Severus shrugged and raked his hands through his hair.
"I don't know, Bella. I really don't. But she presented a fine united front in any case. I spent most of that last year of the war at Hogwarts and I've never been best of mates with Narcissa.
"And I know that she was pleased that you were here, even in your less rational state, and that she wanted to help you even then.
"Nothing worth doing is easy. You come back. You go to class and work your backside off catching up on what you've missed. You hold your tongue, you walk away from conflict, you make yourself helpful when opportunity presents itself, and you accept that some things take time.
"Nothing you can do will alter the person you were in that world. Some people will always judge you for that. You won't change their opinion, so you ought not to waste your time trying. But most people are too wrapped up in their own lives to pay much attention to others. You can remake yourself, Bella - but not if you run away every time someone says something cruel. Especially here, in a village where Gryffindors and Weasleys are the vast majority."