Poppy had to help Minerva clean her wounds from the battle. She had a few scratches on her face. Bellatrix had nearly killed her a couple times that night.
"Here you go, Love," said Poppy as she was finishing cleaning her wounds. "All done. Good as new."
"Poppy, he's not really dead, is he?" she asked as tears streamed down her face.
"Yes, he is," Poppy said solemnly.
Minerva started to cry harder.
"Let's get you into a gown, love," said Poppy as she pulled out a nightgown from Minerva's armoire and handed it to her.
"Poppy, what am I going to tell the children?" Minerva asked as she went behind the screen to change into her nightclothes.
"The truth. Their father fought bravely and died for what he believed in," said Poppy.
"But Severus killed him! You know that he was Haidan's favorite teacher when he went here," sobbed Minerva.
Poppy was not sure how to answer that one. She pulled the covers back on Minerva's bed as Minerva stepped out from behind the screen. Her hair was still up in that tight bun. Poppy looked at it and wondered if she ever let her hair down because that bun looked very painful.
"Aren't you going to take out your bun?" asked Poppy.
"Oh," said Minerva as she started taking her bun out. Minerva just wished that her friend would leave her alone with her thoughts so she could have a good cry and let it all out. Hopefully, Poppy will not drug her with the sleeping drought like she does with all of the distraught students.
Poppy had Minerva lay down in the bed.
"I am not going to give you a drought," smiled Poppy. "I will let you cry it out."
"Poppy, can I ask you a favor?" asked Minerva.
"Yes, anything love," said Poppy.
"I need you to send owls Moira, Haidan, Anna, and Brian for me. I can't bare to do it right now," sighed Minerva.
Poppy nodded and left as Minerva tried to sleep.
Hours had past and she still could not sleep. Thankfully, Poppy was not back from writing those letters to her children yet. Minerva transfigured herself into a cat and walked to where they kept Albus's body in repose.