On my own on Potions

Professor Fawcett

May 18, 2010 11:07 PM

Intermediate Potions (3rd and 4th Years) by Professor Fawcett

A fine netting of pain stretched between John’s temples, just enough to make him irritable without actually significantly decreasing his ability to function. His mood was not improved by the knowledge that this situation was his own fault; if he had simply possessed the common sense to stop reading an hour earlier than he had, the mild pain potion he’d taken would have kicked in immediately and the problem would have been completely avoided. Instead, though, he wouldn’t be what his wife termed ‘fit to live with’ for at least another two hours. He’d timed strain headaches often enough to know.

Worse still, he had a class to supervise. Intermediate level – old enough to think a bit, so they didn’t have that bright enthusiasm for anything that was moderately common among the beginners, but not yet old enough for proper responsibility, which kept them away from the more interesting projects of the Advanced class, and so frequently a difficult bunch to teach properly. It did not help that three of their number were still largely unknown quantities; he had, if he wasn’t mistaken, come around almost at the same time as the current intermediate group, but Brooks, Sinclair, and Talsky had only arrived this year. They had been kind enough not to blow up the lab so far, but it would be at least next year before he trusted them to continue to do so.

Of course, objectively, he knew they would look slightly better when he didn’t have a headache, but objectivity wasn’t something he practiced when he was irritated with himself. Much easier to feel irritated with other people, too.

Irritation with himself was winning out, however. He had somehow missed a blank on the syllabus, which left it looking as though he had nothing to cover in class for the day. By the time he’d noticed, however, there had been nothing for it but to send out messages for the bulletin boards letting the students know that they were still expected to report to the lab with their books and materials and hope he came up with something appropriate in time.

He wasn’t sure if what he’d come up with fell under the category of ‘appropriate’ or not, since his senses of humor and propriety were feeling a bit more warped than usual, but at least it would occupy the class hour and do something to curb any inclination he and the students might feel toward excitement. Once he had greeted the room, called roll, and put the marked attendance sheet away, John placed his hands flat on this desk, making no move to write on the board. “Today,” he said, “we’re doing something different. Take out your textbooks and class syllabi, please. For any of you not responsible enough to keep track of them – “ he regretted that bit almost at once; it was fair enough, but a little harshly so – “extra syllabi may be found on top of the bookshelf, next to the assignment basket.”

Once everyone seemed ready, he went on. “As you can see, I made an error while preparing the syllabus. Though you can see your reading assignment in its column, the class period itself appears to be blank. Since I cannot, in good conscience, allow you all to skip class for less than serious illness or a minor apocalypse – “ best to cover all bases; there were a few too many teenage chosen ones in the course of history and mythology to not consider saving the world as an excuse he might someday be handed – “I’m turning you loose a different way.”

He was going to regret this. He knew in his bones that he was going to regret this. They might well surprise him and turn out to be perfectly competent and eager to impress their occasional cynic of a professor, but what would the fun in that be? “You have your books, and those of you who have studied them will notice that not every potion in the text made its way onto the syllabus. Today, you may make anything in the book that we haven’t already covered this year. You may include variations on things we have made – for instance, an antidote we didn’t cover, though we’ve spent much of the semester thus far on them.” He had been pleased with the scores on the antidotes exam, now that he thought about it. “I’d prefer, however, if you attempted something that can be completed within our class period. You will be graded on both the quality of the potion and how much effort I feel you put into it – a perfect, but very simple, potion may not necessarily earn a higher mark than a more difficult one which was not as well executed, so long as you don’t burn the school down. I’d advise you to look for things which you find challenging, but not overwhelming. You may work alone or together, as you like, though this will also be factored into your effort grade. Carry on.”

Subthreads:

Potions...great. by Dmitry Talsky, Crotalus with Taylor Li, Aladren, Dmitry

On my own by Daniel Nash II, Aladren

Oh dear. by Pippa Brockert with Dana Smythe

I'm sure I can find something to brew by Jose Hernandez (Pecari)

0 Professor Fawcett Intermediate Potions (3rd and 4th Years) 0 Professor Fawcett 1 5

Dmitry Talsky, Crotalus

May 20, 2010 1:21 AM

Potions...great. by Dmitry Talsky, Crotalus

The dark haired Russian boy entered the Potions room with a scowl. He hated this class, and thought the Professor needed to be stricter with him. Though he had not done too badly on the anti-dote test he still disliked the class. He sat down in the back of the class like usual and set up his cauldron. He set out his textbook, parchment, quill, and potions kit before Professor Fawcett began class. Dmitry liked to be all set up for this class so he didn’t miss anything, to miss anything in Potions meant to melt your cauldron and he would be damned if he was going to be the only kid in his class to do so.

