Malia McGonagall
'I was going to wait for the dramatic flair.'
~Peter Hale
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1st November 1994
Due to the students of both Beauxbatons and Durmstrang spending the entire year in Scotland, residing in the grounds of Hogwarts; the students had been submitted into the classes of the Hogwarts students - in Durmstarng they had anyway - Beauxbatons students were too prestigious to mix with the ordinary folks of the lower-class.
Due to Durmstrang being significantly smaller than Hogwarts, squeezing in a few extra students made little to no difference once they had settled. That, however, did not apply when the fur-clad students were wandering the castle halls, seemingly lost, as they searched for their assigned classrooms for the first period that morning.
Luckily for the two girls, Neveah, and Raven had been given the same schedules; this meant they were both lost together. Eventually, after several minutes from the bell ringing, the two came across the Transfiguration classroom - that was located on the first floor (not the second like back at Durmstrang.)
Neveah opened the door, charging into the room - with Raven trotting not far behind. The Professor - Professor McGonagall - stood at the front of the room, whilst the class copied down several diagrams that had been drawn out on the board, "Miss. Krum," The old professor began as she walked towards the two teenagers, "Perhaps if I turned, Miss. Howendale, and yourself into a pocket watch; then maybe one of you would be on time!"
Neveah opened her mouth, ready to respond, when the old teacher continued, "I'm sure you don't need a map to find your way to your seat beside Mr. Casper, do you?" The professor questioned, her voice dripping in sarcasm, as Neveah nodded mumbling under her breath as she followed to where the Professor was pointing; towards a blonde boy in blue and bronze. Next, the old professor turned towards the black-haired girl, who ran her tongue across her lip nervously, "And you, Miss. Howendale can go sit beside my lovely niece; Malia." The Professor then pointed to a girl with light brown, hair who sat in front of the professor's desk, "But I must warn you....she can be a bit of a hand-full." The girl sent a cheeky grin towards her Professor.
Raven quickly nodded, ducking her head to ignore the glares from several of her classmates from Durmstang, and Hogwarts students, and to pretend she hadn't seen the curious look the older professor had given her. McGonagall's niece, Malia, gave the brunette a cheeky smile, "Don't worry, Minnie's a push-over," She then snorted, as the professor sent her a harsh glare, "She'll get over you being late."
"Malia," The professor hissed, looking at her niece, "Shut up." Raven looked at the Transfiguration teacher in shock, "Now, this year is very important for every one of you. O.W.Ls determines the subjects you will be able to take to NEWTs level; during your sixth and seventh year. The more subjects you get an Acceptable or above in; means the more options you will have for a career path once you graduate Hogwarts, of for the Durmstrang students when they graduate the Durmstrang Institute."
Then, after tapping the board with her wand and allowing more words to be elegantly written upon it, the professor continued, "Today we will be recapping on the Ebublio Jinx, Mr. Casper, can you recall the use of this jinx?"
The Ravenclaw sat beside Neveah sat up straighter, after his name had been called, "The Ebublio Jinx; if cast properly traps your opponent in a large conjured bubble, the incantation is 'ebubilo', however, is often confused with the Medellin man into monkey spell 'hominem simia'."
"Thank you, Mr. Casper," The professor said, gesturing for the students to stand, before, with a flick of her wand, let the desks soar elegantly to the edges of the room, "You will be practicing the Jinx on your partner."
Malia smiled cheekily at Raven, "You any good at jinxes, then?" She asked, stepping back to create a decent distance for the two to practice.
Raven shook her head, a slight smile forming on her tanned face, "No, I'm terrible at all types of spells. Are you any good?"
"Well, between us two," Malia smirked walking forward slightly, "I'm rather good at turning cats into tea cozies, Minnie is never very happy when I do that one."
"Malia," Professor McGonagall called out, "Are you planning to practice the spell at any point today."
Malia smiled a nervous smile as she turned to face her auntie, "I was going to wait for the dramatic flair."
McGonagall cracked a small smile, before turning back serious and looking at her once again, "Do the spell." Malia turned to look at her new friend, holding the wand out in front of her, she muttered the spell. Seconds later Raven found herself consumed into a large bubble, and a proud smile stretching across Malia's face.
One the bubble had been popped McGonagall encouraged Raven to perform the spell, "I don't think that's such a good idea, Professor." Raven admitted sheepishly.
"And why is that, Ms. Howendale?" The professor asked sternly.
