September sun and October laughs
*September 1st, 1973*
Minerva knows her cottage is considered by many to be her home, but for her it’s always been a vacation. She finds this funny as she’s the only one who disagrees. She loves her cottage but she always more comfortable at Hogwarts in her robes rather than the cottage in muggle attire.
She notices her breath and shoulders relaxing as she reaches platform 9 3/4. She hadn’t realized they had been stressed.
Minnie doesn’t mind whichever compartment she sits in, never does as long as it’s quiet. Waking up early for the train, she likes to sleep on the train as well.
She finds an empty one and sits down on the cushioned seat by the window and leans her head in the wall. Before the train had started moving and the first years were finishing saying and hugging goodbye to their parents, Minerva had nodded off.
~~~~
The bottom of the sun was meeting the tops of the trees when Minnie had fallen asleep. When she woke up it had just passed halfway through the sky.
Poppy was in the compartment as well, reading. As Minerva stirred awake, she looked up from her book. Her curly blonde hair no longer than three months ago and resting on her shoulders. Her green eyes twinkled and glowed with the early afternoon, September sun.
She placed down her book that was resting in her hands.
“I thought about resting my eyes as well, I woke up up early and thought it would be nice but I just got back from a trip to America and the time had me off and I’d never get back to Scottish time if I took a nap now.”
Poppy smiled and chuckled. She laughed just hard enough that the lowers half of her top and bottom teeth began to show.
Minerva noted how softly the words slipped from her teeth. Each syllable being carefully wrapped and gifted to Minnie. She could only wish to speak that gracefully herself.
“What were you doing in America?” Minerva asked.
“There was some research being done there on the creation of some new healing potions.” Poppy explained. Once again using soft words.
Minerva wanted to ask more about it. She wanted to hear more of Poppy’s words. She wants her to talk forever. She wouldn’t have understood the research. She wouldn’t have minded though as long as it was Poppy who was talking about it.
Minerva nodded in acknowledgment towards Poppy’s explanation of her summers travels.
Poppy continued to pick her book back up and continue reading.
“I missed you.” Poppy said gently, not looking up from her book.
“I missed you too.”
“What did you do this summer?”
“Gardening.”
~~~~
Minerva didn’t see Poppy again until the next full moon. She had news for her.
“Minerva.” Poppy paused, looking excitedly at Minnie. “James, Sirius and Peter started calling Remus ‘Moony!’ how funny is that!” Poppy must’ve learned of it recently as she was still laughing almost hysterically.
Moony, the very fitting nickname. Surely after the lycanthric condition. Minnie began laughing with a small exhale of relief that Remus’s friends now knew and weren’t upset over it.
Poppy had placed her hands on Minerva’s shoulders, nearly doubling over in laughter.
Minerva placed her hands over Poppy’s and laughed with her until their stomaches hurt.
Minerva wanted this feeling to last forever.
She was worried it’ll be the last time. But she didn’t want to think about that right now. She only wanted to think about Poppy.
~~~~
October 1973
The troublesome, now fourth year boys in her fourth year transfigurations class, had regularly began referring to their scarred friend as “Moony” and Minerva at first didn’t notice other students’ curious looks whenever it was mentioned as she’d always laugh about it herself and remember Poppy’s laugh about it.