Potions NEWT's ((6th -7th Years))

[Professor Severus Snape]

The door was shut – students would have to wait outside to be granted entry. Professor Severus Snape sat at his desk marking papers from his beginner’s class. Today was the NEWT’s class and he had high hopes for their progress. He only accepted students who had gotten an O in their OWL and though some students he didn’t think would get an O did for the most part he was pleased with his class this year. This period they would be working on a memory potion.

Though in every other year the students would have sat 3 to a table this year they were set up with all the ingredients so only 1 student would be at each table. The class would be smaller this year and he wanted his students to have all the room they needed. They had worked hard enough to make it to NEWTs – they deserved the proper room to do their best work.

On the front blackboard was written the instructions for the students:

1. Bring 5 cups of water to a boil on a medium heat.
2. Add in 2 tablespoons of armadillo bile.
3. Place 1 jobberknoll feather in the exact centre of the potion.
4. Lower heat and stir solution 3 times counter clockwise.
5. Add 1 scarab beetle.
The potion should currently be a dark red colour.
6. Allow potion to simmer for 5 minutes.
7. Insert 2 tablespoons of shaved ginger root.
8. Stir once clockwise.
The potion should have turned a brilliant shade of bright red.
9. Place a 2 inch piece of fluxweed into the dead centre of the potion.
10. Simmer another 10 minutes.
If done correctly potion should have changed to a fluid sky blue liquid.

Professor Snape put a final mark on the paper and put it in the pile with all the finished essays and looked up at the clock. It was two o’clock on the dot – time for class to begin. He stood up from his desk and crossed the room – passing table after table set up with ingredients before pulling open the door and looking out at the group assembled. “Alright, enough chatter. Get in the classroom. Instructions are on the board you may begin as soon as you get in the room.” He told them before standing aside to allow them entrance.

[dana]

Dana yawned lazily before stretching and making a few circles with her head. She had had a free hour so she had spent it in the Ravenclaw common room doing some homework for Charms. It wasn’t very hard so Dana had managed to finish the esay and even got in a bit of practicing of the charm they had been learning. Knowing that Potions was next Dana glanced at the mirror. Not that she fancied Snape, but she knew that it was likely that the potions master might take points for dishevelled appearance. Dana’s unform skirt and a black sweater under hte unifroms waist-coat looked alright as Dana pulled on her school robe and slipped into her heeled boots once again. Dana took extra care to pull her hair back into a high ponytail. God forbid that one of her hair might fall into the potions they were making today it had happened once and after the potion exploded in the end – Snape hadn’t been too impressed.

Grabbing her books Dana walked down the many staircases to the dungeons arriving at the potions calssroom door about 15 minutes before the correct time. As usual for Snape the calssroom door was closed and Dana most certainly didn’t feel a temptation to knock on the door and interrupt the potions master.As much as Dana respected him as a teacher – she was not going to go and irritate him more than she absolutely had to.
Spending the time standing calmly by the wall, Dana didn’t bother to converse much with anyone saying an occasional ’hi’ when some friend passed. Finally the clock struck 2 and on dot Snape opened the classroom door.

„Good day, professor,“ Dana greeted politely as she stepped into the classroom first her eyes sweeping over the room quickly as Dana chose one of the front-row seats for herself and made her way over. Quickly reading over the instructions on the black-board Dana started the fire under her cauldron before dropping water cups of water into it. Pouring the Armadillo bile out from the small galss bottle it was kept inonto a spoon Dana added that as well. Picking up one of the jobberknoll feathers Dana wondered how exactly she was supposed to knoww exactly where the center of the potion was. Trying to valuate the distances with her eye Dana finally dropped the feather in, grimacing slightly as the feather fell in on one side. At least it should be covering the center of the potion now.

Glancing at the balcboard again, Dana lowered the heat under her potion feeling a bit sad about it. The Potions classroom could get a bit chilly during winter and then the fire under your cauldron was very welcomed. Starting the stirs exactly in front of her Dana paid extra care to make sure that she stirred 3 times. Dropping the scarab beetle in Dana was rather glad that there wasn’t some exact place wehre this had to be dropped. Reading that the potion should be dark red Dana looked at her cauldron curiously, raising a spoon-ful of the liquid up to see it better. It reminded Dana a bit of blood by it’s colour. Dried blood, but it was rather dark, so Dana hoped that she was at the right track.