Once the Professor started, Dmitry listened in earnest. Professor Fawcett was giving them free reign over which Potion to do? He sighed and rubbed his cheek trying to remember which potions they had done last term at Durmstrang and which were not on the syllabus this term. Finally, he grinned, last term Professor Walsh had taught them how to do an Aging Potion. It was a higher skilled potion but the fourth year knew he could pull it off. He flipped opened his book to the index, found the page number of the Aging Potion and grinned again. This was what he was going to do, thirty minutes and it would be complete.

He began to look the list of ingredients, there were a lot but he knew he could get them done, he wanted to impress his Professor and show him there was no need to wonder if his other Professor had taught him well. Finally he began to make sure he had all his ingredients, a half cup of crushed runespoor eggs? ‘Check’ He thought to himself as he set four to the side.

A cup of chopped knotgrass? He looked over at knotgrass and nodded there was defiantly enough for a cup of it. Three cups sliced fluxweed? Same as the knotgrass he had an abundance of it. Two frog spleens? Check with five left over. A loveage root? Check, but he had to remember to send for some replacement as it was his last one. Crushed wormwood? ‘Check’ He mumbled to himself as he mentally put it on his list to buy more of. Sophorous bean? Check. Valerian root? “Drat!” He said softly to himself with a frown he had everything but the darn Valerian root.

He sighed and looked over his neighbor. “Hey you wouldn’t happen to have a extra Valerian root I could have do you?” He asked in his accented English. “I just need that to make my potion.” He forced a smile hoping looked genuine it would the other student want to help him out.

0 Dmitry Talsky, Crotalus Potions...great. 0 Dmitry Talsky, Crotalus 0 5

Taylor Li, Aladren

May 23, 2010 1:08 PM

Potions IS great. by Taylor Li, Aladren

Potions had always been her favorite class. It was the closest thing to science in the school. It wasn't quite physics, but there was definitely an element of chemistry to it. The freedom to choose the potion that she wanted to do made it all the better, but what one to pick? Taylor flipped through the textbook going over which ones she would be able to do within the class period, but skipping over that were too easy. What Professor Fawcett had said made sense. Doing an easy potion wouldn't be pushing themselves. It would just be a lazy person's way of trying to get an easy grade.

She stopped at one that looked interesting. Blood Replenishing Potion. That was definitely falling into a medical area, which she had a mild interest in. It didn't sound too bad to do. Let's see. It required Adder's Tongue, Anemone, Flobberworm Mucus, Griffin Claw, Peppermint, and St. John's Wart. She wasn't sure if she had enough of the ingredients or not, but she figured it was better to read about the entire potion before she made the final decision to make the potion. It didn't seem too complicated. The hardest part was that it had to sit overnight, which didn't quite meet the professor's requirements. On the other hand, it was so the potion could thicken before being administered so in theory, he should be able to tell if it was correct by the end of class.

Okay, so that decided it. She would make that potion. Pulling her dark, highlighted hair back into a ponytail, Taylor went about making things just right at her table. She liked having everything in order before beginning a project. She didn't know how some people could stand leaving everything a mess when attempting to make a potion or even how the potion could turn out right if everything wasn't added just so. She was about to start chopping the peppermint when she heard a voice next to her. Looking over she saw one of the transfer students. She hadn't talked to any of them, but then she didn't really talk to many people.

"Um, let me check," Taylor said, already checking her potions kit. The Valerian root wasn't too hard to find since she had everything just so. "Here it is." She handed him the ingredient. "Which potion did you choose? I'm working on Blood Replenishing potion. It actually takes more than a day, but I think it'll be approved. My name is Taylor. You're Dmitry, right?" She didn't want to bother him, but she figured that having someone nearby to ask questions or borrow an ingredient would be a good idea.

