The Farland Files

The Art of Despair

The study hall went peacefully and she was engrossed in reading when a hand tapped her shoulder.

Blinking up at where Daphne was smiling at her questioningly, she sighed. "Ah. It's time for Nicolas' death maze, isn't it? Very well." Folding the corner of the page, she stood with a smile to the boy watching her curiously. "Oh, I almost forgot- I'm Lena. Lena Farland."

"I know." The boy flushed slightly, stuttering adorably as he ducked his hand. "I mean- well- you're the Queen of Slytherin and- and- I mean everyone knows who you are!"

She held out her hand, with an amused smile. "And you?"

The boy flushed further. "Oh- I-" Seeming to catch himself, he took her hand nervously. "I'm Terry Boot, Miss Lena."

"No 'miss'. Just Lena. All my friends call me that." Pretending like the boy's wide-eyed look at the term didn't upset her slightly, she glanced at Daphne, who looked amused with all of this and released his hand slowly. "If you need somewhere to sit we always have room at Slytherin."

"Oh, I couldn't..."

"He's not worth it."

Shut up.

She arched an eyebrow, something about Riddle's tone making her rash and wanting to prove him wrong. "Tomorrow. Breakfast. You'll sit next to me."

The boy immediately nodded, looking a bit overwhelmed. "Oh- okay."

"And let me or one of the other snakes know should anyone have a problem with you. I'll skin them." Then she nodded and turned on her heel, starting for the door to the hall, pretending she wasn't slightly out of her normal waters of interacting with people.

"What was that?"

Lena made a soft sound of frustration. "His soul is probably made of cotton compared to me... It's adorable, but I think I might be the worst thing to ever happen to that poor lamb."

Daphne just laughed brightly, patting her shoulder. "Or the best. Now come on. Let's try not to die to your crazy alchemist friend's insane ideas of physical exercise."

To her surprise, a nervous-looking Terry Boot was already waiting at the end of the Slytherin table when she came in earlier than the rest of her house, as was usual. "Terry. Wonderful. Have you been up long?"

"Just- well- maybe a bit?" The boy shrugged shyly, not looking at her. "I'm a morning person."

"Ugh. Disgusting." Starting to walk away, she paused when she realized he wasn't following her. With a mental sigh, she moved back to where the boy had frozen with wide eyes, putting a hand on his shoulder softly. "Sorry, that was supposed to be a sarcastic jab. I personally hate mornings and everything they stand for. I didn't mean it as an insult."

Terry looked at her for a long moment, before seeming to come back to his senses and flushing. "Oh- oh sorry I didn't mean to-"

"Don't do that. You had every right to be upset with my bad joke." Taking hold of his wrist lightly, she pulled him towards the head of the Slytherin table. "Sit and read if you want, no one will bother you here."

"I-... thanks." Shy brown eyes crinkled slightly around the edges even if his lips were being pressed together in what looked like slight mortification.

Lena just nodded, as she too had this slight embarrassment building in her chest at her actions, though she was significantly better at hiding it. "So you like Arithmancy? I'm not all that great at it, though I do okay. I like Runes better."