Checking her watch Dana left the potion to shimmer while she looked up the potion they were making from her book. That took exactly 56 seconds, so for the rest of the time Dana just sat back and stared at her watch, counting seconds along. 1 minute before the 5 minutes were up Dana measured out the amount of shaved ginger root and dropped them in at the right moment before stirring once after having a quick mental debate which way was a clockwise stir. What on earth is the dead centre of the potion Dana thought a little panicky, not being a natural talent in potions. She was alright – she had gotten an ’O’ in the subject after all – but sometimes she was a bit hesitant. Cutting a piece of fluxweed Dana hesitated a bit before just dropping it in the potion near the center of it and left it to simmer. Glancing at the cauldron Dana sighed at the outcome. She wasn’t sure herself whether it was a relieved sigh or an exasperated sigh. The liquid was blue most certainly and a lighter shade of blue as well. Perhaps the colour of her jeans-skirt. But that jean-blue was abit darker when the light-blue sky in summer. While again the blue sky in spring was darker than the light sky in summer. So it really was an arguemental question. Sighing and knowing that Sanpe himself would most likely find something to pick on in the potion, Dana sat back, threw one of her legs over the other and waited for Snape to come over and check her potion.

[luna]

Luna skipped towards the dungeons happily. Dinner in the Great Hall had been good. Chatting with a few pictures that she passed Luna spent a rather nice time. Hopping towards the potions classroom Luna reached the door just as professor Snape opened the door. Skpping forward happily Luna paused to beam happily at the professor while handng him a little white stuffed bunny who was holding onto a huge orange star. When you pushed at the star it started singing ’Twinkle twinkle little star’. Professor Snape had to spend so much time in the cold and dark dungeons room. Perhaps this bunny would cheer him up and keep him company when he was brewing different potions.
“Twinklingly Happy Day, professor Snape!“ pushing the star the bunny was holding Luna smiled at the soft tune sounding before handing the toy to Snape and skipping forward into the classroom.

Choosing a seat for herself Luna brought out two cauldrons and started a fire under both of them. Humming ’Twinkle twinkle little star’ under her breath Luna dancedin her seat being careful not to stand up from her seat. Making the memory potion up to where it had to simmer for 5 minutes being a red colour Luna turned to her other cauldron. Luna poured juice into the cauldron and added some water. Then she added a bit of gelatine into the choice and let it settle as she stirred the nice pink-looking jelly.
Looking at professor Snape dreamily Luna raised her hand and waited until she had the professors attention beofre asking with a bit of a sigh her eyes mystically hazy. “Could you teach us how to make Love Potion nr.9, professor?“
Turning back to the potion she was supposed to making for the professor Luna completed it, smiling proudly when it turned into a blue colour that matched the Ravenclaw scarf wrapped around Luna’s head. „Professor look! It’s a pretty colour! Just like Ravenclaw’s blue!“Luna beamed happily when profesosr Snape finalyl made it to her as he graded the potions. Casting a cooling charm on the other cauldron Luna smiled at profesosr Snape openly.
“Would you like some jelly professor? I know for a fact that muggles make marmelade from seaweed!“ smiling proudly and just a bit hazily Luna offered the professor a spoon so he could taste the jelly.

[Lavender Brown]

Lavender sat in the Great Hall finishing her lunch. She wasn't in the best of moods. In the last two hours she had practically destroyed her plant in Herbology. She was horrible at taking care of plants. She sat poking at the remainder of her salad. She couldn't find the will to eat anything more though she hadn't ate that much in the first place. She looked at the clock and realized that it wasn't long before her most hated class...potions. She got up from the table and pulled her bag over her arm. Suddenly her bag ripped and everything came pouring out of it. Her ink bottle exploded on the floor and her books and parchment were covered in black ink. "Great!" Lavender exclaimed out loud. She looked around her as the voices of fellow Gryffindors stopped and she felt their eyes on her. "Reparo..." she muttered as she pointed her wand at her bag. She looked at her bag and her books covered and ink and sighed. "Sourgify," she whispered and the ink was gone as well as the broken bottle of ink. Shoving her books and parchment back into her bag, Lavender left the Great Hall in a hurry. She quickly walked down the steps to the dungeon.

