Potions- Lesson One

James walked in to the surprisingly lit up classroom and the furnace on. As soon as he entered the room, he took out his wand and with a single flick of his wand the furnace fire was put out and the lights turned off, leaving candles as the source of light. In a matter of minutes, the classroom turned cold and dark, just how Professor Wayne wants it. He sat down at his desk, piled with papers and junk. He also realized 11 cauldrons for all students. James wasn't planning on doing a potion today.

In a couple of minutes, students were going to enter the potions classroom, eager, and maybe nervous, to start. James noticed these reactions and faces as students entered the classroom, one by one.

"I am Professor Wayne, your new potions professor. There will be no silly wand waving and incantations. And everyone is to listen carefully. I don't expect all of you to understand the true nature and fine arts of potions, but I do expect a select few to just be flawless. " he said as looks around the class, analyzing the faces of each of his students.

As Chloe walked down into the dungeons, she noticed the change in temperature and mood. She had just come out of the great hall where it was full of light and happiness and now she was walking down a dark corridor with hardly anyone in sight. There were about 1 or 2 of her fellow peers walking along in front but it still looked empty and deserted.

When she walked into the Potions classroom, it was just as dark and cold as the corridor - maybe even more. She got a seat right at the front of the classroom and got out all her equipment for that lesson like pieces of parchment and a quill. The Professor said "I am Professor Wayne, your new potions professor. There will be no silly wand waving and incantations. And everyone is to listen carefully. I don't expect all of you to understand the true nature and fine arts of potions, but I do expect a select few to just be flawless. " She listened intently and waited for furthur instructions.

Keith walked down to the Dungeons, noticing the sudden drop in the temperature. He shivered a bit, before making his way towards the Potions classroom.

He looked around the room, it didn't seem as bad as when he had walked into the Dungeons, but it still had that cold feeling to it. "I am Professor Wayne, your new potions professor. There will be no silly wand waving and incantations. And everyone is to listen carefully. I don't expect all of you to understand the true nature and fine arts of potions, but I do expect a select few to just be flawless. " Keith heard the Professor say.

The teacher seemed quite strict, and he hoped he would be able to keep up with him and the rest of the class. He took a seat close to the front of the classroom. He watched as a few more students entered the room and took their seats, as well. He sat there quietly, waiting for the Professor to continue.

Aurora entered the chilly, dark classroom. It was much different from the first, brief lesson with Professor Scamander, who had had to leave. Aurora didn't really like the change. Professor Wayne looked to be much stricter and had a bit less joy in his face. Aurora sat down next to Chloe, a girl from her house and waited for the lesson to begin. She didn't have to wait long.

"I am Professor Wayne, your new potions professor. There will be no silly wand waving and incantations. And everyone is to listen carefully. I don't expect all of you to understand the true nature and fine arts of potions, but I do expect a select few to just be flawless," Professor Watne announced. Aurora tried her best to look confident. She had already studied the Potions book thouroughly, and had actually brewed a Weak Wiggenweld Potion at home before school started. She expected the potions here to be much harder, though.

Kim entered the room for their Potions class. It was just located near their common room, which is in the dungeons. As she entered, she expected the room to be warm and cozy but, to her surprise, it became to its normal condition. As the other students would have describe it: cold, dark and filthy. She also noticed the new professor sitting on the regular chair where professors sit. 'I wonder where Professor Scamander is,' she thought to herself.

Finally, the professor began the lesson they have been dreading about. "I am Professor Wayne, your new potions professor. There will be no silly wand waving and incantations. And everyone is to listen carefully. I don't expect all of you to understand the true nature and fine arts of potions, but I do expect a select few to just be flawless. " Professor Wayne said as looks around the class, analyzing the faces of each of his students.

To her perception, Professor Wayne can be categorized to the kind of Professors wherein Professor Clark is included, though much stricter to everybody. Still trying to cope up with the situation, Kim listened attentively to every word he says.

James hastily crossed the cold stone dungeons, heading towards his Potions classroom. He was eager to attend, as his first lesson had been interrupted before they could even start doing anything interesting. A member of the staff had come to seek Professor Scamander, and after he whispered something to her, she abruptly decided to end the class, visibly concerned. James sincerely hoped that she had managed to solve the problem, whatever it was.

However, there was no sign of Professor Scamander's joyful smile in the classroom. Instead, a young teacher with relatively long dark brown hair was standing near his desk, scanning the place. Despite his age, he had a very strict expression on his face. The room also seemed to reflect the new professor's personality. Once warm and well lit, it was now gloomy and almost freezing, asthe fireplace was empty and the only source of light was a set of candles along the walls.

James silently took a seat, careful not to attract any attention to himself. Once all the students had arrived, the new teacher began his lesson. His first words only confirmed the impression James had of him. After warning them that only a few of them would succeed in this subject, Professor Wayne paused for a moment, successively glancing at each of them. In the back of his head, James wondered what had happened to Professor Scamander. As asking her successor didn't seem like a good idea, he decided to interrogate one of his classmates after the lesson.

