Brewing frustrations
|
|
After descending the steps into the castle’s dungeon, Thomas saw the now familiar sign of the Potions classroom as well as the heavy wooden door. Unsurprisingly, it was closed and so Thomas opened the door, letting out the herbal scent of the classroom into the dungeon. The classroom was empty, well save for Nibbles the carnivorous plant, but it looked like it was sleeping. Other than that, the room didn’t look any different than any other day, there were still five workstations, as well as the professor’s, closest to his office. Along the various walls were all kinds of shelves, filled with equipment, books, supplies and even potions.
Thomas went to sit at the workstation in the corner next to the equipment shelf, it was out of the way and from there he could look out the window if he wanted to. The fact the classroom was under the lake was still impressive to him, and it made the lighting in the room very calming too. Now that he was seated, he took out what he’d need from his bag. Some parchment, and ink pot, his quill and his textbook. He left his cauldron in his bag for the time being, as well as his set of scales. He’d get them out only when they’d be needed. No need to risk contamination. That was a lesson he had learned several years ago. The scolding he got was… Best not dwell on it, he shuddered.
While waiting for the class to start Thomas was idly reading his textbook, not really paying attention to the words in front of him, yet sufficiently absorbed in them that he didn’t notice students sitting across him. The spot next to him was still free, usually picked by whoever arrived later than the others. Thomas didn’t mind, and sure maybe others thought him strange for it, but who isn’t? He didn’t mind it, so everything was fine as far as he is concerned.
Last edited by Thomas Lancaster on 14 Apr 2026, 17:05, edited 1 time in total.
Suspended in a frigid fantasy
Sta 6 . Eva 7 . Str 5 . Wis 10 . Arc 6 . Acc 6
Prodigal Charms | Calming Presence
Brewing frustrations
Olivia was running late for the first lesson of the day, she already knew a bad start often meant she wouldn't have much luck for that day, it somehow always was the case. She had woken up late, spent a little too long at breakfast and bumped into many familar faces on the way to the dungeons causing her to loose track of time. She couldn't help being a social butterfly although she was quite particular with whom she associated herself with.
As she approached the door to the classroom she prayed the Professor had not began the lesson. She slowly opened the door causing a small creak and made her way inside. Luckily for her the Professor was just about to begin, she looked around and spotted an empty seat at a workstation in the corner near the equipment shelf. She quickly made her way over rolling her eyes as she saw who she had the pleasure of sitting next to. "Great," she mumbled as she placed her bag on the floor and took a seat.
Out of all the people in the world why had she eneded up next to him. Thomas wasn't horrible but she couldn't stand him, she didn't know why. One could argue that he was a bit too nice and maybe a little boring for her standards. He was always good, no one can always be good, something about him just seemed to give her the ick, she could never explain it to anyone. That being said he redeemed himself a little as he was a fellow Hufflepuff. I hope its independent work today she thought now focusing fully on the professor.
Word count: 278
@Thomas Lancaster
Brewing frustrations
|
|
While the first hour was spent explaining all the properties of each ingredient, the exact order in which they were to be added and more generally how to perform every single step of the recipe, which was admittedly quite boring. Hearing about how Chizpurfle Carapaces had to be split open, and if it wasn’t a clean cut the potion would turn out wrong was like hearing his mother lecture him about the proper way to use a mortar and pestle properly again. Useful, yet also an absolute chore to sit through. But now that the explanations were over, they had the remaining hour to brew the Antidote to Uncommon Poisons, and unfortunately they had to do it in pairs. Of course the other two students at their workstation had decided to brew together, so really Thomas had no other choice. Stifling a sigh, he turned to Olivia and said: “Well, looks like we have no other choice. Let’s get this over with. Can you set up stuff while I grab the ingredients?”
Suspended in a frigid fantasy
Sta 6 . Eva 7 . Str 5 . Wis 10 . Arc 6 . Acc 6
Prodigal Charms | Calming Presence
Brewing frustrations
Of course her luck wasn't going to go well today. She sighed burrowing her head in her arms as she heard the professor say they had to brew the potion for uncommon poisons together. She looked over at Thomas who had already come to terms with the fact that they would be working together, Let me try and make this work, she thought to herself. But as soon as Thomas opened his mouth she already knew that might not be possible, and she was going to have a potion lesson that will drag.
His suggestion wasn't a bad one he actually had a good idea, she would much rather stay put then get the ingredients this time round. However, she was not going to let him know this. "Yeah sure," she said dismissively, "Make sure you actually get the correct ingredients," she added a bit sternly, as she began placing the equipment neatly out onto their workstation ensuring everything was clean and in good condition. She enjoyed potions and wanted to get it right, if Thomas messed it up she would not be happy.
It felt like Thomas was taking his sweet sweet time, she was getting impatient. Some students had already got the ingredients but that could have been because they got to it faster. But when it came to Thomas, Olivia just couldn't bring herself to make excuses for him. Her friends had often told her to give the guy a break and try and get to know him but she just couldn't, unless something changed.
Word count: 256
@Thomas Lancaster
Brewing frustrations
|
|
Several students were looking for their ingredients and some of them still didn’t know where to look so Thomas helped them locate whatever they were missing. Soon enough most people had everything they needed, and Thomas quickly grabbed two Fire Seeds, three Chizpurfle Carapaces, two Billywig Stings and some Powdered Graphorn Horn.
