SnitchSeeker.com - View Single Post - Potions Lesson 1

MadMadamMalfoy · 02-13-2020, 01:52 PM

Text Cut: Before main activity

Heath was relieved to hear that his answer had been correct, but he didn’t have much time to dwell on it before Professor Noble asked another question. Advantages or challenges of animal ingredients? He bit his lower lip, lost in thought. It seemed the biggest challenge was how to harvest the ingredients without hurting the animal (or the harvester). Trying to harvest from a live creature sounded dangerous, especially if that creature was something like a dragon or an acromantula, and… Heath shuddered as another, worse thought occurred to him. Some ingredients would be impossible to harvest from a live animal… like his earlier example of bat spleens and wings. The image of a poor bat trying to fly without its wings popped into his mind, and it made him sad to think about. He didn’t like the idea of animals having to be hurt or killed for potions!

Heath remained silent for the second question, too caught up in his rising emotions to form any coherent words. Besides, his answer was probably too obvious anyway. He busied himself taking careful notes as the professor spoke. The more he heard, the more he didn’t like where this was going. Heath’s eyes nervously flicked toward the box at the front of the room. Were they going to harvest ingredients from… whatever was in there? He wasn’t sure which possibility made him more uncomfortable: harvesting from a live creature or harvesting from a dead one. His heart sank as the professor confirmed what he already suspected; the moment he heard the words preservation charm, he knew whatever creature they were working with was already dead.

Heath paid careful attention to Professor Noble’s spell demonstration, jotting down the incantation and wand movement in his notes, though it did nothing to ease his mind. Practicing spells in the classroom setting was not his strong suit at the best of times, but the thought of eventually having to perform the spell on some poor dead animal had his stomach in knots! He raised his wand, practicing the tap and flick movement, but when he tried to say the incantation, the words wouldn’t come. “C-con-ser-vay con-dee-o,” he finally managed to stammer quietly. “Conserve condio, conserve condio…”

Heath’s eyes widened in horror as he watched Professor Noble placed a frog from the box on a dissection tray. Frogs… they were dissecting frogs. Just the sight of it made his stomach turn. Hearing that the frogs had been humanely killed didn’t mean much to him; just the fact that they had to die at all for this activity didn’t sit right with him! He wanted to look away, but he forced himself to keep his eyes glued to the professor as he talked. Oh Merlin, how was he going to get through this? It was bad enough that he was already terrified out of his wits of this professor and the thought of making a mistake in front of him, but now he was feeling sad and squeamish on top of that. It would be a miracle if he made it to the end of class without crying or vomiting!

Despite his heightened emotional state, Heath showed no outward sign of protest. He took a deep breath, trying to steel his nerve for what was about to happen as he went to collect the materials he needed from the cupboards. He carefully laid out the dissection scissors, probe, pins, and forceps in a straight line at his station. Now if only he felt as confident about the actual dissection as he did about his tidy workstation! After opening his book to the correct page and putting on his safety gear, the moment Heath had been dreading finally came: frog time. He trudged to the front to claim a frog, handling it with the utmost care as he returned to his seat. He didn’t want to harm it any more than he had to!

Heath’s eyes darted from the frog to the page in his textbook and back several times, noting the external features. He looked up as Professor Noble started speaking again, paying close attention to the next set of instructions. As soon as they got to go ahead to begin, he drew his wand, aiming it at the frog. His hand trembled slightly as he tapped the frog and said in a small voice, “Conserve condio.” Did that work? He looked at the frog, but no sheen appeared over it. Of course it hadn’t worked. When had he ever got a spell right on the first try? Story of his life… After taking a quick moment to steady his hand, he tried again. “Conserve condio,” he said again, a little louder this time.

Heath gasped as he watched the frog’s muscles relax. Even though he knew it was coming, it was still disturbing to see! Gathering his courage, he gently picked the frog up and turned it over on its back. He reached for a pin, and… He couldn't do it! All Heath could think of at that moment was how he’d feel if someone pinned his legs to a dissection tray. He didn’t want to do that to another creature, but he didn’t want to get into trouble with Professor Noble either… which was probably what would happen if he didn’t get that frog’s legs pinned and fast! I’m sorry, Mr. Frog, he thought as he pinned the frog’s legs to the side. I’m so sorry I have to do this to you…

Heath was able to find the frog’s cloaca, but that was as far as he got before his nerve finally failed him. His hands shook so violently that he could barely hold on to his scissors, let alone cut in a straight line! He wasn’t going to even try cutting until he’d calmed down a bit; he’d probably accidentally shred the poor frog to ribbons if he did! Normally when his emotions became too much to handle, Heath retreated into his acting, but there was no part he could play that would make this feel right. He took several deep breaths, trying to calm himself enough to steady his hands, and looked at the frog again. If I don’t dissect it, it will have died for nothing, he thought. That thought was the only way he could go on with this! Before he could talk himself out of it, he cut into the frog, slowly but surely making a line up toward the lip. Now what was next? Right, pin the skin flaps.

