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mini_festTitle: A Wonderful Life
Author/Artist:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
writcraft
Pairing(s): Minerva McGonagall centric, portrait!Severus Snape
Prompt: #116 – Minerva/Severus, the first Christmas after DH (ghost, alive or portrait Severus) and #151 – Minerva/Severus, Christmas truce
Word Count/Medium: ~1,650 words, Wacom tablet, GIMP 2.0
Rating: G
Contains (Highlight to view): * Major Character Death (Severus Snape)*
Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury /Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Notes: One of the layers in the artwork is a photograph of an antique frame taken from Google images with some of my own alterations. The relationship between Minerva and Severus remains open to interpretation.
Summary: Minerva prepares for her first Christmas since the second war. On Christmas Eve a frame which stood empty in her office comes to life and two old friends are reacquainted.
The air was cool with the light breeze of early Winter which touched the trees with its snow-coloured frost as sharp huffs of air from chapped lips created little clouds of mist above patterned scarves. Mitten-covered hands rubbed together for warmth and smart leather-gloved fingers twined together as couples steadied one another on the icy ground.
Children watched with delight as magical treats whizzed around them, showering them with colourful glitter which stuck to their hats, gloves and hair. Hogsmeade was full of the smells of Butterbeer and mulled wine as the pubs heaved with pre-Christmas revellers, who clinked their tankards together and laughed uproariously.
Minerva always moved slowly through Hogsmeade at this time of year. Children and adults alike stopped her at every turn and she considered it important to spend a little time conversing with them before she could continue towards her destination. She supposed such matters were part of her job description as she was never truly off duty. Although Hogwarts had undoubtedly felt like a much safer place after the war, there were still children to look after over the Christmas holidays – those who had nowhere else to go.
It was largely for those children that Minerva made her annual stop at Honeydukes, despite the crowds, knowing that the younger students wouldn’t be able to visit Hogsmeade unaccompanied. She took her time selecting some gifts, eventually settling on Fizzing Whizzbees, Treacle Fudge and Sugar Quills. She had never been much of a fan of the more outlandish sweets and hoped her selection would satisfy the few children that remained at the castle over the holidays. She completed her purchase and wrapped her cloak around her, making her way outdoors and stepping carefully along the icy path until she came to Tomes and Scrolls.
“Minerva.”
“Gregory, good afternoon.” Minerva smiled at the short wizard whose glasses were placed haphazardly on his face, as the bell to the shop door tinkled behind her and the door closed slowly against the cool air. “Is it ready?”
“Indeed it is, hot off the press. I hope it will be a strong seller in the New Year.”
“I imagine it will be widely read by those interested in the field.” Minerva took the book carefully from Gregory and ran her fingers over the embossed writing. “Green leather. I do believe the author will approve.”
“Very classy, that.” Gregory nodded and gestured at the magical paper behind him, covered with furiously scribbling quills. “Gift wrap?”
“No. I believe I will keep this copy for myself.” Minerva smiled again and took the book, now wrapped in brown paper. “Thank you. Have a very merry Christmas.”
With that, Minerva left the small shop and made her way through the crowds to return to Hogwarts.
OoooOOoooO
Minerva wrapped the last of her gifts and reached for a sherbet lemon. She opened it slowly, popping it into her mouth with a smile at Albus who was sleeping in his portrait, snoring lightly. He had insisted she continue to stock sherbet lemons when Minerva had taken the position of Headmistress. She wasn’t terribly fond of boiled sweets and had turned down the offer of them from Albus on many an occasion, but she found she savoured the taste now, the sweet scent reminding her of the past.
Minerva stood and moved to the window, looking out at the grounds. The Whomping Willow shivered in the icy cold and flexed its branches to dislodge the light frost on the leaves. The grounds were particularly quiet with only a small number of staff and students remaining. In this weather most of the children chose to remain indoors, sitting around the fire and playing Wizarding chess, Exploding Snap or some such game.
