3 - Final Potions Class
 

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...otionsClas.jpg

Hecate had just gotten back from being out for so long. She hadn't been well and had to stay home for a while. She had a healer acquaintance come to the house to check her out, and she wasn't happy with the verdict. She hadn't told Alexander... nor did she want to.

She wasn't a hundred percent and she just wasn't up to teaching today. She'd never been up to teaching actually... so she figured she'd suck it up, and get to class. She sat in her chair waiting for the students to come in.





ooc: This class will stay open for at least 72 hours (probably more.) Also thanks to Antarctica! for taking the picture of the Potions Classroom for me at the WWoHP, and to Ameh for making it into a pretty graphic!

What's wrong with her? O_o
 

The word FINAL just mixed up so many emotions inside of Sierra. On one hand, she was thrilled that the summer break was quickhly approaching. It couldn't come fast enough, in her opinion. Yet at the same time, look at the torture they had to go through to get there--final exams! Not to mention that this was her OWL year, and with the whole 'missing classes due to being frozen', she was starting to get a little nervous.

...at least this class was Potions, which meant she was fairly confident, if not a hundred percent.

Heading toward the tables, she passed by Lafay. "Hello," she said, giving the woman a quick glance. Then she paused and turned around. Professor Lafay was sitting down? That was a first. The woman was usually always on her feet and ready to go. Sierra frowned then backtracked a little. "How are you feeling?" she asked, dropping her bag by a nearby table. Sierra hadn't been all that well either. She'd even missed the last Quidditch match.

Merlin...what was in the water around here?!

Ella walked to potions a little hesitantly. The last lesson...well it had been pretty disgusting and she had just made it through without throwing up all over the place. She was a little nervous about what Lafay might have in store for them this time. Plus, she wondered if the professor was okay. Mostly because they hadn't had a class in a while. Hopefully everything was okay and she wasn't in too foul of a mood.

Entering the classroom, Ells smiled at the woman. "Hello Professor." Short and sweet and now she could find a seat, yeah? Adjusting the bag on her shoulder, the second year went and plopped down at a seat in the middle of the room. Placing her bag on the table so she could remove her parchment and quill. Once she was done, her bag was placed on the floor and she waited quietly for the lesson to begin.

Alyssa quickly entered the Potions classroom hoping that she wasn't late and heaved a sigh of relief to see that there were only two students in the class besides Professor Lafay. She noticed that the Professor was sitting down instead of standing in her usual position near the door or at her desk and she didn't look her well either. Alyssa quickly walked up to her and greeted her.

"Good morning Professor." She had wanted to add, 'I hope that you are doing well' but didn't because it didn't seem appropriate right now. So she just smiled at her and then went and sat at a worktable next to Ella, whispered, "Hi" to her before taking out her writing materials and journal. She opened up her journal and reviewed what she had written in the pages regardig what they had done in this term's Potions classes. Today was their Potions Finals and Alyssa wanted to be prepared.

Nerida entered the classroom, thanks to Amelia Nerida now knew how to walk in the dungeons, but you shouldn't ask her for help. She would just make you more lost. Wow there was only three people in the classroom, Nerida was usually almost late when it came to potions. Hmm the Professor was siting down instead if standing next to the door. Was she okay?

Nerida quickly walked up to her to greet her. "Good day Professor!" She wanted to ask if she was okay but decided against it. Nerida hadn't been in the potions classroom ever since the freezing incident. Her father still thought it was Professor Lafay. She took a seat next to the girl the girl that she had done that play thing in book club, her name was Ella right? "Hey Ella." hopefully that was her name. She couldn't imagine calling someone by the wrong name. The third year picked up her bag and pulled out some parchment and a quill. Setting her materials onto the table before she set her bag on the floor next to her chair.

Theodore had been seriously lacking in the classes department for the past few weeks. His homework record was TRAGIC. But this was the final potions lesson, so he decided to make an appearance, and he was slightly anxious. Did it mean, cos this was a final class, that they'd be doing something extremely high-skilled?

The first year was awesome, yes, but no potions master as of yet.

He strolled into the classroom, mentally noting that the class was already booming with Hufflepuffs. Though, they were all kinda his friends. He smiled wryly at them, just not AS enthusiastically to Ella. He hadn't forgotten that, you know.

"HI, Professor." He said, taking a seat at the very front.

Nigel walked into potions class and looked at Professor Lafay. Hmm... It looked like she was not feeling well. Nigel wondered how this will effect potion class today.

"Hello, Professor Lafay" Nigel said politely

He walked over to his seat he had the last two potion classes.

Selina figured that if she skipped potions no one would notice her absence. Honestly, the redhead was prone to either blowing up her cauldron or messing up her potion so terribly that it was beyond repair. How many times had she sent Kurumi to the hospital wing when her best friend willingly tested her potions? She wa a hazard in that class. So skipping out seemed like a logical idea, even if she did get caught which would cost her house points. But at breakfast that morning there was a max exodus of students heading down to the dungeons that went Selina thought about creeping away she felt like everyone was looking at her to skip. Maybe it was her paranoia that brought her down her, but regardless here she was- in potions.

