Going over to his usual table, Drew readied his cauldron and set about gathering his ingredients. He planned to brew a potion that he had devised and practiced several times until he was certain he could do it well. He smiled at his fellow students as they took turns choosing their ingredients from the large supply cabinet their professor provided. He had to grin as one of his friends rolled his eyes and muttered, “Of course!” when Drew chose the Abraxan Hair as one of the items he needed. Anyone who knew Drew Wilder knew his love for all things equine as well as his special talents with the animals. It was from that relationship and the work he had done the pass several summers with the majestic, winged horses at a magical creatures reserve that Drew’s potion had been born. Thus it followed there could be no other ingredient to complete his potion other than Abraxan Hair.

Drew completed his foraging in the supply cabinet and returned to his table. Lining things up neatly, he heated the cauldron and got started. Five tablespoons of purified water simmered at the bottom of Drew’s cauldron as he added Bear Claw Shavings, making certain they were very finely ground. If they were not, the potion would thicken too much and be useless. The mixture looked a bit like muddy water in a mud puddle until he added Billywig Sting and stirred it twice counterclockwise, changing the color to a beautiful shade of blue that reminded one of the sky. With a smile, Drew dropped in the Abraxan hair and watched as sparkles rose from the golden hair as it met the surface of the potion and then the mixture immediately changed to liquid gold in color. Tapping the rim of the cauldron with his wand, he left it to brew for five minutes while he ground fresh Wiggentree bark to a fine powder.

After five minutes, Drew took a deep breath before lifting the next two ingredients. This was the tricky part, he thought to himself, and where he had failed a few times in his early attempts. The Howlet’s Wing and the Thunderbird Tail Feather had to be dropped in, one from the left hand and one from the right, simultaneously and in such a way that they landed on top of the mixture at the same second. Otherwise, there would be an explosion if the Thunderbird feather touched first, or the potion would become sludge if the Howlet’s wing made contact first. ‘Here we go,’ Drew thought as he held his hands over the cauldron and released the two feathers. ‘On a wing and prayer’ as his dad would say. Literally. He watched as the soft, white, downy howlet’s fether and the thicker, more vibrant Thunderbird feather drifted down and…touched together at the same time!! Drew exhaled with relief and waited for the concoction to react in a way that always amazed him and was as wonderful as watching the reaction from the golden Abraxan hair to him. First the mixture swirled and thin white foam in a feather-like design appeared on the surface. Drew counted to three and as he watched a sudden streak of reddish orange slashed across the mixture as the Thunderbird feather dissolved and fully merged with the other ingredients. “Yes!” Drew exalted softly with a grin. He then stirred the now pale orange mixture clockwise fifteen times.

When he was done, he added the Wiggentree bark he had ground earlier as well as a dash of cinnamon. He had always liked the taste of cinnamon but had found it made the potion very enjoyable and gave it a slightly spicy aroma that was pleasing. The smell alone made most people smile and the effect of the potion would delight them even more. Two more clockwise stirs combined all the ingredients more and left the potion a deep, rich purple which was exactly what Drew wanted for the moment. Or to be more precise, for the half moment.

Removing the cauldron carefully from the heat, he set it aside and waited exactly thirty seconds before waving his wand over the cauldron. The potion immediately turned clear with a slight iridescent shimmer to it. Grinning broadly, Drew poured it into a bottle and put in the stopper. Carrying it forward, he placed it on the professor’s desk and said, “One Wilder special, Professor…an Elixir of Soaring.”

Drew has never been fond of heights and hates flying on a broom. Through the years, he’s learned to tolerate it and does it from time to time as needed. Yet from the first time he rode a winged equine, he has loved the sensation that accompanies that sort of flight. Having tried hovering potions and levitation spells, Drew devised his Elixir of Soaring in an attempt to mimic the feeling of euphoria he has while on a winged horse. At first, even when the potion succeeded, he was unnerved by flying on his own with no horse, but gradually he grew more used to it and grew to enjoy flying beside his equine friends instead of astride. The ingredients of the potion were chosen thoughtfully and for specific reasons. The Abraxan Hair, Thunderbird Tail Feather, and Howlet’s Wing are obvious as they are all flying creatures, however the Abraxan hair adds power, the Howlet wing agility, and the Thunderbird feather provides an essence of warning from danger. Billywig Sting allows a person to levitate and gives them a sense of giddiness that leaves them lighthearted and ready for fun and adventure. Bear Claw Shavings give the potion, and therefore the drinker, stamina, allowing the effects to last longer than they would otherwise. Fresh Wiggentree bark provides protection from Dark creatures and as one never knows what they might encounter on a flight, it is very useful. And as Drew discovered, cinnamon makes the entire potion more enjoyable for smell and taste.