Minerva felt a measure of relief ebb from her bones as the last person left, able to drop the pretense as the 'formidable and venerable' Headmistress because she was finally – alone.
Alone with another one of her students.
Another sharp mind and stout heart that would not see tomorrow's sunrise or even this evenings sunset…
She blinked back another wave of tears that wanted to fall while stepping forward, eyes upon the pile of roses and their petals sprinkled atop Mr. Creevey's casket…
Another student whose life had been cut shorter than her own…
Another student she had to say good-bye to.
And she had already said good-bye to so many…
The first tear slipped off her lashes, landing on her cheek and slowly making its way downward as she pictured her young cub…
She couldn't help think of how many cubs she had lost over the years…
And another tear slipped off her cheek.
And as Albus' face flashed across her thoughts, how many friends…?
Another tear…
Family?
The tears were no longer solitary, the trail readily apparent as they ran down her face…
Amelia's burning blue eyes…
Her lover…
She heard a half-hearted choke, sob…pulled from her lungs as a trembling hand drew to her mouth…
Knowing that she needed to pull herself together; she still had one more day of funerals.
Knowing that now was not the time to lose it…as she needed to be strong…needed the world to know that 'good' prevailed and that yes…they had to rebuild, but they had the strength to do it.
Knowing that the world was looking to her as the Headmistress of Hogwarts; and their stark disbelief when she announced that Hogwarts would be open and running at full capacity by September 1st.
But…
Despite knowing what she had to be…
She knew what she was…
So very tired.
Tired of burying her students, all of them – from Lestrange to Weasley. Tired of being the pillar of strength. Tired of being the last one standing upon the chessboard to defend the king... Tired of re-building and fixing the world… Tired of losing those she cared for…
She felt her head drop, shoulders shaking as gentle sobs slipped unbidden from her lips; because even though she knew she needed to hold it together…she also knew…that she was alone…
And she was tired of that too.