Chapter 42
Tabby's Punishment
Minerva enjoyed the next few days, as she was constantly telling her friends and fellow Sisters just how fabulous they all looked now. And, apparently, she wasn't the only one who thought this was so...as the students felt it only fitting that the Hogwarts sisters matched each other now.
When Sunday finally arrived, a somewhat uncertain Professor McGonnagal made her way up to the Gryffindor's tower. Upon arriving in the common room, was confronted by an impatient Harry. "Well, about time you showed up," Harry observed, frowning.
"Yes, yes, Mr. Potter. I'm sure you were just raring at the bit to sing your solo too. Now, just tell me what I'm to do," McGonnagal said briskly.
Harry had to admit to himself that he hadn't been in any big hurry to sing, so perhaps he could better understand just why McGonnagal took her time arriving. "All right. First, I need you to change into your tabby form, Professor," Harry instructed.
McGonnagal was surprised, and said as much. "I'm surprised, Potter. I thought you all enjoyed seeing me as I now am." She peered over her spectacles cleverly. "Though, won´t my transforming ruin my tattoos and rid me of my many piercings?" McGonnagal asked.
"Sorry, but no, Professor. I took the liberty of checking that out," Harry said.
"Oh, very well then," McGonnagal replied, turning into her tabby form. She then sat down on her haunches, and stared up at Harry. He made his way over and picked her up into his arms.
"Now, remember...you're not allowed to turn back into yourself until I give you permission to," Harry instructed her. The tabby with the odd dark gray spectacle marking acted most un-catlike and nodded her head.
"Oh, GIRLS!" Harry bellowed, making the tabby cat jump in his arms. All the girls in the common room looked over to Harry, then scrambled to their feet.
McGonnagal wondered at this behavior a moment...but only a moment, as now that the girls had stood, she saw something that made her heart race in her chest. There stood a big tub of water upon the stone floor of the room. To make matters worse, her sensitive nostils detected the acrid scent of flea shampoo, which made her sneeze. Her unease increased as she realized that the girls approaching her and Haary, all held nubby washclothes, with the exception of Ginny, who held up a large decanter of flea shampoo.
Oh, do tell me this isn't happening, Minerva thought desperately to herself. He going to have them give me a flea bath!
Minerva squirmed in Harry's arms, trying to escape. "Ah, I think you can see just what you have in store for you," Harry surmised. "Hermione," Harry commandedd.
Hermione moved over and gently took the tabby cat into her arms, soothing her as she did so. "I'm so sorry, Professor," she whispered into Minerva's ear. "But Harry and the others weren't of a mind to hear my protests over this." Minerva purred then, trying to let Hermione know that she wasn't angry at her for what was about to occur.
Frowning, and huffy, Hermione reluctantly bore Minerva toward the tub, and handed her over to Hannah Abbott, who promptly ducked her into the tub, causing the tabby to yowl. Ginny poured a thin line of green flea shampoo on to her back, and the three other girls began to scrub her fur diligently, pausing now and again to pour water over her head to rinse her off. Minerva meowed and growled pitifully the entire time.
When the bath was finished, Kitty Petro, who also was frowning, gently lifted her out of the tub, wrapped her in a clean, soft towel, and gave her back into Hermione's care. She softly told her to lie still while she dried her fur.
While Hermione plied the tile over the pathetic, soaking Minerva, Harry spoke up again. "I do hope you've cleared your schedule for tonight...as you still aren't done for tonight," he told her.
"Please, Harry...you've made your point. There's no reason for you to be so mean," Hermione said, her brown eyes full of indignation. "You've already put poor Professor McGonnagal through loads of very unpleasant things already now, haven't you? She's not exactly a young woman, you know..."
Minerva, finally, thankfully dry again, jumped off of Hermione's lap, and proceeded to stretch lithely before turning back about, and jumping back up on to Hermione's lap again. She purred loudly, and rubbed her cheek against Hermione's hand, the feline equivalent of a 'thank you'.
