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Fireheart · #1 (**permalink**) 04-09-2021, 02:54 AM

Although Professor Varma's office is located in the dungeons, you wouldn't be able to tell at first glance. The room is bright, cheery, and warm, with colorful drapes of sunset orange and magenta adorning the ceiling. A fireplace cackles in one corner, while enchanted chandeliers provide a glow to the office. Behind Professor Varma's desk is a rather intricate-looking coffee bar, complete with an espresso machine, a tea kettle, sweetening syrups, and jars containing various flavors of crushed tea leaves.

Off to the side is a gold cauldron and a table with various vials, ingredients, and potion-making devices. A self-stirring spoon mixes the vibrant aqua liquid inside, emitting a scent similar to cinnamon. Behind the cauldron, a large bookshelf contains guides and recipes for almost every potion imaginable. A few enchanted portraits decorate the wall—one of Professor Varma laughing alongside a strikingly identical woman, one of a grand sandstone palace, bustling with tourists and locals alike, and one of an older couple waving from the window of what looks to be a library.

If Professor Varma has invited you in, there are two rattan chairs with colorful seat cushions waiting for you. Do make yourself at home!

OOC: There is no waiting area, so please just have a knock on the door. Shreya will be with you shortly!

Felixir · 05-07-2021, 12:16 AM

Nem and Varma had left things on a funny little note last term. Sure, there had been the students-go-poof incident in her classroom, and getting the woman sentenced to The Room had been a whole thing too, but Nem had attended plenty of her classes after that day. No, the real funny note had been their encounter at the stone bridge.

Perhaps 'funny' wasn't the word. Or perhaps it was. Depended on perspective, really. It had been, arguably, a moment of significance, and yet Nem hadn't seen the professor since, not even that morning, as they'd hard passed on the whole communal breakfast experience, just as they had with the feast the night before. They could source their own sustenance, thanks.

Point was, maybe Nem and Varma had some things to talk about, and Nem didn't wait very long to find out if that was the case. Barely twenty-four hours had passed since arriving back at Hogwarts, and here they were at the Potion Whatever's office. They knocked on the door and stood by, waiting for an answer.

Fireheart · 05-08-2021, 03:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felixir

Nem and Varma had left things on a funny little note last term. Sure, there had been the students-go-poof incident in her classroom, and getting the woman sentenced to The Room had been a whole thing too, but Nem had attended plenty of her classes after that day. No, the real funny note had been their encounter at the stone bridge.

Perhaps 'funny' wasn't the word. Or perhaps it was. Depended on perspective, really. It had been, arguably, a moment of significance, and yet Nem hadn't seen the professor since, not even that morning, as they'd hard passed on the whole communal breakfast experience, just as they had with the feast the night before. They could source their own sustenance, thanks.

Point was, maybe Nem and Varma had some things to talk about, and Nem didn't wait very long to find out if that was the case. Barely twenty-four hours had passed since arriving back at Hogwarts, and here they were at the Potion Whatever's office. They knocked on the door and stood by, waiting for an answer.

Indeed, the potions professor had spent more of her summer holiday than she would have liked to admit puzzling over what had happened at the stone bridge. It wasn't quite that the memory haunted her, no. Simone Kraft was a wicked woman, and though Shreya didn't feel right determining that anyone deserved to die, the blonde Ministry of Magic impostor came pretty close to that distinction. But the memory was bizarre—from the realization that she herself had played a role in someone's death to the strange tag-teaming that had occurred between herself and a certain Slytherin student. To put it plainly, the moment had been stuck in her mind for weeks.

Which was why she was a bit surprised to see Nemesis Upstead on the other side of her office door. Shreya, normally quite unflappable, couldn't help but reveal a glimmer of her bewilderment. "Oh!" she breathed, passing her cup of tea from one hand to the other. "Hello." She sidestepped away from the door as she attempted to collect herself, a silent invitation for them to enter.

"I have to admit, you are the last student I'd expect to show up at my office door, Nemesis," she said honestly. She waved her wand toward the lavender potion bubbling in the cauldron. The flame flickered before sputtering out. "Though I'm curious as to what brought you here." Nem didn't seem like the type of student to seek out extra help on homework. And with it being so early in the term, she doubted that they were struggling with any Potions material quite yet. The fact of the matter both engrossed and worried her.

Felixir · 05-09-2021, 12:10 AM

Nem could not exactly say they had predicted every single reaction they'd met with since boarding the train to come back here, but they'd not been too surprised by any yet. A look of faint amusement came over their face at Professor Varma's immediate reaction to seeing them on her doorstep, but this was another that pretty much fit the bill.

"Hello," they said back, ever so politely, stepping over the threshold and into the office. "I can't think why." That was a joke, though delivered so drily it may have been difficult to tell.

Nem took a good look around the office from just inside the door, starting with the potion whose fire source had just been snuffed out, then to the drapes, the coffee bar, the desk, even the chandeliers, the portraits, then back to the area devoted to potion-making. Varma was right in her assumption that Nem was not the type to seek out homework help, but only because they never needed it, and in fact actively craved the stimulation of such a difficult problem so that they could liven things up a little by solving it. Alone.

But they were, of course, here for a reason. "Wanted some company, I suppose." Nem paused for one beat, then added, "And I just wondered if we should talk. About last term." The lack of specification was deliberate; they preferred to see what Varma would mention first, if anything.

Fireheart · 05-11-2021, 02:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felixir

Nem could not exactly say they had predicted every single reaction they'd met with since boarding the train to come back here, but they'd not been too surprised by any yet. A look of faint amusement came over their face at Professor Varma's immediate reaction to seeing them on her doorstep, but this was another that pretty much fit the bill.

