One would have thought Sweetie Whitledge would have been used to people murmuring behind her back. She had been notorious at Hogwarts, at one point. Nothing Jemima could have said about her could be news to her -
But it was Jemima's turn to be notorious now, a parasite, a social pariah, and she supposed, if she had considered it for a moment before Miss Whitledge came marching up to her, she would never have expected Sweetie to be nice.
Instead, she launched into a tirade that Jemima stared through, wide-eyed and frozen in place. She could not ignore it, much as she would like - that would only anger the girl further. If she ran, she didn't doubt the Slytherin would find her, and perhaps hoist her up by her ankles and leave her to rot in a dungeon somewhere. She didn't, even, disagree with all the sixth year was saying. She had been too harsh on Darling.
But vile wench seemed rather too harsh for words, especially when Jemima had not meant for any of her thoughts to be sent round, and Jemima blinked back the welling tears with continued disbelief that this was really happening, that she was being chastised by Sweetie Whitledge, of all people.
"You're quite right," Jemima heard herself say, unusually haughty and unusually loud, "how could I have imagined Darling could ever be as horrid as you!" Poor Darling didn't deserve such a pig of a sister.
But it was Jemima's turn to be notorious now, a parasite, a social pariah, and she supposed, if she had considered it for a moment before Miss Whitledge came marching up to her, she would never have expected Sweetie to be nice.
Instead, she launched into a tirade that Jemima stared through, wide-eyed and frozen in place. She could not ignore it, much as she would like - that would only anger the girl further. If she ran, she didn't doubt the Slytherin would find her, and perhaps hoist her up by her ankles and leave her to rot in a dungeon somewhere. She didn't, even, disagree with all the sixth year was saying. She had been too harsh on Darling.
But vile wench seemed rather too harsh for words, especially when Jemima had not meant for any of her thoughts to be sent round, and Jemima blinked back the welling tears with continued disbelief that this was really happening, that she was being chastised by Sweetie Whitledge, of all people.
"You're quite right," Jemima heard herself say, unusually haughty and unusually loud, "how could I have imagined Darling could ever be as horrid as you!" Poor Darling didn't deserve such a pig of a sister.
