15 Sep 2019, 23:52
Blessed are the Forgetful
“Blessed are the forgetful, for they get the better even of their blunders.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche
Now that Ruthie had been in classes for a few weeks, she was eager to try out some of things she’d learned. Attempts in class had, in her opinion, only been a taste of what could be. There was so much more work to be done. She had, by the look of her marks so far, taken a real shine to Flying, Herbology and Potions. Flying she attributed to her love of Quidditch and her desperate desire to make the Ravenclaw team one day; she make high marks almost entirely on enthusiasm. As for Herbology and Potions, she was indebted to her naturalist parents. In particular, her mother’s career as a researcher and botanist made certain that both girls would be well-versed in flora and fauna. These of course made up the ingredients necessary in potions. The two subjects flowed together so nicely that they both included potions. Of these, her favorite had been the Forgetfulness Potion because it included mistletoe berries, which reminded her of Christmas. Her classroom attempt had been good, but not great because she’d waited a hair too long before adding in the Valerian springs.
But Ruthie wasn’t just about classwork, though she valued that. She wanted to get it right for her sake. That’s why during her free period that afternoon, she’d gathered her cauldron and set off to try again. The question that arose once she stepped out on the landing of Ravenclaw tower was where to go. She already must have annoyed some folks as she accidentally banged the pewter cauldron against the wall on her way out of the common room; there was no need to disturb others. The potions classroom, though best equipped, would likely have another class on and she did have ingredients left over from Herbology—she just hoped they would be enough for another brew. Contented to take the risk, she recalled an empty classroom she had passed on the second floor corridor. It was near the study room, also good for this work, but if the potion did go askew, she didn’t want to set off a stink-bomb—or worse—accidentally. It was safer to be alone.
Thus, she set off for the second floor. Her travel time was longer than normal because of the extra weight she carried. But she’d learned already not to leave anything you might possibly need in the Ravenclaw dormitory lest you wanted to waste time solving another riddle. Still, the Ravenclaw arrived at the empty classroom without any difficulty or incident. The room was small, but wide with long pitched windows that looked out to the courtyard. There were a few scattered desks and chairs, remnants of the classes that had once been taught here. The bookshelves still lined the wall though their contents was a menagerie of magical knowledge, as if each discipline that had been taught here had left something—books, ingredients, mementos—for the class that would follow it, for the students that dared to use this forgotten space.
Breathing in the dusty air, Ruthie coughed heavily as she placed the cauldron down on the floor close to the windows. As she surveyed the room, she turned to nearest torch to set it alight. “Incendio,” she said, pointing her wand. That ought to be enough. The natural light she preferred best, but she didn’t want to risk not being able to read the instructions. Lack of light would be a foolish way to end an honest attempt of better understanding a simple potion. Contented she had enough, she rolled up her white shirt sleeves and sat beside the cauldron. From her crimson leather satchel, she pulled out her notes and unfurled the parchment where she had noted down the recipe. She took out the phial of Lethe River Water and tipped it gently on the edge of the cauldron, careful not to exceed the prescribed two drops.
Tag: @Shauna Starr & @David Young
NB: Edited to feature the Forgetfulness Potion, as requested in Shauna's first reply below.
Last edited by Ruthie Greer on 16 Sep 2019, 02:02, edited 3 times in total.
Ruth Iona Greer
Stamina: 6 | Evasion: 4 | Strength: 5 | Wisdom: 9 | Arcane Power: 6 | Accuracy: 6 | Ability: Sixth Sense
Frog Choir President | Ravenclaw Chaser
16 Sep 2019, 01:31
Blessed are the Forgetful
I have been here for two weeks so far & have been doing okay so far; I have been seeming to excell in Herbology this mostly due to all the time I spent outside & alone during my time in the orphanage. Anytime that I did in fact spend outside I spent it learning about plants; they were easy to understand & never spoke harsh words...not to mention they were always so pretty to look at.OOC: This couldn't have come at a better time; I was confused on the timeline situation within the site. In another RP she seems to have lost two weeks of her memory; if you don't mind....I would love to have Shauna drink the potion & instead of what is supposed to happen her memory gets wiped of the last two weeks. You down?
