It became plain in an instant that the younger girl would not think her reaction ridiculous, because the poor thing was quite clearly more visibly concerned about the fate of her cookies. "Oh, that's alright," Jemima assured her, to the first remark, though she scarcely knew what to say to the next: she was surprised to hear that the first year, whom she had thought to be of the upper class, had made them? That was odd, surely. Perhaps she meant her cook, from home?
Jemima had never found a problem with the culinary skills of the Hogwarts house elves, but she suspected saying so would not be much of a comfort right now.
"Perhaps they can be saved -" Jemima began hurriedly instead, dropping to her knees to try and rescue a cookie or two from the floor. She picked one up experimentally, looking over it as though for dirt - although it did not take much scrutiny to spot the layer of dust now coating it. "Maybe not," she murmured to herself, having second thoughts. Perhaps the house elves had just missed this hallway? Or perhaps castles merely attracted dust like nowhere else. Either way, she frowned, hoping that the younger girl would neither insist that she eat it now, nor break out into tears.
Jemima had never found a problem with the culinary skills of the Hogwarts house elves, but she suspected saying so would not be much of a comfort right now.
"Perhaps they can be saved -" Jemima began hurriedly instead, dropping to her knees to try and rescue a cookie or two from the floor. She picked one up experimentally, looking over it as though for dirt - although it did not take much scrutiny to spot the layer of dust now coating it. "Maybe not," she murmured to herself, having second thoughts. Perhaps the house elves had just missed this hallway? Or perhaps castles merely attracted dust like nowhere else. Either way, she frowned, hoping that the younger girl would neither insist that she eat it now, nor break out into tears.
