As Minerva McGonagall, about three days after the band had been "baptised", was walking rather quickly through the corridors, heading for the Room of Requirement, she noticed something strange. True- she had always been rather observant, but this was something even the blindest idiot- Rolanda, she mentally added- would see.
The students, usually all walking towards the Great Hall or their Common Rooms, chattering in little groups of two or three, now stood grouped in masses before certain parts of Hogwarts' stone walls. Minerva could not quite see what they were staring at and buzzing about- but she was curious. Out of experience, she knew very well not many things could get the attention of students- especially not during lunch break! For a moment, she considered taking a look for herself, but a quick glance at her watched warned her. If she wanted to have some "practise" before lunch, then she really had to hurry.
Well, whatever, then.
"Is this burning… an eternal flame!"
Minerva ended her song by a perfectly clear, soft and yet ringing high note- in fact quite a trial for her alt voice. Rolanda and Serena spontaneously applauded, though. Rolanda even pretended to be wiping away a tear. But when she spoke, her voice sounded sincere- though one, of course, never knew with Rolanda Elaine Hooch!
"Minerva," she said, theatrically pointing at her friend. "If you don't hook the Headmaster with this, then you'll hook- hook… him… with… nothing…"
Her voice faintly faded, though, as Minerva put her hands on her hips and send her friend a rather piercing glare. But Serena smiled as well and softly patted Minerva's arm.
"She means it well, Min- now stop staring that way, it's creepy. My god, it's as if we're- again- summoned at Headmaster Dippet's…"
Minerva raised her eyebrows in what was supposed to be a superior and dignified way- but a slight twitch at the corners of her mouth gave her away.
""We"? You mean you and Rolanda, Sera- you must have forgot the way I heroically saved you every time you were on the edge of being expelled…"
Rolanda, who had taken a seat and was now sipping from a quickly-summoned glass of Fire Whisky, widely grinned.
"Now do not exaggerate, Min, I mean, we were only nearly expelled once…"
"…or twice…" Sera mockingly thoughtfully added.
"…or perhaps three times…"
"…or four…"
"…a month!"
Minerva smiled as well as she sat down and summoned a beaker of pumpkin juice. Snuggling into the comfy couch –for once allowing her to relax through the "stern, watchful teacher" attitude-, she sighed.
"So you think I won't make a fool of myself?"
Serena very seriously shook her head, and Rolanda laughed out loud, rolling her eyes.
"Minerva, of course you will, we all will- but at least you can sing! We don't!"
Minerva smiled despite herself.
Yes, she could sing. It was something people would never expect of her. Even when she had been a girl, she had had that air of intelligence, that pulled together, stern but reliable atmosphere around her- it was exactly that fact that had earned her the Head Girl badge, so long ago. Yes, she had been an intelligent girl, but "brains" had one down side- and that was, that people did not allow you to be good at more than one thing. Good, she was an almost brilliant student, but no-one expected her to be good at singing, then. She had always known, though, that her deep, alt voice could sound very beautiful if she wanted it to. So now, days and months and years after her youth, she would finally prove the world that Minerva Katherine McGonagall was more than "the brains". The plan suddenly did not seem that disturbed to her anymore… though her sceptical mind kept a little bit of reserve. She was still dealing, after all with Rolanda-madwoman-Hooch and Serena-stargazer-Sinistra!
As she was about to leave, her strange feeling proved her right.
"Oh, and Min…" Rolanda casually began.
"Yes?"
"We have made some… publicity for our little performance."
"YOU HAVE WHAT???"
Minerva ran through the corridors- literally ran… Her hair was getting more out of her bun with every step, but for once, she did not really care. As she reached one of the groups of students still gathered here and there, she halted and adjusted her black waves again in their usual, tight place, though. Then, she briskly walked towards the small mass.
"Miss Granger?" she called, as she noticed the girl who probably was her favourite student among the crowd. The girl turned around, then smiled.
"Hello, Professor McGonagall." she greeted, yet Minerva impatiently interrupted her.
"What are you all looking at, Miss Granger?"
With one, slight gesture of her hand, the crowd split open like the sea did for Moses, stepping aside for their Transfigurations teacher.
Minerva saw her worst nightmare appear right before her eyes.
And no, it was not Draco Malfoy.
It was a poster- and guess what it said…
Minerva read the large, loud letters and could hardly oppress a genuine moan…
"MINNIE AND THE TABBYCATS- coming up soon at the Yule Ball! Be there!"… and beneath the text a big, moving picture of three striped kittens… one of which showed obvious glasses marks…
"Do you know that band, Professor?" Hermione curiously asked, noticing her teacher's reaction, and Minerva pulled herself together as she had pulled herself together all her life…
"I have heard of them, yes." she stated briskly.
A sudden wave of questions by all students present made her smile faintly and raise her hands.
"I have heard of them, and you will soon hear of them as well. I can promise you one thing, though- you will certainly enjoy the show!"
