minvember

[minvember]

Don’t forget to use the hashtag #minvember2023 so we can find your posts!

mmad-lover & snapeaddict’s Minvember - 2023

Hi there! Some of you might remember that back in 2020 and 2021 I organized “Minvember”, which is a month dedicated to creating pieces of writing, fanart, and honestly anything that you can think of related to professor McGonagall! It came up as an idea to revive what used to be the “Minerva Fest”, which was also an event related to this same character, and which took place once a year, back in the day.

I didn’t get the chance to bring it back last year. This year, however, @snapeaddict and I have decided to bring it back and host it together! We came up with the following prompts:

Day 1 - Self Delusion.

Day 2 - Scotland.

Day 3 - Dance Rehearsal.

Day 4- Motherly.

Day 5 - The new teacher.

Day 6 - “Which side are you on?”

Day 7 - Feral Anger.

Day 8 - “It was always you”

Day 9 - Christmas.

Day 10 - The Ministry.

Day 11 - Despodency.

Day 12 - Ginger newts.

Day 13 - Late Classroom Nights.

Day 14 - Generational Gap.

Day 15 - Metamorphosis.

Day 16 - “Did it mean anything to you?”

Day 17 - Pettiness

Day 18 - Biadh agus deoch (food and drinks!)

Day 19 - Cowardice.

Day 20 - “I begged you to stay”

Day 21 - Feline.

Day 22 - Summer clothes.

Day 23 - “Why did you weep? Did you think I was immortal?”

Day 24 - Helpless.

Day 25 - Tartan.

Day 26 - Oh… f*ck.

Day 27 - “How could you?”

Day 28 - Not as strong as you think…

Day 29 - Late Night Library.

Day 30 - Goodbye.

There really are no restrictions, other than it has to be Minerva centered! You can definitely include as many characters in your creations as you like. Have fun with it!

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Minvember - “Why?”

For @mmad-lover with many apologies, and many more apologies, and many good wishes on top of that.  Things here are still very busy, but I am still thinking about my boys and badass Minerva, if nothing else!  This one is tenuously linked to one of the prompts, but the idea wouldn’t stop bothering me, and that’s excuse enough to write…!

~

The sky was scarred.  Where dusk was descending and daytime retreating, colours had drawn stark divides across the sky; from the gentle blue of what had been the day, to the bloody red of the sunset, and above that, the indigo of the gathering night.  For such drama above, the small woodland enclave was quiet and calm and still, never changing, never stirring.  She gathered her robes more tightly around her form, scattering three starlings, two sparrows and a magpie with the sudden swish.  Glancing down at the desire line which constituted a path, she surmised that the leaves had not been disturbed from her last visit.  No one had come, and she supposed she understood why.

After all, coming was just as difficult for her as it was for others.

And she supposed it was ultimately pointless.  Nothing was going to change.

Albus was not going to suddenly resurrect.

Nevertheless, she came, once a week, on a Thursday, of course.  Old habits did…die…hard.  What else was she supposed to do, when the school was so quiet, and the students so defeated, and the staff so somber?  When she found herself forgetting when she had last heard the laughter of children, she hastened here.  To a tomb.  

That made as much sense as -

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Minvember Day 6 - Scared

Yes, I know, I could have gone for fluff.  But that would be rather against my MO, correct?  As usual, for @mmad-lover and her @minvember challenge - this is Day 6 and in the spirit of Nauvember, plays with one of the AUs I am writing a slightly longer long shot for.  

~

“I’m scared.”

Minerva had to admit that she was feeling a shadow of the same emotion.  It was something to do with the cracks in the plasterboard, and the dust gathering on every surface, and the sheer tiredness and desperation on her best friend’s face.  "I don’t know what to say, Ei.  I don’t know what you want me to do.  He’s a Muggle, he is not something we can just avoid.  He is also Severus’ father.“  

She glanced beyond Eileen to the small boy playing silently in the corner of the kitchen with a rather bedraggled teddy bear; but bedraggled appeared to be the theme of the accomodation, with Eileen’s dark hair falling somehwat lifelessly around her starkly thin face, and her clothes certainly not the high quality they had been when she had been running rings around Minerva in the classroom at Hogwarts.  She knew that the Prince family’s decision to disown their only daughter had struck Eileen hard, but they had been out of contact for such a long time, since -

"I just want to run away with you, forever.” “That is hardly practical.” “I know.  But I still want to.  But I can’t.”

