Modern Histories
Minnie lay in her dormitory one afternoon complexed by the insanity of everything that had happened, and the prospect looming towards her in the future.
Minnie didn't excite herself at the prospect of her classmates woes. It would only be a few days until their groans would echo the hallways. Their biggest worries would of course be the lack of Hogsmead trips and the heightened security.
Minnie suspected her classmates would be devastated to learn that Hogsmead Visits had been indefinitely suspended. Students who lived in Hogsmead would be expected to be accompanied by a parent or teacher at all times.
Minnie though knew there were more pressing matters.
Minnie and Alice had never been to the castle during break, or at least not in recent memory. It was odd to see the dormitories nearly empty besides a few stragglers. Very few students ever stayed for holidays.
None of Minnie's roommates or friends stayed over the break. It seemed the only Gryffindor to have stayed behind was Jonah. Jonah had begun to be far nicer to Alice, actually joining her in a few of her morning stretches.
He was not particularly limber. His burly sort of body looked ridiculous as he attempted the very intricate poses Alice had become a master at.
"Anything to make the team next year." He exclaimed as Minnie inquired as to his interest. "If it works for your sister, it can work for me."
Minnie kept herself busy without the humiliation of Alice's stretches.
She kept busy by practicing her guitar.
There had been a lot of people writing to her father and several ministry officials came by. Aunt Flume in her grief, insisted upon shutting down Honeydukes until she could find someone to buy the business if possible. They had no children to take it over and Minnie's family was the only next of kin.
Minnie felt horrible about Josie's dad. George Weasley was a respected and beloved wizard, so the impact of his disappearance was felt everywhere. Not to mention he was the brother-in-law of the Minister of Magic, so this wasn't being taken lightly. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes remained open, ran by Ron of course.
Cas also kept her fairly occupied, sending her letters. It was a nice reminder that their lovely day together hadn't been imaginary.
Their letters only mildly discussed the investigation, they worried someone might read their correspondence. They included clippings from the Prophet discussing the investigation.
Warlock Glass continued his bleak reports. Stating that if Flume had been found in his current state, it was only a matter of time until the others were found in the same fate.
His letters weren't love letters or anything of the vulgar sort, but he did write how much he missed her company while they were apart. He kept mentioning he was counting down the days to see her again.
It was only a few days now and they could resume their conversations and with any luck, they could continue whatever it was they had between them.
Minnie sat up in her bed, she only had a few days until class was supposed to start.
Her brain burst into terror.
She hadn't finished the book and she only had a few days to write a report. She'd never missed an assignment before! Surely her grades would suffer.
She grabbed the unfinished book from under her bed. She peeled open the pages and continued on her reading.
It wasn't at all what she'd expected.
If she hadn't known the eventual outcome, she'd have slammed the book shut. Instead she continued reading. She finished the book before swiping a spot of supper from the kitchens. She continued to the library where she picked up a few more articles of reading. This included the sequel to her mother's book.
She was so intrigued after finishing the books about her mother, that she picked up the book her mother had written about her Godfather. She read that book into the night, with the moon high in the sky and glowing.
She finished her reading with more questions she worried she couldn't leave unanswered.
Had so many people in her life really been through all of that? Were the people she knew really such amazing wizards and witches? She had worried this would happen when she read the books.
She had never truly thought to wonder too much about her parents.
She left the common room with only the stars through the window guiding her through Hogwarts's halls to her parent's room, abutting her father's office.
She cautiously knocked on the door.
The door was cracked open a moment later, her mother answered in her soft pink dressing gown. The wrinkled edges around her face disguising the brave girl she'd obviously once been. The disheveled nature of her hair looking like a far cry from the powerful woman who had once ran The Daily Prophet.
Duke the dragon was asleep on her shoulder, looking a far cry from the terrifying dragon who had once charged into battle.
"Minerva? It's three in the morning baby." Her mother looked her over. She shakily touched her cheek and then forehead. "Is everything alright baby? Are you ill? Is something wrong with Alice?"
"No, mum, I just-" Minnie couldn't explain it all or everything she felt. Knowing what her parents had been through at the very age she was. Minnie grabbed her mum around the waist and hugged her, "We're studying modern histories."
Her mother wrapped her into her arms before kissing the top of her head. She just let Minnie hold her.
"Is everything alright?" Minnie's dad asked, looking flustered and sleepy with Artie under his arm.
Minnie tried to imagine him helping to end the war. She tried to imagine him standing against some of the darkest wizards in history, as just an unremarkable boy. It was difficult to picture as he stood in his gray pajamas.
"Is Minnie ok?" Her father asked.
Her mum looked up, her arms still around Minnie as she responded, "They are studying modern histories."
"Damnit. Binns should really have given us a better heads up. Especially with everything going on." Her dad said before rubbing his neck. He grimaced slightly as he asked, "Should I make tea?"
Her mum nodded, "And maybe fetch something stronger too?"
He nodded in response.
A few moments later Minnie had yet to leave her mother's arms but now they were positioned at the end of her parent's bed.
