Term 9, lesson 1, year 1

Lucia had finally landed on a potion for the first years to learn. She decided that antidote to common poisons, though rather boring, was much more necessary than cure for boils, and might actually be pretty important at a stage in their lives. They couldn't take potions and not know how to brew this potion. It was madness. So she went to her office and made all the preparations, checking that she had all the necessary ingredients for this lesson.

When she was positive that she did, she nodded determinedly and entered the classroom from her office. She sat behind her desk, pulling out her wand. She didn't even look to the blackboard to see the chalk dance upon it, scribbling the necessary words. She just turned to look at the still empty tables before the students would file in. She hoped the first years were excited.

Blackboard:

((Please take note that if you rp your character as being late to class, you will lose points))

Ooh, potions, sounded exciting. And how hard could it be? From the potions book he had read from cover to cover in the holidays, it sounded like it was just chucking some stuff in a cauldron and then mushing it all together and then drinking it. Since he understood the concept of it so well and had practically memorized that book, he was OBVIOUSLY going to be the best in his year at this subject! And most of the subjects, when he came to think of it.

Derek was running along the corridor, he was so eager to get to this class! When he opened the door and caught sight of the wonderful, all-knowing woman who would teach him all there was to know about potions, he gave her a little thumbs up. To show the ultimate respect he held for her. Then he took a seat at one of the empty tables. If everyone didn't come and sit next to him (which they would), then he could always move for them.

Potions! Matthew had no idea if he would like potions or not, but he was pretty sure that he wouldn't. It seemed boring, and it probably didn't involve shooting fire epically out of his wand. So far, nothing had involved epic fire spells, which was so messed up! But there was always the possibility that they could learn to make potions that could blow up, which could possibly result in a fire! So Matthew wasn't counting the subject out yet.

When he arrived, there was only one other person there besides the teacher. And it was that Ravenclaw kid who was in all his classes. And he was already sitting at a table. Matthew bounded over and took a seat at the same table. "Hi! You're Derek! I'm Matthew!" They might have met already, but who cared? Not Matthew, because he was too interested in the burner that was sitting in front of him. He'd forgotten about those! They were supposed to be used to heat a cauldron, but if you put a cauldron on it than you couldn't properly admire the flames! So Matthew figured he'd better take advantage of this time before class and started messing with the burner, trying to get the flame to light.

Derek liked Matthew... sort of. He was nice and friendly enough, but he was really weird and he was always stating the obvious. Like right now. "No, my name is Chad," he muttered sarcastically. OBVIOUSLY his name was Derek, did he need someone to tell him that? No. "Yeah, I remember you." From Diagon Alley. His smile returned to his face because he should be making friends with Matthew, even if he was weird and liked fire too much.

Here was his fire thing again. He couldn't help but chuckle. "Try turning it the other way?" he suggested. He didn't know, but that might make the fire start. And the fire starting might make Matthew happy. And if Matthew was happy because of him, he'd want to be his friend. It all made perfect sense.

Lucia couldn't keep a big grin from her face when one of the first years appeared and gave her the thumbs up. She nodded happily back at him, watching as the students filed in. She noticed a guy sitting down with the thumbs up guy. He believed their names were Bennett and Lawrence. They seemed to be friends already.

When Lucia looked at her clock and saw it was time to start the lesson, she rose and smiled at them all. "Welcome, first years, to Potions. In this class we will learn to brew potions that can be used in your everyday life, and potions that should not be used. You will learn how to brew antidotes and potions to change your mood and much more than that," she said softly.

"Now, potions is a very precise subject and will demand utmost care. A simple mistake can ruin your potion completely, but you will learn how to negate ingredients to save it, though this might take some time. For now, we will start with a potion called 'Antidote to Common Poisons'," she went on.

She looked at them with a smile. "Now, I will not insult your intelligence by asking what this potion does as it is pretty obvious. However, does anyone know what ingredients are in this potion? And what would you define as a common poison?" Lucia asked them, wondering who'd reply first.

Derek liked the Potions professor. She was pretty and friendly and smart. At least, she said smart things which gave the impression she was smart. Until she talked about the potions they would brew. First of all, the useful ones that they would find use for, which was great, but then the ones that shouldn’t be used. If the potion shouldn’t be used, why did she need to teach them how to make it? It was like she wanted them to be bad people and brew the wrong potions. He had no idea what potions were the bad ones, though. Professor Henley redeemed herself soon, though. Potions to change his mood, that was nice. He could make himself angry or make fire sort of potions to make Matthew happy.

Antidote to Common Poisons. That was a good one to start with, because he might actually use it and it was a good person potion, probably. All the times he had read his textbook over and over could pay off! He was pretty sure he knew the answer! He raised his hand eagerly. “There’s… a bezoar, a couple of mistletoe berries, a measure of standard ingredient and a sprinkle of unicorn horn. No, a pinch!” he corrected himself. How stupid of him to mix that up.

Turn it the other way? What a stupid idea! Matthew knew which way to turn it, and he looked at Derek doubtfully when he rudely interrupted his attempt to make fire. But he still did what the other boy said, just to prove that his suggestion had been stupid - but then, fire popped right up out of the burner, and Matthew gasped in excitement. "Hey you were right!" he exclaimed, beaming. "Thanks!"

The professor started talking, and Matthew got quiet, listening to her as he stared mesmerized at the fire flickering from his burner. He had no idea what kind of ingredients where involved in the potion. But Derek did! Her next question wasn't as hard, and Matthew answered it eagerly. "Like if you get bit by a poisonous spider!" he exclaimed.