“I know.  I am not asking you to do anything.”  Eileen curled her fingers more tightly around the cup, to a point where Minerva feared it could shatter.  "I suppose I should leave, and take Severus with me - but where can I go?  Where can I go that is safe from…them?  What if they try to find him?“  Her knuckles were turning white, and Minerva reached without thinking to put her hand over the small shaking fingers.  "Eileen.  They will not find him.  They do not even know Severus exists.”

“He is their grandson - they always liked boys - if they used my name, he would be the heir they so desperately desired - he is already showing competence Minerva, without any formal teaching as I…can’t…with Toby around.  He won’t allow it.  He is insisting Severus goes to the local primary school in September.  I do not know if that is best for him - what if he performs magic there - ”

“Lots of magical children go to Muggle schools before Hogwarts, and adjust fine.  It may help Severus.”  Minerva squeezed the fingers carefully, “Why are you so scared?”

“He just - he gets that look in his eye - I’ve seen it before - and now he’s starting to look at - ”  She glanced toward her son, who continued to play, completely unaware.  "I wish he was not so quiet; Toby thinks there is something wrong with him - is there something wrong with him?  Are there children at Hogwarts who do not speak?“  Such desperation almost encouraged Minerva to lie, as the Gryffindor looked again to the child.  "They are much older when I collect them, Ei, you know that.  Maybe he just doesn’t need to say much - he does have the most expressive eyes - like - like yours - ”

They stood, waist deep in the river, and its cool waters were ignored as they seemed caught in each other’s gaze, neither one wanting to be the one to look away first, and the more they looked, the more they saw, and suddenly they were very aware of their hands on each other’s shoulders, and the increasing of their breathing, and the fact that her gaze had dropped, to her lips -

Minerva shook the memory away and let go of Eileen’s hand because the stab of pain in her chest was suddenly too much to bear.  "You know there are authorities who can help you if he ever does anything to Severus.“  

"You could take him.”  Eileen suddenly wrenched Minerva’s hand back, almost unbalancing the other, and clung tight even as Minerva tried to stand, “To Hogwarts!  He would be safe there, with you, and Dumbledore - ”

“Eileen, do not ask me.  There are laws.  Albus is on thin enough ice as it is -”

“I knew you would choose him over me - ”  The sudden anger was born, Minerva knew, from hopelessness, but that didn’t stop the words from hurting.  "It is not like that.  I cannot compromise the school’s reputation, not with my new position.  It is no place for a toddler - “

Eileen stood, so Minerva did too, but she did not let go of Minerva’s hand - and the grip was tight - "And you think here is?!  I am losing my mind, Minerva!”

For the first time in the entire exchange, Severus looked up from his teddy bear.  He got to his feet in a slightly unsteady way and went to his mother, winding one arm around her leg and the other her lower arm, looking up at her first, and then up at Minerva, and then back to his mother, wonky teeth worrying his bottom lip.  Eileen exhaled a shaky breath, looked to the heavens for a moment through the greyed ceiling, and then let go of Minerva’s hand to rest it gently on Severus’ head, “I am sorry, my darling.  I did not mean to shout.  Mummy is fine.  Why don’t you go and see if it has stopped raining?”  Severus seemed to hesitate, unsure, but he was easily persuaded by Eileen’s smile - and toddled off toward the door to the kitchen to where there was a window in the hallway.  "He deserves better.“  Eileen murmured, and Minerva struggled to respond.

"Why will you not take him to Hogwarts, Min?  Is what we meant to each other so far gone that you will not honour my request?  You are his godmother after all - in the eyes of Ministry law - ”

“I said no, Eileen.  I do not intend to keep repeating myself.  It is no place for a child.  I never asked to be his godmother -”

“Who else would I ask?”

“I don’t know.  Anyone but me.  There must be others who could help you.  You had other friends, besides me.”