As I walked the corridors trying to get through the swarm of students all heading to various places; I myself was heading to the Great Hall for lunch; I could almost smell the luscious food until one of my fellow students knocked into me with a cauldron What is that girl doing? What's her name again.....Ruthie; I think? I thought as I followed the girl into an empty classroom on the second floor. I stood by the door for a moment watching her make her way through this dark & dusty room; I had to cover my own nose & mouth at all the dust flying around. I heard the girl start coughing then recover almost instantly then go over & light something; what is that a torch? Who knows; I noticed she was rather skilled with magic already while I was still struggling...without saying a word I gently placed my bag next to the door with my wand in my hand & sat down next to the girl with a soft smile "Need any help?" I asked softly trying hard not to scare the girl but knowing me I probably didn't succeed.
Since I already knew that I would most likely scare her I was ready to duck & roll in case she started shooting spells because like I said; I am not yet well versed in magic enough to defend myself even against something so minor as the Bat Boogey Hex. Yes I have seen it in action in the corridors & as funny as it is; I do NOT want to be on the receiving end ever.
WC: 346
Last edited by Shauna Starr on 22 Sep 2019, 16:57, edited 2 times in total.
16 Sep 2019, 03:14
Blessed are the Forgetful
David was enjoying his time here at Hogwarts. Classes were going and he needed to learn. As a Ravenclaw, he felt that he needed to be smart at this and having the knowledge of what he was learning in class would be helpful for them. But for right now, he had the feeling of learning some Charms and Potions for the time being. There were a few classes that he liked at the beginning of the school year. However, David wanted to hang out and relax at the beginning of the school year. So he was walking around the castle through the hallways. There were classrooms and other rooms that he could be going into throughout the castle. he loved to explore as it seemed new to him.
While he was walking around the castle, he noticed that the classroom was opened a tiny bit. He thought to himself. "Hmm... What's going on over at the classroom? I better go there and check that one out." He approached to the door that was slightly opened and slowly opened the door.
David entered the room and noticed two girls there, both of them were Ravenclaws. He smiled lightly and approached to them. One of the Ravenclaw students was brewing a Potion. He went to them and sat down across from there. "Hey. What are you guys doing?" He asked. He was trying to figure out what was going on here as the potion brewing. He turned to them and smiled lightlty. "Do you need any help?"
While he was walking around the castle, he noticed that the classroom was opened a tiny bit. He thought to himself. "Hmm... What's going on over at the classroom? I better go there and check that one out." He approached to the door that was slightly opened and slowly opened the door.
David entered the room and noticed two girls there, both of them were Ravenclaws. He smiled lightly and approached to them. One of the Ravenclaw students was brewing a Potion. He went to them and sat down across from there. "Hey. What are you guys doing?" He asked. He was trying to figure out what was going on here as the potion brewing. He turned to them and smiled lightlty. "Do you need any help?"
16 Sep 2019, 15:38
Blessed are the Forgetful
The drop of Lethe River Water splashed wide as it fell gently into the cauldron. Ruthie pulled the phial back and put it on the floor once the two drops drifted in. She turned the heat up on the cauldron when she heard a soft sound. Looking across the room she saw a bag drop by the door. Squinting, she tried to identify it, but it seemed very nondescript. Ruthie imagined it must be a student because a teacher would announce themselves and Peeves, well, it could be Peeves. But before she could make any further deductions, she found herself with a companion to one side, offering to help.
"Em," she struggled to form a response, having been taken slightly off guard. Soon, they were joined by yet another student who sat across from them. Perhaps the empty classroom wasn't so private after all. Yet both students seemed willing to help, and Ruthie thought she had seen them around the common room. If that were true, it would be good to be friends with fellow Ravenclaws, if only for the purpose of getting through the common room riddle more effectively.
"Forgetfulness Potion," the Scottish explained when the boy enquired as to what they were up to. "I came down here to practice, but you're both welcome to help," she said as she reached for the parchment with the instructions and lifted it to share with them. Then she reached into her satchel, where she had stuffed the left-over ingredients, and took them out one by one, placing them beside the cauldron along side the Lethe River Water: Valerian Sprigs, Standard Ingredient, and Mistletoe Berries. Looking at the bottles, she noticed the Standard Ingredient was a little low. "Perhaps one of you could see if there's some more Standard Ingredient around the classroom. Maybe try the shelves. And," she paused considering how she now had extra hands, "one of you can start to crush the Mistletoe Berries while I finish the first half." She looked across to their faces to see if they concurred.
