*PHTHBHPHHLTHLTHHPHBLTTTH*

Raspberrying his way to a complete stop in the dungeons, Peeves righted his slightly askew glasses-moustache-nose disguise and flipped over in midair to see who was joining them.

"You there, ickle wee hero," he called, pointing at the nearest individual regardless of whether they were student, professor, toad, or even part of this little potions party. "Golden cauldron. A BIG one. STAT." He flipped over again, a complete three-sixty, and pointed again, not even caring to make sure the gesture was directed at anyone in particular. "And fill it to the brim with water. Or was it vinegar? Hmmm... mucus of glumbumble? No." *flippedy flip* "Water. Final answer. HIGH HEAT."

Javier didn't have time - or the mental capacity, quite frankly - to argue with Peeves. Gold cauldron full of water on high heat? Got it. That was what he was gonna do - and hopefully it wouldn't blow up in his face.

"To anyone who wants to help - whenever Peeves calls out an instruction, someone yell out that they're doing it so we prevent multiple people from doing double the work," he instructed loudly, a stream of bubbles coming from his mouth as he called out to the group that accompanied him. He propped open the door to his potions stores and waved his wand, summoning a large gold cauldron. They needed a big one to be able to treat all these kids and staff, after all...

Rajesh followed along with the group, half-expecting Peeves to try and make an escape. But the poltergeist was staying along, floating around in his usual playful behavior. It was certainly annoying and he would have preferred not to have to deal with him, but then he’d also prefer not to have his special talent just like everyone else. So if it had to include a few more dealings of suffering he supposed he would deal with it.

Gold cauldron filled with water on high heat.

He didn’t have the cauldron, but Professor Hernandez was able to take care of that requirement from his supply of potions equipment. “I can certainly fill it up with water,” Raj called out, claiming that responsibility as he moved near said cauldron. The sixth year hadn’t needed to touch the rim of the golden surface, just be near enough before the water started to fill the vessel. It was a relief to actually be able to use it for good. He just needed to be extra careful and not overdue it.

Did Tadhg really want to stay behind and babysit Peeves making sure he didn't escape? Of course not, but they had to get this potion done and brewed, he was sure along with the others were tired of these 'gifts' Peeves gave them. Trailing along he kept his eyes on Peeves, although he didn't know if anyone knew he was there but he was surely there for sure. Making sure he wasn't up to anymore chaos around the castle, to his surprise Peeves was actually somewhat good? Yeah... it shocked him too, knowing how he was always up to no good.

Watching Peeves he moved closer to Professor Hernandez and them watching carefully over everything. "Um Professor sir, how are you sure we can trust him? I mean after all this?" Tadhg muttered. He was still invisible but his wand still out so people knew he was there. He wanted this to work, he didn't want to be like this anymore he was tired of it.

Javier JUMPED slightly as Tadhg approached him- even with the wand floating in space next to him, that kept startling him. He nodded and lowered his voice so hopefully Peeves wouldn't hear. "It's the best shot we've got right now," he said with a shrug. Did he trust him? Absolutely not.

He didn't trust Peeves as far as he could throw him...which was not at all. Because he was a ghost and all. Couldn't get the proper grip on him...

"Alright Peeves, what's next?" he asked, stepping back once Rajeesh had filled the cauldron with water - what a great time for that power to come into play - and waved his wand so the flame underneath the cauldron began to heat the bottom at high heat.

Don't mind old Peeves up here, floating around and popping the Potions Master's bubbles with many jabs of his index fingers. Pop. Pop. POP. Pop-pop-pop-pOp-PoP-POP.

What? Oh yes, Peevesy's good deed for the day. He drew himself up and inhaled a big, important breath, ready to announce the next steps which would, of course nEVER cause any exploding cauldrons or (very funny) treachery. No. He was a changed poltergeist. He was turning a new leaf. He was rather enjoying the possibility that they may refuse his very helpful help just because they didn't trust him. But, alas, they listened.

Well, Peeves was bored of this superpower nonsense anyway. All these disruptions ought to belong to him and him alone.

And there was always the chance the potion would explode by accident. Wouldn't THAT be funny?

"NEXT: Add one cup of crushed unicorn horn-" A whole cup! "-one single Ashwinder egg, one heart of crocodile, and half an avocado WITH the stone. Stir anticlockwise until it turns... ah..." What was it now? Peeves squinted around at everyone. Green for Ssssslytherins? No. Gold? Noooo... Pinkpurplegreenblue? Oh. "Silver!" Hehe.

And he'd have the other half of the avocado, once they were done with it. Mr Potions Man would look rather fetching with it splatted up against his ear.

Rajesh was keeping an eye on the water level of the cauldron so there were no accidents. He stepped back as Professor Hernandez lit the fire under the cauldron but still the water was filling. It was only as he took a couple of more steps back from the cauldron that it stopped just below the curve at the top letting Raj let out a sigh of relief that it had worked out alright. But now Peeves had to continue on with the instructions and the sixth year wasn’t so sure of what the poltergeist was telling them

Crushed unicorn horn and ashwinder eggs he knew to be potions ingredients…but a whole cup of horn?! And crocodile heart and avocado seemed weird if only since he believed them to be more common in the states not anywhere in this portion of the world. The latter is more food related than potions ingredient for sure. Raj looked to Hernandez for his opinion for surely the potions professor would know better.