“No one I would trust with the life of my son, Minerva!”

“I will keep visiting.  Seeing you was not as hard as I imagined.”  She lied with a smile, “I will keep visiting, and I will help you look after Severus.  That is the most I can do.”

“I love you.” “I can’t.  You know I can’t.  They won’t understand.” “Did you not hear me?  I said I love you?  Does that not count for anything?  Just leave, with me.  Do it tomorrow, do it tonight.  We could go far away.” “I can’t.  They have made that clear.  I have to stay.  I cannot be with you.  I am sorry.”

Eileen seemed about to say more, but instead she just shook her head, and when she turned away from Minerva she did in that way she always did, to hide the tears - and Minerva was normally swayed, but this time she was not, “I’ll write to you.”

“Write to me, please?” “I will try - but - ” “At least promise me that!”

As she walked through the tiny hallway, Severus was sat on the bottom step, still with his teddy bear.  He watched Minerva as she passed, and she stopped to say goodbye, and when she met his gaze, she realised that the boy really did need to say nothing at all.

~ SS19 6th November 2021

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Minvember Day 5 - Mirror

As always, for @mmad-lover and her @minvember challenge!  I did technically skip writing yesterday, but am making up for it today.

She was sat beside a cosily glowing golden orange hue in the hearth, where shadows were cast gently across the many bookshelves and the perfectly positioned plants and flowers and the soft, comforable furniture of which she currently residing on the sofa.  A green, blue and white tartan blanket was across her curled legs as she nursed the soothing mug of sweet hot chocolate, the pink marshmallows long since consumed.  The clock ticked past slowly on the mantelpiece, intricate hands slowly rotating on their neverending rhythm.  This was what contentment looked like - made ever more perfect as she looked toward the almost closed door, and then rose to her feet, padding toward it in her slippers.  She looked at the drawing on the wall as she passed and smiled - that soft, gentle, carefree smile - opening the door just a little more so she could see in the hallway.  Not that she was looking there - in fact, she was looking directly opposite her at…herself.  Herself in the mirror, herself with her dark hair loose and twirling down her back and in front of her shoulders where dressing gown gave way to nightie and nightie gave way to the barest hint of skin flushed in the evening heat.  She adjusted her position to stand so she was sideways on, her reflection mirroring her perfectly, moving her hands so first her right and then her left rested on the swell of her belly - and her throat bobbed as she swallowed whatever lump had formed there.

Mere moments later, hands rested on top of hers, and he pressed between the doorframe and her back so he could rest his chin and auburn beard on her shoulder, and their fingers moved to interlink as they looked at each other in the mirror - blue and brown eyes, dark hair and light hair, but the same smile.  He played with the single stone in the rings on her hand, the not particularly well kept secret.  He kissed her cheek as she closed her eyes, and then he moved to kiss along her jawline and down the exposed side of her neck, his hands tracing up her arms to carefully massage her shoulders as he whispered only the sweetest of nothings and affections to her, and she leaned back into his embrace, and when he was finished with his administrations he turned her to face him so he could look straight into her gaze, hand on her cheek.  And he didn’t need to say anything, because she already knew, and he already knew that she knew, but their smiles broadened and widened and deepened anyway, until hers suddenly caught aflame with mischief and amusement as she lifted her fingers to pluck a child’s hair clip from his hair.  Her laughter melted away as he leaned to kiss her once more, and that kiss was so laden with hope and excitement and anticipation of the months to come - and as she drew back from his kiss, because it was clear it would not end with just a kiss, and so this first Minerva looked to herself, the second Minerva, in the reflection once more and saw him and her entwined, with the stress lines and laughter lines of a family with more to come, and she knew then that she was seeing everything her heart desired - 

And -

And the third Minerva looked away from the mirror, and looked behind to see nothing, and looked to her hand to see nothing, and looked at her belly to see -

And then she sat beside the mirror with its golden frame, where candelight reflected off its sheen to the empty classroom, and she curled her legs under her emerald robes, and she cried.

~SS19 6th November 2021

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I am late BUT: Minvember, day 9 - red robes

Lmao i literally painted this on picsart

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Fic Rec - Minvember 2021 - Day 11 - “Alone“

Based on the awesome @minvember prompts!

