Cosgrach didn't even know why he was doing it, but ever since Helena was born, he felt much more positive. So, as a... present or something, he figured out he could offer a few potions for free. After all, it wasn't hard for him to brew them and he guessed people deserved to have a bit of fun. He placed the potions in the cupboard he had bought specifically for this and wrote the rules on the blackboard for everyone to read.



OOC: What is this?

Free potions! When Leah first read the notice, she thought it was a JOKE. Why would Culloden give out his precious potions for nothing? He was a nice person, but he had no reason to be so generous to them. When she walked into the laboratory though, a smile appeared on her face as she saw the cupboard of potions.

"Hi Professor Culloden," she said happily, then read the new rules on the board. They were pretty simple to follow. She observed the potions in store, wondering what she could choose. She had to do it wisely because she would have to wait two whole weeks until she could take a new one. This was exciiiting.

Ah, someone was quick, wasn't she? Before he could finish organising the potions, Leah was already at the door to try a potion. He smiled at her as he put down the last vial.

"Hey, Leah," he said, "came for the potions?" Well, judging by her empty hands, he guessed so... so he decided to wait for a short while to see if she had any questions. If she didn't, he would leave.

Free potions???

As much as Lux thought Culloden was a sweetheart, as soon as she saw his notice, she thought: he has to be doing this because of the baby. Of COURSE he would be, because babies were wonderful and parents loved their children and were proud of them.

Walking into the lab, she smiled at Professor Culloden and Leah. "Hey!" That was directed at the both of them. She was happy to be able to pick a potion, and the rules seemed simple.

OMG, HER POTION WAS ON THE LIST!!!!

Excuse her, she was just having a moment.

Ooops, was she too early? This Potions activity just seemed to cool, so Leah had ran down as quickly as possible. She smiled back at the Professor as he finished organizing the Potions. "Yes. There are SO many here though... I don't know what I should take," her dark brown eyes scanned the vials as she spoke. It wasn't even like she NEEDED any Potions. Or did she?

She turned around to a familiar voice. "Hey Lux," she grinned. Another quick person, huh? The Hufflepuff continued her search for Potions, then picked an interesting-looking one up from the middle. Lux' Chocolate Frog Potion... wait, Lux? She laughed and held it up for the older girl to see. "Look, this has your name on it!"

Cosgrach chuckled to himself. If it was him, he wouldn't know what to take too. He was about ot excuse himself, but Lux walked in and he turned to her to greet.

"Hello," he said - Hufflepuffs WERE quick, okay. Then, noticing her reaction and Leah's exclamation, he laughed.

"It's because she created it by herself last term," he said, in case Lux tried to be modest about it. Then, he checked his watch. "I should leave now," he said with a smile, "if you need me, you know where to find me." And thus, he turned to leave.

Smiling at Leah, Lux couldn't help but be proud when her potion got noticed. It was her first one ever, and that was a HUGE deal. But Culloden was giving her all the credit, and that was not right. "I wouldn't have been able to do it without you, sir." And that was the total truth. With a wave, she watched him leave. If she needed him for anything she would come to his office.

But anyway on to picking her potion. "Yeah, I invented it during the workshop last term!" It would be awesome if people liked it, but honestly she didn't care if no one did. Just knowing that she had created something was enough for Lux, and it wouldn't have been possible without Professor Culloden's help.

Scanning the list, she decided to go with Antillergen Potion because while she wouldn't eat strawberries regardless at least this way she didn't have to be SO cautious around them. Selection made, she recorded her name and the potion she was taking. Next time she would go with something like Strength Potion so that she could lift anything she felt like!! That would be pretty cool!

Benny had been quite taken back to see his potion in the handbook. HIS potion, the one he had created on his own, with a bit of help from Professor Culloden of course. And then the notice had gone up for this year's potions activity and he had to admit he was curious about it. Instead of creating potions, they would be testing some of them out, allowed to do it multiple times throughout the year.

As long as they weren't any of the questionable ones they couldn't be too bad...right?

And so he headed down to the potions lab one day, ready to look over his options. A look on the blackboard alluded to what was required of them, the sixth year reading them over. His attention then drifting to the cupboard in curiosity. There were so many inside.

OF COURSE Adi had to check this out! He had not expected to see the potion on the list when he scanned the notice in his Common Room. He was THRILLED that Culloden had put it there. It made him even more confident of having a side career in Potions after Hogwarts. Besides his own potion on the list, there was one other he was SUPER pleased to see there.