"Hello," they said back, ever so politely, stepping over the threshold and into the office. "I can't think why." That was a joke, though delivered so drily it may have been difficult to tell.

Nem took a good look around the office from just inside the door, starting with the potion whose fire source had just been snuffed out, then to the drapes, the coffee bar, the desk, even the chandeliers, the portraits, then back to the area devoted to potion-making. Varma was right in her assumption that Nem was not the type to seek out homework help, but only because they never needed it, and in fact actively craved the stimulation of such a difficult problem so that they could liven things up a little by solving it. Alone.

But they were, of course, here for a reason. "Wanted some company, I suppose." Nem paused for one beat, then added, "And I just wondered if we should talk. About last term." The lack of specification was deliberate; they preferred to see what Varma would mention first, if anything.

Shreya blinked a few times at Nem's comment, unsure if they were joking or not. Regardless, she didn't have a quippy response at the ready, so she settled for busying herself at the beverage station. "Can I get you anything to drink?" she asked over her shoulder as she refilled her cup with cinnamon tea. She may not know why on Earth Nemesis Upstead was here, but she figured she should at least be hospitable. Didn't want word getting around that she only offered beverages to select students.

She paused, ever so slightly, at the mention of wanting company. Again, not sure if they were joking. But the comment evoked in her a brief pang of sadness. A part of her felt for them. She doubted that anyone was very welcoming of Nemesis after last term. Maybe they really did need someone to talk to. "Hmm. Last term was certainly....something."

Once again, her mind went back to the stone bridge. Shreya's eyes darkened as she recalled the day. The violence. The lifelessness. And a bit of confusion, as to why Nemesis had helped in ridding the Neo-Alliance of Simone Kraft. "I have a feeling that you may not be referencing the Polyjuice lesson," she said quietly, a newfound seriousness coming over her face. Call it intuition or whatnot (or perhaps it was just common sense), but Shreya had a hunch.

Felixir · 05-12-2021, 01:27 AM

Nem looked towards Varma, standing at that coffee bar of hers. "I'm fine, professor," they said politely, flashing a smile before going over to take up one of the seats across from the desk, running their fingertips across the rattan arms. "But thank you for the offer." From the chair, Nem took another good look at the office, eyes flicking over every available surface, taking in every sight. They landed at last on the portrait of Varma and someone who was almost uncertainly her twin, and watched it for a moment.

Back to Varma again, and Nem allowed a small, wry smile to tug at their lips for just a second. "You'd be right. Though that's worth a word or two as well." They could circle back around to that. It was the stone bridge that Nem was thinking of, though really it was all connected. Different parts of the same puzzle. Multiple moves in a single game of chess.

For the life of them, Nem still couldn't remember exactly who they'd fired spells at during the skirmish at the stone bridge - Varma could well have been one of them, but Nem had spent a large portion of their time focused on controlling the Fiendfyre, so probably not. Though they usually had excellent recall, a number of factors coming into play that night had obscured their memory; details sometimes got lost, only to resurface later, vivid as ever. By the time the fight was over, they'd been so depleted it seemed almost remarkable they could think clearly at all, let alone get through questioning at the Ministry.

"You can see, now, that we were ultimately fighting for the same side," Nem said at last, their voice level and their expression almost inscrutable, but for the eyes. Big, blue, and earnest, they fixed resolutely on the professor. "You can see that, can't you?"

sweetpinkpixie · 05-14-2021, 03:12 AM

Atlas had both talked himself in to this follow through and out of is time and time again over the past couple of days. He felt a little crazy but then he also felt like he was being smart in his caution. Stuck in an infinite loop, perhaps what he needed was for Professor Varma to just rip the band aid off...one way or another. So here he was at the Potions Mistress' office and knocking gently on the door with one hand and a in the other hand a towel wrapped around something.

Trust was difficult to earn. A bit of a paraphrase of Healer Poppy's words during that group session but the sentiment was nonetheless true. Atlas wasn't sure who all he trusted on staff...but Professor Varma had earned it somehow.

So...let's do this...

*knock knock knock knock* ........... *knock*

Fireheart · 05-14-2021, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felixir

Nem looked towards Varma, standing at that coffee bar of hers. "I'm fine, professor," they said politely, flashing a smile before going over to take up one of the seats across from the desk, running their fingertips across the rattan arms. "But thank you for the offer." From the chair, Nem took another good look at the office, eyes flicking over every available surface, taking in every sight. They landed at last on the portrait of Varma and someone who was almost uncertainly her twin, and watched it for a moment.

Back to Varma again, and Nem allowed a small, wry smile to tug at their lips for just a second. "You'd be right. Though that's worth a word or two as well." They could circle back around to that. It was the stone bridge that Nem was thinking of, though really it was all connected. Different parts of the same puzzle. Multiple moves in a single game of chess.

For the life of them, Nem still couldn't remember exactly who they'd fired spells at during the skirmish at the stone bridge - Varma could well have been one of them, but Nem had spent a large portion of their time focused on controlling the Fiendfyre, so probably not. Though they usually had excellent recall, a number of factors coming into play that night had obscured their memory; details sometimes got lost, only to resurface later, vivid as ever. By the time the fight was over, they'd been so depleted it seemed almost remarkable they could think clearly at all, let alone get through questioning at the Ministry.

"You can see, now, that we were ultimately fighting for the same side," Nem said at last, their voice level and their expression almost inscrutable, but for the eyes. Big, blue, and earnest, they fixed resolutely on the professor. "You can see that, can't you?"