As part of a move to integrate the Houses, this year the students had been encouraged to use one common room as their chosen space. With so few remaining for Christmas it seemed impractical to divide the already small numbers still further by insisting that the children keep to their own houses. For many, exploring other common rooms was something of an adventure and the experiment appeared to be working. Minerva watched a lone owl in the sky circle near to the window of the castle until being startled from her thoughts by a familiar cough which made her grip the windowsill a little more tightly. She bowed her head for a moment and drew a deep, steadying breath before turning.
“I wondered when you would come.”
“Indeed.” Severus sniffed and looked down his nose at Minerva, taking a quick glance at his surroundings, his eyes sliding from side to side before focusing on her once more. “They saw fitting to hang me at Hogwarts I see. I rather expected to be left to gather dust somewhere on the walls of Azkaban.”
“Why?” Minerva sat back in her seat and arched an eyebrow at Severus, pursing her lips. “By all accounts you died a hero. Young Harry was instrumental in championing your cause after your death. Although part of me wondered…”
“What?” Severus smirked and shook his head. “You imagined I might not have been killed?”
“Perhaps.” Minerva inclined her head briefly keeping her eyes fixed on Severus. “Is it such a peculiar notion?”
“Not at all. If I had been afforded a little more privacy I believe I could have produced a sufficiently powerful Antivenin to counteract even the venom from the Dark Lord’s pet.” Severus scowled at Minerva for a moment and folded his arms across his chest. “No matter. What time of year is it? Am I to assume from the frivolous tinsel hanging above my head that I have had the misfortune to awake in time for Christmas?”
“Is it such an indignity?” Minerva laughed and moved to the portrait to remove the offending tinsel. She pressed her hand lightly against the frame for the moment, resting just on Severus’ arm. “I am sorry for how things ended between us. I wish you could have been honest with me, you must have known I would not have betrayed your confidence after all we had been through together.”
“I could not trust anyone. For many reasons, but most importantly because I had to ensure my cover would not be compromised.”
“I understand, of course.”
“You do?” Severus gave Minerva one of his looks which implied he didn’t quite believe her and looked around his frame again with a scowl. “I sincerely hope that whatever idiot painted me had the good sense to provide Firewhiskey.”
“On the desk, to the left.” Minerva pointed and turned to her own collection of drinks. “I may join you.”
“As you wish.” Severus poured a generous measure and settled himself down into an armchair, stretching his feet out to the fire as he watched the flames in silence.
Minerva poured herself a sherry and sat at her desk, tipping her drink to Severus. “It is good to see you again – to make amends.”
“As far as I am concerned you do not have any need to make amends with me.” Severus tipped his glass back at Minerva in response. “Nevertheless, your company was always more palatable to me than most and I prefer not to drink alone.”
“In that case, I do believe I shall enjoy keeping you company.” With a light laugh, swallowing around the lump in her throat, Minerva settled back in her chair and sipped at her sherry. She was quite determined not to shed tears which she was sure would not be appreciated. She had done enough crying over the dead after the battle and had resolved to lead Hogwarts with strength and positivity, to build a rich future for the next generation of students.
“What are you reading?” Severus looked curiously at the large tome on Minerva’s desk which she had removed from the brown wrapping.
“Something I think you would approve of very much.” Minerva brushed her fingers over the dark green leather with a smile and stood, taking the book to the portrait, holding it so Severus could see. “Albus suggested you may have been conducting research which could be useful in your field of study. With a bit of work, we were able to collect enough material to be edited into a posthumous publication.”
“I see.” Severus reached his hand out, as if he wanted to touch the leather but his hand moved no further than the canvas, where it rested for a moment. His throat worked a little as he swallowed before he cleared his throat. “I appreciate the gesture.”
“As do those that will have access to your work for their own study.” Minerva placed the book down on the desk and settled back in her seat, taking another sip of her sherry enjoying its warmth. “Merry Christmas, Severus.”
With a snort, Severus glared at her. “Is it?”
“Yes.” Minerva watched Severus fuss with his robes and pour himself another generous slug of Firewhiskey. “I rather think it is.”
