Lesson Two (Second years)

Asric walked down to the dungeons feeling slightly uneasy. He hated being indoors as it was without being indoors and underground, it made him feel more trapped than ever before. He took a deep breath and sat down, in todays lesson he was sure he was going to lose his cool.

Anna walked into the classroom, wondering what Professor Dosha would do today. She turned around to greet her Professor, but she saw the Headmaster instead. She nodded towards him and sat at the second row to the front.

Alexis was feeling apprehensive, Taryn had ended the last class abruptly and never conducted any of the extra sessions she had promised. I'll have to talk to her today, she thought. But it wasn't Taryn waiting in the class.
"Hello Headmaster" He's certainly having his hands full with all the substitutions. "Can you tell me where Taryn is? She was supposed to give me special lessons and she hadn't owled me since she left."

Tobi arrived hoping that today's lesson would be good as well. He was surprised to see that Asric was teaching another class. He decided to find a seat and sit quietly as Asric didn't look too happy.

He sighed. "Professor Dosha is no longer with us." He said glancing at his watch. "Now no more questions unless it has to do with the lesson. If you insist you have questions to be answered then stay after class in your own time." He said flicking his wand so the words Swelling Solution appeared written.

"Who can tell me what this potion does?" He asked looking for a volunteer.

Lauri walked into the classroom, smiling at the headmaster, and quickly walked to a seat in the front. She smiled when she heard the headmaster's question, Am I glad I read ahead, she thought.

She raised her hand, "It causes things to enlarge," She said.

Charlotte arrived to her classroom and was surprised to find the headmaster there.

Oh well, she thought to herself and shrugged. She saw Lauri and decided to go sit with her.

"Hey Lauri," she greeted as Charlotte took out her parchment, quills and book.

Iris entered the class and hoped she wasn't late. She owled the Headmaster for her tardiness and he was fine with it after all. She took her usual seat and waited for another question she can answer sooner. She saw what's written on the board and knew frankly what that potion is. There was the obvious answer of course.

Iris was glad to see that she was only a few minutes late, as she entered the class. She saw Char and Lauri, and went to sit next to them. "Hey guys," she greeted softly.

Shaun knocked at the door of the potions classroom. 'Hello headmaster, I'm Shaun Moody, joining as the potions instructor here. Have you started anything? If not, I can take over from here.'

He smiled in relief. "Welcome Professor. Class this is Professor Moody he will be taking over your potions lesson. If you have any questions direct them to him unless they are for in which case you know where my office is." He said already half way out of the door. "You can teach what ever you like." He said giving the man a quick smile.

"I'll leave them in your hands Professor." He said before leaving the dungeons to get some fresh air.

Shaun nodded at the headmaster as he left. 'Alright, we'll have five more minutes before the class begins, after that the doors will be shut, and anyone knoking for entrance will have ten points deducted from their house. Now, one of you'll tell me what you learned at your previous lesson. Who'd that be?'

Iris was astonished to have a new professor. Wonder what happened to Professor Taryn? She felt the excitement and disappointment in the room clearly at the moment. She raised out her hand and recalled what they've learned on their previous first lesson. "We named some of the most common ingredients of Beffudlement Draught. And we listed down potions that is appropriate to brew by second years."

"Thank you Ms. Frances. Ok, so I want each of you to tell me one ingredient of Befuddlement Draught and their function in the potion." Shaun gave a small smile to the girl.

"Lovage is one of the ingredients," Charlotte responded to the new Professor. "It is most efficacious in the inflaming of the brain."

"The other ingredient is scurvy grass," Iris replied. "It acts as a catalyst due to its acidic properties."

"The last ingredient would be sneezewort. It leaves a person in a sneezing fit." Iris answered and smiled back to the professor.

Alexis was silent for this long. But it seemed pointless to sulk for her mentor. So she added with Iris, 'Apart from contributing in inflamation of the brain, sneezewort also lowers the inhibition of the brain, which helps the potion to act quickly and more effectively.'

'Brilliant.' Shaun clapped once. 'I love this class. Twenty points to Slytherin and Ten to Gryffindor. Sneezewort causes sneezing fit when it's inhaled, Ms. Frances. Good reasoning though. Now that the ingredients are out of the way. We'll go on to the recipe. Any questions?'

Alessa knocked and stepped in, bowing at the unfamiliar Professor. "Erm, good day, Professor. Sorry I'm late," she said, walking towards Alex and Iris, befuddled.

Alicia followed Alessa in, looking thoroughly sheepish. "Sorry, professor," she muttered, choosing a desk on the far side of the classroom where she was less likely to be seen, and therefore disturb anyone. Not that she thought professor Moody would let her off easy. Detention, probably, she thought, beginning to unpack her things.

Shaun waved them inside,"Well I don't really want to lay off you. But it seems most of the students weren't aware that class has been resumed which is a shame. Those who entered after the door had been closed will submit an essay stating all the ingredients and there functions in the potion. Now here's your recipe:" He waved his hand to the board and writing began to appear:

1. Make sure you have a cup of powder from all three ingredients, and that they are fully powdered. The Lovage should have a light red color, the Scurvy-grass should have a dark blue color, and the Sneezewort should have a yellow color.

2. In your main cauldron add the powdered Scurvy-grass and leave it on medium heat until it turns into a deep dark red color and produces black smoke. Then add the powdered Sneezewort and stir the concoction.

3. Once the ingredients in the cauldron turn a dark green color, add water to the cauldron. Stir for about 15 minutes, and then leave it to brew for another 15 minutes.

4. Now add the final ingredient, the powdered Lovage, and stir for about 5 minutes, and then put out the fire and leave the concoction, which should now be a thick liquid with a dark maroon color, to chill out.
"Begin. Choose your own partners and make sure to add your names in the lebel."

"So, wanna be partners?" Iris asked Char.

Alicia nodded quickly and then set to work. If someone wanted to partner with her, they could come to her, because she worked faster alone.
Or rather, she was, until she got a noseful of powdered sneezewort, and ironically, had to stop and sneeze. Rubbing her eyes, she resumed her work, keeping her face as far from her measuring cups as possible.

Shaun was petrolling along the worktables, correcting mistakes along his way, 'Handle the Sneezwort when you are breathing out, Ms. Wood. You're not supposed to bury your face in it.'