in mind? Ron asked pleasantly. They were their friends after all.
"Well, both Mariah and I have heard every song on every CD we've got. Having said that, we were wondering if you could buy us some new ones?" Amelia explained, casting frequent looks at her friend.
"Hmm. I thought that Muggle things didn't work here at Hogwarts," Harry tossed out.
"They don't, silly," Mariah said, chuckling.
"But...since we're witches, after all...our CD players work with magic instead, Harry."
"Of course," Hermione murmured, surprised she hadn't already thought of that.
"Anything you find---so long as it´s not anything by the Weird Sisters--- will do just fine," Mariah said. With that agreed upon, they all then headed downstairs to the Great Hall where Harry, Hermione, and Ron saw Snape with Professor Bat, which made them all feel queasy again. They shook their heads, and took seats down at the far end of the Gryffindor table. They commenced their breakfasts, and along the way they saw Madam Hooch and Professor McGonnagal talking with one another. Hooch whispered something into McGonnagal´s ear with a grin, and then took a draught of pumpkin juice. McGonnagal smiled a small, wicked smile, and whispered something back...something highly amusing as it caused Madam Hooch to laugh, spraying her pumpkin juice out upon the table.
"Whatever is up with those two?" Ginny asked as she made her way over to join the five others, Kitty Petro in tow.
"Sorry, but I haven't got a clue, really," Harry said.
"Hey, Ginny. You too, Amelia, Mariah, and Kitty! You'll never guess what we three saw just yesterday!" Hermione announced, a small grin on her lips. She then told her friends about how they had seen Snape with Professor Bat and their kissing.
"Eew!" the four girls groaned, suddenly losing their appetites. "Nice, Hermione. Couldn't you of told us that after breakfast?"
After breakfast, back up in the common room, Ron decided to challenge Mariah to a game of Wizard chess. Surprisingly, it wasn't long before Mariah had won the match. "Must run in the family," she admitted.
"Are you saying that your Aunt, Professor McGonnagal, plays as good as you do?" Ron asked, disbelieving.
"Yep! But, don't take it from me. If you want, I can go see if she's free and you´ll see for yourself," Mariah offered.
"And, you're still here, because..." Ron asked, urging Mariah to go and fetch her Aunt. Mariah grinned, then ran downstairs to her Aunt Min's office.
"Aunt Min! Are you here?" she cried.
"How many times must I tell you, Mariah? Don´t call me Min," McGonnagal said firmly.
"Sorry, Aunt Minerva," Mariah said apologetically.
"So what brings you to my office anyway, child?" McGonnagal asked, mollified.
"Well, I just beat Ron Weasley in a game of Wizard chess, Auntie. But he doesn´t believe me when I say that you're the best1 in Wizard chess. So...he asked me to see if you were free so we can finish this argument of ours," Mariah explained.
"Ah, a challenge, is it? Well, I'm certainly not in the middle of anything. Why not?" McGonnagal said and got to her feet.
Upon returning to the Gryffindor common room, Aunt and Niece saw Ron look up at them in obvious surprise. "So, I hear you fashion yourself as some sort of Wizard chess afficiando, eh, Mr. Weasley?"
"He's good, Professor," Harry threw in. Ron was very good.
"I see. Since that is the case, what do you say we make this match somewhat more inntresting, hmm?" McGonnagal ventured.
"What have you in mind, Professor?" Ron asked, intrigued but suspicious.
"First of us to win three times wins the wager," McGonnagal said. "If I should win, you shall be my personal servant for a two week time period. Do you agree?"
"Fine," Ron said. "Just so you understand that if I win, you are going to have to tell me why you, Madam Hooch, Madam Pomfrey and Professor Sprout are always together and acting so weirdly. Oh, and you have to wear your hair down from that bun of yours for two whole weeks. Agreed?"
"You're on, sir. Let's play," McGonnagal agreed, gaving Ron her hand.
The first match then began in earnest. McGonnagal truly was one of the best Wizard chess players Harry had the fortune to of seen. After two hours time, both she as well as Ron each had two wins under their belts.
"Ready for the rubber match, Mr. Weasley? McGonnagal said. "By that I mean are you ready to lose?"
"You know, funny thing is...I could ask you the very same question, Professor," Ron said and opened the game with a move from his knight. After the match had progressed awhile, he smiled. Harry, who had been watching the whole match through, looked down upon the game and saw just what Ron was smiling about. The match that developed was an exact duplicate to the one that was when Ron had played on their way to fetch the Sorcerer's Stone. And, that being the case, Ron knew precisely what to do to win the match. "Knight to E5," Ron declared confidently. After all, he'd played this match before.
McGonnagal seized upon this opportunity to take Ron's knight. "Queen to E5, Queen takes Knight," McGonnagal said at once.
That was when Ron played his trump card. "Bishop to H3," Ron said firmly, just as McGonnagal saw what she'd stumbled in to. "Check mate," Ron then announced, smiling.