Shreya nodded in understanding when Nemesis turned down the beverage. Plenty of students didn't take her up on her offers of office hospitality, which she mostly attributed to nerves and awkwardness. (As much as it frustrated her—really, she was just trying to brighten their days a bit and provide some variation from the daily Great Hall pumpkin juice.) But she also knew that the Slytherin rarely consumed potions during class. Whether it had been a recent development since she started teaching at Hogwarts, or if Nemesis had always been cautious about brews, was yet to be determined.

Perhaps they really just didn't care for a beverage at the moment, but perhaps they were just skeptical of her.

She was a bit uncomfortable at the smile that spread across Nemesis's face. The events of last term were certainly not a smiling matter, however wry it may be. Though if she had learned anything about her students last term—particularly in the Room—it was that they all coped differently. Perhaps the satirical attitude was their way of dealing with....whatever was going on.

Settling into her chair across from them, she crossed her hands together and leaned forward ever so slightly to meet Nemesis's stare. Though their piercing blue eyes were a bit disconcerting to the Potions professor, she didn't let her hesitancy show. "I'm not sure it would be so clear had one of your classmates died as a result of your actions," she replied to their question pointedly, mind flickering back to the Polyjuice lesson. Had Lucien Rosier been in a particularly more foul mood that day, students like Ashley Fox, Kale Trent and Minjae Yoon could have been seriously harmed.

"I'm not going to press you for the reasoning behind it all," she added. While every bit of her wanted to figure out why Nemesis had acted the way they did, she knew it was not her job to act as a therapist or private investigator. So she restrained herself from inquiry. "I do believe that your efforts that day on the bridge hinted to your true intentions. But do you understand that it doesn't exactly erase the pain?" Yes, she may be willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and move forward. But she wanted them to understand that their classmates may not be so forgiving.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetpinkpixie

Atlas had both talked himself in to this follow through and out of is time and time again over the past couple of days. He felt a little crazy but then he also felt like he was being smart in his caution. Stuck in an infinite loop, perhaps what he needed was for Professor Varma to just rip the band aid off...one way or another. So here he was at the Potions Mistress' office and knocking gently on the door with one hand and a in the other hand a towel wrapped around something.

Trust was difficult to earn. A bit of a paraphrase of Healer Poppy's words during that group session but the sentiment was nonetheless true. Atlas wasn't sure who all he trusted on staff...but Professor Varma had earned it somehow.

So...let's do this...

*knock knock knock knock* ........... *knock*

Atlas Flamsteed was another student Shreya had been thinking about frequently over the summer holiday, namely about how they were coping with everything. He had experienced far more than any 12-year-old should have to endure. Not to mention that there was something just so endearing about the young Gryffindor.

A wide smile spread across her face at the sight of him in her doorway. "Good day, Atlas," she said, throwing the door open wide. The professor curiously eyed the towel in his hand, eyebrows raised. As she made her way back toward her desk, gesturing for Atlas to sit down awhile, she slid the recipe book in her hand back onto the bookshelf. "Is everything alright?" Her eyes flickered back to the towel in question.

Felixir · 05-15-2021, 01:23 AM

SPOILER!!: Varma

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fireheart

Shreya nodded in understanding when Nemesis turned down the beverage. Plenty of students didn't take her up on her offers of office hospitality, which she mostly attributed to nerves and awkwardness. (As much as it frustrated her—really, she was just trying to brighten their days a bit and provide some variation from the daily Great Hall pumpkin juice.) But she also knew that the Slytherin rarely consumed potions during class. Whether it had been a recent development since she started teaching at Hogwarts, or if Nemesis had always been cautious about brews, was yet to be determined.

Perhaps they really just didn't care for a beverage at the moment, but perhaps they were just skeptical of her.

She was a bit uncomfortable at the smile that spread across Nemesis's face. The events of last term were certainly not a smiling matter, however wry it may be. Though if she had learned anything about her students last term—particularly in the Room—it was that they all coped differently. Perhaps the satirical attitude was their way of dealing with....whatever was going on.

Settling into her chair across from them, she crossed her hands together and leaned forward ever so slightly to meet Nemesis's stare. Though their piercing blue eyes were a bit disconcerting to the Potions professor, she didn't let her hesitancy show. "I'm not sure it would be so clear had one of your classmates died as a result of your actions," she replied to their question pointedly, mind flickering back to the Polyjuice lesson. Had Lucien Rosier been in a particularly more foul mood that day, students like Ashley Fox, Kale Trent and Minjae Yoon could have been seriously harmed.

"I'm not going to press you for the reasoning behind it all," she added. While every bit of her wanted to figure out why Nemesis had acted the way they did, she knew it was not her job to act as a therapist or private investigator. So she restrained herself from inquiry. "I do believe that your efforts that day on the bridge hinted to your true intentions. But do you understand that it doesn't exactly erase the pain?" Yes, she may be willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and move forward. But she wanted them to understand that their classmates may not be so forgiving.

Once Varma met their eyes, she was more or less locked in; Nem did not look away, just kept their gaze fixed on her, unflinching, unabashed. The smile was long gone, their expression now completely neutral. "Not so clear, I agree, but no less true," they pointed out, in a tone of casual politeness. "Although... which actions are you referring to, exactly?" Nem would not deny having done anything untoward last term, far from it, but some things ought to be addressed, even if it was just with this one professor, now that they had a duty-bound audience. "If you're implying I had any kind of influence over Lucien Rosier's actions, I'm afraid you've got it backwards. If I had, last year would not have gone the way it did."