Meanwhile, she added in the two Valerian Sprigs and stirred the cauldron contents three times clockwise. With a flick of her wand, that was the first part finished. Simple enough. Now they had to wait so Ruthie saw fit to get to know her helpers. "I've seen you both in the common room, right?" she asked. "My name is Ruth. Ruthie Greer. Are you also in first year?" As she made conversation she wondered if she should see if the book shelves had a copy of Magical Drafts and Potions just in case her notes were missing anything.
Tag: @David Young & @Shauna Starr
Ruth Iona Greer
Stamina: 6 | Evasion: 4 | Strength: 5 | Wisdom: 9 | Arcane Power: 6 | Accuracy: 6 | Ability: Sixth Sense
Frog Choir President | Ravenclaw Chaser
16 Sep 2019, 16:24
Blessed are the Forgetful
Clearly this girl was not expecting to have other people around judging by the look on her face; the poor girl looked like a dear caught in the head lights. When I was told what potion she was brewing my eye brow quirked at her in a 'looking for trouble' sort of way. I put on my best Professor voice "Now whose memory are you trying to erase? I flashed them both a wink with a chuckle "But really why that potion?" I asked sliding the Mistletoe Berries toward me when she asked one of us about crushing them.
Just as I was about to crush them I got the this overwhelming feeling they were supposed to be squished; I read the paper in front of me with a soft sigh "Ruthie.....I wonder; have you ever heard of anyone having a connection to plants? I only ask because I just got this strange feeling these are supposed to be squished instead of crushed." Since she was practicing this potion I didn't want to be the cause of it getting messed up but I simply can't help the feelings I get which have only been getting stronger since coming to Hogwarts.
When Ruthie asked us about our Hogwarts life; I smiled softly "Yes you have in fact seen me in the common room I am the one who usually occupies the seat by the window & attempt to keep to myself. I'm not used to being around so many people; to be perfectly honest I was shocked to even get a letter to come here in the first place. I feel like they made a mistake...."
Just as I was about to crush them I got the this overwhelming feeling they were supposed to be squished; I read the paper in front of me with a soft sigh "Ruthie.....I wonder; have you ever heard of anyone having a connection to plants? I only ask because I just got this strange feeling these are supposed to be squished instead of crushed." Since she was practicing this potion I didn't want to be the cause of it getting messed up but I simply can't help the feelings I get which have only been getting stronger since coming to Hogwarts.
When Ruthie asked us about our Hogwarts life; I smiled softly "Yes you have in fact seen me in the common room I am the one who usually occupies the seat by the window & attempt to keep to myself. I'm not used to being around so many people; to be perfectly honest I was shocked to even get a letter to come here in the first place. I feel like they made a mistake...."
WC: 275
Last edited by Shauna Starr on 22 Sep 2019, 16:58, edited 1 time in total.
16 Sep 2019, 16:41
Blessed are the Forgetful
David was listening to the girl explaining what they were going to. "Hmm... a Forgetfulness potion? That sounds like a potion that would remove or erase the memory. This should be interesting for them to try and brew." He thought to himself. He grinned lightly before looking at the girl that introduced herself to them. "Ruthie... I remember seeing her in the common room."
He looked at Ruthie and nodded. "Yeah... I saw you at the common room. I'm first year as well." He said. He wanted to introduce himself to her as well. "I'm David. David Young"
David noticed that the other Ravenclaw girl was starting to crush the Mistletoe Berries. Well, the other option for him to do would would be to gather some standard ingredients from the shelves. He got up from his spot and headed to the shelves. He approached to the shelves and scanned through the shelves there. There were so many ingredients there which he would end up helping with the potion brewing. He gathered all the standard ingredients that they needed for the potion.
This was going to be the first potion that David was going to help make. He was nervous that whenever he brew potions, he would either make a mistake or the potion would end up being alright. After grabbing the standard ingredients from the shelves, from anywhere in the room, David arrived back to the group and carefully placed the ingredients near the group.
He looked at Ruthie and nodded. "Yeah... I saw you at the common room. I'm first year as well." He said. He wanted to introduce himself to her as well. "I'm David. David Young"
David noticed that the other Ravenclaw girl was starting to crush the Mistletoe Berries. Well, the other option for him to do would would be to gather some standard ingredients from the shelves. He got up from his spot and headed to the shelves. He approached to the shelves and scanned through the shelves there. There were so many ingredients there which he would end up helping with the potion brewing. He gathered all the standard ingredients that they needed for the potion.
This was going to be the first potion that David was going to help make. He was nervous that whenever he brew potions, he would either make a mistake or the potion would end up being alright. After grabbing the standard ingredients from the shelves, from anywhere in the room, David arrived back to the group and carefully placed the ingredients near the group.