McGonnagal sighed, shaking her head in mixed admiration and disgust. She then took her wand out, pointing at her head and murmured something under her breath. Her dark brown hair, secured in its bun, suddenly tumbled down in her back. Ron was shocked by just how long her hair was, as it fell down to nearly her waist. "As I agreed, Mr. Weasley," she added a bit tersely, shaking her tresses slightly.
"Right. Now we all want to know just why the female teaching staff always seen together so often?" Ron urged.
"Well, if you must know..." McGonnagal began, then paused.
"We must, we must," Ron said with a chuckle. McGonnagal thinned her lips, but nodded.
"It has been exactly thirty years since we all finished school here, and as we have celebrated that fact, we've just become more and more like we were back then," McGonnagal explained, albeit somewhat reluctantly.
"Thanks, Professor," Ron said, nodding his head. "And remember...your hair stays down like that...for two whole weeks."
"Yes, yes. Don´t worry, Mr. Weasley. I do get your point," McGonnagal said. "That was a splendidly played match, by the way."
"Well, truth be known, Professor...Ron had a bit of advantage," Hermione admitted, which caused Ron to glare at her.
"Whatever do you mean, girl?" McGonnagal snapped.
"Now don't get angry, Professor. We just played a match like that one once before," Harry explained, a bit red-faced. "You do remember, back in our first year? When someone was trying to steal the Sorcerer's Stone?"
"Yes, I do remember," McGonnagal nodded. "Ah, now I remember! The gigantic Wizard chess game, of course!"
"Well, yes. Though we protested what happened with Ron," Hermione said.
McGonnagal frowned. "Whatever for? If you were winning?" McGonnagal asked.
"Because Ron was the knight," Harry said matter-of-factly.
"Oh. Oh my," McGonnagal then said, clearing her throat in embarrassment. "Well, I shan't keep you any longer then. I will see you in class." She nodded to them all, and then exited the common room in a hurry.
Ron vs. McGonnagal
As the very next day was Saturday, the Terrible Trio didn't arrive in the common room until just before noon. There, they noticed a new posting on the notice board. It read:
Dear Students,
The first trip to Hogsmeade is scheduled for the 26th of September. Please remember that only Third years and above will be allowed to attend.
Professor Minerva McGonnagal Deputy Headmistress
"So, you two...we still going?" Harry asked Ron and Hermione.
"Of course we are," they both replied.
"Hello there, you three," Amelia and Mariah said, greeting them all.
"Oh, hullo, Mariah. Hey, Amelia," they replied back.
"Ooh! Are you going to Hogsmeade then?" Amelia asked, after reading the new notice.
"Yes, we are," Harry informed them both. Both girls looked glum a moment, but then pressed ahead. "Do you...well, think you could do us a favor?" Mariah asked sweetly.
Ron arched an eyebrow. "Sure! What did have in mind? Ron asked pleasantly. They were their friends after all.
"Well, both Mariah and I have heard every song on every CD we've got. Having said that, we were wondering if you could buy us some new ones?" Amelia explained, casting frequent looks at her friend.
"Hmm. I thought that Muggle things didn't work here at Hogwarts," Harry tossed out.
"They don't, silly," Mariah said, chuckling.
"But...since we're witches, after all...our CD players work with magic instead, Harry."
"Of course," Hermione murmured, surprised she hadn't already thought of that.
"Anything you find---so long as it´s not anything by the Weird Sisters--- will do just fine," Mariah said. With that agreed upon, they all then headed downstairs to the Great Hall where Harry, Hermione, and Ron saw Snape with Professor Bat, which made them all feel queasy again. They shook their heads, and took seats down at the far end of the Gryffindor table. They commenced their breakfasts, and along the way they saw Madam Hooch and Professor McGonnagal talking with one another. Hooch whispered something into McGonnagal´s ear with a grin, and then took a draught of pumpkin juice. McGonnagal smiled a small, wicked smile, and whispered something back...something highly amusing as it caused Madam Hooch to laugh, spraying her pumpkin juice out upon the table.
"Whatever is up with those two?" Ginny asked as she made her way over to join the five others, Kitty Petro in tow.
"Sorry, but I haven't got a clue, really," Harry said.
"Hey, Ginny. You too, Amelia, Mariah, and Kitty! You'll never guess what we three saw just yesterday!" Hermione announced, a small grin on her lips. She then told her friends about how they had seen Snape with Professor Bat and their kissing.
"Eew!" the four girls groaned, suddenly losing their appetites. "Nice, Hermione. Couldn't you of told us that after breakfast?"
After breakfast, back up in the common room, Ron decided to challenge Mariah to a game of Wizard chess. Surprisingly, it wasn't long before Mariah had won the match. "Must run in the family," she admitted.
"Are you saying that your Aunt, Professor McGonnagal, plays as good as you do?" Ron asked, disbelieving.
