Animal Attraction 2 Whizbees & Billywig Stings Cl

Having looked somewhat shifty all his life, he didn't quite pick up on the undertones in Constantine's kind offer; rather, he felt a pang of guilt as he realized his arms had been free and he hadn't thought to offer. "Oh. Are you sure? You're clearly not having any trouble with them, but distributing the weight between the four of us could help keep us all fresh if we have to carry them a while," he shrugged, walking closer to Lorelai and Uschi. Mind, he might have trouble with them, having arms like twigs, but he felt compelled to offer. Perhaps all this Gryffindor chivalry nonsense was beginning to rub off on him.

"Oh. And I'm Green, Rainier Green. Good to meet you," he offered his hand to Constantine. If Constantine took it, he would find the boy's hand brittle, but his grip firm.

Stepping into the potions room, Green's eyes swept over the dark, glossy surfaces of the many glass cabinets, lighting on the pickled-shut eyes of jarred creatures and dark, dusty bottles within. The soft, soothing sound of flowing water burbled throughout the chamber; in the corner, a gargoyle acted as a fountain above a basin, icy-cold water streaming from its mouth. The room made Green shiver; there was power in the air here. "I don't see him... perhaps he's in his office?"

"Touch me, Midas; make me part of your design."
Encyclopedia Entry (and further history.)
Strength: 1; Agility: 12; Control: 10; Stamina: 7
Animal Attraction 2 Whizbees & Billywig Stings Cl
Constantine smiled, surprised that he was invited to stay, but happy nonetheless. "Ah, thank you! I'd be happy to join you all, it's nice to meet you, by the way." He exclaimed cheerfully. "Well, if they get too heavy, give me a shout." Constantine reassured. The Hufflepuff had still wanted to help with the books, however he wouldn't push his luck - there was nothing worse than feeling like you couldn't do something on your own, which was implied by his offer, despite it not being his intention. He quickly took step besides the trio, his pace more leisurely than a few moments ago.

Constantine was slightly embarrassed that he hadn't introduced himself sooner, so he sheepishly took Green's hand. The Hufflepuff's grip was similarly firm, though perhaps a little too much so; he had developed quite the strong handshake due to his overeager personality. "I'm Constantine! Though you can shorten it, if you like, I know it's quite the mouthful." He admitted. Releasing his grip, Constantine's hands returned to his sides. Briefly, he looked over to the Ravenclaw, who had seemed to go on ahead. "I didn't catch your name?" Constantine questioned politely, directing his speech to her.

As he entered the classroom, he was briefly taken aback. It was fairly dim, and took a few seconds for his eyes to adjust to the change in lighting. He wasn't as alarmed by the peculiar creatures that lined the shelves, it was a potions room after all, however it did make him a little sad. Constantine didn't much like seeing dead things - though that was life, so he'd get used to it. It was hard to make out anything in the room, aside from the numerous students that seemed more interested in their work than the four first years that had wandered in. Despite the fact they towered above him, Constantine didn't feel intimidated by the older students in the least. "In his office? Would it be considered rude to enter uninvited?" Constantine asked. To be truthful, Constantine would probably barge in with little regret, however he'd always seek a more pacifistic route first.
Animal Attraction 2 Whizbees & Billywig Stings Cl
"My name's Uschi," she said to Constantine, standing aside as the other students walked into the dim room. She waited until the doorway was free before filing in herself, behind the others, but was too short to see beyond the crowd of seniors. From what she could see they were all crowding around a central bench covered in cauldrons and glass filled with all manner of ingredients, as well as small metal things to make flames to heat the liquids. But she only caught glimpses of it here and there. There seemed to be too many students for the room, and they were quietly and gingerly rearranging themselves so all could watch the centre table without getting in anyone's road.
Usually, senior students were loud and boisterous, but not here. Their whispers echoed off the domed ceiling as they were at a funeral in the Glasgow Cathedral. Or like they were afraid of waking a monster, or bothering a particularly mean teacher.
At last they appeared to settle down, finished with their shuffling, and Uschi could hear the bubbling of cauldrons instead of the din of shuffling feet.
"Excuse me," Uschi said, and was alarmed at just how well her voice carried in this small room. A senior girl turned to look at Uschi and gasped, putting her hand over her mouth, and tugged on the sleeve of her neighbour to then point at the girl who was round as a ball and wide as a doorway. Instantly Uschi felt her face turn bright red, and her voice choked in her throat as she said, "I'm... we're... looking for Professor Valtome…?"
Reducio
Let's let Valtome post next:)

