It was fortunate she hadn’t had to diffuse the situation herself – Mattie didn’t think she would have managed it without force in this situation, never mind the little trouble she had ever had with her housemates before. But of course she couldn’t get away without needing to help at all: dutifully, she hung back when Professor Foxwood asked, watching him treat Minnie himself.
(It was an indignity, to be sure, but Mattie couldn’t help but wonder if having Professor Foxwood’s hand under her chin was almost reward for being attacked. She suspected it would have been more thrilling without the accompanying lecture, but –)
It was happening to Minnie and not her, anyway. “Of course, sir,” Mattie piped up with an amiable smile, when she was called upon to get Minnie to bed. “Goodnight.” Whatever awful thing her dormmate had said, Mattie was still sympathetic: she had not deserved to be attacked by a feral first year. So it was with a comforting arm around the other girl’s waist that she escorted Minnie back upstairs. She had been expecting some late night gossip in the dormitory anyway, given it was the first night of the year – but now she was awfully certain they would have plenty to say.
(It was an indignity, to be sure, but Mattie couldn’t help but wonder if having Professor Foxwood’s hand under her chin was almost reward for being attacked. She suspected it would have been more thrilling without the accompanying lecture, but –)
It was happening to Minnie and not her, anyway. “Of course, sir,” Mattie piped up with an amiable smile, when she was called upon to get Minnie to bed. “Goodnight.” Whatever awful thing her dormmate had said, Mattie was still sympathetic: she had not deserved to be attacked by a feral first year. So it was with a comforting arm around the other girl’s waist that she escorted Minnie back upstairs. She had been expecting some late night gossip in the dormitory anyway, given it was the first night of the year – but now she was awfully certain they would have plenty to say.