Isabella felt a chill go down her spine as she walked down the corrider to the dungeons. She pushed the door open, and sat down next to Kim, the only member from Slytherin who was currently in the room. She wondered why the classroom was so dark and cold. She momentarily missed Professor Scamander for her cheerfulness. But she drove that thought out of her mind when their new Professor introduced himself.

"I am Professor Wayne, your new potions professor. There will be no silly wand waving and incantations. And everyone is to listen carefully. I don't expect all of you to understand the true nature and fine arts of potions, but I do expect a select few to just be flawless."

"Wow. He's pretty strict," she thought, "But strict is good. That means that he will make me and everyone else work harder. Anyways, Professor Gray wouldn't have hired him if he wasn't good." Isabella readjusted herself in her seat so that she could listen better. She wanted to be one of the select few.

James took his wand from the table, closing the door behind a slytherin girl. He got up and began to talk.

"Everyone settle down and listen. Introductions are not needed, so we will get started with the lesson. As I said before, this class is not for everyone. But yet again, I expect the best effort from all of you, or the consequences will be severe. Today we will talk about the basics of potions. Can anyone tell me what is a potion anyways?" James said as he noticed some students talking and distracted. He waited for somewhere to raise their hand for a minute now. "Don't all raise your hand at once, now." he said sarcasticily.

"Everyone settle down and listen. Introductions are not needed, so we will get started with the lesson. As I said before, this class is not for everyone. But yet again, I expect the best effort from all of you, or the consequences will be severe. Today we will talk about the basics of potions. Can anyone tell me what is a potion anyways?" Professor Wayne announced.

Keith thought for a second, before slowly raising his hand. He waited for the Professor to allow him to speak. "I believe a potion is a liquid, or beverage, if you may, with healing, magical, or poisonous properties." He explained. It was all he could think of on short notice, surely the other students in the classroom could think of something better, but it was worth a shot.

James saw the young gryffindor boy and gave him a nod to speak. "I believe a potion is a liquid, or beverage, if you may, with healing, magical, or poisonous properties" he said. Professor Wayne glanced at him. "Not bad, gryffindor." James replied. "Now. Potions always do some sort of effect. And those effects are due to magical potion ingredients. Anyone else, beside the gryffindor boy, can name me some ingredients and also--" he paused, thinking about something quietly, "Also, tell me where I will find a bezoar from and its use?" he finished that sentence in a hissing form.

"Also, tell me where I will find a bezoar from and its use?" Professor Wayne added.

Keith was about to raise his hand again, before slowly lowering it. He knew the answer, of course, but he didn't want to seem like a know-it-all to the rest of the class. So instead, he remained quiet.

Thinking that Kim, being a muggle-born would be terrible at brewing potions, reciting on class is the only way for her to get some house points. As soon as the Professor asked another question, she raised her hand and waited to be called. "Professor, bezoar is an ingredient that is taken out from a goat's stomach and can be used as an antidote in some potions."

James listened to the slytherin girl explain. James then replied, "Very good, Ms. Frey. 5 points to slytherin. As I was saying, potions do some effect. These effects are controlled by magical creatures and their ingredients. For example, adding flobberworm mucus makes a potion thicker. While some also just give flavor. There are also many tools required to make a potion. These are a cauldron, phials, a knife if necessary, mortar and pestle to crush ingredients, scales, and of course a wand and the specific ingredients. Who can tell me what the effects will be if I add a powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood? This is extremely easy for a first year."

James waited for an answer, but since he got none, he added, "No one? What a disappointment. I suggest you check on chapter two of your textbook, Advanced Potion Making, it's under asphodel of course." James sat down at his desk giving the students time to search through the book and read it and provide him with the correct answer.

Wade was about to enter the Potions classroom as the door closed on his face suddenly.Confused, he waited a little. He could hear the Professor's voice; it was low and intimidating. Wade laughed to himself, I didn't know ProfessorClark was also teaching Potions,
Before knocking on the door, he hesitated. Finally, he decided to knock.

"Very good, Ms. Frey. 5 points to slytherin. As I was saying, potions do some effect. These effects are controlled by magical creatures and their ingredients. For example, adding flobberworm mucus makes a potion thicker. While some also just give flavor. There are also many tools required to make a potion. These are a cauldron, phials, a knife if necessary, mortar and pestle to crush ingredients, scales, and of course a wand and the specific ingredients. Who can tell me what the effects will be if I add a powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood? This is extremely easy for a first year." Professor Wayne said.

Keith couldn't seem to think of the answer. And when no one else raised their hand, Professor Wayne jumped in. "No one? What a disappointment. I suggest you check on chapter two of your textbook, Advanced Potion Making, it's under asphodel of course." He said, as he sat down at his desk. Keith took out his potions textbook and flipped through the pages until he found chapter two.