"Yep! But, don't take it from me. If you want, I can go see if she's free and you´ll see for yourself," Mariah offered.
"And, you're still here, because..." Ron asked, urging Mariah to go and fetch her Aunt. Mariah grinned, then ran downstairs to her Aunt Min's office.
"Aunt Min! Are you here?" she cried.
"How many times must I tell you, Mariah? Don´t call me Min," McGonnagal said firmly.
"Sorry, Aunt Minerva," Mariah said apologetically.
"So what brings you to my office anyway, child?" McGonnagal asked, mollified.
"Well, I just beat Ron Weasley in a game of Wizard chess, Auntie. But he doesn´t believe me when I say that you're the best1 in Wizard chess. So...he asked me to see if you were free so we can finish this argument of ours," Mariah explained.
"Ah, a challenge, is it? Well, I'm certainly not in the middle of anything. Why not?" McGonnagal said and got to her feet.
Upon returning to the Gryffindor common room, Aunt and Niece saw Ron look up at them in obvious surprise. "So, I hear you fashion yourself as some sort of Wizard chess afficiando, eh, Mr. Weasley?"
"He's good, Professor," Harry threw in. Ron was very good.
"I see. Since that is the case, what do you say we make this match somewhat more inntresting, hmm?" McGonnagal ventured.
"What have you in mind, Professor?" Ron asked, intrigued but suspicious.
"First of us to win three times wins the wager," McGonnagal said. "If I should win, you shall be my personal servant for a two week time period. Do you agree?"
"Fine," Ron said. "Just so you understand that if I win, you are going to have to tell me why you, Madam Hooch, Madam Pomfrey and Professor Sprout are always together and acting so weirdly. Oh, and you have to wear your hair down from that bun of yours for two whole weeks. Agreed?"
"You're on, sir. Let's play," McGonnagal agreed, gaving Ron her hand.
The first match then began in earnest. McGonnagal truly was one of the best Wizard chess players Harry had the fortune to of seen. After two hours time, both she as well as Ron each had two wins under their belts.
"Ready for the rubber match, Mr. Weasley? McGonnagal said. "By that I mean are you ready to lose?"
"You know, funny thing is...I could ask you the very same question, Professor," Ron said and opened the game with a move from his knight. After the match had progressed awhile, he smiled. Harry, who had been watching the whole match through, looked down upon the game and saw just what Ron was smiling about. The match that developed was an exact duplicate to the one that was when Ron had played on their way to fetch the Sorcerer's Stone. And, that being the case, Ron knew precisely what to do to win the match. "Knight to E5," Ron declared confidently. After all, he'd played this match before.
McGonnagal seized upon this opportunity to take Ron's knight. "Queen to E5, Queen takes Knight," McGonnagal said at once.
That was when Ron played his trump card. "Bishop to H3," Ron said firmly, just as McGonnagal saw what she'd stumbled in to. "Check mate," Ron then announced, smiling.
McGonnagal sighed, shaking her head in mixed admiration and disgust. She then took her wand out, pointing at her head and murmured something under her breath. Her dark brown hair, secured in its bun, suddenly tumbled down in her back. Ron was shocked by just how long her hair was, as it fell down to nearly her waist. "As I agreed, Mr. Weasley," she added a bit tersely, shaking her tresses slightly.
"Right. Now we all want to know just why the female teaching staff always seen together so often?" Ron urged.
"Well, if you must know..." McGonnagal began, then paused.
"We must, we must," Ron said with a chuckle. McGonnagal thinned her lips, but nodded.
"It has been exactly thirty years since we all finished school here, and as we have celebrated that fact, we've just become more and more like we were back then," McGonnagal explained, albeit somewhat reluctantly.
"Thanks, Professor," Ron said, nodding his head. "And remember...your hair stays down like that...for two whole weeks."
"Yes, yes. Don´t worry, Mr. Weasley. I do get your point," McGonnagal said. "That was a splendidly played match, by the way."
"Well, truth be known, Professor...Ron had a bit of advantage," Hermione admitted, which caused Ron to glare at her.
"Whatever do you mean, girl?" McGonnagal snapped.
"Now don't get angry, Professor. We just played a match like that one once before," Harry explained, a bit red-faced. "You do remember, back in our first year? When someone was trying to steal the Sorcerer's Stone?"
"Yes, I do remember," McGonnagal nodded. "Ah, now I remember! The gigantic Wizard chess game, of course!"
"Well, yes. Though we protested what happened with Ron," Hermione said.
McGonnagal frowned. "Whatever for? If you were winning?" McGonnagal asked.
"Because Ron was the knight," Harry said matter-of-factly.
"Oh. Oh my," McGonnagal then said, clearing her throat in embarrassment. "Well, I shan't keep you any longer then. I will see you in class." She nodded to them all, and then exited the common room in a hurry.