The Farland Files

The Art of Innocence in the Face of Death

Leaving it on medium heat for seventeen minutes and setting a timer, she turned to where the water in the jar with the leaves was turning a dark orange. Touching the outside of the glass every once and a while to check if it was cooling, she finally strained the leaves out and mixed the horseradish powder in until it deepened to a royal blue color. After the seventeen minutes were up, she took an eyedropper and carefully added in the blue liquid, waiting a few seconds after each, until after the third one the liquid in the cauldron shimmered a soft pink color before it changed to a color she could not describe as anything other than liquid silver.

Flicking off the heat with just a thought, she waited until the cauldron was cool, the potion shimmering in the light before taking a ladle and filled as many vials as she could.

"What... what does it do?" One of the men breathed softly, as if in awe.

"I call it 'Riddelium'. It's a potion that works to give happiness in the face of difficult situations and it will work against the feelings that dementors inspire, making it easier to cast a Patronus charm or just be around the creatures in general. It could also be used as a medicinal treatment for depression or anxiety, as it's not addictive- to my knowledge at least."

Nicolas stood, clapping, and moved forward from the table to shake her hand with a mischievous smile. "I'm sure you'll get your results by Yule, Miss Farland. It was a pleasure to meet you."

Lena smiled widely at him. "You as well, sir."

Then she was swept up in questions about the thought process that went into Riddelium that lasted almost the rest of the time she'd been given to brew before she was finally let go of.

As she walked out, shoulders un-tensing for the first time in the last week, Nicolas caught up to her with a slight bounce in his step. "You did amazingly. Really freaked me out though- I thought you were going to present your potion for flight?"

"Ah, but that would be stealing the spotlight from Perenelle. Plus, I thought that maybe after my mastery we could both lay claim to that potion, a joint-project of sorts."

"You know many people have come to Perry for help and she's given up her time to work on their ideas and make them work... but none of them have ever come back and offered her any credit." The taller man slung an arm around her shoulders with a wide smile and a deep chuckle. "I knew I liked you for a reason!"

She scowled teasingly at him. "I thought that reason was that I put up with you nagging me about my love life?"

Giving a loud boisterous laugh that had people eyeing them, she smiled slightly behind her hand and the broad-shouldered man nodded. "That too, Lena-bean, that too..."

"Excuse me."

Lena looked up at where Lucius Malfoy was standing by a man who seemed familiar yet she couldn't seem to place. "Yes, Mr. Malfoy? Is there something you would like passed along to your son?" She looked up at Nick. "I forgot to mention, as I didn't know you'd be here, but this 'High Inquisitor' woman was appointed by the Minister and she's going through our mail- one of the reasons I haven't owled you all year except that one time."

"Alright, but did you get that sorted out? Because I was quite worried that I'd have to come down here and get into a fight with someone about-"

The man next to Malfoy cleared his throat, seeming irritated for some reason. "Miss Farland, why are you out of school at this time?"

She blinked slowly, before tilting her head. "What does it matter to you?"

The stranger's brown eyes seemed to gleam as if taking her words as a challenge-