Taking a deep breath she walked into the dungeons and spotted Lafay. With a look of defeat on her face she forced a smile on her face and said, "Morning Professor.". Then she slumped off to her seat. Ugh.

No plimies today...right? No dissecting anything either? Please?

Kurumi made her way nervously into the classroom and did not take her usual seat due to obvious reasons. She did hesitate by the seat for a moment, pondering sitting there one last time, but in the end did not. Baby steps....she was taking baby steps.

Instead Kurumi sat down beside Selina looking for comfort in the presence of her best friend. "Good day, Professor Lafay," Kurumi said with a polite bow before she completely took her seat. Did she look angrier than usual? Kurumi was already not looking forward to class even more.

Glancing over at Selina, Kurumi leaned just a bit to the side to give her best friend a playful nudge. "I'm not testing your Potion this lesson, just so you know. I need a break."

She glared at Sierra. She didn't want everyone knowing she had been home sick. "Fine. Hello Miss Greingoth, I trust you are better and will participate in the Championship Match?"

"Hello Miss Bishop" She said with a nod.

"Potter..." she said glaring at the girl. She had not forgotten. One step out of line... and the kid would be in the dungeons faster than she could say 'but.'

"Miss Eventide..." she said greeting the next person.

"Hello, Miss Campbell." She said greeting her.

"Hello Master Kinsley." She said watching the boy take his seat.

"Miss McIntyre," she said in greeting.

"Master Barrington." She nodded.

"Good morning, Miss Gardiner" She said to the child.

"Good Morning Captain Skylar." She said to the girl.

"Good day." But overhearing the Gryffindor prefect, she responded "And you are testing anything I say you are testing Prefect Hollingberry."

"Alright this is a little unorthodox, but let's try it. Does anyone have any potions questions for me?" She asked.

Alyssa gulped when she saw the Professor glare at her. She knew that had nothing with her greeting so it had to be because the Professor was still angry with her for telling Professor Williamson that she had seen her, Oakey and Minerva taking Roro the dragon out for a walk. She didn't know that doing that would end her up on the wrong side of Professor Lafay. All she had done was tell the truth when the Professor had asked where RoRo was.

'Oh well what's done is done.'Alyssa thought to herself. She just had to be very careful today in Potions class because she had a feeling that any slightest mistake and chances the Professor would punish her severely for it.

She had plenty of questions to ask but decided to keep silent and just note down what questions the other students posed, and the Professor's answers.

Cue some rapid blinking for a few seconds. Whaa? Kurumi wasn't entirely sure what Professor Lafay had just asked her, but not answering the woman's question would either be a one way ticket to the dungeons or a death wish. She had seen what one first year had had their boggart turn into in the dueling arena and had been rather amused at the comical form it had taken to be honest. Irony.

"I've been helping Selina study for her OWLs, professor," Kurumi explained. The woman probably could assume certain things from that sentence alone. And then the pieces sort of fell into place as to what the woman had asked her and she internally groaned. "Of course, professor," she said with a nervous nod. Within reason that is.

Just please don't tell me to test Selina's potion...
Kurumi's mind had only been able to focus on one thing due to the nature of their previous two essay assignments - and no, it wasn't cutting open creatures - but on a creature itself. Jobberknolls to be specific. And that linked to Memory Potions...which Kurumi really really wanted to brew in hopes that her missing ones would come back.

So, shyly, Kurumi raised her hand. "Professor, Memory Potions provide the drinker better access to their memories but...can they help bring back memories?" she asked. This probably made no sense to the woman, but Sierra had gone through the same ordeal that Kurumi had so there was a chance that it did. "What I mean is, if you have a complete gap in your memory, like someone literally took an eraser and erased memories from your mind as if they had never been there in the first place...could a Memory Potion bring those back?"

Hmm.. yes, he had many questions about potions, actually. Such as, why couldn't they ever learn how to make cool potions like Baruffio's Brain Elixir? Huuuuuh, now that would come in handy. He decided not to ask that and risk a grilling from Professor Lafay, though.

Instead, he asked something as equally stupid, "Umm, professor, I have a question! Is Polyjuice Potion illegal?" Cos he imagined them being frowned upon, but he still desperately wanted to try it. This brought him onto his next question....

"Also... what is a fluxweed, and.... where does one find such stuffs?" He asked, as lazily as he possibly could appear. Oops, nope... he was going into babbling mode, "Cos I read about it in a really long book and it said something about mustard, which was really confusing." He paused, what USE was mustard to a potion? And it also said about being picked at full moons only, which sounded extremely inconvenient due to his laziness. Just confusing.

"Do you have any spare fluxweeds in your potions closet, professor?" He twiddled his wand carelessly through his fingers. Nothin' to worry about here.

Yes, he had looked up ingredients for Polyjuice Potion. Yes, he would brew and use it someday. And no, he was not going to mention that now.

Theo was subtle. OH yes.

Alyssa decided that she couldn't just keep silent while the other students raised their own questions, so she hesitantly raised her hand and asked.

"Professor, the wizarding folk make potions everyday...even some new ones that we have not even heard of. Is there an antidote for every single one just in case it misfires or can the Bezoar be used as the antidote for all potions?"

