Disclaimer: I'm only borrowing them, I swear!
It hadn't worked. The first time she'd asked Snape a favour in God knows how long and he makes a faulty potion for her. She half suspected the bastard had done it on purpose just to spite her. Notice how he wasn't present, no doubt after taking a working Dreamless Sleep potion. And now she was stuck at this wretched New Years Eve party with the rest of the staff without even the comfort of alcohol to numb her pain.
Hagrid and Hooch had gotten into the booze before anyone else had arrived and had between them quaffed what was supposed to be an entire night's supply between them in little under half-an-hour. She hoped they had really bad hangovers in the morning, but knowing those pair, they'd be up earlier than everyone else, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as usual. Some people had all the luck.
Mind you, it was rather amusing to see the half-giant proclaim to an unamused McGonagall how she was his 'best mate, lovely kitty catty lady.' And how he 'loved 'er, 'e did.' Not to mention Hooch's rather intriguing use of the empty beer bottles to try and reconstruct the latest Quidditch match between Ravenclaw and Slytherin, or rather, 'the Rever, Rover, Rezzer, my ol' 'ouse' and 'Shlythrin' as she explained it to an interested Flitwick and Sprout.
Of course that was until Dumbledore put a stop to the re-enactment after a flying Firewhisky bottle had given the Runes teacher a concussion. They might not have even noticed if he hadn't started babbling on in Mermish, and considering the old chap wasn't supposed to speak it he really was fairing quite well.
A rather loud stream of swearing interrupted her reverie as Sinastra dragged Snape into the room. Revenge, she smiled rather viciously, no one was as good as dragging people out of unwakable slumber as the Astronomy teacher. Of course it was all rather a little late now, as the countdown to the New Year had begun. Still, it might teach the slimy git a lesson or two in trying to skive off compulsive 'parties', well that or make sure that he actually bothered to actually cough up the favours that were asked of him. She got the sense that Sinastra was just as peeved at the Potions Master as she was, and probably for the same reason too.
The New Year rang in as usual with Hooch landing in the midst of her hoard of bottles fast asleep, a lone party popper burst curtsey of the Muggle Studies teacher and McGonagall ducked just in time as Hagrid tried to give her the customary kiss. He instead managed to bestow it on a rather outraged Snape who's swearing only got louder and more creative.
Professor Vector chuckled to herself, New Years really wasn't that bad. She'd at least have enough blackmail material to last her throughout the year...