Were they still being pranked by Peeves?

Keighley was still here. The Hufflepuff had kept out of the way while Peeves had given the first set of instructions for the potion and things were going smoothly so far. There hadn't been anything to mess up so far but now they were moving along.

An ashwinder egg and crushed unicorn horn she knew they could get their hands. And they could likely get an avocado from the kitchen as odd of an ingredient as that was. Crocodile heart though? She hadn't heard of that in a potion before but who was to say that it wasn't. Being a fourth year, she most certainly didn't know everything there was to know about potions.

She also gave the professor a curious look but if he thought it was correct then she would go ahead and help gather up the needed ingredients to continue making the potion.

Javier had NO idea what they were brewing, truth be told. Then again, he'd never encountered any sort of magic like this before, so for all he knew, this weird combination of ingredients could be the real thing. He could tell the students were weary of Peeves - and so was he - but he had to put on a brave face because what other choice did they have? At least until Kaz got that book and brought it to them...

"I have avocado and a crocodile heart in that storage over there," Javier explained, pointing to one of the doors in the corridor. "If someone would like to go get the unicorn horn from the back cabinet in the potions classroom...and someone volunteer to stir!" he called out before heading over to grab the ingredients from the locked room.

Okay so Professor Hernandez happened to have both the avocado and the crocodile heart, the odder of the ingredients. And it seemed that at least for now they were going along with what Peeves was spouting. So Rajesh was going to go right along with it, until it rand the risk of harming rather than helping. They didn’t need to make things worse than they already were.

When the professor yelled out instructions for him and the others to do while he retrieved ingredients, the Ravenclaw was torn. Stirring required being close to the cauldron, a vessel that usually set off his ‘skills’ which made retrieving the unicorn horn the better idea. Except he wasn’t a fan of leaving the younger students to watch over Peeves and make sure the poltergeist didn’t get away or into more mischief. “I can stir, once the unicorn is added,” he volunteered, summoning a stirring stick to be ready to assist. While his attention was over the scene and Peeves.

Javier took a few moments to open the locked closet and shuffle around inside to find the ingredients and emerged a few moments later with the heart and avocado in tow. Two very different ingredients...but again, he had to trust the process. No matter how much the logical part of his brain was screaming in protest right now.

"I got the ashwinder egg as well," he announced as he headed over, taking the egg and heart and dropping them in the cauldron. He then proceeded to start cutting open the avocado while he waited for someone to return with the unicorn horn.

While the group is busy completing the latest steps in the potion, a thick book lazily drifts into the room and lands in front of the cauldron with a soft thud. Could it be? It is the book retrieved from the Forbidden Forest!

If one were to open the book, it would reveal the final instructions: Add ½ cup of lacewing flies, and stir clockwise 3 times. Best hurry up and finish the potion! The sooner it's done, the sooner everything can go back to normal!

Awaiting things to happen, Raj was torn whether he had made the right decision to wait for retrieval of the unicorn horn. And when he noticed the potions master coming back with what he had been going for, the sixth year made up his mind to go after the horn himself. If there was anything he knew about potions both from the professor and his father is that time should not be wasted, especially where there wasn’t a point requiring them to wait. Beside as long as everything was right and done correctly, they would all be back to normal and that was better sooner rather than later.

He hurried into the classroom for the horn, carefully measuring out a whole cup and returned without too much passing of time. With the egg and the heart already in the cauldron per Hernandez adding them, he carefully upturned his measuring up filled with the crushed unicorn horn into the cauldron. He then stood by with the stirring rod and awaited the man cutting up the avocado before he did anything with it. His eyes paying careful attention that his proximity didn’t cause anymore water being added.


But wait...what movement? Over on the other side of the cauldron. "I'm guessing that's the book we need?"

With all of the heightened emotions around her, especially her own, it seemed her 'flower power' was really taking on a mind of its own. More so than usual. With every movement she seemed to make now, flowers sprouted up all over the place. Or at least that's what it appeared like to the fourth year whom normally had no issues at all with this 'power' of hers. In fact she liked it and looked forward to seeing what different flowers would appear and she had learned to adapt to it all very quickly.

However, today, she honestly didn't know what to do in this moment. Just one step and flowers were everywhere. But really... she needed to pay attention! Everyone's help counted right now and every little bit that they all did to get this potion brewed quickly and efficiently paid off in getting everyone healed sooner rather than later. So when she saw Raj leave to get the crushed unicorn horn, she wanted to kick herself. Get your head in the game, Keighley Anders!

While Professor Hernandez took care of the avocado and ashwinder egg and Raj got the crushed unicorn horn... this left the blonde standing there. Standing there at the exact time a nice big ole' book came floating its way into where they all were. Whoa! Was that?! It had to be! "Its got to be!" Keigh nodded her head in response to Raj's question. What other book could it be? With a slight bit of hesitation, she picked the book up and very carefully flipped through the pages until she came to what looked to be the potion. "This must be the potion here," she spoke out loud very quickly reading through the parts they had already done. "The final ingredient is a half cup of lacewing flies and then the potion needs to be stirred clockwise three times. I can go get that."

Not wasting anymore time and setting down the book gently, Keigh hurried off to retrieve the said ingredient. Quickly but very precisely was one half cup of lacewing flies measured out and brought back to the group.