Day 11 - “Alone”

How do you like your blue-eyed boys?

by eldritcher

Rating- M

Rec - Want a first date idea? What about grave robbing? Because I got you a grave robbing fic. You are in for a real treat!

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Fic Rec - Minvember - Day 10 - “Christmas“

Day 10 - “Christmas”

A Cunning Plan

by kelly_chambliss

Rating- T

Length- 2700

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Art Rec - Minvember 2021 - Day 9 - “Red Robes“

Day 9 - “Red Robes”

У окна

by Dull_Balrog

Type - ART

Summary - When Hermione peered around the open door on that chilly afternoon, the fire was burning high, and the professor was standing behind her desk looking out into the smudgy purple distance.

Rating - G

Rec - This art doesn’t really have red robes. But it uses a set of red and purple shades to make a stunning piece! It is one of my favorite Minerva artworks with a style not really that common in HP fandom! Highly highly recommend <3

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Fic Rec - Minvember - Day 8 - “Portrait“

Title - Portraits

Author - Lyn Piton

Length - 767 words

Summary - Minerva McGonagall tries to do the job she must, while avoiding reminders of the death she can’t face.  Set just after the end of HBP.  ADMM if you squint, but otherwise gen.

Rating - G

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Rec - Minvember - Day 7 - “Ghost”

Fic Rec

Title - Goodbye

Author - kelly_chambliss

Rating - G

Length - 200 words

“She’d do it for us.”

“In a heartbeat.”

Minerva needs closure. Her friends step up! They give her  a chance to get that closure. Beautiful drabble about loss/closure <3

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Rec - Minvember - Day 4 - “Quidditch”

Day 4 - “Quidditch”

Game Day

by Delphi

Summary - Minerva and Rolanda steal a quick tryst before the big game.

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Art Rec - Minvember - Day 1 - “Hat”

Link - Minerva McGonagall

by @lackadaisycal-art

Rec - one of my favorite Minerva art works! Really really beautiful and unusual. If you don’t have Tumblr this is probably going to be new for you! Definitely check it out! <3

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Minvember - Day 4 - Quidditch

For @mmad-lover - it’s Day 4 today, so I’m back on track.  Let’s go for something a bit…different…shall we….? [smirk worthy of Severus himself; bit naughty]

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Minvember, Day 3 - Tea

For @professorss19~

My apologies for the late post, I’ve been a little sick these last couple of days so it’s been difficult to keep up😅 but I’m trying my best to get up to date!

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Minvember Day 3 - ‘Tea’.

For @mmad-lover, a day late, but I paid my fee as per the challenge I set myself!  I present Day 3, Tea.

“Tea?”

“Don’t you dare offer me any fucking tea, Albus!”

Albus did a rather unintentional yet convincing impression of a goldfish as he reacted to Minerva’s use of language, and then chose to absolutely the best and right thing in the circumstances and stayed rather silent.

“How dare you offer me tea after what you have just said.”

“I thought it might help.”

“Why is it that you always surprise me, Albus - in the worst possible way?  Did you offer Severus tea too, when you told him he had to be responsible for your demise?”  She stared straight at his face, and then shook her head when he deigned to respond, “I imagine you did.”

“Minerva - I cannot possibly stress any more the importance of Severus not knowing you know.”

“As you have said, repeatedly.  You just assumed I would think Severus to be capable of that - just your protege of the last - what - fifteen years - the one who defends you so brilliantly, protects you so valiantly, does everything you say - “

“I do not need reminding of this -”

“But I bloody will remind you of this - that protege, and suddenly, you are asking him to kill you and to make it look like he intended to do it, after all this time.”  She suddenly found herself unable to look at her oldest and dearest friend, wrenching her eyes away from the face that she knew was aged with guilt and despondence, but somehow knowing that made absolutely no difference to how she felt right now - how she felt like she needed to run to Severus - the Severus who was wrestling with spying, and teaching, and a war, and now this - this - on top of it all - how she wanted to take him into his arms for a hug and embrace he would never accept, never admit that he truly needed.  “How can you do this?”