Raven looked down at her feet, rubbing them against the floor, "I'm terrible at magic, using my wand in general if I'm being honest." She admitted.
McGonagall perked up at this, "Is that so?" She queried, walking over towards the girl, "Well I'm sure you can give it a go, can you not? If something goes wrong, perhaps it will teach my mischievous niece a lesson."
Raven chuckled, enjoying the elderly professors' sense of humor, and preparing her stance with her wand out ready in front of her, "ebubilo," However, rather than a large bubble conjuring the tall girl; Malia stumbled back, for a second Raven assumed the spell did nothing, however after a few second large ears began to sprout from the girls head beneath her brown, short hair.
For a moment, as all the class turned to see what was happening, Raven thought the ears were never going to stop growing, and they seemed to be getting larger, and larger, and larger; until eventually, humongous elephant ears had sprouted out of the girls head. Raven looked at the confused girl in worry, her mouth open in shock, "I'm so sorry," Raven muttered, rushing towards the tall girl, "I told you I wasn't very good at spells!"
Malia looked at her new friend in confusion, "What happened, why does my head feel so heavy?" She groaned, leaning on Raven for support.
"I - um....I cast the spell wrong, and - well....you've grown elephant ears." Raven muttered.
Malia laughed loudly, "Have I really? Oh, that's fantastic!" She giggled, "has anyone got a mirror....or a camera?" She asked loudly to the chuckling class.
Professor McGonagall hid a small smile behind her hand, before walking forwards, "Ms. Howendale, I'm sure you can successfully assist Ms. McGonagall to the hospital wing without growing any more animal ears on her head."
Raven blushed a deep shade of red, pulling her fur cloak down to cover her cold hands, and helping Malia - who was cackling at her reflection in the mirror, out of the classroom, "Aww, no! Minnie, I want to keep them, I think they go well with my yellow tie!" The brown-haired girl called out as they left the classroom.
Raven snorted, "I'm sorry 'bout that." She muttered, their pace slow, due to the extra weight the girl was carrying.
"Don't worry about it," Malia laughed, "It's always fun, messing around in aunt Minnies class."
The two walked up the first flight of stairs in silence, before Raven began to speak again, "Why do you call her Minnie, anyway?"
Malia snorted, swaying backward on the step causing Raven to rush and steady her, "It's her nickname, Minerva is a bit of a mouthful....don't you think?"
Raven frowned, "That's weird," she muttered, studying the stone pathway on the way to the hospital wing - which Malia was guiding them towards, "My middle name is Minerva."
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"I think it's happening to her, Albus." Minerva McGonagall stressed as she stood before the old headmaster's desk.
Albus Dumbledore was looking out of the window into the bitter, rainy night in Scotland, "It was expected, two generations since the last legacy." Albus thought, the candlelight reflecting off his halfmoon spectacles.
"The question is; how did someone know before us?" Severus Snape thought, bitterly, "After all, you sent the Howendale boy off to Bulgaria after his downfall so the stray, remaining Death Eaters wouldn't find her."
"Indeed," Albus muttered.
"Her magic is atrocious, Albus," McGonagall continued worriedly, "With her lack of skill, she holds no hope of surviving the tournament."
"You say she made fast friends with your niece, Malia?" Albus asked, now facing the two younger Professors, Minerva nodded, "That means surely soon she'll make the connection between you two."
"What about Peter Pettigrew?" Snape questioned, half his face consumed by the shadows, "Now the truth has being revealed about him, maybe he thought the Dark Lord would forgive him if he told the truth about his goddaughter, of cause, then it could only of being a guess."
Albus furrowed his eyebrows, expressing the wrinkled on his aged face, "That is a possibility," Then, focusing his attention on the head of Gryffindor, continued talking, "Although the tournament forbids help from any professors; you are not just a professor, as Raven is your goddaughter, I think a few exceptions can be made, I will ask Alastor to assist you in subtly helping the girl; however do make sure she doesn't find out about why you are allowed to help her."
"But- If the prophecy is true," McGonagall stressed, "then no matter how much help she has; she'll never be able to properly do wand magic!"
Dumbledore studied what seemed to be a series of shapes made from silver, inside one of his cabinets, "Maybe, but until her true powers are activated; it's the best we can do."
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Began writing 14/07/20 16:20
Published 21/07/20 00:50
The word 'fantastic' reminds me of French and it being on of the only describing words I knew so I'd use it in everything.