16 Sep 2019, 20:35
Blessed are the Forgetful
Potion making was not an art for those without patience. In the time they had to wait to for the first part of the potion to settle, they had some tasks, but more than anything, they had small talk. Or perhaps something more than that as the fact that they were brewing a forgetfulness potion seemed to raise some concern by the likes of the girl's question. "Nobody," Ruthie replied as her shoulders seemed to straighten into a position of righteousness. The question of trying to lose someone's memory, the very ethics of this brew, had never crossed her mind. Her rationale was much more self-serving: she simply wanted to rise to the top of the class. But when the girl pressed again, she felt obligated to respond: "I've only learned four so far. This one I nearly had right in class, but not quite."
Just then the girl slid the Mistletoe Berries close to her, keen to take up the task, but she seemed to take a philosophical detour when she asked about the human-plant connection. "Actually, yeah, my mum is a botanist. We grew up around plants and you do, kind of, come to understand them I suppose." She reflected back to her time in Anstruther. When she hadn't been out on the shore minding the day's catch, she had been with her mother in the field collecting or in the library analyzing the local plant life. It was perhaps part of the reason she had taken such a shine to Herbology and, by extension, Potions.
"Squished, you say?" she asked, "What did I note down?" She would have looked herself, but knew that reading backwards, her chopping handwriting could look like just about anything. For good measure, she thought she would look for a copy of Magical Drafts and Potions.Before she could get up, they both introduced themselves: Shauna and David, both Ravenclaw. No wonder they looked so familiar. Ruthie didn't spend a lot of time in the Common Room--other than signing up for Quidditch trials--so it was not surprising she hadn't properly met them. Shauna, on the other hand, spent a lot of time in the Common Room by the likes of her comment. "Do you come from a small family then?" she asked inferring from the earlier statement, "It's just the four of us at home, but my mum and dad always encouraged our magic. I'm sure if you talk to folks, they'll meet you halfway." She offered the girl a light smile.
"Thanks, David," she replied as the boy came back with the Standard Ingredient, "this should do it." She held up the phial he had gotten and looked at it in the window light. Yes, that should do it. She was about to open it to add it to the mortar when she recalled Shauna's question about the details. "Did you happen to see a copy of Magical Drafts and Potions while you were at the shelf?" she asked. If the boy had, it would prove most useful to confirm the details. Also Ruthie remembered putting the Standard Ingredient in ahead of the Mistletoe Berries and it would be great to have an authority beyond her curled notes and classroom memories.
Tag: @Shauna Starr & @David Young
Ruth Iona Greer
Stamina: 6 | Evasion: 4 | Strength: 5 | Wisdom: 9 | Arcane Power: 6 | Accuracy: 6 | Ability: Sixth Sense
Frog Choir President | Ravenclaw Chaser
16 Sep 2019, 22:00
Blessed are the Forgetful
Shauna noticed the sudden change in Ruthie's demeanor after she had asked that ridiculous question making her flash a soft smile at the girl "I was only kidding Ruthie." she smirked a bit as she looked up at the notes again "Your notes...if I am reading correct says to crush in a fine powder with the mortar & pestal. I can almost guarantee it will say the same thing in the book but this feeling is so over whelming....I need to put the tools down." she put the tools down & stepped away from the Mistletoe Berries to walk around the room for a bit.
As she walked around the room trying to get rid of this strange feeling which wasn't going away; Ruthie asked about her family making her rub the back of her neck "Um....no actually I did not grow up with a family at all; in fact I don't know my family. I grew up in New Haven Orphanage....lets just say this was not the best experience."
Shauna couldn't honestly say that she already really liked Ruthie; she was super nice...."If there isn't a potion book on the shelf I have one in my bag; I haven't gotten around to dropping books off to the dorms." she chuckled a bit as she went over to grab her book bag which was still by the door & gently set it down next to the table where they were all working. She figured they'd let them decide if they just wanted to use her book or see if they could find one. If they used her book they would see that she had notes in her book of all the different feelings she has gotten from different plants while brewing potions which changed the potions but not alot; she also noted the changes.
As she walked around the room trying to get rid of this strange feeling which wasn't going away; Ruthie asked about her family making her rub the back of her neck "Um....no actually I did not grow up with a family at all; in fact I don't know my family. I grew up in New Haven Orphanage....lets just say this was not the best experience."
