The knot in her stomach tightened, and Blythe knew she was losing the battle—though the Hufflepuff was not willing to concede defeat until it was entirely undeniable.

“Many of my classmates will be returning to school with worse,” Blythe pointed out, resisting the urge to shrug. “Many” might have been overstating things, but she knew it would do her cause little good to bring money into the discussion. That would only harm her case. “Besides, a small degree of ambition is crucial if one wishes to walk the path that He has designed for them. The easy road is the downward road.”