Lexus stood outside Head Healer's office and pressed her fingers down the front of her robes. She had ducked into the washroom to ensure her braided crown hadn't frayed. She wanted to be sure she was presentable to Madame Storm. Appearances were very important, especially when you were offering yourself up for a promotion. If you were messy looking it insinuated that the work you had to offer was messy. While that may be true when it came to Potion making it still didn't make for a good impression. Lexus was very keen on making good impressions.

She knocked on the solid door before entering, "Head Healer Storm?" She kept her tone soft but controlled. She didn't want to come across as meek nor did she want to appear arrogant. It was a fine balance. Nerves were one thing but letting them show was something completely different. One needed to be confident without being arrogant, cautious without being nervous. She thought of all the job interviews she had conducted in her early adult life. It was very much the same feeling. However giving into that feeling never did anyone any favours.

"I hope I haven't caught you at a bad time." On the contrary, Lexus had practically stalked the woman for days, between her own duties, to find a window she could use to her advantage, "I wanted to speak with you about the new Potions Department you're developing." After the interview their Head Healer had given to the Daily Profit nearly all of Floor Three had been abuzz with talk about it. Many didn't feel they were up to the task, others were worried they'd be called upon to help - which would interfere with their already busy schedules - while some, like Lexus herself, saw it as a golden opportunity.

"I wish to offer my services." She steadied her breath, folding her hands in her lap, "I am a seasoned potioneer, receiving all O's in my Academic years, an Honor Role student." She paused for a moment trying to remember from conversations with her cousins if that was an accolade they offered in the UK, "I then spent many years training with an ancient tribe of magic users to learn their unique ways with potion making, gaining skills modern Wizarding Academics cannot teach." She opened her mouth about to speak of the achievements she had received since coming to St Mungo's including treating the Head Healer herself during the December Poison Epidemic. However she stopped herself. She felt adding that in would be less informative and more braggart.

"I believe I could be one of your best assets in the new lab." She swallowed a lump she hadn't noticed had formed in her throat, "If you'd have me." She added swiftly. A small crack in her otherwise impenetrable armour.

The knock didn’t wait for a response before the door was pushed open and Miranda’s eyes shot up from the proposal she was writing for the board of warlocks. She briefly wondered where the hell Snardsworthy was to stop such interruptions. Words would need to be had with that woman for all of the breaks she took. Nothing could be done, now, however, Healer Dale had already made an entrance.

With slow but deliberate movements, Miranda finished writing the word on the parchment her assistant would have to decipher and copy up later. She lowered the quill to rest on the desk and pressed her lips together into a thin line, expectant.

Every time was a bad time, the Head Healer caught herself thinking as she leaned back in her chair. She didn’t offer the healer a seat. Whatever an honour role student was, she supposed it must be a positive thing. Perhaps akin to a prefect. School always pushed being a prefect would help in your future career. Miranda Carter had never been a prefect and yet here she was in the Head Healer’s office behind her own desk.

When she finally stopped, Miranda waved at the chair in front of the desk. “Sit.” She waited for a moment before leaning forward to rest elbows on her desk. “It’s been sixth months since you joined us. You are keeping your head above water on the third floor,” She gave the compliment with her usual deadpan expression. “Why the change?”

Lexus took the seat offered to her, hands folded in her lap and her spine straight. The hair on the back of her neck bristled and her senses were on high alert. She set her jaw and studied the woman in front of her. For a small moment, before she spoke again, Lexus wondered how much of a bad idea this had been. She wasn't a bad healer and she did do good work on the Third Floor but she needed more, she longed for more, something her complete lack of social life wasn't affording her. She was at her best when she was busy, not that she wasn't already busy. As enthralling as her work was, helping patients didn't quite capture her the way locking herself up in potions lab did. Even though every thing in her begged her to run, sensing the 'danger' of the situation she resolved to see it through.

She nodded and gave a tentative, "thanks" to the Head Healer. Although she wasn't entirely sure if she had actually been complimented. Was keeping her head above water a good thing? It was certainly better than drowning but wasn't exactly swimming either. She supposed she shouldn't try to analyze it too much. If it really had been a compliment it wasn't an easily given one. She supposed it was better to simply take it and not look a gift horse in the mouth.

She licked her lips, swallowed hard and hesitated only briefly as she put her words together, "In the few small months I've been here I have enjoyed my work. I have put my best foot forward every day." She paused. She was at a point where it was do or die, she needed to be honest in what she wanted, "I do not feel my skills as being used to their best . . . application." She hated moments like this. She wasn't very good at being verbally professional. She blamed her years working as a bartender.