'Why does it always have to be so dark and dank?' she thought to herself. She turned the corner and let out a shriek. A large spider was hanging down in the middle of the hallway. She pulled out her wand quickly at the harmless spider and shrieked "Reducto!" The spider shot against the wall and Lavender ran past it quickly. 'I hate spiders! I hate spiders!' Lavender said to herself as she continued to her Potions classroom. She came to a halt outside of the classroom. The door was shut and some other students were standing outside waiting for Professor Snape to open the door. Lavender stayed back by herself trying to will herself into a better mood.

Lavender was in a slightly better mood until Professor Snape opened the door and told them to stop chattering and get inside. She sighed loudly as she walked into the classroom and nodded toward the Professor. She wasn't sure why she was still taking this class. She had been surprised at the O she got in the class on her OWL. She figured it had been since Professor Snape hadn't been around her telling her, her potion was horrible and she was doing it wrong. Lavender sighed again as she took her normal spot in the middle of the classroom. Far enough back so she didn't have to be near the Professor and yet close enough so she could read the board. Taking out her supplies, Lavender looked up at the board to see what they would be working on today.

Lavender began working quickly to set up her potion. She threw in 5 cups of water and began to boil it on medium heat. Checking every few seconds to see if it was boiling Lavender measured out the 2 tablespoons of armadillo bile. The water seemed to be taking forever to boil that day, but Lavender just ignored it until it had acutally started boiling. The water began to boil and Lavender threw in the armadillo bile. She grabbed a jobberknoll feather and placed it in the center of the potion. Looking back up at the board to see what was next, the potion seemed to be looking right, though the smell was beginning to stink. She scrunched up her nose as she read the next line on the board.

"Lower heat and stir solution 3 times counter clockwise," Lavender repeated to herself. She turned the heat lower and stirred the solution 3 times counter clockwise. She added the next ingredient, one scarab beetle, and paused. The potion was supposed to be a dark red colour and to her great relief and surprise it was. Lavender smiled brightly for the first time all day. She was actually doing it correctly and it even looked right. She finished working through the other ingredients. In the end she looked up a the board to see what colour it was supposed to be. "Sky blue?" Lavender asked herself. She looked down at her potion. It was sky blue! It was the right colour and Lavender praised herself. She was good at potions had always been, thanks to her ancestors. She wondered what Professor Snape would say about it. She looked at it intently and decided that he would find something to say about it, but hoped he wouldn't take off to many points since she had gotten it correct. She looked up at Professor Snape and waited with fear for him to approach her potion.

[kris]

How on earth was he supposed to pass most of his classes. Potions would prove one of the most difficult ones. But perhaps he could learn to recognize some ingredients by touch or smell. And trusting his instint perhaps he could brew some easier potions. Kris sighed but picked up his walking cane and left the Slytheirn common room with Morrigan prettily perched on his shoudler.
Weaving his way around the rather cold dungeons Kris briefly wondered how exactly he would manage. Most likely he would seek out Dana and they’d just improvise something.
The hallways was getting emptier so Kris figrured that Snape must have let the students into his classroom already. Well, the class had started about a minute ago.

Stopping at the classroom door Kris turned his head towards where he sensed the potion master was. Lowering his voice to be clear, but not heard by others Krs bowed his head slightly as Morrigan curled on his shoulder.
„Professor. I hope you don’t mind me joining Dana Coran for the class. I do have a feeling I might be needing some help.“ Kris didn’t comment more. Snape knew he was related to Dana so the choice of someone to help him would be obviously simple. Kris was a Slytherin and with his blindness playing a role – Snape might even let it pass this time. This time and other lessons to come.

[Professor Severus Snape]

Severus stepped back as Dana Coran entered the room. Odd girl she was – reciting love poetry to him in the hallways. Likely just wanted to raise her mark – those Ravenclaws always thought of their marks before anything else. Whatever the case he had managed to avoid any further run-ins with her since. Next came Luna Lovegood who handed him a stuffed rabbit that played music and she began singing along with it. She was another strange girl… Ravenclaw just seemed full of them. He much preferred his own house – far more practical students from Slytherin. He simply watched the Lovegood girl walk off before Lavender Brown entered the room. After she had he walked over to his desk and stuffed the toy in a drawer for now – he didn’t know what to do with it but it wasn’t worth the hassle of thinking about it.

