15 Oct 2023, 19:33
Annoyance in the Cauldron
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░⌟~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Gyda was not a morning person, at all. She likes morning strolls, though. However, those are quiet, and solitary. This, potions class, was not quiet and solitary. It was loud, chaotic and full of people. The prospect of it had been dreadful to Gyda. Reluctantly she had dragged herself out of bed, and to her first class of the day. While none of their classes were boring, in Gyda's humble opinion, and most were not strictly theoretical, Potions had a strange effect on the first-years. Hanging above the humid air of their steaming cauldrons made them feel grand, for some reason. Floating feathers in Charms was fun, but somehow Potions truly made them feel like wizards and witches. Gyda did like potions, of course. They are useful and complicated, but she would not participate in the chaos that was unfolding before her.
Their professor had announced, at the beginning of the class, that after the theoretical explanation of the 'Forgetfulness Potion', the class would move on to actually creating the potion themselves. This had peaked Gyda's interests, until their professor mentioned the 'working in pairs'-aspect of the whole assignment. Gyda could not help but roll her eyes at that comment. Good grievance, this is going to be a nightmare of insane proportions. As the end of the theoretical framework was nearing, the lunacy of her peers was onfolding. Everyone was ready to yeet all the ingredients into the cauldron, and probably create a monster in the process, ruining their potions for the heck of it. Gyda did her best to pay attention, make notes on the recipe (in the slight hope she would have a capable partner to work with), and drown out the noise of her fellow students. How the professor was able to deal with this noise was beyond her.
Finally, Gyda was appointed to a cauldron in the back of the class by the professor. She made her way over to the cauldron, and layed out her notes and some of the necessary tools as she awaited who her partner would be.Words: 345
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"All Hail the Pumpkin King"
16 Oct 2023, 22:37
Annoyance in the Cauldron
𝓦hile Bex had never personally read the Geneva Conventions, she was absolutely certain that holding class in the dungeons at 9 AM was indisputably a violation of them.
She liked Potions well enough, in general. She liked the structure and routine of it, and typically found the act of physically preparing the ingredients to be incredibly soothing. Plus she loved Herbology, and in a way Potions was just applied Herbology. But truly, she'd like Potions a lot more if it was later in the day, and perhaps had a window or two.
The first half of the class was easy enough, though. Bex sleepily took notes as the Professor described the process of brewing the Forgetfulness potion, and Bex was grateful to find out that the potion took effect through ingestion, rather than inhalation, which would hopefully lower the chances of an unfortunate brewing accident today. Bex made a note to ask the Professor why Lethe River water was used, as the specificity interested her.
Once the lecture portion had ended, the Professor paired them off for the practical portion, and Bex dutifully made her way to her assigned cauldron, where an unfamiliar Gryffindor girl was already sitting. Bex didn't really mind pair and group work as much as others seemed to. While she was perfectly happy to get her work done on her own, she was a social creature by nature, and having someone to chat with and make the work go faster was usually a gift rather than a curse, in her experience. Especially as Bex typically didn't mind the instances where she ended up having to put in all the work.
She yawned involuntarily as she took her seat next to the red-headed girl, quickly pulling her hair back into a serviceable if sloppy ponytail. She had only needed to accidentally dip her hair into a potion once to learn her lesson. Once her hair was tied up, she turned towards her cauldron-mate and held out a hand for her to shake.
"Morning. I'm Bex."
17 Oct 2023, 19:03
Annoyance in the Cauldron
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░⌟~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Gyda eyed the girl that was heading her way. The girl said nothing as she said down, but started to force her brown hair in a pony tail. Once she was finished, she turned to Gyda. She held out her hand to Gyda, inviting her to shake it. "Morning. I'm Bex." the girl said. Gyda stared at the girl for a brief moment, and then looked at her outstretched hand.
Gyda did not want to be rude, not when practical partners could have a massive influence on the outcome of your academic capabilities. So, Gyda forced whatever hostility she had in her at the moment down, hidden somewhere to re-emerge at a more appropriate time. When someone in the corridors would bump into her, for example. Reluctantly she shook the girls hand, while trying to keep her features as neutral as possible.