I am basing my description of the room from this image
: https://www.flickr.com/photos/128618130@N02/16119076434
Animal Attraction 2 Whizbees & Billywig Stings Cl
This class of fourth years was dutiful, never straying too far from a given topic of discourse or engaging in idle banter. Just the way I want it. Instead of partaking in any of the numbers of childish frivolities that was their wont, each student was busy taking turns adding one key ingredient to the singular potion that was being brewed as part of the class' exercise, while concurrently assimilating all the subtle changes that took place. The smell, the color, the viscosity; all of it. For this class I had decided that the less I say, the more I could glean from them in terms of their ability to follow basic instructions. It was elementary, after all.

Though I said nothing, I watched them with a stringent fervor, daring any and all to make fools of themselves and suffer my wrath. It was such that I had missed the underwhelming entrance of the four that now stood in the classroom's doorway, looking almost lost and veritably flummoxed. When the student gasped beside me I looked at her through the corners of my eyes, wondering what she had witnessed that could elicit such a de trop response. Her tugging at my sleeve caught my attention fully. I turned to follow her pointed direction and stood there unamused, eyeing each of the four in turn. Some certainly stood out more than others, but I supposed there was nothing to be said about that. I simply did not care. What I did want to know was why they were interrupting my class.

Very conscious of my current form, I addressed them apropos to the standard that a female student prone to gossip would. "Oh my god, what are you first years doing in Professor Valtome's class? Can't you see we're busy?" For all who have by now figured it out, bravo. I had decided to relieve the class of my domineering comportment by transforming into your typical teenage girl so as to blend in with the class as just another senior. My attempt had been met with resounding success, for the class, truth be told, seemed far less jittery when not subjected to my extraordinary pulchritude. However, all my efforts were now being pestered by the new arrivals. I could feel the eyes of the seniors darting between me and the newcomers, wondering what I was up to. I spared them as much attention as I would offer the dirt on my boot and fixed my gaze on the one at the head of the group while assuming a flippant pose with my arms akimbo, perfectly playing the part of a typical, annoyed teenage girl.

"𝔳𝔞𝔫𝔦𝔱𝔞𝔰 𝔳𝔞𝔫𝔦𝔱𝔞𝔱𝔲𝔪 𝔬𝔪𝔫𝔦𝔞 𝔳𝔞𝔫𝔦𝔱𝔞𝔰"
Animal Attraction 2 Whizbees & Billywig Stings Cl
Lorelai was unamused by the older girl. Seniors always acted like they knew everything, it was old to her at this point. What a waste of time! In the Gryffindor's eyes, the teenager was just an obstacle in the way of getting to what her group wanted. To accomplish their goal they needed to find Professor Valtome, and this girl wasn't being useful at the moment. She barely stopped herself from making some snide remark back to the student or rolling her eyes condescendingly. However, these actions, albeit satisfying, would probably make the girl less likely to help them. Which may have been something they needed.

"Yes, we can see you're busy, but we need to ask Professor Valtome a question. We would appreciate it if you told us where he was."She asked firmly, furrowing her brow, and crossing her arms. She tried to be as straightforward as possible. May as well get this conversation over with. No point in talking all day long.

She was confused why she couldn't see the Potions Professor in the classroom, especially when his class was going on. She wondered that maybe she just couldn't see him? There were a lot of students, some of which were quite tall, maybe he was just blocked by one of them? But then again wouldn't he be the one to approach them. It didn't matter to her. If the Professor wasn't there she would just take what they needed. The students probably wouldn't even notice. Or they just wouldn't care.

♥ Le plus grand faible des hommes, c'est l'amour qu'ils ont de la vie ♥
Animal Attraction 2 Whizbees & Billywig Stings Cl
For a millisecond, Green's eyes narrowed hatefully at the fourth year, venom and spite sparking up inside him from some fuliginous depth where every wrong he had ever suffered still fermented. In that millisecond, a quiet voice inside him whispered promises rapidfire: How dare she, As if she never, I'll show her, this is the last time, I'll slit her smarmy -

But then the millisecond was over.

