Friday
Severus surveyed the board discreetly hidden behind a cupboard in the staff lounge. It was the faculty's collective annual predictions board. Next to "Most likely Head Girl" was scrawled Virginia W. There were other categories after that like "Most likely to be expelled" or "Most likely to break Filch." At the very end was one entry newly added this year for "Successor to Neville." Next to that was written "Creevey."
Now, these predictions were made all in good fun but the bets and moneys exchanged before and after were far from casual. Wizards and witches take their games VERY seriously. Whoever teacher had nominated the listed student agreed to perform a task or fulfill a bet should the nominated student fail to carry out the predicted result. Or, if the teacher was indeed correct in his or her prediction then he or she could ask any other teacher to pay up. Paying up usually took the form of hard currency but the rules allowed for tasks or actions as specified by the winner.
Of all the teachers, Minerva and Severus had proven to be the most accurate historically speaking. Both had won many times while avoiding ignominious defeat at each other's hands. In fact, the last time either one of them had lost to the other was counted in years not times. So, every year the staff looked forward to the predictions but more so to the unsaid but amply demonstrated competition between the two house heads. Past competitions had always fallen just short of internecine warfare but not by much. It was one reason why Severus goaded the Gryffindors in his class so much and that Minerva never gave an inch to the Slytherins in her classes.
Any Hufflepuff on the board invariably always won their category as steady Hufflepuffs rarely strayed from predictability. Ravenclaw students always won their category because one could always count on a Ravenclaw to deliver whatever was asked of them. But the same could not be said of the other two houses who were always considered to be wildcards. A Gryffindor could be so foolishly brave thus changing the outcome or a Slytherin could be so sly as to make the outcome a toss up. Both house heads schemed throughout the year to keep their bets as the front-runners. The competition had been notably intense during the Potter years.
This afternoon Severus had won the category he had betted on. Creevey had blown up his cauldron spectacularly. He would serve his detention after his release from the infirmary. At dinner Severus had casually announced this historic event. With barely concealed glee, he had indicated his choice of loser - Minerva.
Now, Severus sat down in the lounge waiting for Minerva to appear and pay up. He was going to milk this for all it was worth. The teachers all began to straggle in. None of them wanted to miss this. Minerva came in last.
"All right, Severus. You win and congratulations." Minerva said the words calmly.
Severus' thin lips quirked into his normal smirk. "Have you chosen how you would like to present payment - money or task?"
Minerva was a Scotswoman. The thought of giving up money for a foolish bet had never entered her mind. "Task. What do I need to do?"
Severus was silent. He had secretly been hoping that she would choose to fulfill a task. He had hated the timing of the convention as he had planned on a surprise visit to Glastonbury. By good fortune and Mr. Creevey, he could now continue with his romantic assignation. "This weekend is the annual potion masters' convention. I am to be a judge at one of the events. You will take my place for the entire weekend."
"I am required to stay at the convention?" McGonagall inquired. "All this following weekend?"
Severus was beginning to have a fluttery feeling in his stomach. He had expected Minerva to be in a high dudgeon by now. All of them knew that she did not like potions. She considered potions masters the next best things to avoid after Voldemort. She was being far too calm about her impending task. "Yes, all this weekend. No going back and forth to or from anywhere else."
"All right, Severus, I accept on one condition."
"There are no conditions, Minerva."
"According to our general rules, the required task takes precedence over any other activity. If there is an existing activity and a conflict arises, then the loser has the right to ask the winner to assume responsibility for any conflicting event or item during the time period of the required task." Minerva sat down across from Snape and smiled obliquely. "I have a conflict this weekend that you perforce must assist me with."
Gent piped up, "One must admire her style of presentation and timing. She must have some Slytherin blood somewhere."
Wolf followed that up with, "Whatever it is it can't take all weekend. We can still pop down to see Hermione."
"We can do so much in 24 hours," Prat urged.
Severus regarded Minerva as one regards a rearing cobra only meters away. "I forgot that rule existed. It's so rarely invoked. Very well what do you need help on?"
"As you know, I see so little of my family so I take due advantage of those times that I do see them. One of my nieces will be visiting me this coming weekend. She and I were planning on dinner this Saturday night."
"Very well. I will take her to dinner."
"And a show, Severus. We have tickets bought."
"I will take her to the show after dinner."
"And Sunday, we were going to hit the shops for a bit of shopping."
"Minerva, a man and shopping do not mix well." Severus was getting sulkier by the second as he saw his weekend disappearing under an onslaught of new tasks. Tasks that he was not especially keen on.
"We were planning on going shopping only until three in the afternoon. Surely a few hours will not prove too taxing."
"Fine. I will follow the rules and take your niece to dinner, a show and then shopping the next day until three in the afternoon keeping to mind all previous arrangements." Severus said the words very carefully. Wizarding bets and rules were stringent so acceptance and agreements between winners and losers had to be precise.
"Done!" Minerva stretched her arm out and shook Severus' own proffered hand. "You won't regret it, Severus. My niece, Miranda, is a marvelous conversationalist and easygoing."
"And she looks like?" The words were out before he could stop them.
"I will have you know that her looks match her wit."
"If she can carry on a conversation, it may not be such a trial."
"She's a darling girl. She's been working so hard and so looking forward to this holiday. You may have seen Miranda on the recent cover of Witch's Weekly. She's a much sought after as a model and actress."
"Miranda? Miranda Ross is your niece!?" Professor Sprout fairly squealed in delight.
"Yes, she is. But success hasn't spoiled her at all."
"She was incredible in that miniseries Rich Wizard, Poor Wizard," said Madam Hooch.
The females in the room congregated around Minerva discussing this and that about this newfound niece of hers. Severus left the staff room eager to plan his own weekend. He could hardly wait to surprise Hermione Sunday night with a romantic dinner for two or maybe a stroll around the square.
In the back of his mind, he could not shake the feeling that he had won the battle and lost the war. Fate is funny that way.
