Author's Note: Whoah! Was my last update to this story really in 2018? Goodness, if you are reading this you must have thought that I had fallen off the face of the planet! When I last posted I fully intended to continue this story soon, but I guess life just got a little bit more chaotic than I had expected it to be. That coupled with the fact that I somehow got locked out of this account are part of the reason this update has taken such a long time. I'm not terribly sure where we left off with things in my personal life, but as of last August (2020) I finally got a band job teaching in a school that I absolutely love, and I have started work on a Master of Music Degree.
As far as this story goes, rest assured that I am indeed still working on it. As life is still quite busy I cannot commit to a regular updating schedule right now, especially with band festival coming up, spring concert, and graduation, but I should hope there will not be another gap of two years. I have so many ideas and plans for this story in the future and I am excited to see how everything will play out.
As always, thank you so much for your continued support, I really appreciate it. I love all of you guys! :)
It was the first Quidditch match of the season and Minerva was beyond excited. She had not attended a match in person since she was in school and on the team herself. It was Gryffindor versus Slytherin today so the match should prove to be interesting to say the least. By all accounts Gryffindor had an excellent team this year. At least that was what Professor Dobbs, the current head of house said. He may have been slightly biased but Minerva could hardly blame him for that seeing as she would be in the same place herself in his position.
As for the competition she had not heard too much about their skills. Severus hadn't let anything slip, even after Minerva had cajoled him. All he would do was smirk and say "we shall see." Today would be the moment of truth. They had agreed to watch the game together, and she was interested to see how he would react to the match. Whether he would stay calm and indifferent, or whether he would get involved in the game.
"Are you ready to go?" Severus asked her, "Or are you going to continue staring into space?"
Minerva nearly jumped out of her chair. She hadn't even realized that most of the students and staff had already left the Great Hall. Her mind was already on the match that was to come. "Merlin's beard Severus, you scared me half to death!" she exclaimed standing up and placing her hand over her heart.
"I do beg your pardon, I did not realize that you were not intending to go to the match, I had thought after all of your talk about it earlier you would have been more excited. I can see now that I have misread the matter." He smirked and turned on his heel, his cloak swishing behind him.
Minerva hurried to match pace with him and playfully swatted his arm. "Very funny Severus. You know I would not miss the chance to see Gryffindor trounce Slytherin." she said as they walked through the large doors of the entrance hall. The weather was fine and the air was crisp. Although they were quite far away from the pitch Minerva was already feeling giddy. This was perfect Quidditch weather.
"We are rather presumptive about the outcome of this match, aren't we? Now Minerva, do play nice. For all you know my house may come out on top and best yours."
"From what I have heard the odds are rather in Gryffindor's favor."
"Your sources do seem rather questionable, tell me is one of them Professor Dobbs perhaps? Of all people you should know the difference between a biased source and an impartial one. Our esteemed colleague is a good man, but he does rather favor his own house and that does from time to time cloud his vision." Severus said.
"Perhaps, but could the same not be said of you? I have heard rumors that you favor your own house and I cannot say that all of them are unfounded." He bowed his head in acquiescence. "You do not deny it then?"
"How can I?" he asked. "Yet can you tell me that you do not do the same? Even though you are not head of your house I have also heard that you tend to favor Gryffindors. Surely it is the same thing?"
Minerva began to protest, but ended up deciding against it. While she did not believe she was guilty of overt favoritism she would have to admit to having a soft spot for Gryffindors. "Regardless of personal bias, I really would like to see them beat Slytherin. It is about time somebody takes them down a peg."
"Take the Slytherin students down a peg? Have you not seen the Gryffindors? Trotting around proudly as if they own the school. Need I remind you Minerva, that the Slytherins are also your students? Surely you can respect that?"
"This coming from a Slytherin? That's rich." The Quidditch pitch was in view now. Bright banners representing the four houses adorned the stands. Everything was just how she had remembered it as a student. While she had been here last year times were so uncertain that the school had opted out of even having a Quidditch season for fear of the students safety.
"My my, we are judgmental today aren't we? That is rather a broad generalization to make about Slytherins, is it not? After all I am a Slytherin."