No. No, you are not going to slit anything. Stop being frickin' nutzoid.

Green sucked in a breath and closed his eyes, slamming the lid shut on that part of himself as if on a pressure cooker. He let the breath out slowly, letting the pieces settle. Facts.

When his eyes opened again, they were cold. Sniffing curiously, he peered past and around the girl, watching the bustling cloaked backs and hearing the rustle of robes. Busy, yes. He could smell fire burning, the scent of something acrid and pickled, hear bubbling rather than the talk he had expected. He spied the flash of a hand, a sprig of aconite pinched within. Damn. They were brewing.

Merlin's rotting, worm-laced teeth. He hated being the one in the wrong. If he had judged the situation correctly, a distraction would lose them precious seconds, which could cost them marks.

"Ah - we're sorry. We didn't mean to interrupt you from your procedures; I'm sure we can wait," he said immediately after Lorelai, looking at the others apologetically as he tried to urge them back outside with him, step just out of sight and earshot of the busy students inside. "Sorry to interrupt you, but where ever he is, he won't be pleased to see us arrive uninvited in the middle of a lesson. Unnecessarily rude though the girl was, the Professor is likely to be happier to see after class.... It can't be in session for too much longer, it must be running late already," he murmured furtively, looking at his watch.

"Touch me, Midas; make me part of your design."
Encyclopedia Entry (and further history.)
Strength: 1; Agility: 12; Control: 10; Stamina: 7
Animal Attraction 2 Whizbees & Billywig Stings Cl
Constantine frowned, clearly not pleased with the senior and their obvious lack of manners. Despite the fact that they had indeed interrupted the class, it didn't mean they had to be met with such a snarky and unneeded comment. The Hufflepuff had sincerely wanted to set things straight, however the rest of the group seemed to try and contain themselves. As much as he hated it, retorting now would only result in trouble. Furthermore, it wasn't worth it. Arguing with such a stereotypical teen was far below him - he'd imagine that they'd all go through an awkward phase like that, so he could only muster up a look of pity.

"It doesn't make any sense, though. Are you allowed to brew things without the professor present?" Constantine mumbled, defeated. He understood that Green was attempting to usher them out of the room, however retreating didn't seem like the best idea. After all, it would probably just trigger another 'witty' response from the girl. "I think it'd be a better idea to wait, the Professor must be somewhere here, or recently gone, right?" Constantine added in a hushed tone, not wanting his words to be twisted by any of the Seniors in the class.

To be honest, he didn't really want to meet this Professor anymore. They must be pretty irresponsible to leave a class unattended, and to let one of his students snark a couple of first years on the way in was very remiss of them. They'd only come in to ask a question, anyway, so Constantine didn't see why there would be such a fuss.
Animal Attraction 2 Whizbees & Billywig Stings Cl
Despite the requests from her friends, the senior students just stared at them, making Uschi feel all the more awkward. Her heart was thudding in her chest and she could feel her face and ears going red and hot, like almost every time she stepped onto the school bus in Edinburgh.

"W... we... need some advice... about a potions project," she said pathetically. "We want to make a potion f... from billy wig stings... not to make you float though. Just to... just to make you lighter."

She knew how this must look: the fat girl coming to ask for a potion to make her lighter. She heard her grandmother's voice then, playing in her mind as if she were in the next room with her mum, calling her lazy. But it wasn't laziness. At least not entirely. Her knees ached every time she took the stairs, and she was sick of huffing like a steam train after just one flight. Partially as a means to show that she understood the real problem, in order to deflect any negative sentiment, she added:
"And... if there's any potions that reduce appetite... I mean, if he knows any, we would also really like to know about that. Do... you any of you... know any potions like that?"
She glanced worriedly at her friends, as if seeking reassurance. This may be the wrong track to take, but this was a room full of senior students after all. Generally speaking they should all know more than first graders, and one of them just might know something about the topic.
Animal Attraction 2 Whizbees & Billywig Stings Cl
I didn't particularly like the tone the black haired girl was taking with me, regardless of my current form. It bordered on petulance, and she was encroaching on dangerous territory. It mattered not to me that they were a bunch of wayward first years, they had waived their right to exercise ire from the moment they entered the classroom while it was in session. The look I gave her could melt steel, but it was the sharp intake of breath from another that solicited my attention, causing me to assess the boy icily. The apology sounded hollow, but I inclined my head nonetheless in a semblance of acknowledgment as he started to steer his friends out of the classroom. A whispered meeting ensued, sounding like jibberish even to me.

