The Marriage Decree

Chapter 96: Will You Stop Waving It Around Like That?

Minerva awakes in her chambers at half-past five, she has every morning since she took over as headmistress after the end of the war. The daily correspondence from the Ministry is owled over at six o'clock and before she gets down to business, she likes to pretend she has half an hour to spare and enjoy breakfast down in the kitchens with the house-elves, who, the majority of, are more than accommodating.

However, this morning, Darius Cain, her Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, is sat in her usual seat enjoying his own bowl of porridge with berries when she arrives.

"Darius, lovely to see that you do eat breakfast, you rarely dine in the Great Hall." She makes the observation as she sits adjacent to him.

"I prefer to eat alone." He mutters, head leaning against his propped-up arm.

"I apologise for intruding then, although I've never seen you down here before." She adds, thinking about reading her newspaper instead of interrupting the man's breakfast when a house-elf presents her with her porridge and berries for breakfast. "Thank you."

"I usually take my breakfast in my office as I mark homework but I didn't feel like it today," Darius says as he eats.

"Are you alright, you look tired?" Minerva asks him.

"Aren't I always," He forces a laugh. "Sorry, I haven't slept well since the war, but last night I didn't get a wink. Something doesn't feel right, and I always trust my instincts so I'm a little on guard." He explains.

"I was just thinking about reading the newspaper, but it seems my paper hasn't been delivered yet." She mentions.

"Daily Prophet?" He asks, raising his head off his hand.

"Yes, I think it's good to know what they're saying. The majority of the United Kingdom reads it." She explains.

Darius nods, "I agree, but they're never late with publishing. It's the one respectable thing about them." He frowns. "Something must be happening within the Ministry. They're the only one with the power to stop the Daily Prophet."

Minerva sighs. "My thoughts exactly. I'll pass on our concerns to someone I trust, but there's nothing we can do, Professor Cain." She reminds him.

"Of course, of course, I hope you don't mind if I also express concern with someone I trust?" He asks.

"Not at all," She smiles, rising from her chair. "I have a pile of letters to respond to." She takes her leave with her bowl of half-eaten porridge, she'll be damned if she doesn't finish it just this once.

Minerva enjoys her morning walks through the castle. When the light is just filtering through the windows, the paintings are just waking up themselves and it's so quiet, she can hear herself think. That's a rarity these days, although it had been getting better since she started teaching less, what with Hermione becoming a more competent teacher and taking over more lessons. She'll have to get back into teaching though since she'll be teaching full time again in September.

In her office, where she expects to find a pile of letters from the Ministry, she finds one. Curiously, she put her bowl down to open the single letter, unfolding the parchment.

Ministry of Magic

London

England

Monday 16th April 2000

Dear Headmistress McGonagall,

Ministry of Magic correspondence with Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry will continue tomorrow as we prepare to deal with an expected influx of owls today.