"So I am really going to need you." Minerva finished her story. With a smile, she added
"And Ro, close your mouth before you swallow a fly."
But Rolanda's mouth stayed wide open, and her eyes grew bigger and bigger as she finally burst out
"MinervaMcGonagallyouarethemostamazingandtotally…"
"Ho!" Minerva raised her hand.
"Ho, Ro… hey, that rhymed… oh, whatever… now just calm down, Ro, and talk slooowly… very slooowly…"
Rolanda grinned, but frowned with semi-indignation.
"Hear, hear! You have just shocked me to death, do you realize that? I could have died of a heart attack!"
"I don't think so, Ro." Minerva answered dryly.
"Whatever. What I wanted to say, Minerva- you, you, who have always preached following-the-rules and listening-to-your-teachers… you are the most amazing and totally MAD person I have ever met! You are MAD, MAD, MAD!"
Minerva raised her eyebrows in her very typical way.
"Mad, I? Who of us is hysterically yelling at the moment? But Ro, I realize this is really not anything I have done before, I agree. And I wouldn't do it, if it wasn't for…"
"Yes, for what?" Rolanda asked. "For what, Min?"
"For an oath I have sworn, I have just told you! And even if you don't help me- I'll do it anyway, so…"
Rolanda raised her arms in despair.
"My my, poor me. How have I deserved this new example of that freaking Scottish stubbornness of yours?"
Yet, she smiled and then nodded seriously.
"But I understand, Min."
"So you'll help me?" Minerva's eyes were big and pleading.
Rolanda nodded with an acknowledging smile.
"I'll help you."
Minerva smiled and pulled her friend closer in a loving hug.
"Thank you, Rolanda. I'll never ever forget this…"
Rolanda grinned as she gently patted her friend's back.
"Of course you won't, Min. I'll never let you. But, after all, what risk do I take? Some detention- a preach from the Headmaster… well, been there, done that. What's wrong with some good old mischief?"
Minerva smiled as well.
"Nothing, Ro. Nothing."
Rolanda Hooch stared at the other girl, then raised hands laughed.
"Oh, the Gods be praised! Minerva McGonagall, the Goddess of Seriousness and Wisdom has finally surrendered to…"
"To Rolanda, Holy Goddess of Plain but Funny Mischief… " Minerva completed, and then, with a faint smile, hugged her friend again.
"Thanks Ro…" Her voice sounded softer than usual. "You are wonderful…"
Rolanda smiled and shrugged her shoulders.
"And you are brave, Minerva. I know for sure I would never be able to do a thing like this. I'll never be as brave and as great a person as you are, Minerva."
Minerva shook her head.
"You already are."
"And Ro, close your mouth before you swallow a fly."
But Rolanda's mouth stayed wide open, and her eyes grew bigger and bigger as she finally burst out
"MinervaMcGonagallyouarethemostamazingandtotally…"
"Ho!" Minerva raised her hand.
"Ho, Ro… hey, that rhymed… oh, whatever… now just calm down, Ro, and talk slooowly… very slooowly…"
Rolanda grinned, but frowned with semi-indignation.
"Hear, hear! You have just shocked me to death, do you realize that? I could have died of a heart attack!"
"I don't think so, Ro." Minerva answered dryly.
"Whatever. What I wanted to say, Minerva- you, you, who have always preached following-the-rules and listening-to-your-teachers… you are the most amazing and totally MAD person I have ever met! You are MAD, MAD, MAD!"
Minerva raised her eyebrows in her very typical way.
"Mad, I? Who of us is hysterically yelling at the moment? But Ro, I realize this is really not anything I have done before, I agree. And I wouldn't do it, if it wasn't for…"
"Yes, for what?" Rolanda asked. "For what, Min?"
"For an oath I have sworn, I have just told you! And even if you don't help me- I'll do it anyway, so…"
Rolanda raised her arms in despair.
"My my, poor me. How have I deserved this new example of that freaking Scottish stubbornness of yours?"
Yet, she smiled and then nodded seriously.
"But I understand, Min."
"So you'll help me?" Minerva's eyes were big and pleading.
Rolanda nodded with an acknowledging smile.
"I'll help you."
Minerva smiled and pulled her friend closer in a loving hug.
"Thank you, Rolanda. I'll never ever forget this…"
Rolanda grinned as she gently patted her friend's back.
"Of course you won't, Min. I'll never let you. But, after all, what risk do I take? Some detention- a preach from the Headmaster… well, been there, done that. What's wrong with some good old mischief?"
Minerva smiled as well.
"Nothing, Ro. Nothing."
Rolanda Hooch stared at the other girl, then raised hands laughed.
"Oh, the Gods be praised! Minerva McGonagall, the Goddess of Seriousness and Wisdom has finally surrendered to…"
"To Rolanda, Holy Goddess of Plain but Funny Mischief… " Minerva completed, and then, with a faint smile, hugged her friend again.
"Thanks Ro…" Her voice sounded softer than usual. "You are wonderful…"
Rolanda smiled and shrugged her shoulders.
"And you are brave, Minerva. I know for sure I would never be able to do a thing like this. I'll never be as brave and as great a person as you are, Minerva."
Minerva shook her head.
"You already are."