Antonin was muttering something, but Millicent wasn't listening. Instead she looked at Justin, pleading with her eyes to let her go home. Things were working out, she could handle this now. They'd take Ella home and she'd cut back and everything was going to be fine. If she could just get him to listen.
As focused as she was on Justin however, just as acutely aware was she of the potion the moment it came out of the drawer. Her instincts begged her to take the potion, yet her logic said that if she reached for it, Justin would know.
She sat down. As a dog told to sit for a treat, but shook her head. 'Of course I don't - unless it would help with the cold I have,' she said, her eyes never leaving the bottle, her voice slightly hopeful as she added the last part. 'I told you, I have a cold, of course I can't keep my hands from shaking if I'm shivering!'
She didn't prove it, however, but held her arms firmly wrapped around her, her eyes staring at the bottle as if it held the secret of happiness inside it.
'It's just a bottle,' she whispered, more to herself than to the men in the room, her every effort going into not getting up and going for it.