It was probably not worth pointing out - at least not yet, or in so many words - that no students did die as a result of their actions, and therefore it was pointless to get all hung up on the matter. In any case, right now Nem was zeroing in on the professor's lack of interest in answers, in knowing. They didn't understand, they couldn't understand. They'd figured the students here would not be at all interested in associating with them anymore, but Nem had assumed there would nevertheless be more questions fired at them, not less. Loathe as they were to admit it, it was just another of those jarring little examples of how little they understood - really and truly understood - other people.

Nem considered Varma for a moment, and gave a small shake of the head. "I understand plenty. That's the main benefit I've found in actively looking for answers." Pointed statements were a thing they could both do, and Nem was well-versed in the art; just ask the Headsman. "But, you know, there is something you could maybe help me get my head around. If you're willing to try."

sweetpinkpixie · 05-15-2021, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fireheart

Atlas Flamsteed was another student Shreya had been thinking about frequently over the summer holiday, namely about how they were coping with everything. He had experienced far more than any 12-year-old should have to endure. Not to mention that there was something just so endearing about the young Gryffindor.

A wide smile spread across her face at the sight of him in her doorway. "Good day, Atlas," she said, throwing the door open wide. The professor curiously eyed the towel in his hand, eyebrows raised. As she made her way back toward her desk, gesturing for Atlas to sit down awhile, she slid the recipe book in her hand back onto the bookshelf. "Is everything alright?" Her eyes flickered back to the towel in question.

Endearing and those other things were all words he would insist were assigned to Aries and therefore Professor Varma was confused. It happened a lot and, in fact, Aries and him would take advantage of these moments of confusion often. It was becoming a little less fun and easy these days as teenage hormones and genes were beginning to distinguish them more. Unfortunate. They would just have to get all of their antics out of their systems before their jawlines gave them away entirely.

The smile took him by surprise a little and his cheeks heated in an incredibly non-subtle manner. "Hello...professor..." he mumbled, his forget-me-not blues shifting to the towel in his hand and then back to the Potions Mistress. "...I was wondering if we could...uh..." He really needed to give a reason and not something that was outright HEALER POPPY IS SUSPICIOUS ... but also a reason that could benefit him. He didn't want to come all the way here just to waste his time, after all. "...uh...if there was anything you could teach me about magical forensics?"

Fireheart · 05-18-2021, 02:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felixir

Once Varma met their eyes, she was more or less locked in; Nem did not look away, just kept their gaze fixed on her, unflinching, unabashed. The smile was long gone, their expression now completely neutral. "Not so clear, I agree, but no less true," they pointed out, in a tone of casual politeness. "Although... which actions are you referring to, exactly?" Nem would not deny having done anything untoward last term, far from it, but some things ought to be addressed, even if it was just with this one professor, now that they had a duty-bound audience. "If you're implying I had any kind of influence over Lucien Rosier's actions, I'm afraid you've got it backwards. If I had, last year would not have gone the way it did."

It was probably not worth pointing out - at least not yet, or in so many words - that no students did die as a result of their actions, and therefore it was pointless to get all hung up on the matter. In any case, right now Nem was zeroing in on the professor's lack of interest in answers, in knowing. They didn't understand, they couldn't understand. They'd figured the students here would not be at all interested in associating with them anymore, but Nem had assumed there would nevertheless be more questions fired at them, not less. Loathe as they were to admit it, it was just another of those jarring little examples of how little they understood - really and truly understood - other people.

Nem considered Varma for a moment, and gave a small shake of the head. "I understand plenty. That's the main benefit I've found in actively looking for answers." Pointed statements were a thing they could both do, and Nem was well-versed in the art; just ask the Headsman. "But, you know, there is something you could maybe help me get my head around. If you're willing to try."

Shreya nodded her head slightly at Nem's response, though her eyebrows instinctively went up in curiosity. It may be no less true, but that wasn't exactly her point. As for what actions she was referring to? Well, there were a few she had heard about through the grapevine, but only one in particular she actually witnessed. Though she didn't feel the need to bring up the Polyjuice lesson mishap. The Slytherin could figure that one out for themselves.

Their comment about Lucien Rosier, however, did elicit a response. Such confidence for someone so young and relatively inexperienced. An admirable trait in some ways, but utterly dangerous in others. "That's quite a presumptuous statement. I'd caution against that type of self-assurance when it comes to people like Lucien Rosier. They are unpredictable. Dangerous." Though she was sure Nem knew that. It just was a point she was nagging to make. It was a tendency—one that she'd never admit out loud—that always bothered her about Slytherins. "I just don't want you to get hurt." That last part? She did mean it. As much frustration as Nemesis had caused the previous term, Shreya didn't want any of her students hurt...or ending up on the wrong side of things. And she truly believed that the Slytherin sitting in front of her had some immense talents to offer the Wizarding World. She just didn't want them to be led astray.

She was pleased, however, at their understanding. And their subsequent comment piqued her interest. "I'm open to the possibility," she replied, her eyes glinting with a hint of curiosity. "What can I help you with?"

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetpinkpixie

Endearing and those other things were all words he would insist were assigned to Aries and therefore Professor Varma was confused. It happened a lot and, in fact, Aries and him would take advantage of these moments of confusion often. It was becoming a little less fun and easy these days as teenage hormones and genes were beginning to distinguish them more. Unfortunate. They would just have to get all of their antics out of their systems before their jawlines gave them away entirely.

