Ernie bit his lip, looking over at Hazel with a bit of a frown. The fact that she had to worry about how well she had to perform illegal curses was the sort of thing that made him so completely angry at the Carrows.
It wasn't fair to any of them. But he, at least, had made a choice. He'd chosen to align himself to Harry, to Dumbledore.
But so many of them didn't make that choice. Hazel hadn't made that choice. And it just didn't seem fair that not making that choice still subjected them to the Carrows and the ever worsening detentions.
It just wasn't fair.
He leaned in closer to her, his voice low so not to be easily overheard. "You shouldn't feel bad about it. You're just wanting to keep your head down and avoid detention. That's..." his voice trailed off as he searched for the words. "...it's a good plan. Detention's the last place you want to be these days. So don't feel bad."