Which was a good thing, because Gwen wasn't sure she could handle it at the moment. She was feeling sort of empty with no more feelings to share. Graves felt the distance, but didn't push it. He understood she under a lot of stress. Even the antics of Chris and Gabrielle were not enough to cheer her up again.
She hated being this way but she was so deep within the mires of despondence that she couldn't get back out so easily. Her mother had really thrown her for a loop this time. In the college world she would have escaped her woes inside a box of chocolate and some mellow music. But chocolate only got her fat and the kind of music she really wanted to hear needed a CD player (and electronics didn't work properly on Hogwarts grounds).
She needed to find something else to concentrate on since there wasn't really anything she could do for her mother. Her inspiration came from Professor McGonagall one chilly afternoon in Transfiguration. Her godmother was turning a desk into a Great Dane when Gwen suddenly remembered the older woman's uncommon talent. She was an animagus and could transform herself into a cat at will.
Awestruck Gwen found her new project. It would come in really handy one day, she was sure and it would take her until the next fall term to get it down. Or so she thought. Gwen had really underestimated herself. But without knowing she was quickly on her way to discovering a new talent she began her research in the library.
When she'd looked through all the books about the subject in the non-restricted section she pitched the idea to McGonagall and asked for a note so that she could look at books in the restricted section.
"An animagus?" She asked.
"Yes." Gwen said, her confidence charging ahead. "I need something to do. I've been working really hard and I'm so far ahead on all my studies that I could tutor the rest of the students for the end of term exams already."
Minerva smiled fondly at her. "If you're so determined, I don't think reading about it would hurt. But don't you dare try anything without letting me know first. I can help you in that department."
Gwen nearly jumped for joy as McGonagall wrote out the note for her. The very next day she checked out every book she could on animagi and read until her eyes were so heavy they closed without her permission.