"Case in point." Minerva said with a smirk of her own.
"Just what is that supposed to mean? Should I be offended?"
"Why don't you tell me?"
He gave her a gentle nudge. "Come now Minerva, surely you are above getting into petty arguments about house rivalries and Quidditch. There must be some line drawn between us and the students we teach. You are a Professor now."
"I suppose you are right. We must be professionals about all of this. I'll try and be neutral about this match and set a good example for the students. "
"Good. I'm glad we've got that settled. Gryffindors are so hard to reason with at the best of times. When Quidditch comes into the equation you become downright irrational. Better to keep that under control." Severus said.
"Well! If that isn't a double standard if I've ever heard one! To accuse me of unprofessionalism yet turn around and do the same thing yourself!" Minerva said. "You are being such a…."
"Slytherin." Severus finished. "What can I say? Old habits die hard." They had made it down to the pitch by this point and the two were now making their way up into the stands.
"Only for Slytherins who do not possess the strength of will to rise above that sort of thing." Minerva shot back. Already she was searching for the perfect space to view the match from. By this point she had taken the lead and Severus was nearly trotting to keep pace with her.
"A low blow, considering you were the one to start this whole argument in the first place. It is certainly like a Gryffindor to be so headstrong and impetuous. It is that sort of reckless abandon that brings about all of the accidents and tragedy that seem to befall your house." He waited for her rebuttal, but none came. In truth she was only half listening at this point. "No response? Do not tell me that for once you are at a loss for words! A truly superior argument on my part, my impeccable wit and intelligence have won another battle!"
"Do not let your ego become so overinflated. I give responses only when the statement in question merits one." she said curtly surveying the the field from where they were now standing. It was such a wonderful feeling to be out here again. Everything was just as she had remembered it from her own school days.
"You wound me Minerva. Your words are a stab to my heart." Severus said grasping at his robes to emphasize his point.
"Well then I see no harm in it, if certain members of the student body are to be believed, then there is only an empty void in that location. Bereft of all human emotion." Minerva said. She turned from the pitch and began looking over at all of the available seats.
"She plunges ever deeper, increasing the wound tenfold." He said with an over exaggerated sigh. "Seeing my agony has no effect on her. The humanity of it all."
"More like melodrama." She replied with a snort.
"Her sword passes through my heart and pierces my very soul. What cruel torment. As the light dims for me she forges onward. Ignoring my pain and suffering, and smiting me evermore." Severus said, dramatically playing out his end.
This man had truly missed his calling. He would perhaps, have been better off on the London stage than in the halls of a school. His talents were being wasted. "Whoever said anything about a sword? Do you really think me so incompetent, and so much the showman that I would require a sword to complete such a feat? For any woman worth her salt a knife or dagger would suffice."
"Really, a dagger? Do you believe I would let my guard down so much that you would be able to get close enough to do that? That I would not stop you from carrying out that plot?"
She flashed him a mischievous glance. "I think you underestimate my abilities."
"If that is indeed the case, than I must breathe a sigh of relief that you are on my side." Severus said.
"As far as you know that is, I might just be trying to lull you into a false sense of security. All so I can carry out my evil schemes." Minerva said with a smile.
"Perhaps the sorting hat was wrong, Slytherin may have been a more appropriate placement for you than Gryffindor." Severus said with a smirk.
"You must think you are so witty. Tell me, what is it like to be living out such a delusion as that?" Minerva asked him taking a seat near the edge of the box. Severus joined her, but after a moment she stood up again and moved to another spot.
"Oh come now Minerva, what sort of a question is that?" Severus asked getting up and following her. "My own delusions, what a ridiculous thing to say. I'm not the one who believes that Gryffindor is going to win today."
"We've come full circle then." Minerva replied. Once again they had sat down and Minerva had abruptly stood up and began looking around again.
"Minerva, forgive my ignorance in these matters, I am not as well versed in Quidditch as you are, but even with my rather limited knowledge of the sport I do not recall this particular ritual. Please enlighten me, what exactly does this have to do with the game and does it improve the overall experience?" He said as she stood up once again and moved so she was now sitting up in the top right hand corner.