~Fin~
Author/Artist:
writcraftPairing(s): Minerva McGonagall centric, portrait!Severus Snape
Prompt: #116 – Minerva/Severus, the first Christmas after DH (ghost, alive or portrait Severus) and #151 – Minerva/Severus, Christmas truce
Word Count/Medium: ~1,650 words, Wacom tablet, GIMP 2.0
Rating: G
Contains (Highlight to view): * Major Character Death (Severus Snape)*
Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury /Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Notes: One of the layers in the artwork is a photograph of an antique frame taken from Google images with some of my own alterations. The relationship between Minerva and Severus remains open to interpretation.
Summary: Minerva prepares for her first Christmas since the second war. On Christmas Eve a frame which stood empty in her office comes to life and two old friends are reacquainted.
The air was cool with the light breeze of early Winter which touched the trees with its snow-coloured frost as sharp huffs of air from chapped lips created little clouds of mist above patterned scarves. Mitten-covered hands rubbed together for warmth and smart leather-gloved fingers twined together as couples steadied one another on the icy ground.
Children watched with delight as magical treats whizzed around them, showering them with colourful glitter which stuck to their hats, gloves and hair. Hogsmeade was full of the smells of Butterbeer and mulled wine as the pubs heaved with pre-Christmas revellers, who clinked their tankards together and laughed uproariously.
Minerva always moved slowly through Hogsmeade at this time of year. Children and adults alike stopped her at every turn and she considered it important to spend a little time conversing with them before she could continue towards her destination. She supposed such matters were part of her job description as she was never truly off duty. Although Hogwarts had undoubtedly felt like a much safer place after the war, there were still children to look after over the Christmas holidays – those who had nowhere else to go.
It was largely for those children that Minerva made her annual stop at Honeydukes, despite the crowds, knowing that the younger students wouldn’t be able to visit Hogsmeade unaccompanied. She took her time selecting some gifts, eventually settling on Fizzing Whizzbees, Treacle Fudge and Sugar Quills. She had never been much of a fan of the more outlandish sweets and hoped her selection would satisfy the few children that remained at the castle over the holidays. She completed her purchase and wrapped her cloak around her, making her way outdoors and stepping carefully along the icy path until she came to Tomes and Scrolls.
“Minerva.”
“Gregory, good afternoon.” Minerva smiled at the short wizard whose glasses were placed haphazardly on his face, as the bell to the shop door tinkled behind her and the door closed slowly against the cool air. “Is it ready?”
“Indeed it is, hot off the press. I hope it will be a strong seller in the New Year.”
“I imagine it will be widely read by those interested in the field.” Minerva took the book carefully from Gregory and ran her fingers over the embossed writing. “Green leather. I do believe the author will approve.”
“Very classy, that.” Gregory nodded and gestured at the magical paper behind him, covered with furiously scribbling quills. “Gift wrap?”
“No. I believe I will keep this copy for myself.” Minerva smiled again and took the book, now wrapped in brown paper. “Thank you. Have a very merry Christmas.”
With that, Minerva left the small shop and made her way through the crowds to return to Hogwarts.
Minerva wrapped the last of her gifts and reached for a sherbet lemon. She opened it slowly, popping it into her mouth with a smile at Albus who was sleeping in his portrait, snoring lightly. He had insisted she continue to stock sherbet lemons when Minerva had taken the position of Headmistress. She wasn’t terribly fond of boiled sweets and had turned down the offer of them from Albus on many an occasion, but she found she savoured the taste now, the sweet scent reminding her of the past.
Minerva stood and moved to the window, looking out at the grounds. The Whomping Willow shivered in the icy cold and flexed its branches to dislodge the light frost on the leaves. The grounds were particularly quiet with only a small number of staff and students remaining. In this weather most of the children chose to remain indoors, sitting around the fire and playing Wizarding chess, Exploding Snap or some such game.
