Professor Connell
February 08, 2008 11:46 AM
Sixth Years Potions Lesson (And Incidentally WOTW) by Professor Connell
After the fourth and fifth years, as always, came one of Marian’s classes—the year one NEWT class. Hers was actually one of the largest for that year, something she took great pride in, even if she resisted the urge to mention it to some of the other teachers who had not been quite as fortunate as her (though her restraint may have been more the result of understanding that the numbers may have been because of how important the skill was considered for most jobs and her own personal superb teaching of the subject, instead of any modest restraint).This time she didn’t have to leave her room to deal with an unruly hellcat, which was a blessing she would never have thought she’d had to count on before now. She did idly consider going back and checking on it to make sure it wasn’t too upset by being shut in its cage, but then firmly told herself no. The dratted thing wasn’t a child, or anything. It wasn’t even a real animal. It was a blasted hobgoblin in disguise, and definitely not worthy of her attention.
So Marian stayed at her desk and glanced through the copy of Potion Periodical that had come in the mail the day before while waiting for her class to arrive. She had occasionally considered going into research once she’d decided she couldn’t bear to teach anymore and so had decided it was best to keep up to date, as well as having a shelf of them at the front of the room for any of the NEWT students who thought they might be interested in reading them (she had never had a problem with any younger students who wanted to read it, but there were always only one or two who would be able to understand some of the more complex language or, to be honest, interested in reading essentially more homework for no credit).
It was only a short period of time before the first student entered, yet Marian didn’t budge or even look up except to tell the sixth-year to leave the assigned essay on the medicinal values of bubotuber pus on the corner of the desk. The same occurred for the next batch of students to enter until the majority was finally present, at which time the magazine was shoved in a drawer for a later time, and she coughed until she had achieved a semblance of silence.
“Welcome back from your holidays. I hope that all of you have completed your homework and turned it in, since I know none of us want to have to deal with a failing grade for the start of the New Year. Today’s potion will take the entire period to make, so no fooling around or wasting time unless, again, you have some desire to litter your marks with zeroes. The potion is called the Draught of Living Death, one of the strongest sleeping potions—I suggest that none of you take a sip of the completed product, or you will be out for quite a while without the antidote. It is on page 42 of Advanced Potion-Making, and its ingredients are 1 cup asphodel in an infusion of wormwood, 2 finely diced valerian roots, 5 sopophorous beans, 8 ounces of chopped pickled ginger, .5 ounces of dried billywig stings, 6 ounces fluxweed, and 2 cups of Glumbumble secretion. Work in pairs, work in groups of three, work by yourself—do whatever you need to do to get the job done.
“Your homework shall be to read the next chapter in the book, “Poisonous Ingredients in Healing Potions,” and write three two-foot essays on three of the ingredients mentioned. Do not complain,” she intoned instantly, holding up a hand to stop any grumbling or protesting about the extravagant amount of work given. “You are all NEWT students now, and you have every ability to write however much you have been assigned, or you shouldn’t be in this class. You may begin.”
OOC: I would hope that, after six terms, you would know what is expected in a lesson; however, just for formality’s sake, you get a reiteration. At least two good-sized paragraphs with as much detail as possible, though more is, of course, welcome. Have fun, and if any of you do anything serious enough to warrant Scrappy being sent to my classroom, then I cannot promise your safety.
Subthreads: Worrying, as usual by Jenna Howard with Zack Dill
Re: Sixth Years Potions Lesson (And Incidentally WOTW) by Lily Collins
Class closed (nm) by Professor Connell
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Professor Connell
Sixth Years Potions Lesson (And Incidentally WOTW)
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Jenna Howard
February 17, 2008 1:31 AM
Worrying, as usual by Jenna Howard
Jenna entered the Potions classroom with a smile upon her face, though she did not come with the same single-minded enthusiasm for the subject as she once had. Hester had put an end to that when she had flat out denied Jenna’s request to act as her apprentice at the apothecary over the summer. As Hester would have it, sixteen year-old girls should be out experiencing life, not doing something they were liable to be doing for forty years. Besides, how could Jenna know that this was what she really wanted without exploring her options? And so the seed of doubt had been planted in Jenna’s mind, and it flourished marvelously.The brunette was almost certain that she still wanted an occupation that involved Potions, but there were so many other options she’d never considered before. She could be a healer, or even a Potions teacher, though she didn’t think she would enjoy standing up in front of a class very much.
