Misery Loathes Company

[Ismene Swift]

Miss Malfoy—a Malfoy!—thought Ismene had good taste? Dead father or no, this information elated the girl. Smiling, she replied, “Mother is taking care of all that—she does not want to cause me undue stress, she said,” though the brunette suspected it was more along the lines of Letitia Swift being a control freak.

[Brynn Malfoy]

"You're lucky," Brynn commented. "As much as I enjoy shopping with my mother, I sometimes find her to be too... opinionated about the clothes that I'm going to wear."

  

[Ismene Swift]

“Miss Malfoy may recall my mother from her days teaching at Hogwarts,” Ismene pointed out, stifling a giggle. It was the closest to an unkind word she would ever dare say about her mother, and no one could doubt the truth behind it.

[Brynn Malfoy]

"I do indeed," Brynn said with a smile of her own. If Mrs. Swift wasn't of a lesser class and blood, Brynn might have suggested that she and her mother would make good friends, but there was a limit to the blonde's kindness. "But we should consider ourselves lucky. I should hate to be motherless like...poor Miss Annette Fontaine."

  

[Ismene Swift]

Or fatherless. Did Miss Malfoy still have her father? Ismene realized she did not know much about her schoolmate’s family at all, save the name. The offhanded statement, designed to afford their heartfelt pity for Miss Fontaine, had, in fact, only reminded Issie of her own loss, forgotten in a brief moment of enthusiasm for what the future would hold, rather than mourning what it would not.

“We must always be thankful for what we have,” Ismene agreed somberly.

[Brynn Malfoy]

Brynn only nodded. “And speaking of, Mother and I should really be going!” They had to see a hat-maker soon. “It was great seeing you, Miss Swift!”

  

[Ismene Swift]

It was a melancholy smile, but a smile nonetheless, that adorned her face as she waved goodbye to Miss Malfoy. At least she would not be totally without friendly company in her new environment.