The smile took him by surprise a little and his cheeks heated in an incredibly non-subtle manner. "Hello...professor..." he mumbled, his forget-me-not blues shifting to the towel in his hand and then back to the Potions Mistress. "...I was wondering if we could...uh..." He really needed to give a reason and not something that was outright HEALER POPPY IS SUSPICIOUS ... but also a reason that could benefit him. He didn't want to come all the way here just to waste his time, after all. "...uh...if there was anything you could teach me about magical forensics?"

"Magical forensics, hmm..." The Gryffindor's stuttering didn't phase Shreya one bit. She was already too fascinated with his inquiry. Certainly a mature subject matter for a second year. Shreya typically waited to teach the topic of forensics during her upper-level courses. For a student of Atlas's age to even show interest was surprising. But nevertheless, it excited her. "Well, to start, there are a few branches. Some that deal directly with spell work, and some that deal more with Potions. I'm assuming you're here to talk with me about the latter?"

She made her way back to the bookshelf, her deep emerald robes flowing behind her, but she stopped before she reached for a book. Best to stop herself before she overwhelmed the poor child with too much information. "What exactly do you want to know?"

Felixir · 05-20-2021, 04:24 AM

SPOILER!!: Varma

There was a distinct lack of examples being provided, but that was okay. It may not have been an overt admission of defeat, but Nem was content to treat it as such. Perhaps Varma assumed (correctly) that they would meet everything with an answer or explanation.

Nem hadn't looked away yet, and didn't do so now, but there was a definite shift in their demeanour at the professor's next words. Colder, harder. "I know perfectly well what he was like." Dangerous? Sure, whatever. But unpredictable? They didn't see it. Everything he did made perfect sense when held up against everything he was aiming for. Principles made people predictable, it was just a case of paying attention to what a person wanted and what they were willing and unwilling to do to get it. Then again... well, no point getting into that. At any rate, it was fairly amusing, exactly who Varma was trying to warn about the unpredictable people of the world. "I was under his thumb for almost two years. It's a little late to start talking about not getting hurt."

Whatever they had been planning to ask, Nem suddenly seemed to think better of it. They relaxed, and all at once their edges seemed to soften. "I've changed my mind." Nem got to their feet, one hand going into their pocket, expression serenely unreadable. "I think I'd prefer to be on my own after all. Sorry for wasting your time, professor."

sweetpinkpixie · 05-20-2021, 04:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fireheart

"Magical forensics, hmm..." The Gryffindor's stuttering didn't phase Shreya one bit. She was already too fascinated with his inquiry. Certainly a mature subject matter for a second year. Shreya typically waited to teach the topic of forensics during her upper-level courses. For a student of Atlas's age to even show interest was surprising. But nevertheless, it excited her. "Well, to start, there are a few branches. Some that deal directly with spell work, and some that deal more with Potions. I'm assuming you're here to talk with me about the latter?"

She made her way back to the bookshelf, her deep emerald robes flowing behind her, but she stopped before she reached for a book. Best to stop herself before she overwhelmed the poor child with too much information. "What exactly do you want to know?"

"PoTIONS!" he semi interrupted, which answered her pseudo inquiry there. But it was also good to know about the spellwork. Problem then being that he did not feel he had enough of a foundation with any of his spellwork professors yet...so he would have to play those cards carefully. "Yes. That one, professor. I was wondering if maybe...you could teach me some basics and...uh...we could practice on something that I already know the make up of. Or mostly know the make up. The ingredients." Any cookbook or house elf could tell him how to make bread. "There shouldn't be any surprises so it will be good practice to make sure I'm doing everything right."

Yes, perfect build up to the reveal of an innocent loaf of bread.

Fireheart · 05-23-2021, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felixir

There was a distinct lack of examples being provided, but that was okay. It may not have been an overt admission of defeat, but Nem was content to treat it as such. Perhaps Varma assumed (correctly) that they would meet everything with an answer or explanation.

Nem hadn't looked away yet, and didn't do so now, but there was a definite shift in their demeanour at the professor's next words. Colder, harder. "I know perfectly well what he was like." Dangerous? Sure, whatever. But unpredictable? They didn't see it. Everything he did made perfect sense when held up against everything he was aiming for. Principles made people predictable, it was just a case of paying attention to what a person wanted and what they were willing and unwilling to do to get it. Then again... well, no point getting into that. At any rate, it was fairly amusing, exactly who Varma was trying to warn about the unpredictable people of the world. "I was under his thumb for almost two years. It's a little late to start talking about not getting hurt."

Whatever they had been planning to ask, Nem suddenly seemed to think better of it. They relaxed, and all at once their edges seemed to soften. "I've changed my mind." Nem got to their feet, one hand going into their pocket, expression serenely unreadable. "I think I'd prefer to be on my own after all. Sorry for wasting your time, professor."

The change in the Slytherin's demeanor did not go unnoticed. Shreya didn't know the full extent of Nem's relationship with Lucien Rosier, but judging by their visible reaction to her comment, it had been much more complicated than she presumed. Their response struck something in Shreya. She couldn't quite place what it was—pity, regret, possibly even empathy. Her eyes softened as she nodded slightly in response, trying to convey the smallest bit of understanding.

