So step three was easy enough. Sophie kept watch on her cauldron while she waited for the mixture to come to a boil. Soon enough, it did, and so she added the pomegranate. She turned the heat to medium and listened as Culloden detailed how very important it was to wait exactly five minutes.

She spent that five minutes cleaning the things she'd already used and also straightened up her work station. Of course, she did the important things, too. She mixed the re'em and salamander blood in a bowl then began stirring them together. Five times clockwise...five times counter-clockwise. She used her mortar and pestle to crush the griffin claw. She glanced up and Culloden, waiting for him to make the official call.