The Farland Files

How To Make A (almost) Grown Man Cry

A/N: WARNING: violence, sadistic behavior (Lena makes it clear she's not to be messed with) 

Yes, she is the equivalent of a young Tom Riddle at the moment, but with more time she will develop into her own flawed person :)

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Herbology had seen her across from the boy that had saved her from the annoying girl on the boat, who was wearing cheery yellow robes to match the smile he sent her way. Hearing the whispers as she mechanically worked with potting the strange plant in front of her, she watched the boy who seemed to be struggling slightly from out of the corner of her field of vision.

So this was the so-called 'Boy-Who-Lived'... the defeater of a Dark Lord.

Leaning forward, she put her hands over his to still his awkward shoving movement. Catching his eyes, she silently showed him how to dig a hole in the soil appropriate for the flower-like plant, then guiding him to take the soil and fill in the surrounding area and a little over the top. "It is a living thing. It cannot be shoved in the ground, it needs a proper burial- except plants prefer to be buried alive."

The boy snickered slightly (to her surprise) and then held out one of his dirt-stained hands. "Charles Potter."

"Lena Farland." Taking his hand, feeling as if her nerves were on fire as she did, she tried not to let it show, shaking his hand and then quickly taking her hand back.

People did not touch her often and she was not used to pleasant human contact.

"How do you know so much about plants Lena? You're really good at that!"

How bright a personality- this boy's smile was practically blinding.

Scowling to offset the sunshine directed her way, she looked back to her plant, pulling off the dead leaves and making sure it had water. "The man I considered my guardian was the caretaker at the orphanage, so I helped him out with a few odd jobs every now and then... Every summer the Matron ordered new flowers to try to lure idiots into adopting, but every winter they'd die and we'd have to plant them again."

Looking up at the boy, knowing that her blank mask was slipping a bit, she found she didn't care all- that much as there was something almost comforting about this boy's presence.

"...so I got some seeds for lavender bushes, which come up every year without fail, knowing Matron hates bees. It's quite funny. She refuses to come outside practically all summer and in turn, the kids get to do errands outside the orphanage... which she would never have allowed before the bees."

Charles smiled at her. "Sounds like a good cause then."

Lena nodded, blank mask coming back. "I do like bees."

Giggling as if she had made a joke, the boy smiled at her. "And the woman? The Matron? Do you like her as much as the bees?"

"I would rather cover her in honey and lock her outside," Lena smirked, "Now that would be a good cause."

Professor Sprout ambled over, smiling down at Charles proudly. "Good job, Mr. Potter! And here I thought your mom said you weren't that good at Herbology?!"

The boy blushed lightly. "Lena helped me, Professor. It's really her achievement."

Meeting the woman's eyes head-on, she waited for some type of discrimination, but was instead met with a bright smile that had her wanting to blink so she could clear the sunspots from her eyes.