"Back in December we saw a horrible epidemic take over the hospital. Outsourcing our potions spelled disaster for so many," Obviously the Head Healer knew all this, it was precisely the reason she decided to create the new Potions Department, "I was right in the thick of it. I watched my patients sicken and die because I was administering potions that I hadn't brewed myself." There was an obvious bite to her voice. She blamed herself for every single patient she lost. She had issues with relinquishing control, although she had never expected that to come in the form of using already supplied potions. They were supposed to heal the sick and afflicted, not make them worse.

She took another deep breath. The last thing she needed was for her anger to show through, "I understand, more than most, the need for this new direction. I nee- I'd like to be a part of it. Again, I believe my skills would be best suited to making sure our potion supplies are controlled."

The healer seemed dedicated to the cause, in the very least. But dedication was easy to speak of, harder to prove. The potions department would be a new and exciting endeavour for St Mungo’s but it wouldn’t be without its problems. The Board of Warlocks had only approved the project because of December’s problems, and ever then Miranda had basically forced it upon them for approval. The fact that they hadn’t trusted her idea before the disaster had led for her being in the possible line of suspects for the tainted potions. She had had, after all, motive.

Miranda let a silence fall in the office in the aftermath of Dale’s explanation. The glasses she had been wearing were removed and she let them fall, hanging from a black string around her neck.

“The potions that we brew here at St Mungo’s will need to be of outstanding quality but on a tight budget. I need to be able to make promises to the Warlocks that us growing and brewing in house will, in the long run, be cost effective as well as safe. What can you do, Miss Dale, to help me feel confident in making those promises?”

When sitting in what had essentially become a job interview, saying 'I don't know', likely wasn't your best course of action. Lexus gritted her teeth as she mulled it over. There really wasn't anything she could do directly. She had no connections here, she barely knew anyone outside of the Hospital. Had she still been working back home she'd have endless possibilities from supplies to farmers to a few not so clean sources she could use. As it stood she wasn't going to be any help in that department.

She shifted in her seat slightly. The wolf inside was restless, eager to get her out of this situation. She wondered if she was in way over her head and not for the first time in the past few minutes, questioned why she had come here and how big of a mistake she had made.

She finally settled on something, the best she could offer. She could only hope it would be satisfying enough for the Head Healer, "When I first graduated I lived with a Native Tribe to learn magic from them. I learned invaluable lessons and, alternative, ways of making potions. The methods I've used, you won't find in any textbook. I can make potions that are just as effective, if not more so with nearly half the ingredients. It's not cutting corners, I promise you that, it's simply being more efficient. Being able to make the best of limited resources." She swallowed hard trying not to take her eyes off the other woman, "It can help keep costs down at the very least. There's also the task of using alternative ingredients, ones that have the same effect but can be bought at a lower price as they're often more common."

She averted her gaze, "Many plants are discarded as weeds, witches and wizards, not all mind, have become almost robotic in how they create potions. They learn from a text and never deviate from what is written. Never thinking there could be a better way to go about the problem." She kept her tone even hoping she wasn't coming across as insulting, "They simply don't know better, most times to no fault of their own. My methods may seem, unorthodox, but I get results. The results I hope you're looking for."

Apparently, Lexus Dale’s Unique Selling Point was her ability to use weeds and make excellent potions out of them. she talked as if she knew more than your average witch or wizard, as if she had a trick that experienced and famous potioneers over the centuries had been missing. Her boss doubted the truth in it but admired the confidence. She only hoped that her staff member wasn’t a delusional freak in emerald robes.

Nevertheless, Miranda Storm was intrigued even if she did look bored and unimpressed. Her expression was, as usual, frosty and cold. Her dark eyes bore into Dale’s but they lacked their usual intensity.

“So you are saying that you know better than centuries worth of wizards with tried and tested methods.” She paused as there was a barely perceptible twitch in the corner of her lips. “Than me.” It wasn’t clear whether the Head Healer truly believed her own words of if she was trying to provoke the younger witch. It was always nearly impossible to read Storm’s expression when she was like this. It was one of the reasons her staff had nicknamed her the Ice Queen for so many years.

Lexus bristled. Her lip twitched as she used all her current willpower to keep herself from snarling. She didn't like being challenged. She greatly disliked arrogance and she likely wouldn't be the first to say that's exactly what they got out of the Head Healer. She had a reputation for being an Ice Queen, cold and unemotional but that wasn't what Lexus was seeing. This was not an easy situation for her. It had taken Hunter years to convince her she should have gone into the Healing field to begin with. It wasn't that she lacked confidence, it was more that she dreaded moments like this, when those with power doubted her word. She had half a mind to leave right there.

