The Farland Files

Why Not Poison One's Self?

A/N: Who's ready for Charles Potter, the first task, and Lena making a mistake? (Yes, she makes mistakes too :)) Enjoy!

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"Well, she's horrible! Why else would I say that- and it's the truth!" The auburn-haired girl walked with her posse of sycophants towards where Lena was hidden in the shadows of a secret alcove that was blocked from prying eyes. "I mean honestly- I heard Roger saying he'd get with that skank and I just had to do something! No way is she prettier than me! Not in a million-"

Suddenly she cut off, holding her throat as she tried to speak.

Lena smiled, looking at the ugly pink orb that she'd acquired, before slipping back into the secret passageway, content that by the time the girl got her voice back that she'd have seen the importance of watching what lies she spouted.

Walking into the Slytherin Common Room, she looked around and then smirked. Moving to the fireplace mantle, she used her wand to carve out a small space in the metal above the fire, setting the stone into the metal and then fitting it with small edges to keep it in.

"Collecting trinkets?" Daphne's voice was curious, but her eyes sharp.

She hummed. "If you clip a bird's wings, it will find the strength to hate you, but take away it's the ability to sing... Well, I believe this bird will come to understand, in its despair, that it earned its fate." Turning to smile at the watching Common Room, she caught a few of the students shiver in fear, Ginny looking satisfied. "Plus... hasn't that that stone has always been there?"

There was no argument, the room taking that as a cue to go back to their own business.

It was a rumor the next day that Marietta Edgecombe had lost her voice permanently, some eyes lingering on her as this was said, though she just ignored it.

She shouldn't have insulted her family.

Lena had left her friends after almost a whole day of sitting at the Hog's Head and teasing Aberforth about the man keeping butterbeer in the tavern just for them, as they were the only kids that took to the musty bar.

Walking along the streets with students moving around her as if she was just another kid, she put her hands in her pockets and made her way towards the train station where she could sit in silence and just look at the sky until she would have to go back to the castle.

Almost bumping into a girl who swerved in her way giggling, she moved quickly to avoid the girl and-

She froze.

There, in a sea of students, was a man with neatly styled hair and fine robes- eyes like garnets watching her intently.

Tom?

But a boy walked in front of her, and when he'd passed, there was no one there. Blinking a few times and then shaking her head, she started towards the train station.

"Lena!" Charles Potter ran to catch up with her, face in a hesitant smile. "I- I wanted to tell you that both I and my family don't think you put your name in the Goblet."

"Thanks, I guess."

The boy caught her arm when she moved to keep walking, moving to stand in front of her. "Lena... I know that we aren't very close and that we've both been a bit standoffish to each other this last year or so, and that you don't want to be a Potter... but can we be friends at least?"

Looking at the eyes like two bright brown pools of milk chocolate, she nodded slowly, wondering why the boy's hand didn't give her a single feeling other than the cold tips of his fingers and the subtle warmth of his palm. "I can do that."