Writing Contest One Shots

2) Under the Mistletoe

Sybill Trelawney was still shaken by her humiliating sacking a few days ago and could barely believe she was still allowed to live in Hogwarts. Minerva had always seemed to hate her, and she'd hated her back, but now she couldn't be more grateful to the older woman. Nevertheless, she'd been surprised when she'd gotten an owl this bright, winter morning from Minerva, asking her to help decorate the Great Hall for Christmas. That was the only reason she'd left her room and her glasses of Sherry.

Despite the holiday season approaching, the castle seemed almost empty and silent. Ever since the High Inquisitor imposed her new rules, children dodged the corridors of the school, and she passed by very few of them as she rushed downstairs all the way from the tower.

Sybill stepped into the enormous hall. Flouncy lace table cloths covered the long tables and four huge Christmas trees stood by the corners. She found her target on the podium.

''Minerva.'' Her voice was shaky as she approached her. ''I received your message.'' She looked around with wide eyes, pushing her large spectacles up her nose. ''Can I help with anything?''

Minerva sighed. If only there'd been someone else available to decorate with her. But no, Pomona was too busy digging into the mud for her plants, Flitwick wanted to get drunk for a week or two straight and God knew what Snape did in that dungeon room of his. Minerva shuddered. Best not to think about it. In the end, Sybil was the only one who was available. Sometimes, Minerva really hated her life.

"Here." She handed over a few evergreen wreaths. "Hang them at random places. As for these." Minerva cleared her throat and pointed at the mistletoe. "Make sure they're positioned at places where students can have some, ahem, privacy." Who even came up with these blasted traditions?

''Privacy?'' Sybill asked, blinking owlishly. ''Why would they need privacy?''

Minerva pursed her lips. "Well, it's tradition that one must...kiss the person next to them if they walk beneath a mistletoe." Though it certainly didn't seem like the students needed the mistletoe to begin their kissing sessions. Why, just today, Minerva had to break apart not one, not two, but four students in various broom cupboards. What she wouldn't do to obliviate the memory of the sounds she'd heard. Actually, I might as well do that tonight after several goblets of mulled wine.

"They do that here in school?" Sybill's voice echoed through the hall. "Of course they do." She answered her own question seeing Minerva's flummoxed expression.

The seer took the wreaths from Minerva's hand. Now where to hang them? She wondered where the kids sneaked around to kiss. With the new rules Umbridge had set up, it seemed nearly impossible to get away from her Inquisitorial Squad. The mere thought of Umbridge finding kids in their most intimate moments made her shiver.

"Do you know who, Minerva?" Sybill asked, her cheeks burning at her own curiosity.

Minerva rolled her eyes. "Do you take me for a shameless gossip? It's really none of my business which students are seeing each other now. Although, I do hope Harry Potter will kiss Miss Chang already before they go on break. The lad's been pining after that girl for years. He can face down a dragon but isn't Gryffindor enough for this!"

"He's interested in her?" Sybill asked, surprised. Then she sighed and stuck a wreath nearby with a flick of her wand. "I thought Miss Chang and Cedric Diggory were a fine pair, the way they danced in the Yule ball last year, just magical." Carrying some of the wreaths towards the entrance door, she paused. "It's a pity he's gone now, just as I'd predicted. So I guess it's fine that she and Mr Potter would dance together now, or so to speak." She glanced at Minerva over her shoulder. "Who else is pairing up these days?" Her isolation from everyone now that she had no classes to teach was almost as painful as getting fired in front of everybody. A burning desire to keep talking made it difficult to stop her questions.