02-13-2020, 01:52 PM	#92 (permalink)
MadMadamMalfoy Mackled Malaclaw Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Hazbin Hotel Posts: 11,149 Hogwarts RPG Name: Sydney M. L. Masters Slytherin Sixth Year Hogwarts RPG Name: Maddox B. Buchanan Gryffindor Seventh Year	*catches up on everything* Rhibear ~ Madam Solo ~ ❄ Showtunes > Everything ❄ ~ Accio Jedi ~ Gryffinclaw ~ Just a doll Text Cut: Before main activity Heath was relieved to hear that his answer had been correct, but he didn’t have much time to dwell on it before Professor Noble asked another question. Advantages or challenges of animal ingredients? He bit his lower lip, lost in thought. It seemed the biggest challenge was how to harvest the ingredients without hurting the animal (or the harvester). Trying to harvest from a live creature sounded dangerous, especially if that creature was something like a dragon or an acromantula, and… Heath shuddered as another, worse thought occurred to him. Some ingredients would be impossible to harvest from a live animal… like his earlier example of bat spleens and wings. The image of a poor bat trying to fly without its wings popped into his mind, and it made him sad to think about. He didn’t like the idea of animals having to be hurt or killed for potions! Heath remained silent for the second question, too caught up in his rising emotions to form any coherent words. Besides, his answer was probably too obvious anyway. He busied himself taking careful notes as the professor spoke. The more he heard, the more he didn’t like where this was going. Heath’s eyes nervously flicked toward the box at the front of the room. Were they going to harvest ingredients from… whatever was in there? He wasn’t sure which possibility made him more uncomfortable: harvesting from a live creature or harvesting from a dead one. His heart sank as the professor confirmed what he already suspected; the moment he heard the words preservation charm, he knew whatever creature they were working with was already dead. Heath paid careful attention to Professor Noble’s spell demonstration, jotting down the incantation and wand movement in his notes, though it did nothing to ease his mind. Practicing spells in the classroom setting was not his strong suit at the best of times, but the thought of eventually having to perform the spell on some poor dead animal had his stomach in knots! He raised his wand, practicing the tap and flick movement, but when he tried to say the incantation, the words wouldn’t come. “C-con-ser-vay con-dee-o,” he finally managed to stammer quietly. “Conserve condio, conserve condio…” Heath’s eyes widened in horror as he watched Professor Noble placed a frog from the box on a dissection tray. Frogs… they were dissecting frogs. Just the sight of it made his stomach turn. Hearing that the frogs had been humanely killed didn’t mean much to him; just the fact that they had to die at all for this activity didn’t sit right with him! He wanted to look away, but he forced himself to keep his eyes glued to the professor as he talked. Oh Merlin, how was he going to get through this? It was bad enough that he was already terrified out of his wits of this professor and the thought of making a mistake in front of him, but now he was feeling sad and squeamish on top of that. It would be a miracle if he made it to the end of class without crying or vomiting! Despite his heightened emotional state, Heath showed no outward sign of protest. He took a deep breath, trying to steel his nerve for what was about to happen as he went to collect the materials he needed from the cupboards. He carefully laid out the dissection scissors, probe, pins, and forceps in a straight line at his station. Now if only he felt as confident about the actual dissection as he did about his tidy workstation! After opening his book to the correct page and putting on his safety gear, the moment Heath had been dreading finally came: frog time. He trudged to the front to claim a frog, handling it with the utmost care as he returned to his seat. He didn’t want to harm it any more than he had to! Heath’s eyes darted from the frog to the page in his textbook and back several times, noting the external features. He looked up as Professor Noble started speaking again, paying close attention to the next set of instructions. As soon as they got to go ahead to begin, he drew his wand, aiming it at the frog. His hand trembled slightly as he tapped the frog and said in a small voice, “Conserve condio.” Did that work? He looked at the frog, but no sheen appeared over it. Of course it hadn’t worked. When had he ever got a spell right on the first try? Story of his life… After taking a quick moment to steady his hand, he tried again. *“Conserve condio,”* he said again, a little louder this time. Heath gasped as he watched the frog’s muscles relax. Even though he knew it was coming, it was still disturbing to see! Gathering his courage, he gently picked the frog up and turned it over on its back. He reached for a pin, and… He couldn't do it! All Heath could think of at that moment was how he’d feel if someone pinned his legs to a dissection tray. He didn’t want to do that to another creature, but he didn’t want to get into trouble with Professor Noble either… which was probably what would happen if he didn’t get that frog’s legs pinned and fast! I’m sorry, Mr. Frog, he thought as he pinned the frog’s legs to the side. I’m so sorry I have to do this to you… Heath was able to find the frog’s cloaca, but that was as far as he got before his nerve finally failed him. His hands shook so violently that he could barely hold on to his scissors, let alone cut in a straight line! He wasn’t going to even try cutting until he’d calmed down a bit; he’d probably accidentally shred the poor frog to ribbons if he did! Normally when his emotions became too much to handle, Heath retreated into his acting, but there was no part he could play that would make this feel right. He took several deep breaths, trying to calm himself enough to steady his hands, and looked at the frog again. If I don’t dissect it, it will have died for nothing, he thought. That thought was the only way he could go on with this! Before he could talk himself out of it, he cut into the frog, slowly but surely making a line up toward the lip. Now what was next? Right, pin the skin flaps. __________________ Old voices I had thought long since dead whisper of another life I might have led If I could take that second chance, If I could make my life anew, If only dreams came true...