minnie

His smile slipped; it hadn’t been that strong to begin with, really, but he hated feeling this emotional all the time. It wasn’t how James Fleamont Potter operated. “No, it wasn’t that, really.” For once, he didn’t have any extra questions. “I just feel like … I should be doing more? I don’t know what though.”

She hated fake smiles, she never threw them to the other students- she never tried to make them fele better unless they reall needed to ; she usually just saw, with her resting bitch-face, impassive and gave riddled advices. ‘ You can be there for your friends.’ she answered quickly. ‘ That’s enough for one person alone, mister Potter.’

“My tongue kind of slipped, I suppose.” Nadezhda said rapidly. “I would never knowingly speak that way to anyone, Professor, especially not you.” She said, feeling like a sycophant; and perhaps she was, to professors. “It must be the stress of school.”

‘ If only my tongue would kind of slip like that...’ the professor shook her head at the other’s words; she felt like she was going insane in all honesty. ‘ Just the stress of school? Well, then i suggest you’d sleep at night and you’ll feel better.’

“Don’t we all?” He offered, sitting down. “A lot happened.”

‘ And does this ‘a lot’ let you sleep?’ Minerva turned to face him out of a sudden.

Nadezhda’s eyes widened. She tried to cover her fear in vain. “Please, allow me to apologize most profusely for that.” Damn. Now she would have to Owl her father to send McGonagall a benign necklace or something in recompense.

She stood silent as she arched an eyebrow towards the other, waiting for her to continue talking; she would say it’s not needed, the words were already spoken, but she stood still, waitiing. 

Remus gulped, standing up and stepping forward into Minervas office.

She rounded the office and took a seat, she gestured for him to do so as well. ‘ Mister Lupin, you seem to have a lot on your mind.’

Shit. Nadezhda hadn’t seen that the person she had nearly collided with was a professor. “I said, how are you today, Professor?” She said meekly, praying that the sharp woman wouldn’t mention her true, previous comment.

‘ Unfortunately for you, I’m not getting out of your bloody way.’ the professor rosponded with a icy glare thrown towards the other; while she understood the rushness, she was never one to not take the opportunity in speaking back to a student. ‘ But, I’m sure your tehnique will work on others.’

Poppy’s hand shook as she reorganized one of the tables beside a cot for what might have been the twentieth time. She cursed herself for losing her composure so easily. She was Head Nurse she had dealt with blood and life threatening injuries often enough to be promoted to such a position and yet she’d practically fainted after looking out of the window to see a dead - no, brutally murdered - student. Now she stood there, desperate to do anything more to help but after having helped with the wounded students she was no longer doing enough to distract herself from the horror.

“I’m sorry,” she said as she realized someone was behind her. She didn’t turn around yet, composing herself before she would. “I’m very sorry, how can I help? Do you need to talk? Or are you hurt?” Finally, she turned around, a shaky smile gracing her lips as she did so.

Minerva had found the other shaking that morning and she didn’t have time to be heartfelt about it; she only had time about making sure every matter is taken care of and they’re doing everything they can for no other student to be killed. It has been quiet some time now and she was finally having some time. Because in times like this, she knew no staff was alright, especially someone as affected as Poppy.

‘ Fortunately, no.’ she declared with a solemn nod. ‘ I was wondering if you need to talk  as a matter of fact.’ 

The charms professor closed the door behind him, slumping in his office chair. Six of his students, dead. All of them were bright, promising, good people. And now they were dead. Anger coursed through his viens, so uncommon for the usually good natured professor. 

A knock at the door pulled the professor from his musings. “Hm? Come in.”

Minerva had some thoughts in mind; some dark thoughts- it was scandalos; what happened, what they were going to do next was uncertain and she knew they needed to assure the students everything is going to be arlight. But, there were the parents of the deceased ones. That was...a harder subject. She had thought that maybe her fellow professor had something in mind, thoughts to share- anything was good right now.

She entered inside of his office and closed the door after her, she swiftly turned around to face him. ‘ I hope I’m not interrupting.’ she started politely. 