"Oh?" she replied at their apparent change of heart. Shreya stood up as well, trying to swallow the irritation that crept up on her. She had felt like this before when working on a new potion and nearly reaching a breakthrough, only to have it dissolve—or worse, blow up in her face. All this, just for them to leave? But what did they want to ask? The curiosity would nag her repeatedly. Although she also knew that any sign of frustration or anger could push the Slytherin away even further, which was certainly not her goal. "Okay. But just so you know, it wasn't a waste of my time," she said earnestly. And she really meant it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetpinkpixie

"PoTIONS!" he semi interrupted, which answered her pseudo inquiry there. But it was also good to know about the spellwork. Problem then being that he did not feel he had enough of a foundation with any of his spellwork professors yet...so he would have to play those cards carefully. "Yes. That one, professor. I was wondering if maybe...you could teach me some basics and...uh...we could practice on something that I already know the make up of. Or mostly know the make up. The ingredients." Any cookbook or house elf could tell him how to make bread. "There shouldn't be any surprises so it will be good practice to make sure I'm doing everything right."

Yes, perfect build up to the reveal of an innocent loaf of bread.

One of the main reasons that Shreya refrained from teaching forensic potioneering to the younger students was because it elicited a little too much curiosity. She didn't want them getting into things they weren't ready for, nor did she want them using it for deceitful purposes. But students who sought out special help? She would be a bit more forthcoming with information then. But only with school-appropriate spells and methods. Nothing too dangerous or complex. "Alright. May I ask why you're interested in it?"

She made her way over to one of the cupboards, pulling out a small cauldron. Then, she grabbed a vial containing a blue liquid. It was interesting that Atlas decided to ask about this topic now. He would certainly be getting a preview of one of her lessons planned for later in the term. "One of the best—and easiest—tools is Scarpin's Revelaspell. It's technically a charm, but it's an important one for potioneer to know. Have you ever heard of it?" She emptied the vial into the cauldron and swirled her wand over top to give it a stir.

sweetpinkpixie · 05-25-2021, 05:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fireheart

One of the main reasons that Shreya refrained from teaching forensic potioneering to the younger students was because it elicited a little too much curiosity. She didn't want them getting into things they weren't ready for, nor did she want them using it for deceitful purposes. But students who sought out special help? She would be a bit more forthcoming with information then. But only with school-appropriate spells and methods. Nothing too dangerous or complex. "Alright. May I ask why you're interested in it?"

She made her way over to one of the cupboards, pulling out a small cauldron. Then, she grabbed a vial containing a blue liquid. It was interesting that Atlas decided to ask about this topic now. He would certainly be getting a preview of one of her lessons planned for later in the term. "One of the best—and easiest—tools is Scarpin's Revelaspell. It's technically a charm, but it's an important one for potioneer to know. Have you ever heard of it?" She emptied the vial into the cauldron and swirled her wand over top to give it a stir.

We have powerful tools: openness, optimism, and the spirit of curiosity.
Words that dad often said. It was kind of funny how those three things were pretty representative of himself and his siblings, even if the quote was from that old science fiction show the man was always watching and going on about. But curious was something he excelled at...even if this time he may not be curious simply for the sake of curiosity.

Uuuuuuuuuuuh. Speaking of that motivation. It wasn't like Atlas could just outright go 'well, you see, I suspect Healer Poppy has done something to the bread despite having no grounds but historical reference to base these assumptions off of'. Or, well, he COULD but it would be unwise and would not get him to where he wanted to with all this.

"Curiosity...and also thinking way ahead with what I might want to study at university and potentially go into as a career. Working for Magical Law Enforcement or Magical Accidents and Catastrophes, for example. Figured it was best to dabble in as many things as possible while I am young and see if anything sticks out."

It seemed like he was playing his cards right without revealing all of them...and that was awesome. His eyes even widened a little and twinkled as Professor Varma collected a cauldron and vial with a blue liquid he could not identify on sight alone. He was decent at potions but...also not decent enough. "Scarpin's Revelaspell? No...can't say that I have..." Was he going to learn that right now?!

Felixir · 05-26-2021, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fireheart

The change in the Slytherin's demeanor did not go unnoticed. Shreya didn't know the full extent of Nem's relationship with Lucien Rosier, but judging by their visible reaction to her comment, it had been much more complicated than she presumed. Their response struck something in Shreya. She couldn't quite place what it was—pity, regret, possibly even empathy. Her eyes softened as she nodded slightly in response, trying to convey the smallest bit of understanding.

"Oh?" she replied at their apparent change of heart. Shreya stood up as well, trying to swallow the irritation that crept up on her. She had felt like this before when working on a new potion and nearly reaching a breakthrough, only to have it dissolve—or worse, blow up in her face. All this, just for them to leave? But what did they want to ask? The curiosity would nag her repeatedly. Although she also knew that any sign of frustration or anger could push the Slytherin away even further, which was certainly not her goal. "Okay. But just so you know, it wasn't a waste of my time," she said earnestly. And she really meant it.

Nem's eyes raked the professor's expression, their own face a mask. Funny, the way tugging a heartstring here and there, using the Lucien Rosier factor, tended to be more fruitful with adults than with people their own age or younger. Different people needed different angles, Nem knew that very well, but there were general trends to be seen as well. The kids around here took things so personally; this wasn't exactly an eye-opening revelation.

"Some other day, maybe." It was possible they knew of exactly the kind of frustration born of having something dangling just within reach only for it to be snatched away without warning, and that they took a kind of pleasure in doing both the dangling and the snatching. It was also possible that they had genuinely intended to ask about something, and changed their mind at the last second. The two possibilities were not, of course, mutually exclusive.

They allowed a brief hint of a smile and made for the door, hand still in their pocket, rubbing their thumb over the surface of their name tag from Defence Against the Dark Arts, which they had no intention of discarding. At the door, they stopped and half turned back. "Thank you for your time, in any case. I suppose I'll see you in class."

