Bastian watched Professor Mathers eagerly during her lecture, excited to get started on his potion. At the break of her words, a line of people began to form at the student cupboard. “A bit too crowded, I think I’ll just wait a bit,” he muttered, and shifted in his seat to examine the instructions. “Two drops of Lethe River water.. smoothly. Drops, smoothly? Ahh yes.. Twenty seconds, gently..” He would read over each line, mouthing along to each word with a faint whisper.

	As the last pair of students rummaged at the cupboard, he moved towards them and waited a few steps back. On his turn, he grabbed three Valerian Sprigs and looked to his sides. Most of the others were focused preparing their cauldrons, or working a flame. Taking another peek into the cabinet, he took a mental inventory of the rest of the stock. No Mandragora leaves, unfortunately.

Back at his table, he laid out the ingredients in order and estimated his measure. “Whoops! Too many Valerian Sprigs,” he gestured, and tucked it away in his bag. But looking around, he noticed most of the others were much further into their potions. There was already a disaster with a girl’s arm turning to stone, and Bastian began to feel his nerves building. Everyone is already so far ahead.. What if I don’t finish?

With a gentle swish, he lit a small flame beneath his cauldron. 

One Hufflepuff, two Hufflepuff, three Hufflepuff. I wonder if this is really a second.. Ah! Probably at five now, six Hufflepuffs..

Anxiety building, each twist of the pestle was like wringing his stomach. Pressing on, his arm felt like jelly while he stirred. His mind was eased with the gentle splash within the cauldron, and let out a heavy sigh as he allowed the potion to brew.

”Not bad, not bad. It could have been much worse. There are still others working, and I am sure I wasn’t too far off.” His potion gradually turned pink, to red, and finally to a somewhat dark, rich burnt orange. “Yes, not far too off, I hope,” he said to himself with relief, and looked up to Professor Mathers while she evaluated a classmate.

Bastian Astrefur, Ravenclaw

Hannah added 2 drops of lethe river water pouring it into her cauldron, then heated for 20 seconds, she added two valerian springs, stirred 3 times clockwise, put in two measures of standard ingredient to her mortar, added four mistletoe berries to her mortar, crushed it into a medium-fine powder with her pestle, added two measures of her crushed mixture to her culdron and then stirred four times anti-clockwise. It didn't turn out well so she repeated the steps until the stir and changed it to five times anti-clockwise and waited thirty minutes on medium heat. It turned golden orange and she smiled happy it turned out well this time.

Hannah, Ravenclaw.

Wisteria carefully read the instructions put up on the chalkboard by the Professor before starting.  She kept her Potions book near her open to the correct page for reference. She then sifted through her storage container and took out the necessary ingredients needed. 
She started up the flame under her cauldron. She smoothly added the Lethe River Water and begin to count, under her breath, "One, one thousand, two, one thousand..." When it got to 20 seconds she added two Valerian Sprigs of equal length and stirred the potion 3 times, clockwise. 

When she reread the next part of the instructions, she felt unsure. "What is a measure?" she thought. She first looked about to see what other students were doing, her mouth dropped open as some were just guesstimating the amount, then to her relief another student asked the question on her mind. Once the Professor had explained, she continued on with her potion.

She added 2 measures of Standard Ingredient to her morter, then the 4 Mistletoe berries. She checked on her cauldron to make sure it was doing alright. She then set to crushing the ingredients in her morter. She referenced her book to see an explanation of medium-fine with a picture and tried to match her ingredients the best she could to it. 

Once finished, she carefully measured out two measures of the crushed ingredients, and added them to her cauldron. She then stirred it 5 times anti-clockwise watching the powder swirl and desolve in. She turned her flame to medium heat then set a cooking timer, which she kept with her potions things, to 30 minutes. 

She then monitered the flame periodically till her timer went off. She looked at her potion, it was a pale golden orange. She hoped this would do. She meekly put her hand up and patiently waited for the Professor to get to her. "Hello Professor, I'm not sure why it went a wee bit pale, but I believe I'm finished."

