Classroom: The Potions classroom is an open space in the dungeons. Large tables are arranged so that students can work comfortably in pairs or fours around, with ample walkway room between tables. The front of the classroom is a wall with a large chalkboard with the professor’s desk off to the side. A wide corner nook to the left of the room has a demonstration table, with access to common ingredients and potions supplies, with access to the potions storeroom just beyond. In the corner is a basin into which ice-cold, purified water pours from a gargoyle's mouth. There are cubbies near the door for bags and belongings, where a student can step aside to grab a snack if needed. A bookshelf near the cubbies contains copies of the textbook but also research journals and other potions and herbology manuals.
Classes are Monday through Friday during Block 3 (11:00 - 1:00) (11am - noon, just before lunch)
Office Hours: MWF 16 - 19:00 (4-7 pm) or weekends by appointment in Verine’s office on the dungeon floor.
Second Year Curriculum [ ] Hair-Raising Potion [ ] Girding Potion [ ] Swelling Solution
Notes for Roleplayers This thread is also being used as a test for different ways of running classes. Thus I will rarely actually follow the curriculum as listed on the List of Knowledge for scenes, but please assume these potions are all taught at some point in the year. Thank you for your patience.
Posted: Mon Jun 21, 2021 12:45 am
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Potions Safety: Second years understand how to safely contain a failed potion or dispose of a potion in the matter of an accident. They understand how to adjust for common mistakes in brewing. Fundamental techniques and potions: Second years can follow the steps for procedures such as titration or spectroscopy to ascertain how much or what a potion before them is. (Critical potions: Girding Potion, Shrinking Solution, Swelling Solution, Antidote to Common Poisons) Potions Theory: Second years understand the function of common herbs and animal ingredients, standard ingredients. They understand how different ingredients can serve the same purpose and be substituted, or used safely in the event of a mistake. They understand what different techniques do to extract properties from ingredients.
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Place your bag in the cubbies at the back. It’s fine to step aside for a drink or snack, but no snacks at the brewing stations, especially not while potions are being brewed. Please come prepared with all your materials and equipment. While brewing, wear protective clothing-- close-toed shoes are a must, tie long hair back, etc. While brewing, take notes on everything. Label all completed potions: Include the potion name, potioneers’ name(s), and date completed. Exam days you are allowed a single index card (provided) of notes. Any complex procedures will be provided. Do not plagiarize anything (not on notes, homework, or exams). You can always ask for more time on exams. Ask questions!
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Verine is a very serious professor when fires are lit and active ingredients are on the tables; otherwise, she is very lax. She keeps class pretty friendly and light– questions are encouraged during any lecture or presentation or demo. She’ll spice up the serious potions with fun potions to hone technique. She is easily distracted in that a student can get her to rant on theory with simple questions, but is always focused on the realm of potions.
First and second years usually have two-week cycles for different topics or potions: It starts with detailed lectures on the information or technique in question, extensive technique and safety discussion and demonstrations (often including alternate brewing methods). Then students try brewing the potion themselves, followed by a day of reflection and troubleshooting, then another brewing day. Each section is concluded by review with some kind of evaluative aspect. If they have a day spare, she usually prefers to have them brewing something in review.
Almost every brewing assignment is done in pairs or small groups. Exams are individual with only a notecard of notes allowed–like everything else in her class, exams tend to be challenging/ difficult/complicated but straightforward–no trick questions. Review days she tries to do something fun. (Actually most days she tries to inject something exciting in.)
Homework can be turned in for full credit as long as it is submitted before the final exam of the semester. It usually includes:
Prompts of worksheets requiring students to look something a method or recipe in the textbook or library. (background weeks) A write up of whatever notes from that day (lecture days) or report and reflection on the brewing process (brewing days) There is always recommended reading, but most is content covered in lectures.
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Posted: Mon Jun 21, 2021 12:58 am
✽❃VERINEYSEULTWINCHESTER 51 years || Ravenclaw Alumna || halfblood Potioneer and Potions Professor _______________
Verine paced nervously around her classroom. She hadn’t been so nervous even last year starting out. But she wasn’t sure how much these students had learned in their first year either.
Last year, Verine had treated her class much like she had tutoring for her potioneer assistants before: she left a loose and open environment, assigned a few potions for them to make, answered questions, offered substitutions from her own experience, and guided them towards entirely-too complex papers as needed. There was rarely homework other than a bit of recommended reading, and exams were few and far too difficult, as they were sourced from previous years. “Be their friend” was a big guiding principle in Verine’s teaching philosophy. But that lassaize-faire style didn’t seem to be very effective at actual instruction.