The happy Hufflepuff practically sprang with each step he took until he was at the Potions lab where he was supposed to be meeting a particular Gryffindor. Aha! There was the blond Dragon! "It's Beeeennnnnyyy the Lion Dragoooon!'' Adi announced his presence in a sing song voice as he did a silly little dance to match his singing. He came to a halt when he was standing at the other boy's side. "HI!'' Annnd cue his attention turning to the cupboard. "I already know which I'm going to take.'' He reached for the bottle labelled Fire Breathing Potion. "This one.'' Yes! For old time's sake!

SPOILER!!: The Singing Hippogriff

Quote:

Originally Posted by FearlessLeader19

OF COURSE Adi had to check this out! He had not expected to see the potion on the list when he scanned the notice in his Common Room. He was THRILLED that Culloden had put it there. It made him even more confident of having a side career in Potions after Hogwarts. Besides his own potion on the list, there was one other he was SUPER pleased to see there.

The happy Hufflepuff practically sprang with each step he took until he was at the Potions lab where he was supposed to be meeting a particular Gryffindor. Aha! There was the blond Dragon! "It's Beeeennnnnyyy the Lion Dragoooon!'' Adi announced his presence in a sing song voice as he did a silly little dance to match his singing. He came to a halt when he was standing at the other boy's side. "HI!'' Annnd cue his attention turning to the cupboard. "I already know which I'm going to take.'' He reached for the bottle labelled Fire Breathing Potion. "This one.'' Yes! For old time's sake!

His potion was there!

Not just in the book but a perfectly brewed version of it for himself and others to to test and try out. Okay....so that seemed so cool! Even if Benny wasn't the greatest potioner, at least in his own eyes and THAT interested in the subject as a whole. He was looking at some of the others when he heard his name...and nickname...long and drawn out and by a very familiar voice.

"Hey..." he greeted, turning to see Adi when the fellow sixth year came up beside him before the cupboard. His friend knew what he was going to try? Benny followed the Hufflepuff's gaze and hand to spot the potion that was picked out of the rest. "That one..." the Gryffindor mused, remembering it very well. It was, after all, what had gotten him his very nickname after they had tried it out the first time.

"Not sure what I'm going to chose."

“Yes! This one!’’ Adi replied enthusiastically and reached for the bottled potion. Wheee! He was going to relive his second year! Well, not the entire year but rather that year when he had really gotten to know Benny and that Dragon nickname had been coined.

Hmmm. Benny didn’t know what to choose? Adi was hereee to solve that problem. “The Ageing Potion,’’ was the prompt reply. “I want to see the old and wrinkly Benny of the future. You know, the one I have to have around for the rest of my life.’’ He grinned. “Be warned, if you have a silly looking beard or moustache then I will ditch you.’’ Hehe. Lies.

Adi waited patiently for Benny to weigh his options with the Potions. Oh yeah! He should write the necessary information Culloden would want them to, huh? He did just that.

Now.

HAD BENNY MADE UP HIS MIND?!

SPOILER!!: Adi

Quote:

Originally Posted by FearlessLeader19

“Yes! This one!’’ Adi replied enthusiastically and reached for the bottled potion. Wheee! He was going to relive his second year! Well, not the entire year but rather that year when he had really gotten to know Benny and that Dragon nickname had been coined.

Hmmm. Benny didn’t know what to choose? Adi was hereee to solve that problem. “The Ageing Potion,’’ was the prompt reply. “I want to see the old and wrinkly Benny of the future. You know, the one I have to have around for the rest of my life.’’ He grinned. “Be warned, if you have a silly looking beard or moustache then I will ditch you.’’ Hehe. Lies.

Adi waited patiently for Benny to weigh his options with the Potions. Oh yeah! He should write the necessary information Culloden would want them to, huh? He did just that.

Now.

HAD BENNY MADE UP HIS MIND?!

Of all the potions his best friend could suggest...

The Aging potion?!

The Gryffindor couldn't help but make a face. "No way....already did that!" After that whole aging experience inadvertedly caused by Botros, Benny didn't want to see himself old and gray again until he really was old and gray. And even then, he would prefer to not look as old and crumbly as he had a few years back. "You'll either have to remember or wait." No, there would be no aging potion for him.

Benny shook his head as he looked back over his other options. His hand finally reaching for the flying potion, taking it from the shelf where it had previously rested. "I guess I can try mine." He'd certainly rather try and fly than age himself once more.

