The House Competition (THC)
House: Gryffindor (Stand In)
Class: Care of Magical Creatures
Category: Standard
Prompts: Positive Pairing - Severus Snape/ Minerva McGonagall
Ending: We were still standing, ready for more. In the end, that was the victory.
Rating: K+
Word Count: 1185
Beta(s): N/A
Warnings: N/A
Rivalry Unmatched
McGonagall sat with her face in her hands, Gryffindor had suffered a brutal defeat to Ravenclaw in their most recent Quidditch match. The Ravenclaw team this year had been on a rigorous training schedule and it showed. Nearly undefeated, McGonagall was certain that her house team didn't stand a chance. Next up to play against Ravenclaw was Slytherin and Mineva could see that Severus looked just as distraught as she did.
Instead of the banter and snide comments that were usually exchanged between the heads of the two houses, there was anxiety. Over the next few days she fought with herself over an idea brewing in the back of her mind, and finally, after a horrifying Slytherin defeat, she gave in,
"Severus," she shouted down the hall and the professor was headed swiftly towards the hospital wing to check on several of his team members. "I have something I wish to speak to you about."
"Can't it wait?" he snapped at her. "I have several students wounded from that dreadful match."
"No," she said, standing her ground. "I believe now would be best."
Gritting his teeth, he strode back towards her.
"What is it Minerva?"
"I think we should join forces to beat Ravenclaw.
Snape's eyes widened, his pale cheeks flushed pink with outrage. For a moment he spluttered before speaking.
"I'd rather not."
Minerva watched him disappear towards the hospital wing and sighed.
Five hospital beds were occupied by Slytherin team member. Two were still unconscious, the other three were uttering various noises of pain and discomfort. All the while, as she tended to the injured students, Madame Pomfrey muttered under her breath about Quidditch being a barbaric sport.
Seeing so many of his team players spread out across the hospital wing had Snape distraught. With some of their most skilled players seriously injured, their chances of winning diminished even further. Suddenly, a horrible realization crossed his mind; McGonagall had a point.
Without even speaking to his team, he rushed from the hospital wing, in search of his rival. He found her in her office. Breathless, he explained his thoughts.
"You're proposal was not as far fetched as I originally thought, Minerva."
From behind her desk, it took all her might to keep from smiling.
"What do you propose we do."
"I have some ideas," she responded, a mischievous glint in her eye.
Over the next few hours they plotted and schemed. Between their two teams, they booked up all the Quidditch practice time, leaving only one spot open for Ravenclaw between now and their next game. The devised drills and training exercises that they would use and even planned a few practices where both Slytherin and Gryffindor would practice together. That would be a tough one to convince the students to do, but they would make it happen.
From there, they took a huge risk, all in the name of Quidditch.
One day, after a particularly challenging class, McGonagall asked Fred and George Weasly to join her in her office. She tried not to giggle as their faces dropped when they saw Snape already looming behind her desk.
"This meeting stays between us," McGonagall demanded, before sharing any further information.
The twins nodded, eager to know what fate awaited them.
"As you may know, Ravenclaw has an especially ruthless team this year."
Fred and George immediately sprang into outrage. Shouting insults and talking about all sorts of dirty tricks they believed the team to be using.
McGonagall let it go on a few moments longer than she should have, but she eventually calmed them down.
"Professor Snape and I have discussed it," she took a deep breath. "And we have decided that if you are going to continue parking and raising havoc during your class time, it may only be in pursuit of distracting and annoying members of the Ravenclaw house."
The twins' faces lit up brighter than ever before.
"But" McGonagall said sternly, "There are a few guidelines you must follow."
"No problem Professor!" The twins respond in unison.
"Under no circumstances will anyone be hurt or disfigured, leave Slytherin out of the line of fire, and do not let on that you are now doing this with a purpose."
"Sure thing, you got it!"
The twins left the office with Cheshire grins, already plotting their first move. Two days later, on the day Ravenclaw final got the practice field, all their brooms disappeared.
Together, Snape and McGonagall stood in the window, peering down at the pitch. They laughed from behind their hands as the team struggled to use to school's old brooms.
"We haven't gone too far, have we?" Snape asked between uncharacteristic giggles.
'No Severus, we haven't done anything at all," McGonagall responded slyly.
The next morning was the first joint practice between Gryffindor and Slytherin. Needless to say, fists were almost flying before all the players were even on the field. All but Fred and George, who had some idea who was behind this decision, were outraged. A sudden hush fell over the rowdy players when McGonagall and Snape stepped onto the field, looking serious.
Ravenclaw has ruthlessly beat both teams now, too many times," Snape begin, his voice carrying over the field.
"It is time we changed that."
"Severus and I have set aside our differences," McGonagall explained. "We just don't want to see the cup fall into their hands, Not after how they've been playing."
The two teams started at the professors as if they had sprouted horns.
"You don't mean to say that we're working together?" asked a horrified Malfoy.
"That, Mr Malfoy, is exactly what we are saying," McGonagall responded, a small grin on her lips.
"Now, let us speak with the captains, Professor Snape and I have planned a few training activities we would like to see conducted today."
By the end of practice, both teams were soaked in mud, sweat and desperation. They were so exhausted that they skipped chirping at each other in the change rooms and headed straight to the showers. As the players filed into the great hall for a well earned meal, the two professors shared a rare smile.
Months later, at the final quidditch match of the season, Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall sat, identical frowns painted on their faces. This was not how they planned things to be. Despite their efforts and the efforts of the Weasley twins, there was one factor they failed to consider…Huffelpuff.
The unsuspecting house had taken both houses by storm, and drove them out of the playoffs before anyone could even blink. The Slytherin and Gryffindor teams sat near their professors, mingles together, defeated. They were silent most of the game, not sure how they had played such a truly crappy season.
After the game, while Ravenclaw celebrated their victory, Snape and McGonagall shared one final moment together in her office.
"I suppose, Severus, it is time we resume our roles as rivals."
Snape nodded.
McGonagall poured them each a drink. The toasted to the coming Quidditch season.
"We are still standing, ready for more." In the end, thats is the victory."