"Please, Harry?" Hermione pleaded, looked over to Harry, her big brown eyes doe-like.
Harry had to steel himself, but he had to teach McGonnagal a lesson now, didn't he? "No, Hermione," Harry stated resolutely.
Hermione sniffed, refusing to even look at Harry, and held the little tabby cat gingerly in her lap a while longer before rising up from her chair. "Sorry again, Professor," she told her, before putting her down, and walking quickly away.
"Oy! Any cat lovers in the room?" Harry then asked. Minerva arched her back, and hissed, realizing what was in store for her next. She glared at Harry, her green eyes like agates.
Young First and Second year girls, as well as a few older girls and boys came over eagerly, spotting a rather reluctant grey cat on the floor. "Ooh! What an adorable kitty," gushed Parvati and Lavender. Hermione pretended to watch Harry and Ron playing wizard chess, but her gaze was drawn again and again over to where Minerva was being manhandled.
Being petted and stroked wasn't necessarily a bad thing to a cat. But it was when dozens of hands were doing it all at once, and most without a clue as to how to do it properly. Minerva winced as some eager young First year stroked her back fur the wrong way. She meowed piteously as a rough third year boy tugged her tail, thinking he was being kind. This mauling of a sort went on and on---seeming like a veritable eternity to poor Minerva. She felt pummeled, ruffled, and generally miserable.
Kitty Petro finally saved her, shooing the cat-lovers-turned-muggers away with a few sharp words. She lifted the trembling tabby up and began gently stroking her head, while talking softly to her. Minerva appreciated Kitty's gentleness...but she was still incensed by her treatment so far this evening. I wonder what Potter would think if I found myself a whip and a chair? She thought to herself viciously.
"Thanks everyone. All right, it´s midnight and we all have school tomorrow," Harry told them, essentially shooing them all away. They followed his wishes, albeit a bit reluctantly, shuffled off back to their respective dormitories.
Soon, only Ron, Hermione and Harry remained with the feline McGonnagal in the common room. "All right then. You may turn back now," Harry told her with a grin. McGonnagal wasted now time, and turned back into herself, having to take a seat. She even looked rumpled and hard done by in her human form. Hermione gave her a chocolate frog to perhaps help invigorate her a bit.
"Now...have you learned your lesson, Professor?" Harry asked.
"Quite. Though, if you value your skin, Potter, you'll never do anything like this again," Minerva warned quite seriously, still breathing heavy.
"Well, since that's the case...you can go," Harry said, pointing towards the portrait hole.
As Minerva left, Hermione rounded on both Harry and Ron. "While I do realize that a bet's a bet, and all that...I am quite thoroughly disgusted with the both of you!" She huffed, tilted her chin up defiantly, and stomped off to her dormitory.
Ron looked to Harry, arching a most querilous eyebrow. Harry shrugged. "Not a clue, mate," was all he said.
Minerva grumbled under her breath all the way back to her bedroom, where--- much to her surprise---she met up with three most familiar figures. "Ah, come to gloat, I see?" Minerva said crossly.
"So...how did it go?" Xiomara asked, an evil grin on her face.
"Go? Here, let me tell you. First off, they proceeded to give me a bloody flea bath! A flea bath, mind you! Then, why then they loosed a gaggle of heavy-handed ailurophiles on me. I've never been so misused in my entire life!" She scowled as Xiomara began chuckling. "As a matter of fact, Xiomara dear...your brat was worst of them all!" McGonnagal growled. "Amelia pulled my tail five times, each time just to get my attention. Well, she got my attention all right...plus a lesson in how not to 'pet the kitty'!" She calmed herself, glared at her chuckling friends, and added. "Now, ladies, if you would excuse me, I feel the need for a bit sleep before tomorrow, thank you," she said, opening her door, and shutting out her friends' laughter as she shut it, and finnaly going to bed for what had proved to be a most trying night...
