MacFusty, as the girl introduced herself, which certainly made of one of the first years. The poor child seemed in want of something that would not be given voice, if it could at all. Standing by her side, Millie was taken with a sudden moment of clarity, as if she was both standing near the makeshift bed and lying upon it herself. Her necklace lay under her collar, and though she felt it there, no move was made to take it. Instead, the young witch leaned down closer to the MacFusty girl, following her gaze to the blanket's embroidery.
She could have sworn the stars there were made of the same silver as her necklace.
"Is there something bothering you, Miss MacFusty?" Millie asked gently, glancing only slightly past the girl's face. None would wish themselves to be the subject of interrogation by staredown, especially this late at night. Knowing that being under eyes herself only made her more keenly aware of mounting pressure to answer, Millie let hers wander over the design of the blanket itself as she asked it the questions instead. Perhaps the covers could tell more than the girl underneath. "Or someone? Did one of the other girls say something, perhaps?"
Those first nights at Hogwarts were some of pale memory for the young witch, though she remembered her books and necklace offering great comfort. She had never quite banished herself to the Common Room, however, and seeing Poppy here said more than the girl herself seemed willing. Millie wondered if she should step away to ask for Miss Paxton to intercede instead, but something kept her by Poppy's side. Perhaps she saw enough of herself in the first year to have enough confidence to share some with a kindred soul.
And if someone was bothering Miss MacFusty, then at least she had a right to intervene as prefect. Millie didn't entirely relish the idea of meting out discipline upon her own house, she didn't wield her authority quite as strongly as Miss Whymper might. Be that as it may, a new first year who might be so shortsighted to oust her own dorm mate from their room might as quickly be corrected by the impression of a prefect's power. And bringing a bully, however misguided as she might be, to heel was something that the young witch found she never lacked appetite for.
"I'm Millie Potts, and I'm quite good at listening."
She could have sworn the stars there were made of the same silver as her necklace.
"Is there something bothering you, Miss MacFusty?" Millie asked gently, glancing only slightly past the girl's face. None would wish themselves to be the subject of interrogation by staredown, especially this late at night. Knowing that being under eyes herself only made her more keenly aware of mounting pressure to answer, Millie let hers wander over the design of the blanket itself as she asked it the questions instead. Perhaps the covers could tell more than the girl underneath. "Or someone? Did one of the other girls say something, perhaps?"
Those first nights at Hogwarts were some of pale memory for the young witch, though she remembered her books and necklace offering great comfort. She had never quite banished herself to the Common Room, however, and seeing Poppy here said more than the girl herself seemed willing. Millie wondered if she should step away to ask for Miss Paxton to intercede instead, but something kept her by Poppy's side. Perhaps she saw enough of herself in the first year to have enough confidence to share some with a kindred soul.
And if someone was bothering Miss MacFusty, then at least she had a right to intervene as prefect. Millie didn't entirely relish the idea of meting out discipline upon her own house, she didn't wield her authority quite as strongly as Miss Whymper might. Be that as it may, a new first year who might be so shortsighted to oust her own dorm mate from their room might as quickly be corrected by the impression of a prefect's power. And bringing a bully, however misguided as she might be, to heel was something that the young witch found she never lacked appetite for.
"I'm Millie Potts, and I'm quite good at listening."
![[Image: uHwnE8q.png]](https://i.postimg.cc/V68t8zfV/uHwnE8q.png)