He then went back to the workstation, where Olivia was seemingly waiting for him, done with her preparations. “Sorry for the wait, here are all the correct ingredients, as per your request.” He still didn’t understand why she felt the need to specify that, it wasn’t the first time they brewed that potion in class. Putting down the ingredients on the table, he grabbed the mortar and pestle the two fire seeds and began roughly crushing them in pieces, his movements precise and deliberate, as he had been drilled for years by now.
Suspended in a frigid fantasy
Sta 6 . Eva 7 . Str 5 . Wis 10 . Arc 6 . Acc 6
Prodigal Charms | Calming Presence
Brewing frustrations
Olivia smiled a little as Thomas finally came back with all the ingredients required, she subtly glanced over at them ensuring he had gotten everything. She nodded in approval and watched as Thomas automatically began crushing the fire seeds with the motor and pestle. It wasn't their first time brewing the antidote to uncommon poisons but it was the first time she was making any potion with him and she had no clue if he was any good at it or not.
She grabbed the three Chizpurfle carapaces and placed them in front of her. She really didn't want to split them open, she didnt like getting her hands dirty like this. If it was anyone else she would have asked to swap but her pride couldn't allow that in this particular instance. She quickly rummaged through her bag and took out a pair of black rubber gloves. She looked over at Thomas as she put them on hoping he wouldn't comment before splitting open the Chizpurfle carapaces. It needed a bit of strength but it was nothing Olivia couldn't handle.
"Ready when you are," she said as she waited for Thomas to be done before adding both the ingredients into the coludron. "Make sure it's not crushed too fine," she added, she knew she was being bossy, but she didn't care, it had to be perfect.
Word count: 227
@Thomas Lancaster
Brewing frustrations
|
|
The repetitive motion combined with the sound of the pestle grinding the ingredients was something Thomas enjoyed, and he felt like he could lose himself in the moment, and let his mind wander as he usually does. This time however, he couldn’t. If not for the potion brewing, then because he wasn’t by himself. His potions partner still felt… irritable, and Thomas felt like actively pushing her buttons wouldn’t end well, as satisfying as reflecting back the energy she was giving him would be. And, well he had to admit, although begrudgingly that they worked quite well together. So far at least. “I’m done with the stings. Two clockwise stirs, some wand waving, and then low heat for about fifty minutes”, though that last part was mostly for his sake. “Do you want to wave your wand? I’ll start cleaning what we don’t need any more.”
Suspended in a frigid fantasy
Sta 6 . Eva 7 . Str 5 . Wis 10 . Arc 6 . Acc 6
Prodigal Charms | Calming Presence
Brewing frustrations
"Seriously," Olivia muttered as she took control of the coludron, did he really just give her the most easiest and boring job. She stired it five times counter clockwise before waiting for him to be done with the Billywig stings. She wanted to make a snarky comment but so far the potion was coming along quite well and she didn't want to ruin that regardless of the fact that she had bad company.
She tapped her foot impatiently until Thomas was ready to add the crush stings into the couldron. For some unknown reason he felt the need to tell her what to do next, "I do know what I'm doing," she spat rolling her eyes. She really didn't know how she was going to survive the next 50 minutes or so of waiting until they could proceed to the next step. It was at times like these that she wished there was a way to speed up the brewing process. That being said if anyone else had been her partner she wouldn't have cared, she would be having some fun, or be engaged in a good conversation.
There he went again suggesting she simply just waves her wand, did he not think she was capable of cleaning up, but then again why do more work then needed in this situation, "I'll just wave my wand," she answered as she waved it elegantly above the cauldron before taking a seat. If he wanted to clean he could do it alone, she was not in the mood to help.
Olivia took off her black gloves discarding them on the side. She watched him clean, trying to better understand him, she honestly didn't know much about him. She wondered if he would sit down beside her and attempt to speak to her once he was done or simply go back to his textbook, afterall she hadn't been the most approachable when it came to him.
Word count: 323
@Thomas Lancaster
Brewing frustrations
|
|
As he was patting the mortar dry he decided now was the best time to ask. There was still plenty of time left, and well, if she didn’t answer him then he’d go back to his textbook. “So… what did I do wrong?” he began, his eyes focused on the mortar. “I mean, you obviously don’t like me, and that’s fine but you seem more irritated than usual.” There. I asked, now it’s up to her. He wasn’t feeling particularly nervous, at best they’d just talk about it, and at worst, she’d maybe just get more crossed with him? He could live with that, it wouldn’t change much anyway.
Suspended in a frigid fantasy
Sta 6 . Eva 7 . Str 5 . Wis 10 . Arc 6 . Acc 6
Prodigal Charms | Calming Presence
Brewing frustrations
Olivia looked over at him, in all honesty she was quite suprised that he had chosen to speak to her and more so that it was not with any small talk but by getting straight to the point. She sighed, not knowing how to answer, if he had asked her a silly or boring question it would have resulted in some form of sass being thrown his way or a simple eye roll but not with this, she had to think.
She sighed glancing at his hands as they worked and then back at him, he didn't seem all that bad right now, "My day hasn't started of to a great start," she answered surprising herself. You're talking to Thomas he will ick you out soon she reminded herself. "How does anyone even like you?" she asked quickly going back to her original ways, "There's something your hiding Thomas and I hate that I can't figure out what, you're way too nice, no one is nice to everyone all the time, everyone has bad days but regardless if you do or not you're still nice and kind," she explained. It did sound like a very silly reason but that is not normal. "You must have some people you're not fond of, like me maybe," she added, she was sure he would say her after how she has always been towards him.
Word count: 231
@Thomas Lancaster