𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐀𝐆𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐍 (2) || 𝘙𝘦𝘮𝘶𝘴 𝘓𝘶𝘱𝘪𝘯

𝐈𝐕. 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐬

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"What if they don't like me?"

"Don't like you? Come now, Edith..." Minerva went to interrupt the girl's rambling, but Edith turned, pacing in the other direction, gesturing through the air with her hands as she talked.

"The faculty hasn't changed in so long, you've always been the one. The Transfiguration one. I'm just the new blood that's been brought in. I'll lead a class, and they'll laugh. Learning with you and teaching the first years is so much different to leading my own classes. Change is difficult, change needs time, what if they don't like me—"

"That is enough, Edith." Something inside the older woman seemed to snap, an empathetic string laced with maternal impatience. McGonagall stopped the girl in place, brushing back her fringe and placing both wrinkled palms on her shoulders, staring straight into the girl's eyes.

"Now... you have been given this opportunity out of recognition of your passion, talent and trust. You are not employed at this school for the students to be your friends. You are employed as a member of the Hogwarts teaching staff to instill respect, knowledge and passable ability about the subject you teach onto any students that may enter your classroom." Minerva looked at her. "Few will thrive, but all will respect the art of Transfiguration under our guidance. It is as much a part of our world as Alchemy is, or Flying, or Divination, or any magical subject within these walls. You will teach them to respect your craft, and your passion. They may not like you, but they will respect you."

Edith swallowed, nodding under the woman's slightly intimidating glare.

But after having spent the last whole summer around the woman, Edith had learned much under her guidance. And this glare was one on the mental list she had made. It was full of passion and expectation.

Minerva believed in her enough to give her this opportunity, this wonderful opportunity that she had only ever dreamed of.

Edith blew out a breath, smoothing down her brown, tweed waistcoat. The cardigan over her shoulders slumped with the action.

Minutes earlier when she had seen the Deputy Headmistress for the first time in a few days, the Professor's eyes had shined with something similar to recognition at her outfit, with her cat-like eyes settling on the cardigan she wore over her waistcoat for a few moments as they spoke about how her introduction to the rest of the school would work after the sorting ceremony had finished.

Edith prayed that she wouldn't recognise it as a piece of clothing that a former Dark Arts professor had worn nearly every day of his teaching career here only half a year prior, but judging by the woman's interest, she wasn't entirely sure she had gotten away with it.

But something inside her needed Remus with her, especially today. It was silly, but the comfort that the cardigan brought was half the reason she had kept it in the first place.

"Chin up." Edith drifted out of her thoughts, copying the woman's actions.

"Shoulders back, arms at a professional level, eyes up." Edith's posture changed with each small statement of correction that was thrown her way.

Minerva smiled, letting the girl go and taking a step back. "There... is my protégé. A wonder of wonders. You will be magnificent, Edith. You just need to believe it." Such tender words took Edith by surprise, but she smiled.