Checking Up and Preparing
Chapter 6
Hermione ran as fast as she could down to the quidditch pitch to find out what the stink was about. After delivering the goods and expecting her to pull that kind of stunt on her professor, she damn well hoped they had a good answer. Of course, when she got down to the Quidditch pitch, Fred and George she was told by Professor Sprout were helping Madam Hooch with a few 'preparations'. So Hermione was told to "Go and ask Madam Pomfrey for some answers because I'm about to help Hagrid decorate the great hall with flowers now Minerva was asleep," Professor Sprout told her cheerfully.
At half past two Albus finally made his rounds to see if everyone was on target for Minerva's birthday surprise. He had been married to her fifty years today and he decided that this year he was going to make not only her best birthday ever but her best anniversary. After all, it was the big five-zero, the golden one. Albus had spent the better part of the day with his brother Aberforth, running round to relatives of his and Minerva's, for the special evening. Humming to himself while walking along the third floor on the way to his office, he decided to check up on his Tabby, to make sure she was ready for the big evening. Tiptoeing quietly as he could into her private chambers, for waking her would ruin the whole plan. He wanted to check that everything was on target for tonight. Upon opening the bedroom door as quietly as he could, he peered in and around the room and saw a sleeping Minerva stretched out over the four-poster bed in his dressing gown. Smiling to himself, he shut the door.
Now the second part of the plan was to take place. Albus swept throughout the corridors and down to the entrance hall where Georgia and Hagrid were waiting patiently for the go-ahead to decorate the great hall. Abby Vector and her husband Colin were also there with all the decorations as they had been sent to Diagon Alley to get them. Once Albus had given them the thumbs up, they all rushed into the great hall and immediately got to work. Albus stayed and supervised the magical work that his staff was doing to make the great hall live up to its name. Blue, purple and white ribbons stretched across the walls, intertwined with one another as the held ice that was charmed not to melt in the shape of a snowflake. Hagrid had bought in the usual Christmas tree's but covered them with real snow and Filius Flitwick who came in to help later, used an advanced incantation to make it sparkle. The floor had been turned into ice making; little round tables made out of ice and chairs to match that would seat a maximum of six people were spread around the great hall. All of it of course was charmed not to melt and stay frozen but not feel frozen because Albus knew he would have a very angry Poppy to speak to if she had hundreds of students with frostbite coming to her for remedies. Looking around and helping where he could, Albus saw that the hall had been turned into the winter wonderland and he knew Minerva would love it. Only one isle would be left and that isle she would walk down to him at the very end of the great hall. He looked at his watch and saw it was quarter to four. At six the service would start. Albus gathered all of the staff together in the staffroom for a last briefing, to check everything was well and accounted for.
"Ok, Severus had made the potion and it has been administered to Minerva." Albus ticked of the list as he went.
"Poppy and Rolanda have the dresses ready and waiting, including Minerva's?" he asked peering over his half moon glasses at the two ladies by the fire.
"Yes Albus. We shall wake her at five to get her ready." confirmed Poppy with a nod.
"Well done, ladies. George, what about the band? Did you manage to get The Flyers? They're Minerva's favourite," Albus asked the Muggle Studies Professor.
"Yes, I persuaded them. They said they remembered her from their school days so they will play her favourites plus the song you requested."
"Excellent, Hagrid, Georgia, Abby and Colin have decorated the Great hall magnificently. And how are the students?" Albus inquired to the rest of the teachers who did not have a main part in the plan.
"Well, the Ravenclaw's have been ready and waiting for hours." said Sophia Sinistra from her corner near the window.
"And the Gryffindors are just as eager," piped up Marcus Reeves the Head of languages teacher.
"Slytherin's are behaving like they usually do before a ball; excited and chatty." drawled Severus.
"The Hufflepuff's are the same as the Ravenclaw's, Albus" agreed Jonathan Rowe the German teacher.
"Oh good, they're all hyped up then? Excellent. I advise you to wear something warm tonight. Although the ice and snow won't feel frozen, there will be no heating." Albus advised. He looked at his watch. It was Four forty. "Well, that's all ladies and gentlemen, see you all in an hour. Meeting adjourned."
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