Strategies Against Prefectures

'Oh, for the love of god, I can't believe I am even writing this,' Minerva muttered to herself.

She eyed the parchment in front of her and for the fourth time that day considered casting an Incendio in its direction. The mere idea of putting any one of those four boys, even this one, in charge of anything was enough to cause a pulsing pain just behind her right eye.

She got up from her chair, crossed over to the cabinet and pulled a bottle of Old Ogden's from the top shelf. She poured herself a generous glass full and was just taking her first sip when she heard the sound of the front door closing, followed closely by two thuds that were most likely Evelyn's shoes hitting the floor.

'Minerva?' Evelyn called from the hallway.

'In the study,' she answered.

Evelyn Longbottom entered the small room, a trail of bags and boxes following in her wake. She tilted her chin in the direction of the glass in Minerva's hand and arched her left eyebrow.

'I'm debating the merits of dissolving Hogwarts' current prefect structure,' Minerva said in response to the unvoiced question and placed the glass down on her desk.

'Is that so?' Evelyn asked, poorly disguised amusement ringing in her voice.

'I’m thinking of placing the incoming first years in charge from here on out. It might be preferable to my current options.'

She watched Evelyn direct her packages into a neat pile next to the door and sit herself down in one of the squashy green arm chairs near the fireplace. Evelyn pulled her hat off, set it on the table and then ran her fingers through her hair, teasing a few knots out of the loose blond curls.

'You know,' said Evelyn teasingly, 'I would not have taken you for a proponent of anarchy.'

Minerva laughed as she sat down next to her.

'I reckon that it couldn't be any more disorderly than actually putting one of my fifth year boys in a position of authority.'

'Ahh, now I am beginning to understand,' Evelyn replied, a wicked grin spreading across her face. 'If my memory serves, this group contains those two black-haired boys I had the pleasure of meeting in Hogsmeade this past term?'

Minerva nodded.

'And those are the two you've been holding responsible for the rapid increase in the number of grey hairs you have?' Evelyn continued. 'Have I mentioned lately how fond I've grown of those hairs?'

She reached over and pulled the clasp out of Minerva's tightly wound bun. She then weaved her fingers through the wisp-fine hair, pulling it loose and gently massaging along the scalp.

Minerva closed her eyes and remained quiet for a few minutes, allowing herself to indulge in the sensation of fingernails scraping along the sensitive skin behind her ears. She was just about to question what brought on Evelyn's good mood when her thoughts were interrupted by a voice whispering in her ear.

'You know, I think the tall one is rather smitten with you.'

Minerva's eyes sprang open and she jerked her head away.

'Evelyn!'

Minerva shook her head and groaned inwardly. She did not want the image of a bantering, flirtatious Black stuck in her head during his inevitable weekly visits to her office; not to mention the ensuing detentions. The actual version was more than enough to handle.

'I don't know, Minerva. If I were you, I would be flattered. In a few years time those boyish features should develop quite nicely into - '

Minerva reached over and clamped her hand across Evelyn's mouth.

'If you keep going with that sentence, I think I am going to need another drink,' she said.

Evelyn's lips pressed against her palm, the tip of her tongue teasing against the lines etched across it.

Minerva smiled and removed her hand slowly, bringing it up and running the back of it along the Evelyn's cheekbone, who leaned forward and pressed their lips together. When Evelyn's tongue traced the edge of her lips, she parted them in response and, with the first sweep of it against her own, Minerva moaned and deepened the kiss.

They continued like that for a few minutes, eventually trading nips, licks and bites like a pair of girls half their age.

Once they broke apart Evelyn gave her a broad smile.

'So, tell me, are you feeling a bit better?'

Minerva smiled languidly in response.

'That's good, because I ran into my sister-in-law this morning outside Flourish and Blotts. She invited us to tea later.'

Minerva narrowed her eyes. She should have known; ten years with this woman should have been time enough to learn when she was up to something.

'How did we end up with an invitation?'

'Well, you know how Augusta is,' she said with a wave of her hand. 'I tried to tell her I had plans with you this evening, which turned into her insisting we both come. I wasn't quick enough to come up with a decent enough excuse to put her off.'

Minerva sighed. She was pretty sure she could feel her earlier headache returning.

Evelyn picked herself up out of her chair and slid into Minerva's lap. She nuzzled her nose along Minerva's neck.

'Come upstairs with me,' Evelyn whispered against her neck. 'I'll show you the robes Magdalen made for me from that silk I picked up in India in April. There is a teal set that I think you'll quite like.'

She pressed her lips against the shell of Minerva's ear.

'Plus, I need to thank you properly for coming with me tonight.'

'Oh, you'll owe me more than that m'dear,' Minerva responded lightly.

She smiled and nudged Evelyn off of her lap.

Evelyn eyed her suspiciously.

'Is that so?' she countered.

Ignoring the question, Minerva walked over to her desk, picked up her abandoned whiskey and took a long sip.

'Tell me, if you were in my position would you appoint the best friend of your school's biggest instigators of general mayhem as prefect?' Minerva asked.

'It depends on what you are hoping to accomplish, love,' Evelyn replied, taking the abrupt change in topic in stride and trying to keep a straight face. 'Do you still want Hogwart's to be standing come the end of the first term?'

'I thought you might say that,' Minerva said, laughing.

'Seriously, though, it does depend. How many 5th year boys to you have again?'

'Thirteen, of which three or four, including Mr. Lupin, are probably quite capable of taking on the responsibility,' Minerva replied.

'So, why not pick one of the other boys?'

'Honestly?' Minerva asked.

Evelyn nodded.

'I can't imagine placing someone who is not a close friend of Sirius or James in a position of authority over them. It would seem to qualify as cruel and unusual punishment.'

Evelyn shook her head and burst out laughing. 'So, are you coming upstairs then?' she asked.

'Just give me ten minutes,' Minerva replied. 'I want to finish the letter to Mr. Lupin. If I stare at it any longer it's likely to send me around the bend.'

Evelyn walked toward the door and aimed her wand at the pile of packages by the door. They floated up into the air behind her.

'Well, we definitely can't have that,' she responded, laughing. Evelyn then quieted; her tone took on a more serious note. 'Ten minutes. I'm holding you to that. I lose you to them too much as it is.'

Minerva walked over to where Evelyn stood and gave her a soft, lingering kiss.

'Ten minutes,' she whispered against her lips as she broke the kiss. 'I promise.'