Fireheart · 05-30-2021, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetpinkpixie

We have powerful tools: openness, optimism, and the spirit of curiosity.
Words that dad often said. It was kind of funny how those three things were pretty representative of himself and his siblings, even if the quote was from that old science fiction show the man was always watching and going on about. But curious was something he excelled at...even if this time he may not be curious simply for the sake of curiosity.

Uuuuuuuuuuuh. Speaking of that motivation. It wasn't like Atlas could just outright go 'well, you see, I suspect Healer Poppy has done something to the bread despite having no grounds but historical reference to base these assumptions off of'. Or, well, he COULD but it would be unwise and would not get him to where he wanted to with all this.

"Curiosity...and also thinking way ahead with what I might want to study at university and potentially go into as a career. Working for Magical Law Enforcement or Magical Accidents and Catastrophes, for example. Figured it was best to dabble in as many things as possible while I am young and see if anything sticks out."

It seemed like he was playing his cards right without revealing all of them...and that was awesome. His eyes even widened a little and twinkled as Professor Varma collected a cauldron and vial with a blue liquid he could not identify on sight alone. He was decent at potions but...also not decent enough. "Scarpin's Revelaspell? No...can't say that I have..." Was he going to learn that right now?!

A tiny part of Shreya wondered if Atlas was really telling the truth about his motivations. But his response had been earnest—commendable, even. She had displayed the same determination as a second year herself. In fact, by the time she boarded the Hogwarts Express for the first time, she was already dreaming of career opportunities.

"Very well." She nodded, motioning the Gryffindor over toward the cauldron, where the blue liquid was swirling merrily. Shreya wasn't surprised that he hadn't heard of the spell before. It was an advanced charm, and a particularly tricky one to cast at that. "Scarpin's Revelaspell is a charm to help you identify the ingredients of a potion. If performed correctly, it will split a magical substance into identifiable components." It was typically the first step (beyond sight and smell identification) forensic potioneers took in determining an unknown concoction. Of course, it didn't always work—there were enchantments that brewers could place on their potions to prevent them from breaking down with spells. But it was a good place to start. "The incantation is SpeRevelio, and the wand movement is a semi-circle over the object you want to reveal. Finish it off with a flick of the wrist." She used her hand to shadow the motion.

The professor gestured to the blue potion in the cauldron. "Want to give it a try?"

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felixir

Nem's eyes raked the professor's expression, their own face a mask. Funny, the way tugging a heartstring here and there, using the Lucien Rosier factor, tended to be more fruitful with adults than with people their own age or younger. Different people needed different angles, Nem knew that very well, but there were general trends to be seen as well. The kids around here took things so personally; this wasn't exactly an eye-opening revelation.

"Some other day, maybe." It was possible they knew of exactly the kind of frustration born of having something dangling just within reach only for it to be snatched away without warning, and that they took a kind of pleasure in doing both the dangling and the snatching. It was also possible that they had genuinely intended to ask about something, and changed their mind at the last second. The two possibilities were not, of course, mutually exclusive.

They allowed a brief hint of a smile and made for the door, hand still in their pocket, rubbing their thumb over the surface of their name tag from Defence Against the Dark Arts, which they had no intention of discarding. At the door, they stopped and half turned back. "Thank you for your time, in any case. I suppose I'll see you in class."

"Yes. I'll look forward to it," Shreya replied, giving the Slytherin a gentle nod. As they departed, she found herself staring at the door in befuddlement, hands gripping her teacup a bit more forcefully than necessary. Why was it that every interaction with Nemesis Upstead left her puzzled? There was certainly more to unpack. But how exactly she would go about it, she was still unsure.

sweetpinkpixie · 05-31-2021, 01:02 PM

The thing was, even if some of his motivations were not being clearly expression, that nothing Atlas was saying at the moment was a lie. Something that might make him feel better later on if he reflected back on all this, maybe. But also it was just reminding him of how the best lies and deceit were always based in truths.

...anyway...

Eager, Atlas shuffled his feet over and stood beside Professor Varma. Maybe like...TOO close...but also he wanted to make sure that he was right there in the action so he wouldn't miss anything. "Split? Like...will it all come oozing out or something? Like when you squeezed a sponge and got all the water out of it...or a lava cake?" And then what if whatever was being exposed didn't LIKE that it was being exposed and fought back or like...oozed right on through the table? Atlas supposed just one question at a time would be best...and the latter seemed hardly possible. No one, that he knew of, had died from eating this bread.

...but it could be slow acting...so...

"SpeRevelio," he repeated softly and then patted his pockets for his wand. "I...can try...but I have to warn you. The only spell I have been any good at in my Hogwarts career thus far has been Bombarda." And let's just not get into how that had been a spell Rosier had taught him and the feelings attached to THAT. But try he did. His wand in hand, the Gryffindor cleared his throat and mimicked the wand movement he had just seen (not with the same fluidity, naturally). "SpeRevelio?"

Fireheart · 06-02-2021, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetpinkpixie

The thing was, even if some of his motivations were not being clearly expression, that nothing Atlas was saying at the moment was a lie. Something that might make him feel better later on if he reflected back on all this, maybe. But also it was just reminding him of how the best lies and deceit were always based in truths.

...anyway...

Eager, Atlas shuffled his feet over and stood beside Professor Varma. Maybe like...TOO close...but also he wanted to make sure that he was right there in the action so he wouldn't miss anything. "Split? Like...will it all come oozing out or something? Like when you squeezed a sponge and got all the water out of it...or a lava cake?" And then what if whatever was being exposed didn't LIKE that it was being exposed and fought back or like...oozed right on through the table? Atlas supposed just one question at a time would be best...and the latter seemed hardly possible. No one, that he knew of, had died from eating this bread.