Verine had spent the summer agonizing over a better way to do things, and with insights from her husband, her daughter and nephew, and most importantly Professor Whitethorne, she’d come up with hopefully better ideas.
Hopefully none of the students hated her. Hopefully she hadn’t turned anyone off entirely already.
“Good morning!” Verine started at just past 11:03. “Welcome back to Hogwarts and potions. I hope you’ve been having a good first day back. I thought we would try to have some more structure this year. Don’t worry, I’ll try not to assign too much homework,” she comforted them with a light wave. ”Today let’s just start with a simple review of potions safety. Simply note something about potions safety or and explain why it exists, or point out how to properly use a piece of equipment. If you could also remind me of your name, house, and...oh your favorite class, that’d be splendid.
“So for example, my name is Verine Winchester and I was a Ravenclaw at Hogwarts some years ago. Professor Verine, Professor Winchester, whatever you’d like is fine! My favorite classes in school were potions and divination. As for a rule...well, asking questions is quite important not just in potions but in any subject! It’s always good to ask questions if we’re uncertain because what might be confusing to us might be something simple for someone else.” she gave by way of example. ”Or in my case, because our professors can more easily know how to help you if you ask questions.” Verine added with a little conspiratorial wink to Flynn, who had attended a bunch of office hours last years to ask questions. It was because of Flynn that Verine had even realized she needed more structure and overt instruction-- and that most of her answers in class were entirely too advanced for first and second years new to potions.
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settingPotions 2, Fall 2053 || with Second Years appearance 5'7", 140 lbs || wearingSomething from here status Fresh minds, fresh start! _______________ //OOC: Potions is now OPEN for 2053. A second class will be posted sometime on the weekend of July 10th-11th.
”QUOTING”
_______________
Far off in the distance A fire comes to life A flicker of a flame breaks through the dark Burning soft and bright Dancing with the light Awakening the Heavens and the Earth ❃✽ "Awakening" by Celtic Woman
Flora Helen dreaded going to potions, she hoped she would like it, particuarly the brewing portions of it. But the teacher was..well she didn't seem too put together. Flora Helen had felt she hadn't learned much of anything, or maybe she learned too much. She knew random substituions for potions, but why did she need that when she had the correct item there?
The teacher had been nice enoguh, but Flora Helen had actually wanted to learn, and instead all she had was a strong urge of overwhelment. However, she was pleased when Professor Winchester said she was restructuring the class, thank goodness.
When it came to her turn Flora Helen stood and replied, "I'm Flora Helen, Ravenclaw. My favorite class... is um. Well I quite liked Flying class last year. Oh. A random fact about potions safety. Right um..." she thought about all the options she could say, which would make her seem the most intelligent, if the professor was trying harder, shouldn't Flora Helen also try harder? After several seconds went past Flora Helen shook her head, she needed to answer, "It's important to keep anything flammable away from an open flame when heating potions. This includes our own selves, humans can experience burns at 118 degrees, and that burn can get worse very quickly if it is a hotter source like that which we're doing potions over.
"IhopeIdon'tturnintoaplantwhenIbecomeagardener."
╔══════════════╗ Where&Who: Potions second year Thinkingabout:Fire is hot Wearing:school robes ╚══════════════╝
✽❃VERINEYSEULTWINCHESTER 51 years || Ravenclaw Alumna || halfblood Potioneer and Potions Professor _______________
September had been a bunch of review-- From basic potions safety, mortar and pestle technique, to simple conversion math and observation note taking techniques, they had spent some time on understanding just about every aspect of basic potions practice. The other three months had been a lot of potions theory--understanding how different ingredients worked, learning about what went into Standard Ingredient and Starting Potions. They spent entire weeks discussing safety and theory, doing demonstrations on a potion, and then they might spend an entire week just brewing and practicing. It was quite disorganized, but a far cry from the do-what-you-will style she had the previous year.
When the second years walked into Potions the first day back from Winter Break, the large student tables were a mess. Scattered ingredients, partially burned notes, torn observations, and incomplete potions set a different scene at each table.
”Come in, come in! Please, put your bags in the cubbies and gather around. We have a special activity this week.”
Over the winter break, Verine’s nephew August had been working on a short mystery story about a thief. August had at one point borrowed the living space coffee table to set the crime scene: he’d spent the entire day arranging the space, taking notes, adding clues, removing them, rearranging them. Verine had watched him curiously, and before the start of the semester had gotten his help setting up a few “accident scenes” of her own.
