Grandma McGonagall

It all began with the new substitute teacher.

She was young, inexperienced, and seeking popularity. This was her first paid assignment ever, and she was determined to make a success of it. She'd make all the students love her!

Pre-teens are quick to catch on to a teacher's need to win their liking. Discipline went out the window. Nobody paid attention to her, nobody stopped talking, some of them danced on their desks, some blew soap bubbles, some used all the chalk to graffiti the walls.

She was at her wits' end. What was she to do?

Her grandmother had been principal of a school before she'd retired. One evening, after a particularly wearisome day with the class, she went to her grandma's house to seek advice.

"Hmmm. Yes," Grandma said, on hearing what had happened thus far. "You need to show them who is boss from the beginning or they'll walk all over you. Anyway, now, take them on a picnic."

Had she heard right? "A picnic, Grandma?"

"Picnic. I'll come along. Give me a list of all their names, won't you?"

She had a photocopy of the list in her handbag. She gave it to Grandma, puzzled.

She organised the picnic. It was to be in the nearby field, so as to be walking distance from school. A couple of the other teachers volunteered to help. Grandma said she'd meet them there.

When they got within sight of the field, the children started to mutter and point at something, and then exclaim aloud.

"What is it?"

It was a cart, all decorated. Next to it stood an elderly woman in scarlet robes.

"Professor McGonagall?"

Grandma raised her voice. "Now, all of you are approaching your 11th birthday, aren't you?"

"Yes!"

"Well, Hogwarts is going to conduct some special classes for you, in your school, this coming year. But before that ..."

She gestured toward her cart. "Before you can take the classes, you have to find the fortune cookie with your name on it. Now, form two lines and search ... Don't open them till I say so."

It was remarkable how disciplined they could be. Two lines materialised. Two children at a time got to the cart, looked at the cookies, wrapped in shiny paper, found the one with their name on, and moved aside. They waited in impatient silence.

When everyone had his or her cookie, Grandma faced them.

"The message in each cookie is ONLY for the one who gets it to know. Letting it out to ANYONE else breaks the Fidelius Charm and makes your entry to the special classes null and void. That means, if you tell anyone what your message was, you don't get to attend the classes. Understood?"

"Understood."

"So now, find a secret place, unwrap your cookie and pull the message out. Read it and hide it in your pocket. Then eat your cookie and come back for the rest of the picnic."

Various young people went around to different spots in the field. It sounded like the tiniest breeze blowing as all opened the wrappers simultaneously. Various young people read their own personal message from Hogwarts.

"Timmy. You have been chosen to help keep discipline. Make sure the class is quiet and make sure everyone hands in their assignments. Yours sincerely, Prof. Sprout (Special-Class-Co-ordinator)"

It worked like a charm. Each student, proud to be chosen by Prof. Sprout, behaved better.

Grandma was as good as her word. She did, indeed, conduct special classes at the end of the term. The classes were in 'magic' - the magic of chemistry, the magic of physics and the magic of cooking. Everyone got to attend. Everyone was enthralled at the experiments, and the results. The results of the cooking experiments resulted in a party.

And, with the newfound discipline and respect, the substitute teacher could teach properly, and showed them the magic of passion in a subject and enthusiasm about one's job.

*****

EPILOGUE: 19 Years Later

The young substitute teacher is now Deputy Headmistress.

And the class is having its re-union.

They're married now, those who were pre-teens at Grandma's picnic. They have jobs of their own.

And, during the re-union, some of them brought along the 'fortunes', which they'd still got, carefully preserved in autograph books or scrap books.

"No wonder discipline improved so much! All of us were made monitors and had to behave ourselves to set the example!"

"I tricked you, with my Grandma's help," a voice said behind them. "But will you forgive me?"

"I guess we will, you'll know the magic of our forgiveness!"