Oh yeah! Adi had forgotten Benny had been ancient thanks to that epidemic that had gotten to Hogwarts. "I prefer reliving that. Besides, there's a Wrinkle Heal potion there...'' Adi could have swapped the Fire Breathing Potion for that and so Benny wouldn't have to look so old. He sighed dramatically. "I guess I'll have to remember it then. Old man.'' Hehe.

"Good idea! You can try it on Dormouse!'' Dormouse Guster happened to be in his pocket since Adi figured his toad wouldn't mind a trip outdoors. Anyway, he peeked around at the other bottles looking for his and soon spotted it. Some other time he was going to take that one. Mhmmm.

"Don't forget to write your name and the potion down.'' Then they could go try them out! WOOT!

SPOILER!!: Older Adi

Quote:

Originally Posted by FearlessLeader19

Oh yeah! Adi had forgotten Benny had been ancient thanks to that epidemic that had gotten to Hogwarts. "I prefer reliving that. Besides, there's a Wrinkle Heal potion there...'' Adi could have swapped the Fire Breathing Potion for that and so Benny wouldn't have to look so old. He sighed dramatically. "I guess I'll have to remember it then. Old man.'' Hehe.

"Good idea! You can try it on Dormouse!'' Dormouse Guster happened to be in his pocket since Adi figured his toad wouldn't mind a trip outdoors. Anyway, he peeked around at the other bottles looking for his and soon spotted it. Some other time he was going to take that one. Mhmmm.

"Don't forget to write your name and the potion down.'' Then they could go try them out! WOOT!

Cue snort. Adi could relive it all he wanted but Ben was going to opt out. With or without the availability of wrinkle heal potion. His friend got an eyebrow raise at the dramatic sigh. Real mature...the sign of disappointment at him and his choice. "Says the one older than me." Though the comment only made him remember that Adi's legality was coming which made his nervous. He shook it off the best he could before fighting the urge to roll his eyes at the Dormouse mention.

"Sure...in a small enough dose." Benny just hoped there weren't any dangers from his potion on toads.

Oh yeah, they did have to make Culloden aware of what they were taking from the cabinet. "Right..." he said with a nod at the reminder. The lion picking up a quill and scribbling down his name and potion for the record.

Quote:

Benjamin Atreyu
Flying Potion

"Guess it's a go then," Benny mused, exchanging quill for potions bottle once more and heading out of the lab.

This was so awesome! Free potions!

Sapphire browsed through the list and decided on the one she'd pick first. After taking down a bottle and keeping it in one of her robe pockets, she took a quill and wrote on the record book.

Sapphire Wulfweardsweorth - Baruffio's Brain Elixir

She left the lab feeling excited to try it out.

Leah's eyes widened at this. Lux CREATED this potion? This was SO cool. So she decided to tell her this fact. "You are SO cool." No need to be modest or anything. She wanted to join in the workshop the previous term, but missed the announcement about sign up. Eh.

She looked up at Professor Culloden as he turned to leave. "Bye Professor," she smiled. It was nice for him to linger around as she wondered what Potion to choose. "I shall take your Chocolate Frog Potion, Lux." she put the vial down on a working station and recorded her information on the rostrum.

Leah glanced at the Potion the older Hufflepuff had chosen but could not quite read its tag. Nevertheless, she hoped it would help the girl out. After waving a cheerful goodbye, she exited the Laboratory.

She was cool??? Awww, Leah was so sweet. "Thanks, Leah! I hope you like the potion." It was nice to have someone try out her invention. Maybe she would try it out sometime too. Surely Professor Culloden wouldn't mind. Hehe.

Smiling, she skipped out of the potions lab, bottle of potion in hand.

----------------------------------------------------

It was time for Lux to choose another potion to try out!!

This time she was going to go for the Strength Potion so that she would be super STRONG and could lift things like cars. Too bad there weren't any at Hogwarts, but she should be able to find other things to try it out on. Maybe she could go to her dorm and lift her bed or something. LOL. That would be fun.

Bottle of potion in hand, she recorded the required information:

Quote:

Lux Carrington
Strength Potion

Now off to the common room!

Determination.

This was what Adi was feeling the most right now, seven days after starting the brewing, as he shuffled into the Potions lab with Benny trailing behind him. They were both going to get the Wolfsbane Potion done right for sure. Positive thoughts!

Anywayyy, he had to help Benny brew over his potions because of the mishap in the joint lesson, something which Adi had no problem doing since he was just relieved to have his Dragon back. "All set, Benny?'' he asked as he donned the usual protective gear before going to check on his own potion's flame which he did everyday. Seven days for him were not up as yet but they would be in five days.

