Pride in Grief || Ted & Minerva
Weekends at Hogwarts were a more sedate affair, students played, worked and even had visits from family members. The staff kept order (depending on who was on shift) or left the castle to attend to their own affairs. Minerva, still reluctant to spend too much time in that new office had taken to roaming the grounds near the entrance to the school. That wretched article a few days ago still played on her mind but she was loathe to give the thoughts too much attention lest they bring with them too many unwanted emotions.
It wasn’t that Minerva refused to grieve, to mourn the loss of her mentor and dear friend; simply that she would not give into grand displays of grief. Minerva didn’t have the luxury of any sort of breakdown with the other staff members all looking on and several nosey ignoramuses at the ministry more than willing to see her replaced with someone ‘more suitable for the position.’
Keeping an eye on the students as a cat was a way to distract herself and keep an ear out for any troubles they may have been having. She’d just watched two students, siblings leave the ground with their parents for an afternoon in Hogsmeade and felt a little relief, the younger of the two had been very inattentive in classes the last few days and she suspected the news had more than a little to do with it; some time in a parents embrace would do them good.
She was preparing to head back to the castle when an easily recognisable figure apparented just outside the boundary of the grounds; Mr. Tonks. Wondering who he was stopping by to visit, Minerva waited for him to get a little closer before meowing softly and, with the elegance only a feline could possess, hopped down from the large rock she was perched upon in three easy jumped and transformed back to herself halfway through the final one, landing gracefully with her emerald robes swishing slightly.
“Mr. Tonks.” she greeted with a small nod, “Back to brush up on your charm work?” she asked dryly, though one who knew her would recognise the joke.