Minerva sat looking off into space in her office, her eyes were glossy and the bags under them were heavier than they had been in years. This years NEWT students were losing sleep, weight, and sanity by the second and she was getting crazed letters from parents, each demanding a reply. She had thought originally to send a generic letter to each parent that sent in a complaint, but then she thought of the implications of two parents sharing their letters with eachother and decided to write personal letters to each parent.
"...so you see, Mr. and Mrs. Peakins, although the sixth year at Hogwarts is very much a taxing journey, we do not force children to study the way they do, we do require exceptional performance to be accepted into the mastery level classes our teachers offer. To be frank, you should be quite happy that Donna didn't get qualities from Horace, as I remember you copied every paper you turned in to me, yet miraculously you passed both OWL and NEWT for transfiguration with E's." She looked to the parchment that her quill was transcribing on and reread the letter. She pursed her lips, thinking back again on Horace Peakins school days,
"Sincerely,
Minerva McGonagal
Headmistress
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry"
The completed letter was folded and flung into its letter, the address scrolling across the front while the flap sealed itself. Minerva put her wand away and decided to take a stroll of the grounds. She needed to get her mind off of school politics, and she thought perhaps a cup of brandy with Hagrid might do the trick, they had become much closer after the war, both of them needing silent companionship and a drink to numb the pain on occasion for Minerva, and quite often for her friend.
She walked down the spiral staircase leaving her office and looked back on the two gargoyles who had always opened at the names of Candies. She thought for a moment and pulled out her wand, whispering an incantation, the last words being "Fever Fudge". She smiled to herself and walked off down the corridor, confidently brisk her pace was and the few students she did come across moved directly out of her way with meek greetings of "headmistress", she paid little attention but when she was out of sight of the 5th student she turned a corner and shape shifted. Her body hunched, she started to grow fur and she came out as a cat with markings around her eyes in the shape of her glasses. A nearby mouse squeaked when it saw the transformation but sat stiff as a board staring in her direction. She got low on her haunches and wiggled her hips, preparing to pounce. The mouse squeaked again in terror but it's brain couldn't communicate with its feet. Minerva jumped across the hall and tackled the mouse, sinking he'd front claws into it and picking it up in her teeth, she shook her head back and forth while the mouse squeaked a few more times then went limp, lifelessly hanging from her teeth. She dropped the mouse, sniffing it as she circled, making sure it was actually dead. Satisfied that she had killed the rodent, she turned and padded off down the hall towards the castle entrance.
She reached the end of the hall and heard a hiss come from behind her, she turned to see Mrs. Norris posturing over her kill, challenging her to come back and fight for it. Minerva had no intention of making a meal of the rodent, she had solely attacked it for sport, but Mrs. Norris had always been territorial and overly aggressive towards her, more so now that albus was gone.
Minerva padded off around the corner, and made her way to Hagrids hut. When she got closer Fang started becoming excited and was barking like a rabid dog. From inside the hut her friend yelled "Quiet Fang! Y'er already two turkey legs fuller than I am, let's calm down." She heard Hagrid get up from his chair and stomp over to Fang. Fangs collar began to clink from side to side as Hagrid roughly scratched his hounds back, a little too roughly, it seemed as she heard "ouch! You don't have to bite! Go outside then you daft dog." The door opened in front of her and fangs nose came directly up to her face, sniffing at her feverishly. She meowed and Hagrid chuckled.
"Right, that makes more sense, good evening Headmistress." Hagrid greeted her, walking into the room, and continued "brandy in a saucer tonight then, I'd think?" He looked to Minerva, slowly dodging Fangs paws to give the dog some chance.
"Right, always wanted to pet y'er head when I give you a saucer." He reached down to see Minerva look directly into his eyes with daring. "Right, ok Headmistress, no petting, don't curse me. It's been a right lot of fun going back to classes these last two years Ma'am. I want t' thank ye' for that." He choked out, tearing up.