Tabby's Punishment
Minerva enjoyed the next few days, as she was constantly telling her friends and fellow Sisters just how fabulous they all looked now. And, apparently, she wasn't the only one who thought this was so...as the students felt it only fitting that the Hogwarts sisters matched each other now.
When Sunday finally arrived, a somewhat uncertain Professor McGonnagal made her way up to the Gryffindor's tower. Upon arriving in the common room, was confronted by an impatient Harry. "Well, about time you showed up," Harry observed, frowning.
"Yes, yes, Mr. Potter. I'm sure you were just raring at the bit to sing your solo too. Now, just tell me what I'm to do," McGonnagal said briskly.
Harry had to admit to himself that he hadn't been in any big hurry to sing, so perhaps he could better understand just why McGonnagal took her time arriving. "All right. First, I need you to change into your tabby form, Professor," Harry instructed.
McGonnagal was surprised, and said as much. "I'm surprised, Potter. I thought you all enjoyed seeing me as I now am." She peered over her spectacles cleverly. "Though, won´t my transforming ruin my tattoos and rid me of my many piercings?" McGonnagal asked.
"Sorry, but no, Professor. I took the liberty of checking that out," Harry said.
"Oh, very well then," McGonnagal replied, turning into her tabby form. She then sat down on her haunches, and stared up at Harry. He made his way over and picked her up into his arms.
"Now, remember...you're not allowed to turn back into yourself until I give you permission to," Harry instructed her. The tabby with the odd dark gray spectacle marking acted most un-catlike and nodded her head.
"Oh, GIRLS!" Harry bellowed, making the tabby cat jump in his arms. All the girls in the common room looked over to Harry, then scrambled to their feet.
McGonnagal wondered at this behavior a moment...but only a moment, as now that the girls had stood, she saw something that made her heart race in her chest. There stood a big tub of water upon the stone floor of the room. To make matters worse, her sensitive nostils detected the acrid scent of flea shampoo, which made her sneeze. Her unease increased as she realized that the girls approaching her and Haary, all held nubby washclothes, with the exception of Ginny, who held up a large decanter of flea shampoo.
Oh, do tell me this isn't happening, Minerva thought desperately to herself. He going to have them give me a flea bath!
Minerva squirmed in Harry's arms, trying to escape. "Ah, I think you can see just what you have in store for you," Harry surmised. "Hermione," Harry commandedd.
Hermione moved over and gently took the tabby cat into her arms, soothing her as she did so. "I'm so sorry, Professor," she whispered into Minerva's ear. "But Harry and the others weren't of a mind to hear my protests over this." Minerva purred then, trying to let Hermione know that she wasn't angry at her for what was about to occur.
Frowning, and huffy, Hermione reluctantly bore Minerva toward the tub, and handed her over to Hannah Abbott, who promptly ducked her into the tub, causing the tabby to yowl. Ginny poured a thin line of green flea shampoo on to her back, and the three other girls began to scrub her fur diligently, pausing now and again to pour water over her head to rinse her off. Minerva meowed and growled pitifully the entire time.
When the bath was finished, Kitty Petro, who also was frowning, gently lifted her out of the tub, wrapped her in a clean, soft towel, and gave her back into Hermione's care. She softly told her to lie still while she dried her fur.
While Hermione plied the tile over the pathetic, soaking Minerva, Harry spoke up again. "I do hope you've cleared your schedule for tonight...as you still aren't done for tonight," he told her.
"Please, Harry...you've made your point. There's no reason for you to be so mean," Hermione said, her brown eyes full of indignation. "You've already put poor Professor McGonnagal through loads of very unpleasant things already now, haven't you? She's not exactly a young woman, you know..."
Minerva, finally, thankfully dry again, jumped off of Hermione's lap, and proceeded to stretch lithely before turning back about, and jumping back up on to Hermione's lap again. She purred loudly, and rubbed her cheek against Hermione's hand, the feline equivalent of a 'thank you'.