As the students began their work Ms. Lovegood asked about Love Potion Number Nine and he simply raised an eyebrow at her. “Perhaps we can create it when the muggle who wrote the song gives us the ingredients and you have left Hogwarts. How does that sound? Now please keep an eye on your potion Ms. Lovegood.” Severus replied with a sneer before turning back to the papers he was marking. Before he had gotten through his second one though Kris Graas and his kitten approached the desk. “I never knew they were using cats rather than Seeing Eye dogs now-a-days, Mr Graas. After this class please no more felines in my classroom unless you get a note from Madam Pomfrey saying that you need her. Ms. Coran please come collect your cousin. You will be responsible for helping him with his potion.” Snape said so that Kris wouldn’t have to find his way through the desks alone.

It was about time that the first of the potion should have been completing so Severus decided to pass through the isles. He directed a few comments here and there to the students who had not yet completed before he got to Ms. Coran. “Do tell me, Ms. Coran. What type of blue does it ask for on the board? This hardly looks sky blue, unless we are expecting a thunder storm.” He then stirred the potion a bit with the spoon before smirking at it. “Passable I suppose. 5 points.”

The next one finished was Ms. Lovegood. “Yet another storm brewing Ms. Lovegood? A measly 5 points and no I would not like any jelly.” He responded simply – if that girl kept up her antics all year he would be giving her detention – he just knew it. The only other student left was Ms. Brown who’s potion actually looked alright – for a Gryffindor. “Well at least somebody here knows the colour of the summer sky.” He said passing the spoon through her potion as well. “That stench is horrific Ms. Brown. Please pay closer attention to the instructions next time – they are not terribly difficult. 10 points.” He said before returning to his desk waiting for the remainder of the students to finish.

[dana]

Dana raised her head and watched carefulyl as Kris made his way over to Snape as the two talked baout something. Was Kris realyl planning on taking potions? Surely, he had been good at the subject... better than Dana at any rate... but how could he tell the difference of ingredients? Not all of htem had a peculiar smell or felt recognizable. None the less Dana stood from her seat and walked forward touching Kris’s arm lightly. Turning Dana returned more slowly to her seat making sure her heels clicked lightly on the floor. Kris could follow her by the clicking as Dana could have bet her head that Kris wouldn’t have wanted someone to hold his hand. Well, perhaps Cleo might have held his hand, but she wasn’t in NEWTs class.

Then again Snape had been almost kind. Rather than having Kris trek around the classroom trying to find the right person he had summoned Dana to the front. Dana eyed Sanpe curiously as she retook her seat. What kind of a life did the man live, to make him so snappy and withdrawn that he did samll favours so subtly. As it wasn’t really Dana’s problem, she just smiled and turned towards Krisstarting a quiet, almost murmured conversation with him, slipping easily into French. Speaking in a language most others in the classroom didn’t know gave them some privacy.

„He never said sky where. The colour of the sky beyond the polar circle is completely different than the sky near the equator,“ Dana told a bit snobbishly at Kris in a quiet murmur, glancing towards Snape and hoping he didn’t understand the language. Who knew exactly, but eh... perhaps the words hadn’t even reached him, „Besides storms are neat. Now I think I’ll handle the fire for now, alright? Dana started to read the instructions to Kris quietly, instructing nad helping him, when Kris seemed a bit stuck.

[kris]

Kris smirked as Snape allowed him to sit next to Dana and even called Dana to the front to ’collect’ him. „I’m being adaptable as Hogwarts doesn’t allow dogs as far as I know.“ Making a mental note to get a note out of madam Pomfrey – say he was feeling insecure without Morrigan sould it come to that – Kris turned and followed the sound of feel son the stone-floor to where Dana was sitting. Luckily it was one of the first seats because the classroom was echoing. Kris had never noticed it until now.

