Ernie was oblivious, his hand moving lightly back and forth mindlessly as they sat there. “I couldn’t agree with you more,” Ernie said with a bit of a sigh, “But the Ministry is working on it, Meg. I’m sure they’ll have something soon, they’re not just going to abandon their children here. They need us and they need the school.” Ernie pulled back just slightly to look Megan in the eyes. “Even if they get in here, I wont let anything happen to you, Megan. Do you understand me? You’re my friend, and I wont let them get to you.”
He hugged her again then, taking a deep breath to push aside his own anxieties to comfort Megan.