"Gyda, hi." She said, after she pulled her hand back quickly. She turned away from the Bex, without saying another word. Gyda grabbed her notes on the recipe and started digging around their tools and ingredients, looking for the ingredients for the first part of the recipe: Lethe River Water and Valerian sprigs. When making a 180 back to her notes, Gyda realised there was a 45-60 minute wait-step in the recipe. Gyda could only hope that Bex was not the chatty type.
@Rebecca LarkWords: 225
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"All Hail the Pumpkin King"
19 Oct 2023, 02:46
Annoyance in the Cauldron
𝓣hough Bex truly didn't mind doing the heavy lifting on class projects (and was generally happy to assist a partner who maybe needed a little extra help) she couldn't deny her relief at seeing Gyda immediately turn back to her notes and begin prepping the ingredients. Having a partner who was taking the lesson as seriously as her could only help to improve their final grade, and with the way these past few weeks had gone, Bex was willing to snatch up every little success she could manage to fit in her tiny little hands.
"I'll prep the ingredients, and you can handle the stirring, and making sure we stay at the right heat. Oh, we'll have to wait at least 45 minutes for it to brew... Do you think the Professor will dismiss class early, and we'll do the second half next lesson? Or are we going to have to just sit here that whole time?"
While Bex wouldn't say that she had many virtues, she probably had like, at least five, none of which, unfortunately, were patience. Dedication and pig-headedness, sure, but that was only when she was actively doing something. The idea of just sitting here for an hour and waiting for her potion to brew when she could be better using her time getting breakfast, playing football, or, better yet, sleeping, was, in Bex's mind, a profoundly grievous injustice.
Speaking of sleep, Bex found herself yawning again and, worried that her partner would think she was being rude, was quick to apologize. "Sorry, I hate early classes, promise you're not boring me or anything. You're in Gryffindor, right?" Hopefully if they were to be stuck here staring at a cauldron for an hour, they could at least keep each other company.
24 Oct 2023, 18:46
Annoyance in the Cauldron
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░⌟~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~As Gyda turned to her notes, and prepared herself to make the potion, Bex suddenly started talking. "I'll prep the ingredients, and you can handle the stirring, and making sure we stay at the right heat. Oh, we'll have to wait at least 45 minutes for it to brew... Do you think the Professor will dismiss class early, and we'll do the second half next lesson? Or are we going to have to just sit here that whole time?" Bex said.
Gyda looked at Bex wide-eyed, as she rambled on. Once she quieted herself, Gyda took a moment to take in her words. I'll do this, and you do that? Who made her the bloody queen? And what is with this impatience...? Gyda mentally prepared herself to respond to Bex, to tell her that she could stuff it with her commands, especially since Gyda was already rummaging through the ingredients. Bex can go and stirr that cauldron herself. However, before Gyda could speak, Bex started yawning. Gyda's eyebrows shot up in disbelieve. "Sorry, I hate early classes, promise you're not boring me or anything. You're in Gryffindor, right?" Bex said quickly.
Gyda took a moment, before answering. "Yes, what gave it away? My robes?" Gyda said sarcastically. She did not look at Bex while she spoke, instead she kept her eyes on her notes and the Valerian Spriggs. "And, I fear you're going to be stuck with me for the next hour or so... It would be a waste of the potion to wait until next class." Gyda sighed once, before looking up at Bex. "Also, I'm not stirring that cauldron," Gyda said coldly. "I already started on our ingredients."
@Rebecca LarkWords: 280
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"All Hail the Pumpkin King"
30 Oct 2023, 01:08
Annoyance in the Cauldron
𝓑ex bristled upon hearing Gyda's sharp tone. "Yes, what gave it away? My robes?" Bex flushed lightly with embarrassment and quickly turned her face away from Gyda. Serves her right for trying to make conversation with such a dumb question. Obviously Gyda was in Gryffindor.
Bex was already feeling chastened as Gyda continued. "Also, I'm not stirring that cauldron. I already started on our ingredients." And okay, ouch. She'd intended for her giving Gyda the easier of the two roles to act as a tentative olive branch but like, fine. This was fine.
Bex grit her teeth as she tried to ignore the anger simmering in her stomach. She told herself that there was no use getting mad about nothing like this, as Gyda really hadn't even said anything that harsh to her. The other girl probably hadn't even meant to be rude, but this knowledge did little to dull the sting of irritation sparked by the redhead's words.
