Challenge - End of the World
T.K. sat in the silence of the office that belonged to Professor McGonagall, staring blankly in no particular direction, as long as it wasn't in the direction of his mum's face. He was mildly surprised that he had ended up here instead of Professor Snape's office, this being his second fight in two days with the same Slytherin sixth-year, and coming out of it with a large bruise across his cheekbone.
"I never thought I would have to worry about you fighting with a student in your own house, T.K.," Professor McGonagall's crisp voice finally broke the silence, "or any student at all for that matter!"
T.K. finally looked up to see a mixture of disappointment and disapproval on her face. "Mum, he called me a half-breed son of a--"
"Do not repeat what he said," Professor McGonagall silenced him at once. "That is no reason to start lashing out at each other, wands or no wands."
"What else was I supposed to do?" T.K. inquired. "About all those rumors that they tease me with? Have you heard some of the things they say about me?"
"I've heard enough," replied Professor McGonagall, "and I am disappointed in how you handled it. They only do it to bother you, T.K., why can't you just ignore them?"
T.K. only sighed and sat back in the chair he sat in. "That only works for so long," he muttered under his breath.
Professor McGonagall waved a hand, dismissing him. "I expect better of you next time, T.K.," she told him. "Professor Snape wishes to see you."
"Of course he does," T.K. mumbled to himself. He rose up from his chair and headed for the door, but then paused. "Will you ever tell me, Mum?"
There were a few moments of silence. "Tell you what?" Professor McGonagall's voice finally came from behind him.
"What happened to me in my past. And how many of those rumors are really true."
More silence. "Don't be silly, T.K. Of course I will. Someday when you're old enough to understand."
"What if someday never comes?" T.K. asked, turning around to look at his mum still sitting behind her desk. "What if the world's ending tomorrow?" He knew the question sounded ridiculous, and probably sounded like he was listening to Professor Trelawney too much, but what if?
Again, it took a moment for Professor McGonagall to reply, but when she spoke, there was no trace of amusement in her voice, only solemnity. "If you find out that the world truly is ending tomorrow, come back and ask me to tell you, and I'll tell you everything."
"...Okay," T.K. finally said almost suspiciously. "I'll hold you to that, Mum."
"Very well. Now run along. Professor Snape is waiting for you. And please have Madam Pomfrey take a look at that bruise."
"I never thought I would have to worry about you fighting with a student in your own house, T.K.," Professor McGonagall's crisp voice finally broke the silence, "or any student at all for that matter!"
T.K. finally looked up to see a mixture of disappointment and disapproval on her face. "Mum, he called me a half-breed son of a--"
"Do not repeat what he said," Professor McGonagall silenced him at once. "That is no reason to start lashing out at each other, wands or no wands."
"What else was I supposed to do?" T.K. inquired. "About all those rumors that they tease me with? Have you heard some of the things they say about me?"
"I've heard enough," replied Professor McGonagall, "and I am disappointed in how you handled it. They only do it to bother you, T.K., why can't you just ignore them?"
T.K. only sighed and sat back in the chair he sat in. "That only works for so long," he muttered under his breath.
Professor McGonagall waved a hand, dismissing him. "I expect better of you next time, T.K.," she told him. "Professor Snape wishes to see you."
"Of course he does," T.K. mumbled to himself. He rose up from his chair and headed for the door, but then paused. "Will you ever tell me, Mum?"
There were a few moments of silence. "Tell you what?" Professor McGonagall's voice finally came from behind him.
"What happened to me in my past. And how many of those rumors are really true."
More silence. "Don't be silly, T.K. Of course I will. Someday when you're old enough to understand."
"What if someday never comes?" T.K. asked, turning around to look at his mum still sitting behind her desk. "What if the world's ending tomorrow?" He knew the question sounded ridiculous, and probably sounded like he was listening to Professor Trelawney too much, but what if?
Again, it took a moment for Professor McGonagall to reply, but when she spoke, there was no trace of amusement in her voice, only solemnity. "If you find out that the world truly is ending tomorrow, come back and ask me to tell you, and I'll tell you everything."
"...Okay," T.K. finally said almost suspiciously. "I'll hold you to that, Mum."
"Very well. Now run along. Professor Snape is waiting for you. And please have Madam Pomfrey take a look at that bruise."