With an obnoxious snap of my fingers and a menacing step forward, I closed some of the distance between myself and the four. "Oh come now! Out with it! What. Do. You. Want?" As far as the room could tell, the teenage girl that was me had just about gotten as much as she could take and no more. Yet despite my outward venom, I was amused beyond reason. They seemed unshaken by my high-handed tone, all except one. The poor girl sounded as if she would faint any minute as she explained their reason for being there. An uproarious bout of rambunctious guffaw erupted behind me, no doubt making the girl even more uncomfortable than she seemed. I turned quickly and leveled my gaze at the seniors, silencing them with effect. I quietly dared any of them to make another sound.

The first year continued to explain, and for a second I pondered putting them out of their misery and giving them what they needed. While I did so, the cauldron on the central table that was the gathering place for the seniors started to effervesce violently, the gurgling sound low and constant. This was where they had erred. The brew, as with all, required a specific amount of time within which to simmer over an open flame. They had been so busy paying attention to the confrontation between me and the four first years that the cauldron had been neglected, and was now ready to throw a tantrum. The resulting explosion was instant, the ball of built-up pressure imploding before expulsing a powerful puff of air and brown ooze that sent the majority of seniors around the table flying haphazardly in every direction.

By this point the first years and myself were far enough away to be spared from the madness, but most if not all the fourth years had been victims to the cruel outcome. I wasted no time procuring my wand and waving it quickly around the room, silently casting the scouring charm as a means by which to first remove the brown ooze from each student before the more detrimental effects could take hold, and then clean away all the residue in the room. "Pitiful! Absolutely dreadful! An easy accruement of twenty percent of your overall grade and you've all managed to flub it." Through all the moans and groans of pain and aches I ushered them all to their feet, knowing full well they'd live so long as they were treated for exposure. "Class dismissed! Make your way to the Hospital Wing posthaste. I shall send word of your approach to the matron."

With another silent cast, I sent a ball of brilliant white light from the tip of my wand that ghosted through the walls of the room on its way out. Sighing heavily, I leaned against the table that had just been the disaster zone, feeling almost exhausted by the outcome. "You four" I said softly. "There was something about billywig stings and reducing appetite? How can I help?" I was always willing to assist those students who took a genuine interest in potions and their myriad effects. It seemed these four had done some basic levels of reading that might have afforded them some knowledge of what that particular ingredient could do. It was only a matter of better understanding what the stuttering girl had said. By this point, I was still in the form of the senior girl, which no doubt had them questioning just what role she played in my class. For all they knew, she could be my aide. After all, she did seem to be the one that the rest of seniors had looked to for guidance.

"𝔳𝔞𝔫𝔦𝔱𝔞𝔰 𝔳𝔞𝔫𝔦𝔱𝔞𝔱𝔲𝔪 𝔬𝔪𝔫𝔦𝔞 𝔳𝔞𝔫𝔦𝔱𝔞𝔰"
Animal Attraction 2 Whizbees & Billywig Stings Cl
Lorelai felt bad that Uschi was so nervous over talking to the professor. She placed a hand on the trembling Ravenclaw in a comforting way. She wasn't sure it was accomplishing much, but at least she tried.

In most scenarios, Lorelai would burst out laughing from an exploding potion, but now she needed to help her friend. And knowing the professor, laughing at it would probably damage their chances of getting anything accomplished. She held back a smile pretty well, but if someone looked hard enough it was clear she was amused. The girl who they had been speaking to started to scold the class for not paying attention to the potion and causing the mess. Lorelai was extremely confused about who the upperclassman girl was. Wasn't she a student? How could she deduct points from other student's grades?

The teenager turned to them, and seemed more passive than she had seemed before. Lorelai was happy that the girl was willing to help them, as she clearly had some authority here, but she would have preferred the professor they came there for. "Yeah, we wanted help with making a potion to help Uschi."Lorelai motioned over to the trembling girl. She awkwardly added. "Um-If you don't mind me asking, who are you exactly?"

♥ Le plus grand faible des hommes, c'est l'amour qu'ils ont de la vie ♥