At just past nine, Verine started to explain the activity set out before them. ”Good morning and welcome back! Over the last semester we’ve discussed quite a few potions, how their ingredients work together,and how to handle them safely,” she started. ”Let’s put this into a very practical test. Before you, you see different scenes of potions ‘accidents’. Over the next week, you and your group will try to determine what happened in each of these scenes. What was the original potioneer trying to brew? What went wrong? What would it take to fix the potion?
“Please note though, that the scene will only be here today! The third years will be neutralizing and safely disposing of all things this evening. So investigate the scene, take observations, and discuss! ” Verine gestured to the equipment laid out on the demonstration table: vials, a few small clear bags, and a collection of simple common ingredients. ”You might want to keep a sample for later examination or run a few tests to determine what things are. When gathering samples please be very careful and remember all the safety guidelines.
”By the end of the week, I’ll want to see your observations and thought processes, and your group should be ready to present your findings, along with a correctly brewed potion.” Verine glanced around for questions, making sure to clarify everything before setting them off: ”Groups of three or four to a scene please!”
Verine herself made her way from table to table, quietly observing their efforts and hoping everything went smoothly today.
board
Investigate the scene!
You have three goals: 1. Determine what potion was being brewed. 2. How did the potioneer mess up? What would it take to fix the potion? 3. Brew the potion correctly.
Each group should submit the following by Friday:
An organized paper with your observations, what steps you took, and your thought processes for identifying and fixing the solution. (Please remember to include the Scene number and name all group members on the paper) The correctly brewed potion Be ready to present and discuss your potion and scenario on Friday!
The scene contains a disarray of materials and burnt notes. There are two model cauldrons, one overturned over a sopping mess of water and mushy slugs, and the other one half melted through, with green sludge pouring out of it. A pile of crushed materials sits in a mortar, along with a pile of dried leaves and a bottle of slightly green slime.
From the scraps of burnt notes, you can make out that the last successfully completed steps were waving the wand, and adding four measures of h̷̶̘̘̬ͭ̏͞͡o҉̢̡̲͇̌͗̀͢͝r҉̵҉̛̠̩̥̋ͦ̆͆͟͞͡͞͠n̸͐̈́͟͟͝e̵̡̫̫͍͕̎ͭ̐͟͟͝͞d҉̴̷̧̢̛̖͔̤ͯ̔̑̄͢͟͡͠ s҉̝̭̦͚̑ͯ̌͡l̶҉̰͚͖͕̍̈́̅͗̏̇͢͜͜͝u̶͖̖͆̊̈́͡͡g̷̵̸̡̼̱͎͎̞ͤͬ̅͢͟͞s҉̝̭̦͚̑ͯ̌͡”. An attentive student or someone familiar with herbology could identify that the dried leaves are dried nettles and someone familiar with magical creatures could guess that the green slime is flobberworm mucus.
SCENE 2
The scene seems fairly innocent: the primary cauldron is intact, and the potion is clear and odorless. There is a lump of something squishy at the bottom of the potion. A second cauldron was used to stew slugs in. There are a few leaves with a strong minty smell left in a bowl. An empty vial smelling vaguely of honey is next to an unopened vial of milky blue syrup with “CAUTION, DO NOT CONSUME RAW” on it.
The notes are simply a list of colors, some marked off:
red green pink orange green blue pink orange turquoise red yellow
Upon closer inspection, while the potion on the inside of the potion is clear and odorless, the splashes and stains around the cauldron are pink and smell vaguely of mint and honey. An attentive student or someone very familiar with herbology and ingredients extracted from herbs could recognize that the blue syrup is Syrup of Hellebore.
SCENE 3
The scene has a single model cauldron with a singed-smelling, hardened black paste inside it. Small bean-like litter the station and lightly toasted insect bodies are scattered around. The only ingredient that seems to be organized is an unopened jar.
Under the mess, the only discernible notes seem to indicate that the potion was only just started and there were only three ingredients gathered. Closer examination of the paste in the cauldron indicates that there is a toasted dragonfly thorax that was thrown in before the potion went horridly awry.
An attentive student or someone familiar with magical creatures would be able to identify the “beans” are doxy eggs and the insect bodies are dragonfly thoraxes, both toasted and untoasted. Careful observation of the contents of the unopened jar shows that they are preserved flying seahorses.
SCENE 4
The scene is relatively unmessy, as it seems everything has been added to the cauldron: the model cauldron is nearly full of a goopy red liquid that smells rusty and metallic. Someone who pokes the mush with a stick or shifts the cauldron might notice that the potion seems stuck to the walls of the cauldron in burnt clumps.