She had a flask of sleeping draft in one hand and a cup of tea in the other. Artie slept upon her lap, cooing as she snored.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Her dad asked sitting beside her. He was looking at the wall before him but his eyes were darting. It was as if he were reading a cue before him.
Minnie nodded before sipping her tea.
Minnie noticed a trace of shaking as her mother ran her hand through Minnie's hair.
"Anything you want to know, we're here." Her mother said.
"Did-did you guys-" Minnie wasn't sure where to start, there was so much to unpack emotionally. Duke had wrapped himself around her shoulders. His presence gave her a good first question, "Did you guys really have fire whiskey with the Weird Sisters?"
Both of her parents began laughing.
"Yes, we did." Her mum giggled.
There were more important questions to follow, ones that her parents answered with complete honesty. They were occasionally garish in a few descriptions. They occasionally laughed together as they remembered aloud about being two unremarkable teenagers during a remarkable time.
Her mother explained that Albert had possibly embellished a bit for a more cohesive narrative. However, it was mostly all fact.
After finally getting some sleep and plenty of answers, Minnie went to work, writing her report. Per Binn's instructions, she went strictly off of the book and not her parents' personal narrative. However, her mum did something she rarely had insisted upon since the girls had started Hogwarts, she checked Minnie's grammar.
Minnie was nervous the day everyone was supposed to return to Hogwarts. She was excited to see her friends, but terrified to see what kind of state Josie was in. Especially since her father was missing.
Lysander and Cody sat beside her and Alice in the Great Hall after getting off of the Hogwarts Express.
"So I hear you and Warrington are an item now." Cody said sitting down beside her with a thud. He was smiling, but cautiously.
"Where'd you hear that?"
Lysander sat down and began playing with the soup before him. Chasing the little noodles with his spoon. His eyes refused to meet anyone's.
"Warrington told Brenna on the train to leave you alone." Cody said with a little cough, "That he didn't like anyone poking jokes at his girlfriend. So is it true?"
Minnie hadn't thought about the fact she was his girlfriend. She liked the concept, she'd never been a girlfriend before.
"Oh it's true, they've snogged and everything." Alice said callously, barely looking up. "And they write all the time."
"Thanks a lot Lissy." Minnie understood her sister's indifference, but felt rather hurt by her outbound incapability to keep things to herself.
"What?" Alice snarled and stuck out her tongue, "It's the truth you two are dating now and you have snogged."
"Oh juicy!" Cody said putting his hand to his face, "Not that he's particularly my favorite human, but I've heard he's a fine snogger. I need every blaring little detail."
She felt it would be more important to change the subject, "Where's Josie?"
"I dunno, she won't talk to any of us." Lysander insisted finally looking up.
"I saw her get on the train, her brother Fred brought her." Cody informed.
Lysander optioned, "I think she went to the common room."
Minnie didn't hesitate to grab a few pasties. Josie always had a healthy appetite and if she was in a state of grief, she should eat.
As she began to leave, she ran into Cas by the entrance to the Great hall. He ho planted a very public peck onto her cheek.
Minnie's eyes darted back to her sister and friends. Alice and Lysander didn't look up, both turning a ghastly shade of purple. Cody on the other hand seemed enthused, waving a large thumbs up into the air.
Brenna looked like she was about to vomit from the Slytherin table. Several Slytherin students peered their heads to look as well. The Quidditch team looked positively revolted. Minnie wondered if Cas would face any repercussions for their relationship.
"Where are you going sweetheart?" Cas asked looking to the pasties in her hands. "Hungry?"
"Josie's in the common room." Minnie explained, honestly regretting that she couldn't spend time with him, "I know she probably hates me, but her dad's missing and all. I figured she could use some dinner."
"Weasley's a Pratt, but I can't imagine what she's going through." He nodded before kissing her cheek again, "Save a seat for me in class tomorrow?"
"Of course." She answered, she supposed that was a girlfriend sort of activity.
She continued up to her dormitory and cautiously entered. The sobs from their shared room were dulcet.
Josie was on her bed, laying like a baby. Tears streamed from her eyes staining her face's features like a water fountain.
"I don't want to talk to you." Josie said through a sob after noticing Minnie's entrance.
Minnie nodded before sitting down beside Josie on her bed. "You don't have to."
Josie didn't say anything else. She sat up slowly before putting her head onto Minnie's shoulder. Her red hair itched Minnie's neck, but she paid little attention to it.
Minnie wrapped her arm around let Josie. Josie's chest began to heave and continued to cry. The hot tears wetting Minnie's robes.
Minnie was still upset at how Josie had treated her sister. She considered that they would eventually have to discuss it. Presently, Minnie accepted that there were more important things currently. Her friend was grieving and in a sorrowful state of unknowing.
Minnie knew the Aurors were working hard to look for the missing people. However, they hadn't found them yet and the first had been missing nearly six months. Minnie decided the next day that she and Cas would buckle down on trying to solve the case, because now it was personal.