Remus was shaking. He sunk down into the couch he and the other Marauders had basically claimed as their own. He stared at his hands, before looking up at the person standing across from him. “That could have been me.”

‘ Mister Lupin,’ she adressed him kindly. She let the other student she was previously talking to, go. ’ My office, now  if you have the time and will, please.’ she announced before walking towards the door.

Bertram paced back and forth nervously, running the fabric of his robes between their fingers as they stared at the entrance to the common room. The news was horrifying to say the least, so many dead…they’d gone from celebrating with their friends to standing in the common room scared for their life. But more than that, they were worried for Mary. She’d not come back to the common room since she was found, and Bertram had heard the news from a couple of gossiping students in passing. They took a shaky breath, sinking into a chair, face pale.

As a professor, she made her duty to walk around the common rooms when students were shaken; she entered inside of the Hufflepuff common rooms to say a few words with the Prefects, but when she saw Bertam shaking onto the couch, she had to check on him.

‘ Mister Aubrey. Would you be kind enough to come with me to my office?’

At some point, Kingsley’s brain had gone haywire. His colleagues were behaving professionally ━ like they’d been in a likewise situation before, but he was close to losing it. There were six kids dead, their bodies mutilated in ways he’d never even been able to imagine before. Oh yes, he was definitely losing it. 

They were discussing victim number three, Florence Caulfield, who had suffered from some electricity or lightning based attack. With his head in his hands, Kingsley’s sleep-deprived, delirious brain had replied with “well, that must’ve been a shocking experience”, before realizing that was definitely not an appropriate reaction, judging by the look of the others.

In an attempt to diffuse the tension and escape the glares coming his way, he declared he needed some air, only to open the door and almost walk straight into another figure.

“I do apologize,” He spoke quickly, holding out a hand if they needed to be steadied and a regretful expression on his face. “Are you quite alright?”

Minerva frowned - students bumping into her were on a regular basis, but she expected more from Aurors, from people like Kingsley who need to be collected- while she understood it, she understood why the other was petrified, unscanned, unsure; she was also a professional and had a good exterior masque.

Age and experience matter for sure.

‘ I am not, but thank you for asking, dear Kingsley.’ her voice was stern. ‘ You don’t look alright, perhaps a walk around the castle would help you? I have some spare minutes.’

“I was wondering if you might have any spare blood I could snack on. I’ve got a nagging cold that just won’t go away and some A Positive would really help… kick it.” 

Minerva sighed- she was done with these kids. ‘ Well, of course- don’t you want some cat blood?’

“Never a mistake when I come to see you, Professor,” James said, with his most charming smile. “But if you’re busy, I’d be happy to come back again later. I wouldn’t want to interrupt you.”

‘ I thought you might be conerned about the events- which I don’t have any  answer to you than what I told this morning.’ she went to the Gryffindor commons that day and talked, advised for them to owl their parents and be sure everybody knows about it. One of her died- many other students did. ‘ But, you always have extra questions- what is it, Potter?’

Nadezhda was just, well, lurking. That was when she rounded a corner and abruptly almost collided with another. She sent a glare their direction. “Get the bloody hell out of my way.”

‘ Excuse me?’ the professor blinked at the other, eyebrows raising as in challenging the other to continue. ‘ Do repeat yourself, please.’

WHO: Dumbledore and the Professors WHEN: Late September, 10pm, just after curfew

“I’ll take that in mind, Horace.” Said Dumbledore warmly. It was the end of the most recent staff meeting and he had spent the last five minutes of the meeting listening to Horace try to convince him to attend the next party he would be throwing. – Luckily, he noticed a break in the conversation and turned towards the rest of the staff, “Any other concerns or suggestions before we retire to bed?” He smiled happily, “Or compliments and praise? Both are most welcome.”

Minerva looked around to see if any of the others had to say something- she bit the inside of her cheek not to comment on her fellow professor’s words all the time he had been speaking and right now, she was just waiting for the others to express their feelings. ‘ I actually had something in mind- the students have been a little down lately due  everythinng happening around the world. Maybe we could do something to make sure they’re alright- talking with them more would help?’