(House Slytherin)

After listening to Ms. Mathers tell us the things we need Itachi got up and started to move things in play Getting his cauldron, with the flick of his wand the cauldron started to float into the air and onto his table where he was sitting. Then he got the Water, Berries and Sprigs. Being the potion he added 2 drops of Lethe River Water to your cauldron by pouring smoothly, then heating it for 20 seconds. After adding 2 Valerian Sprigs to your cauldron and stirring 3 times, clockwise. Checking the board to make sure he was doing it right. Continuing he added 2 measures of Standard Ingredient to your mortar and added 4 Mistletoe Berries. Crushing them into a medium-fine powder. Then adding that to the cauldron and stirring 5 times counter-clockwise.

Itachi then set a timer on his wand to beep after 30 minutes and stared heating the cauldron. Waiting he started to look around the room seeing that most people were still behind him. For him potion making came at easy, he used to do it at home before he came to Hogwarts. Beep beep beep his wand went off to let him know that the 30 minutes was up.Looking at his potion he noticed it was a golden orange color. He kissed his fingers and throw them in the air saying "Perfecto!" in a slight Italian accent.

Itachi of Slytherin

Seraphina bolted to the student cupboard, eager to impress Professor Mathers. She tapped her fingers along her jaw, a nervous habit of hers, as she read the labels.

“Lethe…Mistletoe…Valerian…” Got it! She already had the necessary ingredients in her bag back at her desk. But something nagged at her. She had thus far performed satisfactorily, but had yet to receive any glowing praises from her professors.

Seraphina was eager to stand out from her classmates. Her mother had taught her the properties of plants from a young age and her plant knowledge was telling her that adding a sprig of Lavender would increase the potency of the potion.

She jumped back to her seat and began swirling the ingredients into her coarse cauldron.

2 drops of Lethe River Water, 2 Valerian Sprigs,….ending with 3 sprigs of Lavender.

30 minutes passed. Seraphina held her breath as the potion began to bubble softly. The mixture began to swirl into a bright candy-orange color. Seraphina reached for a vial, ecstatic, when the mixture swiftly changed to a muddy looking swamp texture.

Professor Mathers passed by the concoction with her clipboard, uttering a “tsk, tsk, tsk…”

Well, thought Seraphina, at least she hadn’t blown up the room.

Adrien eagerly took in every word the professor spoke as she delegated the instructions to the class. He knew this potion like the back of his hand, having practiced this and countless other potions with his mother in her lab. As soon as Professor Mathers, he quickly pulled out his textbook and opened to the page he’d reviewed already, note tabs sticking out at all angles. He pulled out all of his ingredients gently and set them up in the order he’d need them in, as well as setting up the necessary equipment. He placed his cauldron in front of him and picked up the Lethe River Water and poured the two required drops with a deft hand. Pleased, he lit the flame underneath his cauldron and kept a close eye on the clock at the head of the room while it heated for precisely 20 seconds. He quickly removed the cauldron from the heat and added two springs of Valerian, followed by the three clockwise turns, counting them in his head. He grabbed his mortar and added the measures of standard ingredient and carefully picked out 4 perfect mistletoe berries. Then he picked up the pestle and expertly ground it into a medium-fine powder. He’d had a lot of practice since helping his mother prepare ingredients since a very young age. He took two measures and added them to his potion then grabbed his ladle and stirred another 5 times in the opposite direction as before. Pleased, he lowered the flame a little to be in a medium range before placing his cauldron over it again and after noting the time, settled down for his well earned break to let the potion brew for 30 minutes. Once 29 minutes had passed, he stood over his potion, a smile gracing his face - it looked perfect; the golden shimmer overlaying the orange of the liquid as it bubbled up at him. He extinguished the flame at the last possible second on his potion and raised his hand, awaiting the Professor’s opinion on his work.

Adrien Jarreau - Ravenclaw