Earlier that morning, Tulojow had caught the briefest glimpse of the Headmistress while delivering morning potions and tinctures to the kitchen house elves.  For the most part, the woman had looked herself: refined, collected and dignified.  But, as the Healer had watched the woman hurry off to her next obligation, Tulojow had noticed the wrinkles around the woman's eyes were just a little deeper and her attention had faltered just the slightest. 

Tulojow had returned the Hospital Hut to the first products of the weekends' gaiety.  During a lull in nose-wiping and boil-shrinking, Tulojow had summoned Minerva's elf and quickly consulted the little elf on the Headmistress' schedule.  There were only a handful of non-essential appointments on the Headmistress' schedule and they were easily shuffled to a different spot.  After lightening the Headmistress' load the following morning, despite the little elf's uncertainty, the Healer had returned to her duties. 

Tulojow had gone looking for the Headmistress shortly before dinner.  Feigning an urgent predicament (Tulojow wasn't sure just how resistant the Headmistress would be to the idea), Tulojow had led the way to the school gates. 

Having finally reached the edge of the anti-apparition wards, Tulojow turned towards Minerva.  "You're wearing yourself thin.  You need a night off and I won't take 'no.'  You have nothing scheduled that would stand in your way, I made sure of that.  Doctor's orders.  Now, Madame McGonagall, will you join me for a little night out?"  With a warm grin, Tulojow offered the Headmistress an elbow. 

Minerva McGonagall's day had started out as normally as possible. She'd consulted with the heads of the visiting schools, she'd broken up two separate fights in the halls, and had responded to various owls from the Hogwarts Board of Governors, who as far as Minerva could tell we're still balking over the headmistress hiring a werewolf to teach. Before lunch, the Gryffindor alum was wondering how in the name of Merlin did Dumbledore manage all those years.

The bags under her eyes were heavy and dark, and those that dared approach the headmistress were greeted with short, sharp replies. Long sighs escaped her lips at increasing intervals and it took all her willpower to not snap the head off a first year running maniacally through the halls as she passed. It was obvious that she needed a night free from the obligations of running the castle, but there simply wasn't enough time... after all: a headmistress's job is never done.

When the head healer approached Minerva with a claim of urgency, the witch had little choice but to follow along, though she would have much rather told Tulojow to find Ignan instead.

Her emerald green robes hollowed about her frame as the two stepped onto the grounds of Hogwarts and started heading not toward the healing hut, as Minerva expected, but toward the gates of the castle. Instead of inquiring, as she was wont to do, the headmistress simply held her tongue and followed in companionable silence. That was one of the things Minerva enjoyed about the elder witch next to her; silences didn't always need to be filled with small talk.

As they reached their destination, and Tulojow's ploy was revealed, a small smile split Minerva's features. Could Minerva simply take off and leave for the evening? Though it was totally out of character for the old witch, had she not been contemplating the thought herself earlier in the day? Truly, Professor Storm could handle the affairs of the school until she returned, and if she was needed for something urgent, she was simply a floo trip away, no?

Whipping out her wand, the headmistress performed a quick patronus charm and informed the small cat, and Ignan through it, of her plans for the night. Then, with both excitement and trepidation warring with her emotions, she took the proffered arm. "Why not?"

Tulojow's relief at the Headmistress' cooperation was muted by the fact that they would have been going on this adventure whether Minerva liked it or not.  The only difference was their outing would properly be a casual excursion rather than a unnecessarily melodramatic casual abduction.  The Healer smiled at the Headmistress and patted the hand on her elbow.

"Splendid!" Tulojow decreed. 

The Healer waited just long enough to ensure the Headmistress' patronus had enough time to reach it's destination and for Ignan to send a desperate reply if the students had managed to unleash devastation in the last few seconds.  "Hold on," she warned before twisting on the spot. 

The monotonous gentle crashing of easy afternoon waves met their ears when their feet touched ground.  Soft, dry sand sifted away from underneath Tulojow's shoes and, after ensuring Minerva had found her footing, reached down to slip off her shoes.  The two witches were tucked behind a rise along the shrub-covered hillside, their arrival hidden from view of the muggles down along the beach.  The Welsh beach was comfortable cool, holding none of the brisk bite of the mountains of Scotland.  Tulojow had no doubt they looked slightly out of place but she led the way down to the beach and started towards the brick and red-fronted pub that stood a short ways up the beach.

"And, absolutely no need to worry.  My house elf knows where to find me.  If all hell breaks loose, she'll snatch us right back into the castle," Tulojow explained over her shoulder.  "The muggles might wonder, of course.  Though, I suspect,"  Tulojow added as she pulled the pub door open, "the students might be extra good if they found out they'd been left alone with Ignan in charge."  She grinned at Minerva.