As part of a move to integrate the Houses, this year the students had been encouraged to use one common room as their chosen space. With so few remaining for Christmas it seemed impractical to divide the already small numbers still further by insisting that the children keep to their own houses. For many, exploring other common rooms was something of an adventure and the experiment appeared to be working. Minerva watched a lone owl in the sky circle near to the window of the castle until being startled from her thoughts by a familiar cough which made her grip the windowsill a little more tightly. She bowed her head for a moment and drew a deep, steadying breath before turning.
“I wondered when you would come.”
“Indeed.” Severus sniffed and looked down his nose at Minerva, taking a quick glance at his surroundings, his eyes sliding from side to side before focusing on her once more. “They saw fitting to hang me at Hogwarts I see. I rather expected to be left to gather dust somewhere on the walls of Azkaban.”
“Why?” Minerva sat back in her seat and arched an eyebrow at Severus, pursing her lips. “By all accounts you died a hero. Young Harry was instrumental in championing your cause after your death. Although part of me wondered…”
“What?” Severus smirked and shook his head. “You imagined I might not have been killed?”
“Perhaps.” Minerva inclined her head briefly keeping her eyes fixed on Severus. “Is it such a peculiar notion?”
“Not at all. If I had been afforded a little more privacy I believe I could have produced a sufficiently powerful Antivenin to counteract even the venom from the Dark Lord’s pet.” Severus scowled at Minerva for a moment and folded his arms across his chest. “No matter. What time of year is it? Am I to assume from the frivolous tinsel hanging above my head that I have had the misfortune to awake in time for Christmas?”
“Is it such an indignity?” Minerva laughed and moved to the portrait to remove the offending tinsel. She pressed her hand lightly against the frame for the moment, resting just on Severus’ arm. “I am sorry for how things ended between us. I wish you could have been honest with me, you must have known I would not have betrayed your confidence after all we had been through together.”
“I could not trust anyone. For many reasons, but most importantly because I had to ensure my cover would not be compromised.”
“I understand, of course.”
“You do?” Severus gave Minerva one of his looks which implied he didn’t quite believe her and looked around his frame again with a scowl. “I sincerely hope that whatever idiot painted me had the good sense to provide Firewhiskey.”
“On the desk, to the left.” Minerva pointed and turned to her own collection of drinks. “I may join you.”
“As you wish.” Severus poured a generous measure and settled himself down into an armchair, stretching his feet out to the fire as he watched the flames in silence.
Minerva poured herself a sherry and sat at her desk, tipping her drink to Severus. “It is good to see you again – to make amends.”
“As far as I am concerned you do not have any need to make amends with me.” Severus tipped his glass back at Minerva in response. “Nevertheless, your company was always more palatable to me than most and I prefer not to drink alone.”
“In that case, I do believe I shall enjoy keeping you company.” With a light laugh, swallowing around the lump in her throat, Minerva settled back in her chair and sipped at her sherry. She was quite determined not to shed tears which she was sure would not be appreciated. She had done enough crying over the dead after the battle and had resolved to lead Hogwarts with strength and positivity, to build a rich future for the next generation of students.
“What are you reading?” Severus looked curiously at the large tome on Minerva’s desk which she had removed from the brown wrapping.
“Something I think you would approve of very much.” Minerva brushed her fingers over the dark green leather with a smile and stood, taking the book to the portrait, holding it so Severus could see. “Albus suggested you may have been conducting research which could be useful in your field of study. With a bit of work, we were able to collect enough material to be edited into a posthumous publication.”
“I see.” Severus reached his hand out, as if he wanted to touch the leather but his hand moved no further than the canvas, where it rested for a moment. His throat worked a little as he swallowed before he cleared his throat. “I appreciate the gesture.”
“As do those that will have access to your work for their own study.” Minerva placed the book down on the desk and settled back in her seat, taking another sip of her sherry enjoying its warmth. “Merry Christmas, Severus.”
With a snort, Severus glared at her. “Is it?”
“Yes.” Minerva watched Severus fuss with his robes and pour himself another generous slug of Firewhiskey. “I rather think it is.”
~Fin~