0 Taylor Li, Aladren Potions IS great. 0 Taylor Li, Aladren 0 5

Dmitry

May 24, 2010 1:01 AM

Glad you think that. by Dmitry

Dmitry smiled when the girl handed him the Valerian root. He was genuinely happy that she had some extra that way he wasn’t forced to ask the Professor for some, he was sure that wouldn’t look good. Professor Walsh had always given them detentions if they had to borrow from him and he really didn’t want to serve a detention right now. “Spasiba.” He said and shook his head. “I mean thank you.” He nodded to her as he began to cut it up and the girl began to talk to him.

Maybe he should have taken the detention instead of asking the girl, it had opened the floor for a real conversation. “It is a pleasure to meet you Taylor.” He said in his thick accent after the girl introduced herself. “And yes I am Dmitry Talsky, I decided to make an aging potion.” He focused on chopping for a moment as he thought of something else to say. He wasn’t good at making small talk with people he didn’t know. What if she was a mudblood or someone beneath is status and someone saw him talking to her as an equal? If he snubbed her though before knowing if she was a pureblood like him then he risked losing a valuable connection.

“So do you want to become a Healer when you are older?” He asked nodding at her potion.

0 Dmitry Glad you think that. 0 Dmitry 0 5

Daniel Nash II, Aladren

May 26, 2010 11:37 AM

On my own by Daniel Nash II, Aladren

Daniel's potions syllabus was tucked into the front pocket of the five-subject college-ruled spiral notebook that served as the repository of every note, assignment, hand-out, or exam he'd taken or received in Potions since first year. He hadn't reviewed it since the beginning of the month, and though he'd noticed the blank spot and wondered about it, he'd figured it was either going to be a review or a To-Be-Announced lesson that was dependent on how well he and his classmates had done up until that point.

It wasn't until the Aladren Head-of-House admitted to overlooking it that Daniel even considered the possibility that it may have been a mistake in the class plan. He wasn't sure if he was disappointed that Fawcett wasn't infallible (as a card-carrying member of the Pessimist Club, this shouldn't have come as much as a surprise as it had) or impressed by the integrity that allowed the professor to admit the mistake. In his place, Daniel certainly wouldn't have.

Still, the assignment he offered in the blank spot's place was intriguing, and the lack of a partner's requirement (in fact, it sounded to Daniel like individual brewing was going to be more highly rewarded in terms of grades) made it even better. While Daniel didn't dislike his classmates and even liked a fair amount of social interaction, this was potions. None of the partners he'd had over the last three years and some months had displayed the level of perfectionism that Daniel felt was necessary for the subject. Brewing a potion on his own was the only way to ensure it met his own standards.

So he flipped through the textbook until he found one that looked interesting, challenging, able to be completed within the class period, and not already on the syllabus. A polishing potion. It would take about forty minutes to brew, and involved nine different ingredients that had to be added at precise intervals and used specific stirring techniques that varied depending on how far along the potion was.

The first step was, of course, to collect the ingredients and prepare them. The potion required near-constant stirring, so all the measuring, cutting, slicing, and mashing would have to be done before the actual brewing process began. He started with crushing the dragon scales.

1 Daniel Nash II, Aladren On my own 130 Daniel Nash II, Aladren 0 5

Pippa Brockert

May 26, 2010 5:48 PM

Oh dear. by Pippa Brockert

Potions was probably Pippa's least favorite class. While she was perfectly capable in it, she just plain did not like it. For one thing, there were potions that could be harmful and deadly. True, there were charms-or rather, hexes-that were harmful and deadly too, dark magic that her older sister Melora was fascinated by solely for intellectual purposes. The kind of spells they learned to protect themselves from in Defense.

The deal breaker here was using animals. Pippa knew very well that using animal by products was part of what made the potions work, including some potions that were very helpful in treating certain diseases, so she would, of course, take such potions when necessary, just like she ate meat. It was more like Pippa did not want to use animal bits in a harmful potion. That meant an animal had to be hurt for the purposes of hurting a person. That was an awful lot of hurting others and Pippa never wanted to hurt anyone.