"I'll grab the milk and heat it for you while you get the cauldronful of water ready.'' The Hufflepuff happily Scourgified a glass to measure out the cow's milk then proceeded to heat it on medium heat using another burner for three minutes on medium flame.

Now this....THIS felt right.

Brewing a potion, especially a difficult one, with his bestie Adi the potions expert by his side to insure nothing went wrong. Well as long as a certain astronomy professor didn't wander in randomly and sneeze cookie chunks over it again. He trailed along beside the Hufflepuff, his own bronze cauldron in his grasp this time, remembering it as he gathered his supplies before leaving his dorm.

Entering the lab, he took up position beside his companion and laid everything out he had. "As ready as I can be..." he answered, adding his own goggles to his head and gloves to his hands so he could set to....THEY could set to work.

The Gryffindor nodded at the suggestion of work, slipping his wand out from his pocket. "Scourgify!" he cast on his cauldron to make sure it was all clean again. Then with a "Aquamenti," he began filling it up to the point it should be. A silent Finite ending the stream so things were all ready on his end. Benny then watched and waited as the milk Adi was warming up went through its own process.

Potions as a rule was pretty easy for AJ because all you had to do was follow directions and use clean equipment. How hard was that? Exactly, it wasn't. She did however have a problem with patience. Anybody that knew her would know it was something she struggled with EVERY day. Checking that the flame didn't go out every day was not nearly enough to satisfy her.

The Wolfsbane's Potion was supposed to be extremely difficult and AJ was feeling extra excited about the challenge. After waiting for 7 super long days after the starting of this potion, she was itching to get her hands on it to finish it properly. No mistakes could be made because she did NOT have the time to start completely over. Nor did she have the patience.

With a full belly and a good eight hours of sleep under her belt, she made her way into the potions laboratory. No partners and no distractions. It was just going to be her and her potion baby.

AJ pulled out her notes and read them over once before she began. Yes, she was very serious about getting this perfect. Bragging rights and a feel good attitude were at stake here.

With clean hands, the fourth year added seven jobberknoll feathers. She put them in one by one and counted in her head as they went in. You know... just in case.

When she got to the next step her mouth dropped open. They had to wait again? Seven more long and boring potionless days? How did she miss then when she read over the instructions the first time? Cue a long sigh. This was why she made a point to read things more than once. Fine. AJ scribbled down the time and date on her arm because well, she didn't have a spare piece of parchment and she wasn't about to mess up her precious notes. It wasn't everyday she took the time to make them after all.

"I'll be back my precious." She would have to come and check on it every freaking day. Busy work. Lame work. She wanted to add cool things, man. Okay. She was leaving.

Until next time...

It had been seven days since the joint lesson had ended. At the potions part, Professor Culloden had thought them to brew wolfsbane potion, one of the hardest potions ever that had been invented. And today they had to complete the brewing process. That's why he was here, at the potions lab.

Bringing his potions notebook, the fifth year Gryffindor then started continuing the brewing process. He walked to the desk where he had put his cauldron and now it's time to continue the brewing! He opened his notebook and read the next steps that he's gonna do today. He had to add jobberknoll feathers to the cauldron... Okay. Walking to the storage, he grabbed seven jobberknoll feathers then added them to the cauldron.

And then... what should he do next? Jackson then read his notebook again. Omo... He had to wait again for seven days. Merlin, this was why this potions was complicated. It needs a long time to brew it. Okay then, he exactly wrote down the date and time today when he already added the jobberknoll feathers. Then he washed his hands before he left the lab. He had to come back again in 168 hours EXACTLY.

Adi was actually so pleased to be helping Benny rebrew his potion for two reasons: one- it will give him a bit of an extra practice and two- it'll show Benny he was over their misunderstanding and everything was back to normal between them.

Six... five... four... three... two...one! Three minutes were done! Off went the burner then he carefulyl levitated the hot liquid over to the cauldron then emptied it all in to join the water. "Next, put low flame on.'' Adi did this then looked back at Benny's notes. "You need chopped fluxweed.'' He shoved the ingredient and knife towards the bestie. "Don't forget to clean the knife.''

Wheeeeee! Adi liked doing this kind of thing. Helping out with potion brewing was fun and it made him think even more of having potion lessons for less talented students in the near future. Benny, without realising it, had become his first student and had been getting free lessons for a while. Hehe.