"Please, Harry?" Hermione pleaded, looked over to Harry, her big brown eyes doe-like.
Harry had to steel himself, but he had to teach McGonnagal a lesson now, didn't he? "No, Hermione," Harry stated resolutely.
Hermione sniffed, refusing to even look at Harry, and held the little tabby cat gingerly in her lap a while longer before rising up from her chair. "Sorry again, Professor," she told her, before putting her down, and walking quickly away.
"Oy! Any cat lovers in the room?" Harry then asked. Minerva arched her back, and hissed, realizing what was in store for her next. She glared at Harry, her green eyes like agates.
Young First and Second year girls, as well as a few older girls and boys came over eagerly, spotting a rather reluctant grey cat on the floor. "Ooh! What an adorable kitty," gushed Parvati and Lavender. Hermione pretended to watch Harry and Ron playing wizard chess, but her gaze was drawn again and again over to where Minerva was being manhandled.
Being petted and stroked wasn't necessarily a bad thing to a cat. But it was when dozens of hands were doing it all at once, and most without a clue as to how to do it properly. Minerva winced as some eager young First year stroked her back fur the wrong way. She meowed piteously as a rough third year boy tugged her tail, thinking he was being kind. This mauling of a sort went on and on---seeming like a veritable eternity to poor Minerva. She felt pummeled, ruffled, and generally miserable.
Kitty Petro finally saved her, shooing the cat-lovers-turned-muggers away with a few sharp words. She lifted the trembling tabby up and began gently stroking her head, while talking softly to her. Minerva appreciated Kitty's gentleness...but she was still incensed by her treatment so far this evening. I wonder what Potter would think if I found myself a whip and a chair? She thought to herself viciously.
"Thanks everyone. All right, it´s midnight and we all have school tomorrow," Harry told them, essentially shooing them all away. They followed his wishes, albeit a bit reluctantly, shuffled off back to their respective dormitories.
Soon, only Ron, Hermione and Harry remained with the feline McGonnagal in the common room. "All right then. You may turn back now," Harry told her with a grin. McGonnagal wasted now time, and turned back into herself, having to take a seat. She even looked rumpled and hard done by in her human form. Hermione gave her a chocolate frog to perhaps help invigorate her a bit.
"Now...have you learned your lesson, Professor?" Harry asked.
"Quite. Though, if you value your skin, Potter, you'll never do anything like this again," Minerva warned quite seriously, still breathing heavy.
"Well, since that's the case...you can go," Harry said, pointing towards the portrait hole.
As Minerva left, Hermione rounded on both Harry and Ron. "While I do realize that a bet's a bet, and all that...I am quite thoroughly disgusted with the both of you!" She huffed, tilted her chin up defiantly, and stomped off to her dormitory.
Ron looked to Harry, arching a most querilous eyebrow. Harry shrugged. "Not a clue, mate," was all he said.
Minerva grumbled under her breath all the way back to her bedroom, where--- much to her surprise---she met up with three most familiar figures. "Ah, come to gloat, I see?" Minerva said crossly.
"So...how did it go?" Xiomara asked, an evil grin on her face.
"Go? Here, let me tell you. First off, they proceeded to give me a bloody flea bath! A flea bath, mind you! Then, why then they loosed a gaggle of heavy-handed ailurophiles on me. I've never been so misused in my entire life!" She scowled as Xiomara began chuckling. "As a matter of fact, Xiomara dear...your brat was worst of them all!" McGonnagal growled. "Amelia pulled my tail five times, each time just to get my attention. Well, she got my attention all right...plus a lesson in how not to 'pet the kitty'!" She calmed herself, glared at her chuckling friends, and added. "Now, ladies, if you would excuse me, I feel the need for a bit sleep before tomorrow, thank you," she said, opening her door, and shutting out her friends' laughter as she shut it, and finnaly going to bed for what had proved to be a most trying night...