Any questions? Well that was really odd. Elliot had never heard Professor Lafay even ask them if they needed help...so questions? She was so taken aback, that she honestly couldn't even think of anything. Of course, she had missed the last class due to her brother being born, but she had copied Hannah's notes...now that she thought about it, those probably weren't too reliable, were they? Dumb Hannah.

The blonde tapped her quill on her desk, her notebook open. She still hadn't thought of any questions..

And was it just her, or did she look...sick? Professor Lafay...sick? Didn't seem right. It ALL seemed weird. Too weird for Elliot. So she kept her mouth shut, staring avidly at the others, wondering, too, what was happening at Hogwarts lately.

She spotted that horrible puffer sophie...talking to Ella. Were they friends? Elliot raised an eyebrow curiously...interesting, really. She hadn't known that...hmm...

Ella smiled as her friends entered the classroom after her but didn't speak, not wanting to upset professor Lafay. She was pleased when Nerida decided to sit down next to her as she hadn't seen her around school much since the book club meeting. Besides, it was nice to sit with a friend. The second year was pleasantly surprised to get a smile from Theodore, even if it was noticeably smaller than the one he gave to Sophie. Frown. At least it was something though. He couldn't stay mad at her forever, could he?

Hmm. Did Ella have any questions about potions? Well yeah, she had LOTS of them. Like...where did the creatures that were harvested come from? Did Lafay catch and kill them or were they already dead or EEP! Were they like...raised for potions?! That was a scary thought. Another thing she wanted to know was why one Little Lurker was inquiring about polyjuice potion. Not that Professor Lafay could answer that, exactly. But she WAS curious...because polyjuice in the hands of Theodore could lead to trouble. Instead of mentioning either of these things, Ella decided to inquire about one of her pastimes, photography. Well photos, more specifically. "Professor, I've read that one might be able to use a potion on muggle photos to make them move the way magical ones do. Is this true?" Because if it was, Ella had many photos she would need to change.

Selina paled a little when Lafay addressed her. There was something about the woman that reduced Selina to a scared little first year whenever they had to converse. Maybe it was the whole fear that Selina had of the subject that the woman taught or maybe it was just that Lafay was bloody terrifying. It also did not help Selina's case that day because Lafay seemed to be in a very short mood. So all she did was nod her head to her Professor's acknowledgment and then sat down at her desk in a lax manner.

She shot up in her seat in fear when she heard someone address her, but when she noticed the familiar voice Selina smiled broadly at her best friend. Poor Kurumi had been subjected as of late to helping Selina with her potions OWL studying. The redhead had told her best friend on numerous accounts that it was hopeless, but she was determined. So when she said that she needed a break from potion testing Selina chuckled and leaned into her best friend, "Deal. I'm surprised you're not in the hospital wing yet from all my failed attempts."

But then she heard a voice that made her sit up in her seat and wipe the smile off of her face. Even though Lafay wasn't directly addressing Selina when she spoke to Kurumi it was a comment that invoked both girls. She sat quietly as Kurumi explained that she had been helping Selina study. Offering up to help her best friend she said, "Yeah Professor. And she's been amazingly helpful with the preparation."

She remained quiet after that as Lafay began the lesson. When she asked if they had any questions she was tempted to raise her hand and ask if she could flee to save herself from embarrassment. But she realized that was probably not the most rational of tactics... So she stayed silent.

Sierra caught the glare and widened her eyes. A moment later, she just felt terrible. She'd been the only student in the classroom when she'd asked that question, so she really hadn't intended to say anything out of place. "Sorry," she mouthed, but didn't say that out loud. Nodding, she said, "Much better, and of course I'll be there. Wouldn't miss it for the world."

...and if she got sick again, she'd just deal with it.

Now, on to the lesson... A potions question? There really wasn't anything she needed to ask that she hadn't already talked about with Lafay. Hmm... Okay, then. "Professor?" she asked, raising her hand. "In your opinion, what's the best way to bottle glory? You know, just in case anyone wanted to...ensure...they'd succeed."

*smirk*

Nigel was surprised that Lafay was taking just any old potion questions. It apeeared from previous lessons that she hated off topic questions.

But what did Nigel know. This is his first year after all. But he did have a question but did not know if it was a good one. Nigel raised his hand and asked

"Professor Lafay, what is Essence of Insanity?"

Nigel only heard it mentioned very briefly in a book he read.

Something seemed a bit off today. Silvia had noticed it when she had first walked into the classroom and greeted the professor. It felt like there was something different about her. But of course she wasn't going to ask! Especially when the professor was Professor Lafay. And now she was starting the lesson off by asking if they had any questions? That was unusual. Normally she would just jump right into the lecture. She'd have to keep her eyes open in case of any other abnormalities; hopefully nothing crazy was going to happen like it did earlier in the term. They didn't need anymore of that!

As for questions, she had none that she could think of. So Silvia sat quietly and attentively, ready to take notes.

Jory raised his hand after listening to some of the other students' questions."Professor, how is it Veriteserum makes the drinker reveal truths? I mean, which particular ingredient or ingredients make this happen?''

This was something which he had often wondered.