Incidentally, Potions was Tawny's favorite class. The Teppenpaw had began to wonder if it was her younger sister's favorite class simply because Pippa didn't like it so much. It was usually the one Tawny got a better grade in than she did, something the younger girl loved to point out to her older sister. Pippa was just glad Tawny had something she could show pride in and wished Grandmother wouldn't dampen Tawny's enthusiasm by saying how unladylike Potions was.

Speaking of Tawny, the third year looked over at her just then and grinned. The look gave Pippa a chill. She really desperately wanted to believe that Tawny had simply found a potion she was excited about and that she didn't really hate Pippa but the older girl couldn't help feeling a little scared by it. She knew her sister well enough to know that if Tawny was grinning at her, there was definitely some malice in it.

Shaking her head, as if to clear away the thoughts, Pippa turned to her own potions text. She sort of wished she knew what potion her sister was planning to make just so she could make the antidote. Instead, Pippa found a potion in the healing section of the book. It was to cure sore throats, would only take half an hour to brew, was not too easy or too difficult and did not use any animals. Pippa began to prepare the ingredients, her sister mostly forgotten.

11 Pippa Brockert Oh dear. 132 Pippa Brockert 0 5

Dana Smythe

May 27, 2010 5:34 AM

There are worse things by Dana Smythe

Despite the gap in the syllabus, Dana would not have considered skipping class. She had assumed the professor would teach them something, despite not forewarning his class, and so had been surprised by the bulletin informing the class they still had to attend. The day continued to be odd as instead of providing them with a potion, Professor Fawcett gave the class free choice on what they wanted to brew. It had never happened before in Dana's memory or to her knowledge. The Pecari was not prepared for it - she wasn't especially good at potions and didn't have the inclination to be the only person in the room brewing a potion that had the potential to go disasterously wrong. She liked the safety net of having everyone else brewing the same thing so she could ask for help if necessary.

As working with a partner was an option, Dana decided she would take it. Unfortunately, working alone was an option too, so she wasn't sure who to ask. She didn't know anyone in her year especially well - she could work with her cousin Jethro as he was also in the class, but Dana got the impression he was even less adept at potions than she was, and as much as she liked her cousin she wasn't going to let him ruin her grade as well as his. Considering her other options, Dana's eyes rested on a girl nearby who had always seemed nice. Dana couldn't remember if she'd ever talked to the other girl - maybe now was a good time to start. "Hi," she said, approaching the Teppenpaw who seemed to have already started work. "It's Pippa, right? I was wondering if you'd mind me working with you?" she said. The worst that would happen is that Pippa would say no, and that wouldn't be too awful.

0 Dana Smythe There are worse things 142 Dana Smythe 0 5

Jose Hernandez (Pecari)

May 27, 2010 12:46 PM

I'm sure I can find something to brew by Jose Hernandez (Pecari)

Potions was Jose's worst class by far. This was entirely his own fault but he still resented the subject a little for forcing him to take failing grades. He tested well enough, and he could brew the potions he was allowed to brew with reasonable skill for his grade level, but with the vast majority of potions requiring the use of animal parts or products that could not be harvested in a socially responsible manner, he found himself sitting most class lessons out. He took his detentions quietly when he had to, but he did his best not to draw attention to his civil disobedience and avoid them all together whenever he could.

With the blank on the syllabus, he'd had no idea if the day's class would be one of the many where he couldn't participate. Still, in case it was, he brought his potions kit (containing only organically raised ingredients) and cauldron along with him. Sometimes didn't even bother with dragging them along if the syllabus said the day's activity featured rat tails or pig's spleen or whatever as a major ingredient.

The professor's announcement of the day's activity made Jose sit up and grin. If they did this more often, he might have even stood a chance of passing the class. There were potions - not many, but some - that fit his vegan requirements, and he was glad to get a chance to show the professor that he did actually know how to brew a potion for real.

Turning to his neighbor, he gave them a bright smile that almost never graced his face during Potions, but today was special. Today he wasn't on strike. Today he wasn't resenting that he couldn't join in with his classmates. Today he got to actually make a potion!

"Ready to make a vegan potion?" he asked with what was probably entirely too much cheerful glee for a class assignment from an Aladren, nevermind a Pecari.

0 Jose Hernandez (Pecari) I'm sure I can find something to brew 0 Jose Hernandez (Pecari) 0 5