Strangely, despite their years of being in classrooms together, Lena found that she much preferred conversations that were held with a bed in the room. The camaraderie they had shared at school seemed like something of the past when they were sat in dining rooms making politely conversation and being ever-so-proper when really all she wanted to do was kick up her feet and be herself, or at least the version of herself that was mostly acceptable. Even Febs, non-judgemental though she was, probably didn't need to hear the inner thoughts that drove her to distraction on a daily basis but she wouldn't find her lacking because she was tired and desired a bath, a stiff drink and bed in that order.

For now she would take the bed happily though and she scooted around so she could lean back against the headboard, letting out a sight of relief as she did s0. It had been a long few days: the logistics of the expedition in the Ministry as a whole had been a nightmare and even in her department, aloof by design, there had been a heightened workload. Not that she minded that per say but throughout there had been the niggling feeling that a single mistake could cost her brother his life. Now only his mistake could make that difference and, if anything, she was more concerned.

"Officially we're looking into it," she smirked and closed her eyes for effect, opening one to squint at her friend. "Unofficially if I told you I'd have to kill you."

It came as precisely no surprise to Lena to learn that her job was the envy of others: it was the best thing she had ever chosen to do for herself and every day was a delight in the department. Apart from some of her superiors who didn’t seem to appreciate that a maturity of rank did not necessarily equate to being mentally up to the challenge, but she mostly ignored them and let her results speak for themselves. There was seldom a week she didn’t get to enjoy being right about something.

“I imagine you pick up books and check them in and out,” she quipped sarcastically, a smile playing on her lips to take away any possible sting. “Don’t take this the wrong way but…” she frowned and pulled a face, not at all used to being honest about actual feelings rather than facts but for her friends she would make an exception. “Are you sure you wouldn’t like to try something a little more challenging?”

“Or maybe,” Lena replied with a pointed look as she threw the pillow back at the other girl. “You could just pick one of those things and focus on that?”

She was being rather hypocritical given her usual dedication to keeping her mind as active as humanly possible to allay thinking about…other, less useful things. Beautiful, transcendent things, but nevertheless things that would certainly not make her life easier or hurt less no matter how much she dwelled on them.

The hospital wasn’t a bad start, and neither was the studying. She could easily see Febs’ shepherding adoring hangers-on around the museum but Lena also could not shake the thought that it would also be the most boring job imaginable. No, no, Febs could do much better.

“Not everybody can multi-task like I can after all,” she added airily, well-aware that other than her job she had absolutely nothing else she needed to factor in to her daily life, which was just the way she liked it. Or at least it was easier not to think about the things she did not have. “Do you want someone to study with? I fancy adding another string to my bow and I’ll bully you into keeping it up this time.”

Pulling a face as she raised a cocky eyebrow Lena looked between Febs and the ceiling, as though deep in thought, only her sense for the dramatic and genuine regard for her friend stopping her from laughing fully. She was quite positive that the only reason she was not yet an animagus was because it had never occurred to her to become one – now the thought was in her head…

“I’ll try my very best,” she replied solemnly, eyes dancing with mirth and the assuredness of somebody who had never failed at any academic pursuit in their entire life. “What do you think you’ll be?”

The acquisition of a skill, and something else to bolster her career at the Ministry, was more than enough reward but Marlena couldn’t help the part of her heart that was less sensible and pragmatic from souring at the thought of being something different. Perhaps a bird? Would she be able to fly?!

Or maybe a cat able to crawl into somebody's lap...

Her lips twitched when Febs’ thoughts echoed her own but she was not overly surprised. They were modern women, were they not? And being able to fly away, to break free from those that would control them - was that not a common dream? Certainly it was one Marlena’s thoughts returned to time and time again.

She had already decided that as soon as she turned twenty-four she would move out of the family home. By then Helga and Eugene would likely be married and she refused to become her mother’s pet project. If she moved out then there would be no question that she was an independent woman rather than a girl waiting for a husband...but if she could fly out then it would be even better!

“A bumblebee," she admitted with a sardonic snort. “Or at least it was the last time I conjured one, but that was at school.” And, at the time, there had been a very different kind of B buzzing around her head that she was quite sure had contributed to her moderately embarrassing silvery protectress. “Not a great deal of use in a fight really,” she added with a laugh.

At the teasing tone Lena nudged the other girl back, taking care not to be too rough. It was an unfortunate creature to have as one’s guardian against Dementors but it didn’t follow that her animagus form would be the same. She might need to check the register and surreptitiously hunt down those animagi she could find just to check, but she was reasonably mollified by the thought. And even if it was a bubblebee would it be so bad? At least she would be inconspicuous and that was certainly a better quality in form than protection!

“As soon as I can I’ll gather everything I can from the Ministry,” now she had the idea in her head Lena knew it would not go away until she had thoroughly explored the possibility and, really, who was she trying to fool, it would not go away now until she had achieved the goal. Fortunately she had every resource she might need only a few floors away from her desk.

“Assuming they deign to share it with us lowly women.”