...but it could be slow acting...so...

"SpeRevelio," he repeated softly and then patted his pockets for his wand. "I...can try...but I have to warn you. The only spell I have been any good at in my Hogwarts career thus far has been Bombarda." And let's just not get into how that had been a spell Rosier had taught him and the feelings attached to THAT. But try he did. His wand in hand, the Gryffindor cleared his throat and mimicked the wand movement he had just seen (not with the same fluidity, naturally). "SpeRevelio?"

Shreya couldn't help but chuckle at Atlas's dismay—primarily because she herself had experienced the same confusion when she first learned about the spell many years ago. "No, no oozing. Just as long as your cauldron is free of holes, at least," she said with a smirk. "The spell will simply portion off the cauldron into identifiable ingredients." Granted, it was a bit of a broad concept to grasp until you could see it with your own eyes.

She smiled reassuringly when Atlas displayed hesitation. "That's quite alright. I don't expect you to perfect it." Or even be able to perform it at all, really. "This spell is quite advanced," she replied. And it was true—the charm was typically reserved for sixth or seventh years. But Shreya held a firm mindset when it came to teaching: Challenge was what helped students grow.

Taking a step back from the cauldron to let Atlas work, she placed the empty potion vial back into her pocket. If the Gryffindor performed the spell correctly, he might be able to spot some snake fangs, porcupine quills, and flobberworm mucus—a few hallmark ingredients of the Cure for Boils. But even if the charm didn't work, it was good practice. And Shreya wanted the young boy to know that she had enough faith in him to give it a try.

sweetpinkpixie · 06-12-2021, 03:13 PM

"Oh," the second year nodded in understanding. "So...I just gotta make sure the cauldron isn't trying to serve me a sandwich or soup." Because of the LEAKY Cauldron, geddit? Whatever. That wasn't the point of all of this and Atlas was quite okay with them just moving things along and ignoring his nervous attempt at humor.

...so....

....how about that SpeRevelio?

There was no initial effect to his utterance and wand movement, but he could just pretend that that was practice. While Atlas was of an advanced mind in certain ways, his magical skill was far from it and it was a source of great anguish and anxiety. Another thorn in his side in that Aries had manifested magic years before Atlas had and, while mum and dad never actually admitted to it, he knew it had been a cause of great concern. Their son being a squib.

Where Professor Varma saw faith...Atlas saw pressure and the possibility of failure. Wand in hand, the Gryffindor cleared his throat yet again and performed the wand movement. "SpeRevelio," he repeated, this time with a bit more conviction and less in the form of a question. There was a sort of...light...ish...that flashed forth from his wand for about half a second and then faded away...but Atlas couldn't see anything else to indicate that the spell had worked.

"...I don't think it worked..."

Which meant he had failed which meant he couldn't perform his own research on the bread.

BAH.

Fireheart · 06-19-2021, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetpinkpixie

"Oh," the second year nodded in understanding. "So...I just gotta make sure the cauldron isn't trying to serve me a sandwich or soup." Because of the LEAKY Cauldron, geddit? Whatever. That wasn't the point of all of this and Atlas was quite okay with them just moving things along and ignoring his nervous attempt at humor.

...so....

....how about that SpeRevelio?

There was no initial effect to his utterance and wand movement, but he could just pretend that that was practice. While Atlas was of an advanced mind in certain ways, his magical skill was far from it and it was a source of great anguish and anxiety. Another thorn in his side in that Aries had manifested magic years before Atlas had and, while mum and dad never actually admitted to it, he knew it had been a cause of great concern. Their son being a squib.

Where Professor Varma saw faith...Atlas saw pressure and the possibility of failure. Wand in hand, the Gryffindor cleared his throat yet again and performed the wand movement. "SpeRevelio," he repeated, this time with a bit more conviction and less in the form of a question. There was a sort of...light...ish...that flashed forth from his wand for about half a second and then faded away...but Atlas couldn't see anything else to indicate that the spell had worked.

"...I don't think it worked..."

Which meant he had failed which meant he couldn't perform his own research on the bread.

BAH.

Shreya chuckled heartily at the young Gryffindor's joke. Not that it was necessarily that hysterical, but she appreciated the attempt. "True! Though a cup of soup wouldn't be the worst thing. I am a bit hungry," she added with a wink. With that, she headed to the beverage station and flicked on the espresso machine. A cappuccino would have to do for now.

She returned to the cauldron just in time to see Atlas try the spell—for real this time. Squinting a bit at the quick, bright flash, she watched as....nothing happened. Ah. Well, this was what she had expected. But the disappointment on Atlas's face hurt to see.

"It's quite alright. This is a very advanced spell," Shreya said gently, flashing a reassuring smile. "Now that you know it, you can keep practicing." It went without saying that perhaps he should only practice under supervision. In case of any, you know, explosions.

sweetpinkpixie · 06-29-2021, 02:34 PM

His face somewhat resembled a tomato thanks to the professors words and laugh at his embarrassing little attempt at humor. Speaking of embarrassing, Atlas was blurting out the first thing that came to mind (again) as she moved towards a machine to get herself a cup of something that obviously did not smell like any soup he knew. "...you have a soup machine in your office? Is that because you don't trust the food being offered here too?"

Dumb and revealing. Practically his MO.

Internally sighing, Atlas felt a little deflated. Add this one to the forever growing list of spells he needed additional help and practice with. It would be nice to be able to perform magic other than cleaning spells and Bombarda on demand. "Yeah...seems like it," he nodded somewhat sheepishly while chewing on the inside of his cheek.

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