Polyjuice Brewing (Holmes, Tess)

Tess was exhausted, it seemed that they would take advantage of the fact that there was a full moon to meet up and continue the potion. It was exhausting, realizing that she was doing this potion twice in this year. Once to help JC even get an acceptable grade for potions, and next in the classroom as a project. Now she was surrounded by her classmates, everyone was so quiet, and she took it all in stride. She supposed it was better that it was quiet than the chatty classroom that usually took place.

Looking at the first part of the potion, she knew exactly what to do. At least in theory; walking over to the potted plants and walked to the one labeled as Fluxweed. Mycroft had told them that there were no tricks with this part of the project, but she couldn't help but study the leaves before picking it. Walking back to her cauldron she began to input base into the cauldron to let it boil before she went off to pick the rest of it. Returning to the potion ingredients she picked up the knotgrass, making sure she picked one that had no signs of wilting, and had the strong scent, knowing it would be more potent.

Walking back to the counter, she began to get things in order. Working diligently before the base could begin to boil, she began to remove the leaves from the stem, not wanting to have the stem to affect the potions thinness. Slowly she began to portion out the amount until she saw the steam coming and opened the cauldron.

Adding the three measures into the cauldron, she was careful to not let the liquid splash, once they began to sink, she began to put the two knotgrass into the cauldron. Making sure everything was ready, she stirred three times. careful and steady movements. Lastly, she waved her wand and sat down waiting the hour for the potion to brew, thanking her parents for buying her the copper cauldron.

A week had passed since the first part of the potion brewing and Tess was both curious as to why this potion was considered to be in the more advanced parts of potioneering. That is until she began to read the weeks worth of ingredients she would have to prepare before making the second part of the potion. Pushing the door opened, she found herself being one of the first ones. Mycroft was casually going over course work, she could tell from the way that he wasn't even bothering to look up. He had put on the board that they should start the potion as soon as they're inside. Putting her book bag beside her, she tied her hair up ready for potion making.

Uncovering her potion, she began to study her potion seeing if it was still doing fine since the past week. Relieved the potion seemed to be okay, she walked to the ingredients and took a deep breath. She absolutely hated leeches and picked up the jar with care. Wrinkling her nose, she took the jar to the table, along with the lacewing flies and placed them on the table.

She almost turned on the cauldron, that is until she made sure to read the directions carefully and immediately stopped herself. Shaking her head, angry at herself, she tried to concentrate. Measuring the scoopful, she opened the lacewing flies jar and placed them in. She wasn't fond of insects, but she was forced to begin to crush them. In her usual wrist movement she crushed it easily and put it on the side. Slipping her gloves on, she opened the jar, and shuddered as she looked at the live leeches. Refusing to even touch them, she got tongs and picked up one leech. Ignoring the way it wiggled around, she dipped it in the jar, and repeated the process three more times dropping them in. Putting things away she immediately put the two scoops in the potion and then began to turn the flame under the cauldron and timed it for exactly thirty.

Turning it off, she took out her wand and waved it over the potion. The smell was definitely unappealing, but covered it. She knew that the next week she would get to the hardest part, the 24 hour brewing. Picking up her things, she walked out of the room already knowing she would keep reading up on the final portion.

Third week into brewing and she knew that the most complicated part of the potion was coming their way. She had taken advantage of her studies to have practiced it with JC before actually attempting it in the classroom. She hoped it would go smoother than it had gone, with trying to get the items on her own. Pushing the door to the classroom she realized she was one of the last people to arrive. Removing her coat and putting her hair up, she threw her things aside and began to inspect her potion carefully. There seemed to a different, a dirty water sort of color, nothing mucky yet.

Walking over to the pantry, she looked over the list and began to take out what was necessary. Grabbing the jar of boomslang skin, she smiled thinking of how rare it was to actually use the ingredient, let alone see it. Walking back she went over and picked up broken chunks of bicorn horn and returned it to her mortar. Trying to set the fine powder was harder than she expected. It seemed that it was a newer horn that she'd picked up, and she struggled hard to even begin to make it crack, let alone a powder. Rolling her wrists around her anger got the best of her and she began slamming the bicorn into the mortar trying to pound it viciously to start the process. Soon enough it began to form, and she pressed hard against the mortar, her hand burning from her frustration.

Finally getting everything ready she looked over to the instructions once again. Measuring the three parts of skin, she began to place it carefully into the cauldron in a clockwise position. She grew frustrated in realization that only one measure of all she ground was being put inside the cauldron. Growling softly to herself she did as directed. Lighting a flame under the cauldron, she made sure it was high, and soon enough the potion began to bubble even in such a short time. Waving her wand, she began to let it brew for the designated eighteen hours. Making a timer for herself, she cleaned up her space, made a signal to Mycroft she was leaving and she went off back to do her Head Girl duties.