Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns everything except this plot. I am making no money from this.
A/N: This is another one-shot for the Snakes and Ladders Challenge. This one is about Minerva McGonagall.
Headmistress of Hogwarts
Minerva McGonagall sighed as she looked at the group of students in front of her. It seemed they had inherited their parents' ability to get into trouble. James Potter, Albus Potter, Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy had been caught out of bed after curfew…again.
"What am I going to do with the four of you?" she asked the two Gryffindors and two Slytherins sitting in front of her desk. "Detentions, writing to your parents, writing lines, manual labor. Nothing gets through to you. The other professors are fed up with trying to punish you. Go straight back to your common rooms and go directly to bed. I will give you your punishment tomorrow."
The four teenagers wisely kept silent and did as their headmistress asked. As soon as the door shut behind them the portrait behind her began to speak.
"Minerva, you know what those students need."
Minerva turned and looked at the portrait of Albus Dumbledore, one of the greatest headmasters Hogwarts had ever had, and one of Minerva's closest friends.
"No, Albus. I don't know."
Dumbledore looked thoughtful for a moment. "Each of those students, with the possible exception of the Malfoy boy, has one chore they hate above all others. Ask their parents what they abhor and then assign them that task. That shall be the task they always get when sent to this office."
"Albus, that's brilliant. How did you ever think of that?"
The portrait laughed and said, "My mother used to do that with me and Aberforth. It was a very effective deterrent."
Minerva took some parchment out, dipped a quill into her inkwell and started writing letters to the parents of the troublemakers. She asked each set of parents what type of housework their child hated most. She sealed the scrolls and attached each of them to the leg of an owl and sent them on their way.
The next morning the owls were waiting on the perch in her office. She untied the answers from the owls' legs and sent them for a well deserved rest in the owlry. She read each answer and was surprised that even Scorpius had a task he hated. Since it was a Saturday, she sent for the students immediately.
As soon as the four were sitting in her office, she started discussing their punishments.
"I have discussed your punishments with your parents and they have agreed to the punishments I have decided upon. You will be given separate punishments, so you will not be allowed to talk to each other during the time you are performing your duties."
The students looked at each other with worried looks on their faces. Minerva looked at James first.
"Mr. Potter, you will be helping Mr. Filch polish the plaques and trophies in the trophy room." At the look on James' face she added, "Without magic."
"Fine" he said. He crossed his arms and slumped in his seat.
"Mr. Potter," she said looking at Albus, "you will be helping Madam Pince reshelf the books in the library."
Seeing the wide-eyed look on her cousin's face, Rose quickly said, "I can help Madam Pince, Professor."
"No, Miss Weasley," said Minerva. "You would enjoy it and punishments are not to be enjoyed."
Albus looked down at his lap. "Ok."
"Miss Weasley," Minerva looked at Rose. "You will be helping the elves in the kitchen. You will help them wash dishes after lunch and dinner. I have already informed them that they are not to wash all the dishes."
"I hate doing dishes," Rose complained.
"Precisely Miss Weasley," replied Minerva. "Like I said earlier, punishments are not to be enjoyed.
"Mr. Malfoy, you will be helping Professor Longbottom in the greenhouses or helping Hagrid in the pumpkin patch."
Scorpius' eyes got wide and he said, "In the dirt? I hate dirt. It's so…dirty."
"So your mother told me. Now, all of you will be starting your tasks after lunch. From here on out, if you are sent to my office, this is the punishment you will receive. I am hoping you will learn something more form this than how not to get caught." She looked directly at James at this.
She let her instructions sink in a bit. Then she told them, "You may go."
As they stood to go Minerva noticed Scorpius grab Rose's hand. She wondered if their parents knew, but decided not to ask about it. She wasn't a meddler like her predecessor. When the door closed after the students, she turned and looked at Albus. The twinkle in his eye told her he had seen it too. Maybe she was a meddler after all.
A/N2: I got the idea for the punishments from my own mother. She used to make me clean the bathroom while I was grounded. In my room were books to read and I liked being alone. I still do. I didn't mind doing the dishes because we had a dishwasher. I didn't mind doing the laundry because of the washer and dryer. So I cleaned the bathroom. I still don't like cleaning the bathroom, but now it's a necessary evil.