SPOILER!!: Adi

Quote:

Originally Posted by FearlessLeader19

Adi was actually so pleased to be helping Benny rebrew his potion for two reasons: one- it will give him a bit of an extra practice and two- it'll show Benny he was over their misunderstanding and everything was back to normal between them.

Six... five... four... three... two...one! Three minutes were done! Off went the burner then he carefulyl levitated the hot liquid over to the cauldron then emptied it all in to join the water. "Next, put low flame on.'' Adi did this then looked back at Benny's notes. "You need chopped fluxweed.'' He shoved the ingredient and knife towards the bestie. "Don't forget to clean the knife.''

Wheeeeee! Adi liked doing this kind of thing. Helping out with potion brewing was fun and it made him think even more of having potion lessons for less talented students in the near future. Benny, without realising it, had become his first student and had been getting free lessons for a while. Hehe.

The required three minutes were up and Benny stepped back a little as Adi levitated the milk to the water. Didn't want to be in his way and cause him to accidentally drop it. But the hot liquid was soon poured into the cool water and the Gryffindor was ready for the next step even as his companion described it. Yep....he had done this part right during the lesson. It was coming back to him like he had written in his notes.

So he lifted the cauldron up to the burner and applied low heat as instructed. "Scourgify," he cast, his time on his work area before accepting the fluxweed and knife and cleaning the latter as well. Benny chopped it much as he had done before when he had been working alongside the rest of the class, making sure it was all well and truly cut and not too large or small. When he was done he added it.

"Stirring with metal stirrer next right?" he questioned Adi to check himself. The Gryffindor, moving to scourgify that as well to be ready.

Every day like clockwork, Lux checked on her potion to see if it was still bubbling away. Finally it was time for her to continue brewing.

Being careful to arrive slightly before the time she had written down during the lesson, she signed into the log book and began to get things ready. All her equipment and the work area got a thorough cleaning after she had checked on her potion. Everything was going perfect because the flame was still burning.

Pleased, she put on her clean gloves and extracted seven Jobberknoll feathers from her potions kit. Now to watch the clock. Waiting patiently since there wasn't too much time to go, she hummed a little song to herself. It would be nice to have someone to talk to while she brewed but she knew how important it was for her to devote her full attention to the task. Talking meant distraction, and that could have very dire consequences on her potion which she did NOT want to happen. She was trying her hardest to brew complex potions successfully because they challenged her abilities and helped her skills develop.

At the EXACT time - down to the very second - her feathers were to go in, Lux added them. The time was immediately recorded in her notes and she stared at the feathers for a moment as they floated at the top of her potion. Looked like it would be another week before she could continue. Pout.

Removing her gloves she cleaned them as well as everything else. Cleanliness was one of the best friends a potioneer could have. For what felt like the millionth time she checked the flame to make sure that it was burning; this was more for her sanity than anything else. Everything was put away and it was time to go. "I will be seeing you soon," she said to her potion. Lux had no problem talking to potions because they were like people to her - they had moods, likes, and dislikes.

Heading to the door, she signed out of the log book then was on her way to get something to eat from the kitchens.

SPOILER!!: Lux's Notes

WOLFSBANE POTION

Ingredients:

• 1 glass of regular cow milk
• 1 measure of fluxweed (picked on full a moon)
• 1 handful of a tame dog's neck fur
• 14 Jobberknoll feathers
• 7 tea spoons of Armadillo bile
• 7 grams of a well-whisked Runespoor egg
• 7 aconites' roots

Procedure:

1. Heat a glass of milk for 3 minutes on medium flame (seperately)
2. Fill the cauldron fully with water and add the milk
3. Set the cauldron on low flame
4. Chop the fluxweed well and add it
5. Stir 7 times clockwise with a metal stirrer
6. Sprinkle the dog fur evenly (in about 10 seconds)
7. Wait for exactly 7 days (note the hour and minute and do the next step at the exact time)
8. Add 7 of the Jobberknoll feathers
9. Wait for exactly 7 days again (note the hour and minute and do the next step at the exact time)
10. Add the other 7 of the feathers
11. Set the burner on medium heat
12. Add the Armadillo bile one tea spoon at a time
13. Stir 7 times counter clockwise with a metal stirrer
14. Add the Runespoor egg
15. Wait for 7 minutes and 7 seconds
16. Cast 'Recordo'
17. Add the aconite roots one by one
18. If done correctly, it will exude a faint blue smoke