Fifth years, lesson 1

Caleb walked into potions and looked to see no one here. Caleb took a seat and waited for everyone to come in. Caleb knew he wouldn't be the only one in here since this class always had students in there even if the professor never came in. Caleb was hoping that there was going to be a good lesson.

Coyota lugged her brand new cauldron into the room, hauling it onto the nearest desk. She frowned as she looked around, seeing all the odd-looking materials on the shelves around her. She had never taken potions before, but it looked like a fun class, and something she might be good at.

She noticed someone else in the room, and blew a stray piece of hair out of her face as she managed a short greeting, "Hello."

Caleb was in the middle of doodling in the book he pulled out for boredom and he heard someone come in. Caleb turned to see who it was and saw a girl come in. She was in Slytherin he took notice in. "Hello" Caleb greeted back to the girl. Caleb looked at her one last time and turned back to the front. He kept doodling in his paper. The doodles turned out to be nothing but oh well.

"I don't think the Potions Master would like you coming to class with me," Damian stated seriously as he hurried along the corridor. Padded feet easily kept pace with the boy, who sighed. "I know you're well-behaved, but it's potions. Not exactly the best class to have a wolf, now, is it?"

He paused to look at his brown-furred daemon - whom he'd been telling everyone was his familiar. Lynne looked back up at the boy, tail wagging slightly. Damian sighed again.

"Stay under the desk, then. But if the professor's mad that I'm late, just leave, okay?" Lynne gave an affirmative huff and Damian hurried the rest of the way to the Potions classroom.

He couldn't believe his luck. "Yes," he hissed, promptly moving to a seat. Lynne followed behind him, stopping to sniff curiously at the other two students before curling up at her master's feet.

"So," Damian addressed the other two, "think we'll be learning anything useful this class?"

Ophion walked right into the potions room, carrying his large, antique looking cauldron in front of him. Inside, he kept his books piled, so that he didn't have his hands full. Setting it onto the table he had chosen, he looked around the room and only just caught a HufflePuff boy saying something. A low chuckle escaped his throat and he shook his head, reaching in and gathering his books, setting them beside the cauldron. "As unlikely as it is that we learn anything useful here, best to learn it anyway. Never know, it may come in handy." He sighed deeply and collapsed in his seat, shaking his head with a groan. He was hoping that the day was nearing an end, he wanted to just go back to the common room and relax.

Tightening his jaw, he crossed one of his legs over the other as he stared at the clock, his tongue peeking out and trailing along his lower lip. In truth, he hadn't cared much for potions, he figured if there was something a potion could do, a spell could do better. Of course, it had it's uses after all, a spell isn't always available. Bringing his middle finger to his eye, he rubbed and breathed out deeply. "Maybe we won't have a teacher today."

Damian laughed at the newcomer's statement. "I already know all the potions we've been taught since I started first year," he stated honestly. And he did. His sister had been a rather thorough teacher for an art that came naturally to the boy.

"So," Damian said, moving around so he stood in front of his desk facing the others, "since the Raven seems to be right and the professor still isn't here, why don't I teach you all a potion? Name something. Anything - I'll teach you how to brew it."

"How about the love potion, hm?" Iva stood at the classroom door, empty handed and smirking. The little Russian quickly looked around for a teacher and sighed in relief. She was always late; At least now she wouldn't have detention.

Strolling by her boyfriend, she stuck out a hand to pinch a lower section of his back. "Taking control, I see?" she headed towards to back of the classroom, "I hope you don't mind me napping, Demushka,"

Doing as he usually did, Livius followed the students to the class, but waited outside.He listened to the conversation within, staying hidden behind a column as the last girl entered. After he learned enough from the conversation, he strolled inside and cleared his throat. "I'll be teaching today, and no, it won't be the love potion." His eyes scanned from face to face as he walked to the front desk and stood atop the box, his hands on the hard wood in front of him. "If you nap in my class, Miss Popov, you can expect twenty points taken from Slytherin. The same goes for all of you."

He brought his hands together and cracked his knuckles, his jaw tightening as he motioned for the girl to take her seat. "My name is Livius Grimstone, Professor Grimstone to you. You're here to learn potions, whether or not you're any good at them is up to you." Hopping off from the box, he made his way through the isles of desks, turning to and from each student as he spoke. "Now, I know what you're thinking. Potions, what use is that? When are we going to need one when we have our wand? Well let me tell you, there are many things that a potion could do that your wand could not."

He breathed out again and stopped at the desk closest, which a Slytherin boy sat at. He looked down to see the boy was doodling and smiles, pressing his finger to the top of the paper and pulling it away. "I would pay attention if I were you, Mr. List. Can you change into a different person with your wand, or make yourself incredibly lucky? No. That's why potions are important, and more helpful than you would imagine." Turning on his heels, he walked back to his desk and atop the box once more, clearing his throat again. "We're going to be starting the year with the Confusing Draught. Which of you can tell me what that does? How about you, Mr. Gray, as you seem to know everything about potions."

"And who're you wanting to use a love potion on?" Damian asked with a raised eyebrow, smirking down at Iva before she made her way to a seat. Head inclining slightly, the boy let out a faint sigh and started around his desk again.

"Actually, that probably wouldn't -" he began, breaking off as the professor entered, making his warning unnecessary. As the man began to speak, Damian resisted the urge to roll his eye. Clearly, the man didn't know what he was thinking at all. Probably wasn't too far off on Iva's feelings towards potions, however.

"The Confusing Draught is just as it says," Damian responded promptly. "It causes confusion in the taker of the potion. It's popular in several Weasleys products and for pranks, in general, but with planning, it can be successfully used against an opponent as well."

"Well, I would say this was a successful year, and if you need it I'm sure you can confuse the hell out of someone if the need arises." He cleaned up the classroom, made the cauldrons and other ingredients disappear. After he was finished, he started to head to the door, but stopped in the middle of all the tables and stared from one student to the next. "In case I forget, when you come back we'll be working on the Invigoration Draught, so over the break I want all of you to study it and learn all that you can. There might be a quiz when you get back." With that, he left his classroom for the break.