Chapter Text
Minerva loved her students. She really did. But she had a secret favouritism towards the self-named Marauders and a certain Regulus Black. It amazed her, how a group of four, so very different people, could build a friendship so strong to overcome as much as they did.
And then there was Regulus. He had always been an extraordinary student. She watched him closely, ever since his first year when everyone, including herself, had expected a second Sirius and they got a complete opposite of him.
Where Sirius was loud, Regulus was silent.
Where Sirius was running around, Regulus was sitting still and watching silently.
While Sirius was a known prankster together with his friends, Regulus was a mystery only a few people get to know.
Regulus was incredibly talented in everything he did. Not in the way James Potter was. He never seemed to have to work for anything and still got almost all O’s. But Regulus used his knowledge and abilities in a way little amount of people know how to. Minerva often saw him revise notes in the library, almost as much as she saw him reading material way above his year. So, when he one day asked her something about the process of becoming an animagi, she didn’t hesitate to tell him, knowing, if there was one person (next to the marauders) who could pull it off, it would be Regulus Arcturus Black. Even though he told her nothing about wanting to become on himself, they both knew that she knew.
When about a year later a small black kitten started visiting her in her office she didn’t say a word.
Since the day he asked about her process, they often talked a little after class. Almost exclusively about schoolwork and things alike, but sometimes a little “how are you, mister black” and surprisingly a “How is Sirius?” would be a part of their conversation. It was McGonagall who introduced Regulus to Pandora for a class project between all four houses. Dorcas, who Regulus sometimes talked to was being paired with another Ravenclaw, Barty Crouch Jr. and Pandoras Brother Evan was quickly introduced as well.
Nonetheless, the black kitten (who grew rather rapidly into a, still not very tall, Cat) still visited Minerva in her office.
About a month into Their seventh year the Marauders had another Transfiguration lesson in which they did nothing but joking around and definitely not behaving but still managed to do the work. Though McGonagall would bet 3 galleons that Remus Lupin swiftly switched his perfectly transfigured cup with Peter Pettigrew’s and did the other one again.
The class was just over and it was now time for lunch. Together with all of the students Minerva left and locked her classroom to go to the great hall. On her way there she saw the four boys walking almost in front of her, when she heard Sirius cackling: “Prongs, you’re like the Brother I never had”. And while unnoticed by the four seventh years. A black-haired boy suddenly stood frozen, looking after them. Minerva saw the boy gaining back his body control and turning in the middle of the hallway walking away from the great hall.
Wanting to give the boy space, she continued walking toward the great hall.
Minerva couldn’t remember when the last time was, she ate so fast, but a moment later she was getting up again and was on her way to her office.
Having arrived there, she put on the kettle and sat down in her chair by the desk and started grading some papers she had from her fourth years. A while and two cups of tea later, she heard an almost silent meow. Looking up from her desk she saw the black cat sitting in front of her desk, seemingly having gotten in through the cat door.
When she nodded, he jumped up in her lap laying down. Minerva didn’t know that cats could cry, she never had to while being in her Animagus form, but as she started to pet the little black cat while grading papers, she suddenly felt tears on her skirt.
Minerva didn’t mention it, didn’t even say a word just kept petting and grading, until it was dark outside and she finished her last preparations for tomorrow’s lessons. Regulus, who was still laying in her lap noticed this and got up. After jumping down from the chair, he turned to leave through the cat door.
“Mister Black”, the cat froze but then looked up.
Minerva looked at him with slight worry in her eyes.
“If you ever need something or even just someone to talk to, my door is always open”.
The black cat nodded and then left. After letting out a breath Minerva didn’t know she had held, she shook her head. Poor Boy. Having his brother leave just a year earlier, had taken a lot of him. Back then she had noticed the dark circles under his eyes and his tendency to take a lot of prefect shifts of patrolling through the castle after curfew. Back then she had told him to try and use some of these hours to sleep instead. It got better after that, but this didn’t mean it was good.
Now Minerva is worried even more for the boy. But having an open door and ear for him is all she could do for now.