Connie had seen enough of the Prophet, and watched as several eyes in the Great Hall had flickered in the direction of Holly and her sister over the morning paper and toast when each lurid article had been released, to know precisely what sort of girl Holly was referring to. She hadn’t had much to do with the older girl when she had been a student but Connie wasn’t sure simple misbehaviour had been the root cause of it all.

“That is an excellent attitude to take,” she said emphatically, smiling broadly at the girl, pleased she was getting through. Could it be this easy? A little talk and a genuine offer of help and Miss Scrimgeour would become a model student? No, that was ludicrous, frankly Connie would be astounded if they got to the end of term without having to have another sit down in her office, but it was progress of sorts.

One could no more reshape Rome in a day than one could build it.

“I think that’s enough for today Miss Scrimgeour and I hope you’ll think about what I’ve said.” She smiled and gesture for the girl to get up, not wanting to take up too much of her time and risk Holly becoming irritated with her. That wouldn’t do at all. “We can talk tomorrow after dinner but until then if somebody makes you angry, or you encounter Mr Blackwall again, then take a moment, take a breath, and consider what your instincts tell you to do,” she raised an eyebrow sardonically. “And then consider whether those instincts will put you back in detention.”

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MJ made me beautiful