"Fine." She bit out. "I'll stir. I'm sure the next hour's going to be so fun."
Bex had never been good at introspection, and though it had been rude of her to try and dictate their assignment, there was no chance of Bex acknowledging that reality. Potions and Herbology were the only classes these days that didn't make her feel like she'd gone overboard without a life vest, so if she was a little particular about how her projects went, then, well, so be it.
Bex quickly went about getting their fire ready, stubbornly refusing to look in Gyda's direction during the process. She wasn't sure why Gyda's pseudo-rejection of her attempts at friendliness were affecting her so profoundly, but she after these past few weeks she was just genuinely at the end of her rope.
Once her preparations were completed, she sat back, arms crossed, and waited for Gyda to proceed.
OOC: You could not pay me to be 11 again. Also, sorry it took me forever to reply!
6 Nov 2023, 19:53
Annoyance in the Cauldron
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░⌟~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Gyda did not need to look at Bex to know that everything Gyda just said had annoyed her. Rightly so, bossing Gyda around. Stupid move, stupid move... "Fine." Bex bit out. "I'll stir. I'm sure the next hour's going to be so fun." Gyda rolled her eyes at that statement.
Luckily, Bex then went about and started on the fire and prepped the cauldron for the potion. Then Gyda added the two drops of Lethe River Water to the cauldron. She waited 20 seconds, as the recipe instructed, before adding the Valerian Spriggs. Now, Bex only had to do her part of the job, and then they were to wait for an insufferable amount of time before even thinking about the mistletoe berries and standard ingredient. The more Gyda thought on that prospect, the more anxiety it gave her.
Gyda wasn't a 'people's person', but she had enough empathy to feel and suffer from tension in the air. However, Gyda did not in her right mind possess enough people-skill to deflate such tension, so she did what she did best: Make things significantly worse. She did not wait for Bex to start stirring their brew, and this might cost them their potion if they weren't careful, but Gyda couldn't stop the words flowing from her mouth.
"Listen, Bex," Gyda hissed the words. Cold and angry. "What makes you think that I'm going to be a rainbow of sunshine and fun? Did I give you any inclination whatsoever that shouted 'This girl likes people'? Because, if so, do tell, I'll make an effort not to do it again." Gyda sighed, and was almost shocked by her own words. However, the tension radiating of Bex was something that Gyda never handled well. She preferred to be invisible to all, she preferred it if people do not care about her at all. And suddenly there was Bex, all happy and excited, asking her considerate questions and basically moving in her space. Gyda had no idea how to deal with such behaviour, simply because she always evaded it. [/color]
@Rebecca LarkWords: 344
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"All Hail the Pumpkin King"
20 Nov 2023, 22:13
Annoyance in the Cauldron
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𝓢he shouldn't have snapped like that at Gyda, it was uncalled for and not particularly conducive to a successful partners project, but Bex couldn't find it in herself to back down or apologize to the Gryffindor girl. Maybe Bex has escalated it, but Gyda had definitely started it. Probably.
Regardless, the two of them had a potion to brew, and Bex was determined to perform her portions of it flawlessly, if only out of spite. Not that there were that many ways one could mess up stirring, as at that point you'd have to be committing active sabotage, which no matter how miffed at the other girl she grew was simply not an option for Bex. She followed the directions in their book and stirred the mixture clockwise three times before waving her wand over the top of it.
With the first "active" portions of the potion complete, they had now reached the dreaded waiting game portion of the assignment. Who could have predicted that the hardest part of this potion would be the parts in which they weren't brewing it? From the way things were going so far, Bex couldn't imagine that the next hour was going to be especially pleasant.
"Listen, Bex," She heard the other girl begin, causing Bex's hackles to raise anew. "What makes you think that I'm going to be a rainbow of sunshine and fun? Did I give you any inclination whatsoever that shouted 'This girl likes people'? Because, if so, do tell, I'll make an effort not to do it again."
"I don't need you to be a 'rainbow of sunshine and fun', or whatever the hell." Bex hissed back, angrily. She glanced quickly over at the Professor, worried that their muffled argument would catch her attention, before turning back to Gyda.
"I don't need you to like people, or to like me. Clearly I made a mistake in wanting to make conversation with my Potions partner, but I promise you I won't make it a second time."