Headmaster Severus Snape was beginning to regret buying a familiar. iCats were supposed to be independent and intelligent, weren't they? So why did this particular cat seem to think a dog was its mother?/i
He sighed and headed toward the tower where his newest professor lived. He still wasn't sure why Luna Lovegood wanted to teach, much less something as prosaic as Arithmancy when she could be out chasing Snorkacks or whatever it was that she claimed existed, but she was qualified and stayed out of his way for the most part. Unfortunately for him, his new familiar, Sultana, seemed to believe that Professor Lovegood's Labradoodle, (iwhat a ridiculous name for a dog breed, he didn't care that it was part poodle/i) Sophia, was her mother.
He reached the tower room and began to knock on the door, when it was opened, apparently by the damned dog. Sultana promptly jumped on his shoulder, meowing plaintively, and Sophia was whining and nudging him. This behavior was rather unusual.
"Is there something wrong with Professor Lovegood?" the headmaster questioned the dog before he thought too much about what he was doing.
"Whuff!" Sophia responded quietly.
Headmaster Snape took that as an affirmative and headed toward the bedroom. There he found Luna lying on her bed, eyes swollen from crying, staring at the ceiling. This frightened him, as he had gotten used to Luna's eccentric energy.
Severus sat in the chair at the side of Luna's bed and asked quietly, "Professor Lovegood, what is the matter?"
This bit of kindness startled Luna so badly that she actually answered.
"Rolf got married last weekend!" she sobbed out. "I was hoping that some time would be all it took, but apparently it wasn't that he didn't want to get married, it was that he didn't want to marry me!
"If Mr. Scaramander cannot see the value in you, Miss Lovegood, then you are well quit of him. Now stop sobbing, and please convince my cat that she is a cat, and not a puppy? I would like her home." stated Severus.
The stark note in the headmaster's voice prompted Luna to comply. When she processed what he said, she smiled to herself. Her mother had always told her that when a door closed, a window would open. She went out, picked up Sultana, murmured to her then handed her to Severus.
"Here you go, Headmaster. She should stay with you for a while." Luna smiled at Severus. "And thank you."
Her smile seemed warmer to Severus. "No need, Miss Lovegood. I'm sure I will be seeing you soon. That cat has a mind of her own." Severus then turned and walked out, hoping that Sultana would decide to return to the tower room soon.