“I have no choice, Minerva.  I know you will not believe me - but this time - it is true.”

“There is no one else you can ask?”

“There is no one else, no.  No one else would do it.  No one else would understand.”

Her chest was seized with sudden anger, “I trust you understand precisely why that is, Albus?”

“…Yes, Minerva.”

“Because Severus is just like you - except - not like you at all.  He never did beat you at the game.”

“This is not a game!  This is war!”  He raised his voice, and she turned to face him, fully, confrontationally, her anger building her desire to strike a wounding blow, that instinct to fight for the one Slytherin who no one fought for - “This will destroy him!  He came to you for safety!  He came to you at his weakest - “

“And promised me anything, Minerva, in exchange.”

It appeared Albus was the one to land the wounding blow - she flinched as if he had struck her - picturing - the barely older than a child Severus, promising Albus anything - fifteen years ago - and that her friend, someone she loved so dearly, would hold Severus to that - fifteen years later - “Is…is his debt to you not repaid…?”

Something cold and stony had settled over the other’s face, and she supposed the conversation was at an end, as she was almost out of words to say, and she made to leave, when he did not make to speak.

But.

She paused by the door, and turned back after a moment to regard the so-called greatest wizard of a generation.  “Does that make it right, Albus?”  The tears clung to her eyelashes.  “That you have no choice?  Does that make it right, to destroy him?”  

He had no answer for her.

Because she knew.

And how she hated him for it.

He would say yes.

~ SS19 4th November 2021

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Minvember Day 2 - Get Out

For @mmad-lover of course!  Prompt number 2 is “Get out!” - except I have changed the punctuation. With love, and yes, I have managed a challenge for two days in a row.  Go me.  ~ SS19

~

“Get out.”

If it was meant to be an effective instruction, it failed completely as she ignored it without slowing down.  It had not been exclaimed in anger, so she thought she would take her chances.  After all, she was a Gryffindor, and Gryffindors were meant to be brave.

Or foolish, he would say.

He was often wrong.  He was wrong about Gryffindor foolishness, and he was wrong about thinking she would actually leave, and he was wrong about this entire situation.

“I’d rather stay.”  She offered in response to the dark eyebrows that shot up in indignation that she had, quite simply, completely ignored him.  “I will not repeat the instruction.”

“Good, because I would ignore it again, and again, and again.”  She folded her arms across her emerald chest, “And again, and again - “

“You make your point.”

And so she stared at him, and he stared back at her, and she stared back at him, and he stared back at her.  

She spoke first.

“I am not going anywhere.”

“Neither am I.”

“Well, based on the evidence I can see, I would suggest you are, actually, going somewhere.”

“Really?  If I was to look closely at your robes, I would suggest that they too are travelling, not sleeping, robes.  Which suggest you are also going somewhere.”

“You first, then.”  She straightened her back, and yet he was still just a slight taller than her.  “Where are you going this evening?”

“I am going to rescue the Headmaster.  Despite him expressly forbidding me from doing just that.”

She nodded.  “Interesting.”

“Where might you be going?”

“Dressed like this?  Oh, I am absolutely going to rescue Albus.  Despite him expressly forbidding you from letting me, I imagine.”

“Those were his last words to me.  ‘Do not let her follow.’”  He touched the fingertips of his hands together.  “He is right.  It’s a strategic catastrophe.  We are both likely to die.”

“Quite possibly.”  She responded.

“They will be expecting something.  They will not expect us to just let him go.”

“I’m sure that is the case.”

“They will fight us.  We will be hideously outnumbered.”

“Most likely.”

“So.”

“So?”

“The Headmaster, the great Albus Dumbledore, forbade us from going to rescue him because - it will expose me as a spy, which is a strategic blunder; the Death-Eaters will know we are coming, and will not only outnumber us, but quest simply to destroy us.”

They stood, facing each other, for just that one moment more.

“He knows we are coming, doesn’t he?”

“Oh, Severus.  I can absolutely guarantee he knows we are coming.”

~ SS19 2nd November 2021

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Minvember, Day 2 - Get out!

The war is over and Minerva’s two idiots have shown up alive and well.

She’s mad, of course…