"I haven't the foggiest idea to what you are referring." she said climbing up over a few benches to the top of the box and taking a seat in the upper right hand corner.
"The calisthenics Minerva, all of the sitting and standing. Is it meant to help us empathize with the players? Is it a superstitious thing?" He said as she stood up once again looking out onto the field. "I have heard of these sorts of things in muggle sports, but I do not understand them at all. I certainly did not have you pegged as someone who would adhere to them."
"We are merely looking for a seat that would give us the best view of the match. Hardly anything to get worked up about. Certainly nothing as absurd as all of that." She said. Finally after much deliberation she took a seat slightly off the center of the top row.
"You must excuse my confusion then." Severus said. "I was not aware of just how important the selection of a seat was. Is the match not the same no matter where you are sitting?"
"Do not be preposterous. Goodness I did not realize that you were such a novice at this. Otherwise I would have loaned you my copy of Quidditch through the ages" She said with a huff. "Maybe we should meet sometime between now and the next Quidditch match and go over the game."
"I would like that." Severus said with a smile.
"I'll plan on it then." Minerva said. "Are you going to join me, or are you just going to stand there for the entire match?"
"Forgive me, I was just waiting to see whether or not you planned on moving again. My knees are not what they used to be." He said finally taking a seat next to her. She gave him a gentle shove, but did not push him further. In a few minutes the stands had filled up and soon the match began.
Minerva was glued to the match and watched it with nearly the same excitement she had had the first time she had ever witnessed the sport. It was good to be back to some sense of normalcy. It was good to see the students having fun again. She and Severus went back and forth each time their respective teams scored, and while Slytherin had ended up besting her Gryffindors she had still managed to have a wonderful time.
"So, I was correct and my House won this match." Severus said as they were walking back to the school. "What do you have to say for yourself on that account?"
"What should I have to save for myself? My House's team lost, which is rather unfortunate, but you must admit they were at some disadvantage in training. Slytherin reserved the pitch more, and many of our players were not in peak condition. They show promise though. In the coming weeks and months I can see a different outcome." Minerva said.
"Perhaps, against Hufflepuff at least they must stand a chance." Severus replied with a smirk. "I'm no seer but I do not foresee Slytherin losing to Gryffindor anytime in the immediate future."
Minerva nudged him. "I wouldn't count on Divination. It is of course one of the least dependable forms of magic. You never know what is going to happen."
"Oh, but the odds are very much in our favor. Statistics would tell you as much." Severus said. "As such my team did win the match, and I believe that means that you owe me. Tea, your office?"
"By what means did you come to that conclusion? We did not have a wager going." Minerva said.
"Didn't we though?" Severus asked smoothly. "I was certain that we set one before coming out to the match."
"We did not, your arts will not work on me." Minerva replied.
"Then it must have been an oversight on my part. No matter, why not start one for next time then? It will spice things up a bit, make them more….interesting." Severus said.
"I certainly would not be opposed." Minerva said in reply. "However I did not take you for a betting man."
"Strictly speaking, I am not. I do not gamble so to speak. At least not with money." Severus answered.
"Then what do you intend to wager?" Minerva asked. "There must be some incentive."
He smiled. "Perhaps the losing party would grade the other's assignments for a day? Maybe take the other's evening rounds for a week? Oversee detentions? Wear the other's House colors for an entire day." He suggested. "Maybe buy the winning party dinner? The possibilities are endless."
"This could be fun. If nothing else it would certainly shake things up a bit. Very well." Minerva stuck out her and and the two shook on it.
"Excellent. As my team won this first match I believe that entitles me to choose the first wager. Should my chosen team win the next match you will grade our upcoming potions essays." Severus said
"Fair enough, and should my team win?" Minerva asked.
"I will grade your transfiguration assignments. Fair is fair of course." Severus replied.
"Then we are set." Minerva said. By this time they had made it from the pitch up to the school and were just walking through the doors.
"Tea in your office then?" Severus asked.
"I thought we established that we did not have a wager going." Minerva said.
"This is true." Severus said. "In that case, how about tea and chess in my rooms?"
Minerva smiled. "That sounds lovely."