As she slowly left the group of students- actually feeling their inquisitive eyes resting on their back, she could not oppress a mischievous, very Rolanda-like smile.
Oh yes, they would certainly enjoy the show…
The students, usually all walking towards the Great Hall or their Common Rooms, chattering in little groups of two or three, now stood grouped in masses before certain parts of Hogwarts' stone walls. Minerva could not quite see what they were staring at and buzzing about- but she was curious. Out of experience, she knew very well not many things could get the attention of students- especially not during lunch break! For a moment, she considered taking a look for herself, but a quick glance at her watched warned her. If she wanted to have some "practise" before lunch, then she really had to hurry.
Well, whatever, then.
"Is this burning… an eternal flame!"
Minerva ended her song by a perfectly clear, soft and yet ringing high note- in fact quite a trial for her alt voice. Rolanda and Serena spontaneously applauded, though. Rolanda even pretended to be wiping away a tear. But when she spoke, her voice sounded sincere- though one, of course, never knew with Rolanda Elaine Hooch!
"Minerva," she said, theatrically pointing at her friend. "If you don't hook the Headmaster with this, then you'll hook- hook… him… with… nothing…"
Her voice faintly faded, though, as Minerva put her hands on her hips and send her friend a rather piercing glare. But Serena smiled as well and softly patted Minerva's arm.
"She means it well, Min- now stop staring that way, it's creepy. My god, it's as if we're- again- summoned at Headmaster Dippet's…"
Minerva raised her eyebrows in what was supposed to be a superior and dignified way- but a slight twitch at the corners of her mouth gave her away.
""We"? You mean you and Rolanda, Sera- you must have forgot the way I heroically saved you every time you were on the edge of being expelled…"
Rolanda, who had taken a seat and was now sipping from a quickly-summoned glass of Fire Whisky, widely grinned.
"Now do not exaggerate, Min, I mean, we were only nearly expelled once…"
"…or twice…" Sera mockingly thoughtfully added.
"…or perhaps three times…"
"…or four…"
"…a month!"
Minerva smiled as well as she sat down and summoned a beaker of pumpkin juice. Snuggling into the comfy couch –for once allowing her to relax through the "stern, watchful teacher" attitude-, she sighed.
"So you think I won't make a fool of myself?"
Serena very seriously shook her head, and Rolanda laughed out loud, rolling her eyes.
"Minerva, of course you will, we all will- but at least you can sing! We don't!"
Minerva smiled despite herself.
Yes, she could sing. It was something people would never expect of her. Even when she had been a girl, she had had that air of intelligence, that pulled together, stern but reliable atmosphere around her- it was exactly that fact that had earned her the Head Girl badge, so long ago. Yes, she had been an intelligent girl, but "brains" had one down side- and that was, that people did not allow you to be good at more than one thing. Good, she was an almost brilliant student, but no-one expected her to be good at singing, then. She had always known, though, that her deep, alt voice could sound very beautiful if she wanted it to. So now, days and months and years after her youth, she would finally prove the world that Minerva Katherine McGonagall was more than "the brains". The plan suddenly did not seem that disturbed to her anymore… though her sceptical mind kept a little bit of reserve. She was still dealing, after all with Rolanda-madwoman-Hooch and Serena-stargazer-Sinistra!
As she was about to leave, her strange feeling proved her right.
"Oh, and Min…" Rolanda casually began.
"Yes?"
"We have made some… publicity for our little performance."
"YOU HAVE WHAT???"
Minerva ran through the corridors- literally ran… Her hair was getting more out of her bun with every step, but for once, she did not really care. As she reached one of the groups of students still gathered here and there, she halted and adjusted her black waves again in their usual, tight place, though. Then, she briskly walked towards the small mass.
"Miss Granger?" she called, as she noticed the girl who probably was her favourite student among the crowd. The girl turned around, then smiled.
"Hello, Professor McGonagall." she greeted, yet Minerva impatiently interrupted her.
"What are you all looking at, Miss Granger?"
With one, slight gesture of her hand, the crowd split open like the sea did for Moses, stepping aside for their Transfigurations teacher.
Minerva saw her worst nightmare appear right before her eyes.
And no, it was not Draco Malfoy.
It was a poster- and guess what it said…
Minerva read the large, loud letters and could hardly oppress a genuine moan…
"MINNIE AND THE TABBYCATS- coming up soon at the Yule Ball! Be there!"… and beneath the text a big, moving picture of three striped kittens… one of which showed obvious glasses marks…
"Do you know that band, Professor?" Hermione curiously asked, noticing her teacher's reaction, and Minerva pulled herself together as she had pulled herself together all her life…
"I have heard of them, yes." she stated briskly.
A sudden wave of questions by all students present made her smile faintly and raise her hands.
"I have heard of them, and you will soon hear of them as well. I can promise you one thing, though- you will certainly enjoy the show!"
As she slowly left the group of students- actually feeling their inquisitive eyes resting on their back, she could not oppress a mischievous, very Rolanda-like smile.
Oh yes, they would certainly enjoy the show…