"Hardly." Her tone was a little uneven. Ever since she had been afflicted she was quick to anger. Despite her fight or flight instincts kicking in she was doing her best to stay calm. She certainly wouldn't get the job if she bit off the Head Healer's head.

"I wouldn't claim that I know more, I'm too young for that." Right imply that she's old, that'd definitely going to make this go over better, "Different knowledge isn't more knowledge. It's simply that, different." Yup, she was definitely blowing this. Time to look for an exit, "You asked what I could do to help you keep your promises to the Board of Warlocks. I've given my answer. I have experience many on your staff do not. Whether that can help you or not, is now in your hands." Fighting Ice with Ice may not be the best strategy but it was leagues ahead of letting the wolf get the best of her.

“Then, Healer Dale, I suggest to rephrase your wording. You do not know better than other staff. Your knowledge is different.” There was a pause, although it was clear the Head Healer intended to continue speaking. “Different is what I am looking for. 5 people in the new potions ward with duplicate knowledge and ideas is worthless to me. But I need people with proven track records. This is a new endeavour, something I’ve been fighting for since my appointment and that I have come up against a lot of resistance to.”

“Let me be straight with you, Healer.” Storm leaned back in the chair, crossing her arms. Her eyes didn’t leave the other witch’s. “This project put me in the firing line as a suspect for the poisonings here. There was a belief I’d instrumented it in order to push forward my plan. The whole proposal was very nearly discredited despite the horrors proving it was necessary. So, I am sure you can see why I need absolute assurance that the staff I am engaging in this new department are going to make a substantial difference to our potions brewing abilities here at St Mungo’s.”

If this failed, Miranda could be looking at a vote of no confidence from the board of warlocks. She wasn’t willing to allow that to happen.

Lexus bit her tongue. She didn't need to rephrase herself, the Head Healer needed to be better at listening and not putting words in other people's mouths. Never did she say she was better, she talked about others' knowledge being lacking. That others' didn't know better, that others' weren't comfortable experimenting beyond the boundaries they were taught in. The only thing she had said about her own skills and knowledge was that they were unorthodox but effective. However it wasn't going to do her any good to argue semantics. Not when she was certain the Head Healer was moments away from asking her to leave.

That was until the older woman completely surprised her.

Lexus' expression was a mix of shock and disgust, "They think you - how could they - I watched you almost die, if I hadn't -" She stopped herself before she could dig her own grave any deeper. She had been resolved not to bring up the fact that she had been one of the Healers to treat Madame Storm directly. She couldn't believe the audacity of the Board of Warlocks. Storm may be cold and heartless but she wasn't about to kill off a portion of her own patients just to prove a point.

She took a deep breath, "I apologize for the outburst." She averted her eyes getting her own emotions under control. Another thing that made situations like this hard for her. The constant mood swings that came as a result from her affliction was hard to maintain in standard situations, let alone stressful ones, "I would be happy to do whatever necessary to prove to you that I'd be well suited for this endeavour."

The head healer didn’t need reminding that she’d nearly died in the poisonings. Anymore of the poison and she may not have woken up. This was what had driven her to grab life by the horns and rather unexpectedly marry Ignan. She was a witch to habitually follow a plan and be prepared for everything. A near death experience had changed that somewhat. Despite the unnecessary reminder, Miranda gave a small nod and sat back in her chair.

“You’ll have your chance,” The healer responded, still not smiling at her subordinate. “I accept your application.” She took her quill and dipped it in the ink pot, pulling a sheet of note parchment over. In her extremely illegible handwriting, she scribbled a message about it and handed it across the desk to Dale. “Hand this to Snardsworthy. Don’t disappoint me.”

As if Dale was no longer in the room, Miranda put her glasses back on and resumed her reading of the financial notes on her desk. Lexus Dale had been dismissed.

For a long moment Lexus sat there completely flabbergasted. She was sure she had completely blown it. Everything seemed to be pointing in that direction. She clearly hadn't impressed the Head Healer at all and yet here they were.

She rose to her feet flapping her mouth without any sound. She, however, had been thoroughly and utterly dismissed. Storm wasn't even acknowledging that she was in the room anymore.

With little more than a curt nod Lexus turned on her heel, clutching the scrawled note that had been given to her and left the office. Thankfully the secretary outside was in a rather chatty mood and the werewolf was able to get much of her pent up anxiety over the exchange off her chest before returning to her regular duties.

End