Hester’s denial also made Jenna’s future this summer quite ambiguous. She didn’t want to hang around her house very much, as her parents were just as intolerably whiney as ever. She supposed she could hang out with Annette, Hester’s daughter, but Annette had her own circle of friends. Though she was sure that the older girl would do her best to include Jenna, Jenna was certain she’d feel like an intruder anyway. She’d considered renting her own place, but she needed to save up her money for college. Her parents could do little for her in that department anymore.
Returning an old copy of Potion Periodical to its proper shelf, she then proceeded to place her essay on the desk. The teen was quite thankful she had thought to borrow a copy of the Periodical, because it had provided information on bubotuber pus she never would have found otherwise. There had also been a very interesting article regarding the values of graphorn horns. Returning to her seat, Jenna could not help but be proud of her essay.
Like usual, she took notes and listened attentively to the professor, but her quill stopped at the mentioning of the Drought of Living Death. She’d never attempted it on her own before – she thought it was too dangerous. Almost immediately she decided that she needed to work with a partner. Otherwise she’d never finish this before the end of the period without rushing or messing the whole potion up. Wondering what the potions would be tested on, she pitied whatever poor creatures would be the recipients of the class work. Living death was not exactly a pleasant proposition. Preoccupied by the assignment, she didn’t even hear the homework assignment.
As soon as she had turned to the proper page in the textbook, she turned to the person sitting next to her, giving them a hopeful smile, “Partners?”
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Worrying, as usual
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Zack Dill
February 21, 2008 5:44 PM
You really needn't. by Zack Dill
Potions was not Zack's favorite subject. That honor fell to Astronomy, which, much to his dismay, he'd recently learned was being discontinued at the school. However, despite falling short of his highest regard, Zack Dill did like the class a great deal. It was one of the subjects he never for a moment considered dropping after completing his CATS exams (unfortunately, there were a great many subjects that fell into this category, which made for a very busy schedule and a rather heavy homework load - a load which Professor Connell was not helping with her newly assigned six feet of homework).Still, he turned to the page on the Draught of the Living Death with something approaching excitement. He'd read about this potion and it was supposed to be exceedingly difficult. He hadn't expected to have it assigned until next year. Though, he supposed, half a year probably didn't make a huge difference in the grand scheme of things. They'd pretty much been taught all the main points of potions making already - now they were just refining their skills.
He normally worked alone, so he was a little surprised when he heard a voice beside him ask, "Partners?"
He turned to find Jenna Howard smiling at him. As far as he could recall, he had rarely crossed paths with her before now (though he'd voted her for something in the yearbook - what exactly was slipping his mind) but they'd shared all their core classes for nearly six years so he knew who she was and that she was good at potions. "Sure," he agreed readily. A second pair of hands and eyes would certainly come in handy with a potion as complex as the Draught of the Living Death.
He rearranged his belongings so that they weren't forming a wall between them and then set his cauldron in the cleared space he'd just made. It was the same one he'd used in first year and it hadn't been new when he got it, but it was cast iron and he suspected it would survive the apocalypse without so much as a dent. As he used his wand to start pouring water into the black pot, he asked, "Did you want to get the ingredients while this fills up?"
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You really needn't.
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Lily Collins
March 21, 2008 2:40 PM
Re: Sixth Years Potions Lesson (And Incidentally WOTW) by Lily Collins
The idea of having to do an essay over break had not exactly thrilled Lily. Really, that was one thing she wished she could have left behind in the muggle world, in favor of the more practical applications of magic. She could only be glad that she only had four classes to take and not all of them like the last few years and besides, it wasn't as if Lily had anything else going on. She placed said assignment on the corner of Professor Connell's desk and took a seat in the back.When the potion for today was announced, Lily's face lit up. How cool was a sleeping potion that strong! Not that she really had a use for it at the moment, except perhaps to put to sleep opposing Quidditch players before a game. There would probably repercussions of that though and she had to be in enough trouble as it was after the last time. She stifled a groan at the idea of writing that many essays. Six feet of parchment was an awful lot.
Lily opened her potions making kit and set to work. She began by dicing valerian root, then cutting the five sophorous beans. She measured out the two cups of Glumbumble secretions and weighed out the billywig, fluxweed and ginger and added them to her cauldron. Lily stirred the potion counterclockwise until it turned from deep purple to light lavendar.
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Lily Collins
Re: Sixth Years Potions Lesson (And Incidentally WOTW)
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Professor Connell
March 30, 2008 12:15 PM
Class closed (nm) by Professor Connell
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Professor Connell
Class closed (nm)
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