The Letter and the Headmistress
Penny returned to the orphanage less than ten minutes later, the letter tucked into her pocket in a way that none should notice it. The Headmistress stood in the doorway, both hands folded on her hips, and glaring at Penny as she approached, "And where have you been Penny?…don't you know that we were worried about you? I've searched this house high and low, the grounds, there was no note, no nothing for us to know where you'd gone!"
Penny bit her lip and looked down at the ground "I'm sorry Headmistress"
This didn't seem to satiate the woman's apparent desire to be angry. "That's no excuse Penny, now you go on up to your room, there will be no supper for you tonight."
Looking sideways Penny saw the shadow of the house elf, then looked back cautiously. "Yes Ma'am" she started toward the hall and the stairs which would take her to her room, when she heard the Headmistress clear her throat behind her. She stopped and turned to look at her "Yes Ma'am?"
The older woman looked affectionately at the young girl. "There is a letter for you on the desk in the bedroom. Take care that you guard it carefully, that none of the other students read it."
Penny frowned, then nodded, and for the third time gave the acquiescing line of "Yes, Ma'am." before turning to go up the stairs.
Penny returned to the orphanage less than ten minutes later, the letter tucked into her pocket in a way that none should notice it. The Headmistress stood in the doorway, both hands folded on her hips, and glaring at Penny as she approached, "And where have you been Penny?…don't you know that we were worried about you? I've searched this house high and low, the grounds, there was no note, no nothing for us to know where you'd gone!"
Penny bit her lip and looked down at the ground "I'm sorry Headmistress"
This didn't seem to satiate the woman's apparent desire to be angry. "That's no excuse Penny, now you go on up to your room, there will be no supper for you tonight."
Looking sideways Penny saw the shadow of the house elf, then looked back cautiously. "Yes Ma'am" she started toward the hall and the stairs which would take her to her room, when she heard the Headmistress clear her throat behind her. She stopped and turned to look at her "Yes Ma'am?"
The older woman looked affectionately at the young girl. "There is a letter for you on the desk in the bedroom. Take care that you guard it carefully, that none of the other students read it."
Penny frowned, then nodded, and for the third time gave the acquiescing line of "Yes, Ma'am." before turning to go up the stairs.