„I know you like your storms. I have sometimes pondered about the possibility of you being born during the thunder-storm. Dring a thunder-storm becuase the sound of thunder was botehring you and so you could start bullying others and tell the stomr to quiet down,“ following Dan’s instructions Kris took a sip of the water from the class before dropping 5 classes of water into the cauldron, „You know what the scariest part is? That most likely the storm quieted down as well. And you got your 5 points. Be happy with it.“

Kris measured out the correct amount of armadillo bile after finidng the correct bottle of it by the sign on it and added it to the cauldron then stopping to let Dana add the jobberknoll feather. He wouldn’t have any chance of actualyl managing to discover where the center of the cauldron was. Instead Kris picked up the spoon Dana was hdning her and stired with a carefully measured calmness the solution 3 times. DANa let his figners glide over the scarab beetle, trying to recognize anything pecualiar and remember it. Scarab beetles were used in more potions than this one. As he leaned back in the chair he had summoned for himself from thin air to sit next to Dana.
Shaved ginger root was next and Kris almost sneezed at it, so Dana dropped it in the cauldron as well as Kris – who stil ahd the spoon anyway – stired once. Measuring out the correct length of fluxweed – once agina iwth helfp from Dana – Kris let Dana drop it in the center of the potion once again. Leaning back in his chair as the potion now had to simmer for 10 minutes Kris conversed with Dana quietly in a soft murmur.

Kris smirked tugging gently on Dana’s hair as the she stated that the potion looked perfect. „Well, we have always worked best together. Besides I’m borned talented,“ Kris told Dana arrogantly as he waited to hear what Snape had to say still.

[draco]

Draco walked into the Potions class room with a few other students. Snape quickly barked orders as Draco of course was first to listen. Looking around the room, he expected more people, but he thought twice and remembered this was NEWTS. Snape's directions were written on the board in front. His writting was always hard to read, but Draco guessed he did that on purpose so ignorant or illiterate students would fumble. Draco was used to this and understood his writting perfectly.

Lighting his cauldron on medium heat, he poured five cups of water into the basin. While he waited for his water to boil, he allowed his eyes to wonder. Luna Lovegood was present. Draco laughed out loud as he glanced at her potion. Looking back at his own, he moved on. He put in two tablespoons of armadillo bile, and soon after placed a jobberknoll feather directly into the middle of the potion. He made sure of it by measuring the distace with his wand. Stiring three times counter clockwise on low heat, Draco soon after added a scarab beetle. As soon as he added the bug the color of the potion changed into a dark red color.

Leaving his potion alone for five minutes, he gathered all of his used materials and put them away. He was contemplating putting things in Luna's potion, but she would mess up all on her own. Plus, who would be tell after he did it? Kris? No, him and Kris never were on the same page.

Coming back to his potion he waited and watched for the remaining time. After adding two tablespoons of fresh shaved ginger root he stired the potion once clockwise. To his glee, his potion began to change color once again. Going on with his instructions he placed in a two inch piece of fluxweed in the center of his potion. Again he measured the fluxweed by his wand and where the center of his potion was. Glancing at the instructions he had to let it simmer for 10 minutes. Again, Draco went to put his stuff away he didn't need anymore.

Waiting ten more minutes, Draco found his potion which was changed from the color red to blue.

Pouring a little bit of his potion into a flask, Draco brought it up to Professor Snape's Desk, and waited his grade.

[ernie]

Her maid a point of arriving exactly on time. Some people were early, but that mean that they were wasting the few precious moments before hand. Some people were also late, but no one would ever catch him being late. To be late showed a lack or organization, respect and of course management of their own agendas.

He made his way down to the potions room, and noticed as he entered that there were quite a number of students already there. He proceeded to am empty table and settled down just as the clock ticked bass the exact moment class was to start. Exactly on time--as always.

He quickly glanced up at the board and read through the instructions, and nodded to himself, a habit that he had somehow grained when he was sure of his own opinion. A few moments later Professor Snape gave them the go ahead to start their potions and he immediately set to work, following the instructions perfectly--after all, he was very good and doing something perfectly, no matter how much time or effort it took from him.

He was far from the fist to be finished int he class, but he had been exceedingly careful to make sure that this potion turned out perfectly, and a happy smile crossed his face when the potion, after 10 minutes of simmering over its flame, changed to a sky blue color. Nodding again, he looked around the room, now only needed Professor Snape to check his potion.

