Lena? Seeing Lincoln s condition, Williams quickly took her hand and they ushered her into an office unknown to Elena.
Breathe, Leila ordered Elena softly. Lincoln exhaled and looked at her.
I... saw... Lena said confusedly
Close your eyes... Put your hand on your heart... Do you see Lewis? Williams asked.
Elena obeyed Leila. She really saw Prothero, but not as a formidable Dark Lord, not as a fanatical Death Eater, but as a young, frightened boy - dirty, skinny with a haunted look.
-I see... And I see what Creedy did to him... Layla... This is terrible... The root cause of the fact that Prothero is who he is - Creedy and Sutler. I hate them... I wish them death, Lincoln exhaled.
Leila hugged Elena and stroked her hair.
They will get their reward, I believe in it... Would you like some tea? Miss Williams smiled. Open your eyes.
Lena opened her eyes. She was in Miss Williams' office. The office was made in Japanese style, but some details were reminiscent of Australia and Victorian England... Boomerangs on the walls, photographs of kangaroos...
-Did you live in Australia or Japan? -Elena became interested in Leila s fate.
-Both here and there... I spent my youth in Australia, then ran away from the arranged marriage forced on me to Japan. Then she settled with the family of her godmother Grace Trevelyan. A lot of traveled... And you? - Leila conjured tea and eclairs.
-Only for work. When this is all over, I'm thinking of traveling the world with Lewis. By the way, what did you do at Hogwarts? Elena took a sip of tea.
-Received instructions from Dumbledore. I m leaving for Larkhill soon as an ambassador, Miss Williams smiled.
I wish I could go there with you, Lena sighed. I m a stranger at Hogwarts. They look at me sideways, they whisper behind my back, It s terribly infuriating. I love studying, I love magic, but...
Being a woman of the Dark Lord means you can t go on a picnic with your girlfriends, Leila smiled. It s a responsibility. Well, if you want... I'll still need an assistant in the boa constrictor's lair
Boas are harmless, Lena objected.
In the Cobra Lair, Leila corrected herself and the girls laughed.
-I thought that you were strict and prim, but you turn out to be humorous and understanding. I m used to the fact that only snobs and purists work in the Ministry, Lincoln was overcome with strange gratitude towards this woman.
Leila! A handsome young man who looked like Chris Pratt looked into the office. When Leila saw him, she stood up and hugged him. This is how you hug a brother or a good friend
Elliot, hi, Leila smiled. Will you have lunch with us?
-No, the guys from Auror and I went to Florenada Fortescue. I'm full. Mom and Mia say hello to you. And they're shocked that you're going to Larkhill. Mia advises you to take with you a canister of holy water, a bunch of crucifixes and silver stakes, Elliot looked at Elena. Wow... Are you married, Pretty Woman?
Elliot, I ll hand over Kate, Leila playfully hit Elliot in the ribs.
That s it, that s it, calm down, I was joking, the young man quickly left, but as he left he winked at Elena.
You have a cute boyfriend, Lena grinned.
-What? Elliot? No, he s more like my brother, Leila looked down. I m not married, I don t have a boyfriend... I m a workaholic.
You can t do that either... We need to find a balance between work and personal life, Elena sighed.