Brown splatters, clear-green splatters, clear-yellow stains, and black splotches make a mess of the notes. The materials used in the potion are intact but scrawled and smeared in messy handwriting:
Alternatively, a meticulous and attentive student might identify that the brown splatters and the metallic smell indicate blood. Given the smell, some kind of blood is one of the primary ingredients. The clear-green splatters are slime or mucus; the clear-yellow stains smell vaguely of honey; and the black splotches are simply smeared ink.
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settingPotions 2, January 2054 || with Second Years appearance 5'7", 140 lbs || wearingSomething from here status Hopefully this is a fun mystery! _______________ //OOC: Second thing for potions II! This space will be for group interactions for now. I'll switch it to presentations in August if there is participation.
”QUOTING”
_______________
Far off in the distance A fire comes to life A flicker of a flame breaks through the dark Burning soft and bright Dancing with the light Awakening the Heavens and the Earth ❃✽ "Awakening" by Celtic Woman
Posted: Sat Mar 18, 2023 3:02 am
✽❃VERINEYSEULTWINCHESTER 57 years || Ravenclaw alumna || halfblood Potioneer and Potions Professor _______________
By the end of second year, the young witches and wizards of Hogwarts should have had a decent grasp of the functions of common herbs and animal ingredients and understand how different ingredients could serve the same purpose or be substituted, or used safely in the event of a mistake.
As a student, Verine had always felt like the last week of classes before summer were best when they were fun, did some review, and gave students something to think about over the break. As a professor, she was usually too bogged down grading final exams to really prepare anything particularly fun. But a few years ago she had been talking to her daughter, a cursebreaker, about how a potion had saved Sona’s life–or at least her arm– while inspecting a site one day.
”Hello, hello!” Verine greeted the students. ”I hope you’re excited for your last week of class! Please, draw a scroll from the hat and find a seat!”
The hat floating by the door wiggled around, providing each student with a small roll of parchment.
”On these adventure scrolls, you’ll be assigned a set of limitations and a location. This is what’s going on: You are on some kind of trip. You can bring a certain number of potions that have been prepared ahead of time and don’t require any special storage, and an additional amount of herbs which you can use for whatever purposes.
“So! Knowing what you know about potions and the magical world, write on your sheet what potions and herbs you would bring. Feel free to discuss amongst your friends and groups. Tomorrow we’ll share some of the scenarios.
“Now, I know many of you are still thinking of electives to add next year–” Ver’s eyes glimmered with mischief, knowing that there was no way she’d be able to stop the discussion of those kinds of discussions–and why would she? Electives were an exciting–and important– part of the Hogwarts experience. ”So instead, I just ask that you consider how potions might be involved in any of the electives you discuss.”
Answer the Call to Adventure!
You are going on a trip to [1d6 on the location chart]. Your goal is to [1d6 on the objective chart]. You can bring [1d6 + 1] pre-made potions and [1d6] additional herbs.
You are going on a trip to [u][1d6 on the location chart][/u]. Your goal is to [u][1d6 on the objective chart][/u]. You can bring [u][1d6 + 1] pre-made potions[/u] and [u][1d6] additional herbs[/u].
Assume you will have access to your wand and common potions equipment but will be unable to easily portkey or apparate out. You can trade 1 potion for 3 herbs or vice versa.
Location Chart
An underwater cavern in the middle of the ocean. Desert ruins– not an oases in sight and flight or levitation over 20 feet high will be shot down. A lush jungle home to both mundane and magical creatures. High in the mountains where a dark wizard is known to lurk. A city with a high muggle population A haunted castle
Objective Chart
track a magical creature through the area. break a curse on a treasure vault in the area. apprehend a fugitive of justice. obtain a magical material native to the area. follow the trail of a local folk legend. take care of an injured friend until rescue arrives (assume they are barely conscious and can barely move)
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settingPotions Classroom, Last week of class in June 2059 || with Second years--for a few more days appearance 5'7", slender || wearingsomething from her closet status Hopefully this is fun! _______________ //OOC: Potions 2 for 2058 year is OPEN. This is technically end of the year razz
Feel free to either roll 4 6-sided dice with the Post Action > Roll Dice option on Gaia or just decide what prompts you want your student to get.
”QUOTING”
_______________
I am the voice of the past that will always be Filled with my sorrow and blood in my fields I am the voice of the future, bring me your peace Bring me your peace, and my wounds, they will heal ✽❃ "The Voice" by Celtic Woman