[dawn]

The Potion's classroom door was closed, as well as locked. Dawn stood along side a few other students when it opened. Walking through the doorway Snape sounded. Nodding towards the professor and his orders she went on with her work. Tapping her caldron it filled up exactly with five cups of water. Making sure the flame below it was at medium heat, no more no less. She walked away. "Water never boils when you watch it." a phrase sounded in her head. She guessed she must have read it somewhere. Pointing her wand the ingredients cabinet opened. "Armadillo bile, jobberknoll feathers, scarab beetle, ginger root, and fluxweed." as Dawn's voice sounded the ingredients, one by one they floated towards her. Once they were in reach, she took them out of the air and placed them in order of needed in front of her. Glancing at the water, it was merely steaming near boiling but maybe in a minute. Flicking her wand once more, she ordered two knives to be sent towards her. Dawn of course made sure, if she was allowing two sharp knives to be floating in the air, they should be protected, and as they were. They were covered in some plastic protector. Dawn was in her seventh year of classes. And Of course, Potions was one of her favorites. She loved hands on work and in potions it showed your true skill, or for instance, 'lack there of.'

Hearing bubbling beside her she saw her water reached boiling point. Looking up at the board in front of the room, she read on to step two. Adding in 2tbs of armadillo bile, she went on to the next step. Holding her wand in her palm over the potion, she let it float on her own in the steam as she moved away her hand. A second later, a green light shown down into the liquid directly into the middle. Dawn now placed the needed feather in the correct spot. Taking her wand the light went away. Bending low, she pointed at the flame as it lowered. Picking up a wooden spoon, almost simultaniously she stirred it 3times counter clockwise. 'One, Two, and three.' she thought to herself as she set the spoon on the desk and went on adding the scarab beetle. The Instructions said for the potion to sit for five minutes. Looking at the clock on the wall, she regulated her time. Pulling up a chair, Dawn took off the protector on the knife and pulled the ginger root in front of her. She felt that if she wanted to do the potion to the best of her ability she should have freshly shaven root, not the old stuff that has been sitting in the cabinet for years.

Shaving off 2tbs of ginger root, Dawn looked up at the clock. 'One more minute to go.' she noted to herself as she stood up, pushed in her seat and waited untill the five minutes were up. Adding the root she picked up her spoon again and stirred it a single time in a clockwise stir. Looking at her potion, the look on her face seemed pleased. Holding her wand in the palm of her hand, again, she let her wand show her where the center of the potion was. Cutting a 2in piece of fluxweed she placed it where the light showed.

Now, she had to wait ten minutes. She again noted the time as she pocketed her wand, and gathered her ingredients. Placing them all on a tray, Dawn made her way over to the cabniet and put everything neatly away. Comming back to her potion, she still had a few moments to spar. Looking around the room, Draco Malfoy already finished. He made his way up to Snapes desk while Ernie followed behind as well.

Glancing up at the clock once more, Dawn's ten minutes were up. Pouring a little bit of her potion into a container, she brought it up to Snapes desk.

[Professor Severus Snape]

As Snape sat there both Draco Malfoy and Dawn McGrogan brought up samples of their potions so Severus figured it was time to come around checking potions once more. Dana and Kris had been muttering but Snape had allowed it owing to the fact he likely needed a lot of help doing the potion without the use of his eyes. Severus was actually impressed the boy still chose to pursue the subject – most students would be glad to be free of the period with no worries about questions of why.

The first Severus Snape visited was Kris Graas. Looking in the cauldron he was surprised a how well the pair had actually done. “Excellent job, especially considering your handicap Mr. Graas. 15 points to Slytherin.” Next nearest student was Draco Malfoy. Snape approached the cauldron and smirked. Not disappointed once more. Many natural talents in his house – with some good instruction in their earlier years of course. “Very good work Mr. Malfoy. Another 15 for Slytherin.” The only Hufflepuff in the class was Ernie Macmillan. Snape stood over his potion and stirred it a moment before lifting out a spoonful of blue liquid. “Not perfect but a satisfactory potion Mr. Macmillan. 10 points.” He said before walking off. Last but not least was Dawn McGrogan. Ending the class on a high note – yet another perfect sky blue potion. “Wonderful job Ms. McGrogan. I am sure if you feed this to a patient their memory would improve greatly. 15 points for Slytherin.”

With that Snape walked back up to his desk. “There will be no homework this evening. I will see you all next class. Dismissed.” Severus said sitting down waiting for everyone to leave.

((This class is now finished. No new students may attend but all here may post leaving.))