Shauna couldn't honestly say that she already really liked Ruthie; she was super nice...."If there isn't a potion book on the shelf I have one in my bag; I haven't gotten around to dropping books off to the dorms." she chuckled a bit as she went over to grab her book bag which was still by the door & gently set it down next to the table where they were all working. She figured they'd let them decide if they just wanted to use her book or see if they could find one. If they used her book they would see that she had notes in her book of all the different feelings she has gotten from different plants while brewing potions which changed the potions but not alot; she also noted the changes.
WC: 305
@Ruthie Greer & @David Young
Last edited by Shauna Starr on 22 Sep 2019, 17:00, edited 1 time in total.
17 Sep 2019, 00:57
Blessed are the Forgetful
David looked Ruthie as he was listening to the conversation between Shauna and Ruthie. Hew was asked about the textbook that they would be using for this year. David glanced back at the shelves and scanned them again before turning back to Ruthie. "The copy of the Magical Drafts and Potions textbook is not there on the shelves." He said. He thought about the book as he was trying to figure out what they had to do with the Mistletoe Berries.
The conversation was going between them as they were talking about family. He was thinking about this family when they moved here to the UK so that he could attend Hogwarts. He kept listening to the conversation and smiled lightly. He decided to figure out where the copy of the Magical Drafts and Potions textbook could be. He stood up and looked at Ruthie. "I'll see where the copy of the Magical Drafts and Potions could be in this classroom." He turned to see Shauna was up from her seated position, walking around, stretching her legs. He could tell that sitting for a long period of time would not be good for the health. He knew this when he was young.
The conversation was going between them as they were talking about family. He was thinking about this family when they moved here to the UK so that he could attend Hogwarts. He kept listening to the conversation and smiled lightly. He decided to figure out where the copy of the Magical Drafts and Potions textbook could be. He stood up and looked at Ruthie. "I'll see where the copy of the Magical Drafts and Potions could be in this classroom." He turned to see Shauna was up from her seated position, walking around, stretching her legs. He could tell that sitting for a long period of time would not be good for the health. He knew this when he was young.
@Ruthie Greer & @Shauna Starr
17 Sep 2019, 19:00
Blessed are the Forgetful
Kidding. Right, that was a thing people did. The Greer household had been anything but strict, and yet it had been a place where study had been taken very seriously. Joking about schoolwork was something Ruthie had simply not done save some healthy competition with her sister, Kirsty. But clearly that was not the environment everyone was raised in and perhaps it was not take it so seriously all the time. But taking studies seriously was exactly what had propelled her into this room in the first place.
Eagerly, she listened to Shauna read off her notes. It sounded right, but still she wanted to double check. There was no point in brewing this whole thing again simply to get it wrong. David informed them that the textbook was not up on the shelves or at least he hadn't noticed it. Rotten luck. But the offered to look for it, and stood up to begin his quest. "Thank you," she said with a smile.
As she waited for the first half of the potion to cool, she listened to Shauna's story of her upbringing, revealing her status as an orphan. "Oh, I'm sorry," Ruthie said. Reflecting back, she didn't think she had actually ever encountered an orphan. Everyone at home seemed to have at least one parent. The Scottish girl wasn't completely sure how to respond--Shauna seemed anything but eager to discuss it--so she turned her attention to David: "What about you, David? What was your life like back at home?" It hit her that she was throwing personal questions out rather quickly. She didn't like it. Instead, she'd wished she'd asked them about potions or Quidditch, but she'd already put the questions out into the air.
Shauna got up and noted that she might have a copy of the textbook in her bag, the one that presumably had first cause Ruthie to look up and notice these new arrivals earlier. "That'd be great," she replied, "David, if there isn't one, could you grab Shauna's from her bag? I think it's the bag by the door." She felt a bit bad giving him directions like this, but she wanted to keep an eye on the cauldron. As she put her palms down on the ground behind her to stretch a bit, she didn't think anything was adrift. Shauna needing to take a break from holding tools was a little premature, but maybe she just wasn't used to potion making. They were nearly done waiting for the first half anyway, and if Shauna was tired, she felt confident that she and David could finish it off.
Tag: @Shauna Starr & @David Young
Ruth Iona Greer
Stamina: 6 | Evasion: 4 | Strength: 5 | Wisdom: 9 | Arcane Power: 6 | Accuracy: 6 | Ability: Sixth Sense
Frog Choir President | Ravenclaw Chaser