A Room With a View

L'escarmouche

September 16, 2005

There were times when Severus forgot just how quickly Minerva McGonagall could move when properly motivated. He had paused at the Headmistress' call of "Severus! A moment, if you please." and attempted to suppress his smirk as the tartan-clad woman made her way to him in a swirl of robes and the scent of the lavender and chamomile sachets he knew she kept in her wardrobe as he'd given her the first set more than twenty years ago as a Christmas gift.

"Minerva," he intoned respectfully as they were standing in the foyer outside the Great Hall. Dinner had been excellent, as usual. "How may I be of assistance?"

"I need to speak with you, if you don't mind. Privately. My office?" She gestured with a jerk of her head toward the stairs.

Severus shrugged his acquiescence. "After you, Minerva."

They walked in silence, passing the few students working their way toward the library or (more likely) attempting to find a secluded alcove in which to secret themselves away for an hour or two before curfew. Once safely ensconced within her offices, the witch whirled on Severus with a look of astonishment on her face. "Severus, the other professors want to know what the devil you've done to the house points!"

Ah. So that's it. "I'm afraid I underestimated my students, just as you warned me, Minerva. I'll have to be more cautious about that in the future."

"Corporeal patronuses."

"Indeed." He nodded. "I offered the challenged in class last Friday. During demonstrations yesterday afternoon, nine students managed corporeal patronuses in one class alone. Another twelve managed to do so between my sixth and seventh year classes today. I'm afraid I was forced to award the promised points, but that has naturally caused rather rapid inflation within the point system. My apologies for that. It should equalize quickly enough."

The Headmistress sat behind her desk with an inelegant thwump. "Bugger the point system, Severus! You're telling me that over twenty students managed to produce corporeal patronuses in your class, and that they learned to do so over the weekend. That's astounding!"

Severus blinked at Minerva. "I- well, yes it is. So you're not upset about the house points."

"Upset? Bite your tongue! We haven't seen progress like that since the last time you taught D.A.D.A."

"Then I'm confused. What exactly is the problem?"

"Dear boy, there is no problem. I'm overjoyed at the progress you've made with your students. I wanted to congratulate you on their successes!"

Severus could count on one hand the number of times he'd been called into this particular office with good tidings rather than bad. Oh the times, how they change! He couldn't help but slant his eyes toward the portrait of a sleeping Dumbledore and think that not once had the meddling man ever called him to his office with good news or praise. Only sessions of duty and fear and strategy. "Well, I'm glad that you're so pleased. I do hope that none of the other instructors are angry with me so upsetting the balance of things."

"On the contrary. I suspect that after hearing why you have awarded so many house points they will feel free to match you in your generosity. I expect 'extra-credit' assignments will become de rigeur. Oh sit down, Severus. You're giving me a crick in my neck looming over me like that." Severus' arse plopped into the chair opposite his colleague and friend. "Have a cuppa with an old lady, will you? I've missed our banter." She waved her hand and had a small enchanted tea service next to her desk piping with steaming Ceylon.

He couldn't help but smile at that. "We didn't banter, Minerva. We scrapped. And if I recall, I usually won."

She wrinkled her nose as she poured out two cups and doctored them to taste. "Hmph. Having the last word isn't winning, Severus. Even if that last word is invariably clever. So, I hear you and Filius will be dueling at the club opening this Saturday?"