Naya watched Cole as he completed his braid. Nodding, she said, ”Yes, you got it right”. “Not bad for a rookie”, she said with a smile, “That should work just fine.”

Just then, the professor began to explain what they should do next. Naya turned back to her work. Donning her gloves again, she got her valerian sprigs and sopophorous bean. Then she added the sprigs to her cauldron. One, two, three. After turning the heat up, Naya waited for the potion to have rising bubbles before dropping her sopophorous bean into the mixture. Then, more waiting until the potion turned a pretty turquoise blue. Naya was relieved that her potion appeared to be looking good so far. She placed her stirring rod into the liquid and began to stir in a clockwise motion, while counting to herself. “One, two, three, four, five, six, seven.”

Naya waited hopefully and at last, her potion turned the required blue-gray. Was it pale enough? Naya wasn’t sure, but she hoped that it was. She turned of her heat and set her timer for three minutes. When the time was up, she swept her wand over the cauldron. Smooth, calm, flat wrist. Check.