Elinor was being torn asunder inside.
Her rational self knew she had to leave this office and report Morwenna Skeeter to—to whom? The woman ran the department responsible for her regulation! Nora supposed that, if she must, she could go to the Minister of Magic himself, but he did not know her. What if he thought she had known all along, had kept it a secret?
Her compassionate self ached to help the woman before her, ached for there to be something she could do—not only in this moment, but to ease the older woman's troubles in the years to come. But brighter women than Elinor Goyle had tried, and failed, to tackle the Lycanthropy Problem. What could she do to help?
And finally, her instincts of fight and flight both criticized her deeply for taking no action; for, while adrenaline flowed steadily through her as her mind tried to un-muddle the situation, she was not afraid and not angry. Nora simply was.
"I cannot be of any use if I cannot find us a fireplace," was her answer.
Her rational self knew she had to leave this office and report Morwenna Skeeter to—to whom? The woman ran the department responsible for her regulation! Nora supposed that, if she must, she could go to the Minister of Magic himself, but he did not know her. What if he thought she had known all along, had kept it a secret?
Her compassionate self ached to help the woman before her, ached for there to be something she could do—not only in this moment, but to ease the older woman's troubles in the years to come. But brighter women than Elinor Goyle had tried, and failed, to tackle the Lycanthropy Problem. What could she do to help?
And finally, her instincts of fight and flight both criticized her deeply for taking no action; for, while adrenaline flowed steadily through her as her mind tried to un-muddle the situation, she was not afraid and not angry. Nora simply was.
"I cannot be of any use if I cannot find us a fireplace," was her answer.
— MJ never ceases to impress ♡ —