Hagrid poured himself a Tankard of Firewhiskey, which by the looks of his drop into the chair must have been at least his third, and sat down watching the animal and animagus play. When the two had calmed down, Fang padded over to his bowl of water and dunked head first, lapping feverishly into the bowl, spilling water everywhere; while Minerva pranced to her saucer and winked at Hagrid, who chuckled in between his quiet tears. He had never forgiven himself for anything that had happened during the wizarding war, no matter how many time she had discussed events and how his actions weren't at fault, he always got to this point when he drank. She had made the mistake of mentioning Dumbledore during a conversation like this and Hagrid wasn't the same for weeks, he cried during classes, he lost 20 pounds, he took more slytherin points in a month than any other teacher in history, and the whole castle could hear he and his brother Grawps roars of battle from the forbidden forest, where he got some nasty scars. She never made that mistake again, and lately she had been only coming to visit like this, hoping to appease Hagrids love for animals and help him through his drinks. She had finished her saucer and Meowed, Hagrid had learned that meant, "another please if you would", and rose to oblige, reaching down to pat her head.
"Ye'r a gud lady, Hea'mistress." He said, as Minerva allowed him to pat her, he was becoming the Hagrid she loved, lost in the moment and happy. He sat back down and watched her lap at the brandy, sneezing every so often when she took too big a gulp, he chuckled. "Slow down mum, ye'll be too slow for even fang if ye'r stumbling."
When she finished her saucer, Hagrid was nearly asleep, she looked at the big man, in his giant chair and cocked her head. 'He's such a good heart' she thought. She padded over to him and nustled his leg, circling it twice, before jumping from floor to chair, chair to table.
She turned to look at him, slowly tilting his head closer and closer to the top of his tankard, which she decided needed to be moved before he crushed it, or his skull, depending which was stronger. She'd have wagered his head was stronger, but didn't want to test the theory so nibbled his finger until he let go and pushed the tankard to the side with her head. 'Sleep well gentle giant,' she thought and turned to leave. Fang looked up and moved to a seated position, whining a bit. She jumped down from the table and played with him a bit more before he laid back down.
She batted his tail a few times before letting him settle down to sleep. She got back up to the table and looked to the window. Hmm, the counter had a few bottles, this would be a tricky jump. She drew back a bit, wiggling her hips in preparation and lept, landing precisely in between three bottles of firewhiskey, sliding a bit as she landed almost knocking one over.
She meowed at Hagrid as she lept out the window into the pumpkin patch. She shivered off the chill she got when she left the house and began making her way up the grounds to the castle. When she approached the doors she sensed someone watching her, the hair on her back stood on end. She looked around and saw Mrs. Norris bounding out of the shadows on her right. 'I've put up with your attitude for nearly 20 years, little cat, I am headmistress of this school and I am the alpha.' She thought as she leapt to intercept a confident Mrs. Norris. The cats hissed and snarled at eachother, both landing claws in the mid section as they rolled to separate.
McGonagal postured and hissed wildly, batting the air in front of her, as Mrs. Norris shied away a bit, but she wasn't done just yet. Mrs. Norris charged her as she took another bat at the air, but Minerva was too quick, she dodged to the left and landed a well placed claw above the other cats eye. Mrs. Norris howled and hissed as she turned for another go at Minerva, and Minerva was done playing games. Mrs. Norris got right up on her and she lept over her, grabbing her tail between her teeth and tugging forcefully. Mrs. Norris was flung through the air and slid across the castle stairs falling to the second step and picking herself back up slowly. Mrs. Norris circled the spot she landed, keeping her eyes on Minerva, who stood gallantly, before springing towards the other cat. Mrs. Norris rolled onto her back and splayed her paws wide, showing submission, Minerva stopped short and hissed. Turning towards the castle Minerva raised her tail and sauntered towards the door. As she approached the door she turned back to human form and flung her wand, as the doors victoriously opened wide with a thud and clang of the handles. She walked back to her quarters and fell asleep, unconsciously turning into a cat and nestling into a ball in the center of her bed