Keith raised his hand and waited for the Professor to give him permission to speak. "You would get a very powerful sleeping potion, known as the Draught of Living Death." He answered, quite confident with his answer.

James waited for answer, and suddenly Keith spoke once more, "You would get a very powerful sleeping potion, known as the Draught of Living Death." James then replied, "Wrong. Look in the textbook, Mr. Parker. Indeed, wormwood and asphodel is required in the draught of living death, but the asphodel won't be powedered and not the roots, just the leaves." he said hissing at him. James then heard a knock on the door. James got his wand and claimed, "Alohamora." and the door swung open. He saw a slytherin boy walk in. "Nice of you to join us." he said sarcasticly, "Turn to chapter 2 of your textbook, Advanced Potion Making, and find me the answer to what I have written on the board." James flicked his wand at the board and wrote:

'What will happen if I add a powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?'

OOC: Maybe some of you don't know, but a book enttitled 'Advanced Potion Making' is real in the forum under the library books, check chapter 2 of that book.

Wade entered the classrom, and was rudely greeted by the Professor. "Nice of you to join us." He said sarcastically. Wade looked at him, "Yeah, well, I'm not so sure I like the class so..." He said, slighly mocking the Professor's tone as he took a seat near Keith Parker. Suddenly, the Proffesor had given him a task. "I'm not sure, to be honest. But I'm gonna go ahead and guess." He paused "Don't you get the opposite of the Draught of Living Dead? Like some sort of antidote? I mean, everything you're saying contradicts the Draught, so I'm guessing it should be the reversed potion. Besides, I don't even understand what the textbook says." He answered him, closing his textbook abruptly.

James glanced at the boy's total disrespect and attitude. "Wrong, read the book. 10 points from slytherin. Anyways,I will give 15 house points for who can answer me the question correctly. If anyone has a problem with the way I teach and how my textbook is,you can get up and leave,now."

Aurora stood up. "Professor," she said, "I have studied the textbook, and you know as well as I that the answer you are looking for is not in there. So, if you're going to ask questions to which any answer is wrong, I do have a problem. The answer is Draught of Luving Death. You know it is, you just enjoy taking points away from us. I also know that you are not even from Hogwarts, and that is not the way we do things here. I don't care if I get detention or if you take away points. You are doing wrong and enjoying it. Thank you for listening... or not." Aurora sat down, confident that she had spoken the truth. She would gladly drop the class if this was the way he was going to treat his students. The others were looking at her strangely, but she didn't care. Professor Wayne deserved what he got,

OOC: The professor usually is supposed to wait until a few students have heard the question before moving on. Just because you don't seem to have to sleep doesn't mean the rest of us don't either.

James only stared at the ravenclaw girl,then he spoke with a real smile,"15 points to ravenclaw. Not only did she get the right answer,but she'd have the courage and knowledge to be.so certain about something that she'd stand up to a professor like that l. I expect great things from you,Ms. Finnigan ."

"15 points to ravenclaw. Not only did she get the right answer,but she'd have the courage and knowledge to be.so certain about something that she'd stand up to a professor like that l. I expect great things from you, Ms. Finnigan," Professor Watne said, not with his usual sarcastic smile, but a happy one.

Aurora was shocked. She had been so certain of detention. She had been so wrong about Professor Wayne. His mean demeanor had just been a way to get students to start thinking. One thing that he had said surprised Aurora, though. He had said she had courage. Courage was not really a thing she had thought about much. Maybe she had inherited a bit of her father after all. Maybe she didn't need to be so worried about not being a Gryffindor like him. Maybe she just needed to be herself. Aurora smiled back at Professor Wayne. She had been mistaken about him, but she didn't think he was so mistaken about her.

James was swiftly writing down Professor Wayne's questions and the answers given by his classmates. He still didn't know much about Potions, so it was a bit hard for him to keep up with all the new information. He had leafed though the textbook to see what the subject was about, but now that the teacher was interrogating them, it all seemed to get muddled up in his head. Furious that he didn't attach more importance to his book, he promised himself to rectify his mistake in the future. Even when he remembered something, he refrained from raising his hand, as with every intervention Professor Wayne crushed the little confidence he had in his answers.

The teacher then inquired about the result one would get from adding a powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood. Once Keith and Wade had unsuccessfully attempted to answer the question, the second even losing ten points for his attitude, Professor Wayne indicated them that the answer was right in front of them, in their book. However, no matter how hard James searched, he couldn't seem to find any answer different from the ones already given. Suddenly, hearing the screeching sound of a chair being pulled, he raised his eyes and noticed with surprise that Aurora was standing. "Professor," she began "I have studied the textbook, and you know as well as I that the answer you are looking for is not in there." As she pursued, James felt a surge of admiration for his friend, knowing that he could never do something like that. However, as she finished, he also feared Professor Wayne's reaction to her standing up to him in such way, which left him astonished when he heard the teacher's response. Staring at Aurora, he smiled, proud to be in the same House she was.