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Welcome to your very first Potions lesson! I apologise for the unconventional class location but you shouldn't fear the dungeons. They're a great place for focusing on brewing the perfect potion in peace and without disturbing the rest of the castle. You'll fall in love with the dungeons soon!
Before we start, there are nose plugs and goggles in the cabinet next to the entrance door. Should the smell of either any ingredient or potion ever become too strong to bear, please put the plugs to use. The goggles should be an essential whenever you get to actually brewing a potion. Now, what's a potion anyway?
A potion is a mixture, a combination of ingredients often brewed in a cauldron, which can create some form of (magical) effect. If you would look it up in a Muggle dictionary it would tell you it's a liquid with healing, magical, or poisonous properties. Of course they think of tales and myths when they speak of magical potions, but we know they're quite real.
As a Hogwarts student you probably already own a copy of the book Magical Drafts and Potions, by Arsenius Jigger. If you don't, you should get one or borrow it from one of your more senior colleagues. It gives a good introduction into the topic and you should look no further for basic brews and concoctions.
Magical Drafts and Potions
Among the supplies that you will need for this class is obviously a cauldron. Can't brew potions if you don't have something to brew them in! Cauldrons tend to come in three variations:
Pewter, the simplest and cheapest of options. It will do the trick!
Brass, a slightly more effective but pricier option. Why not?
Copper, the most effective, elegant, and expensive solution. It's shiny!
Pewter Cauldron
Brass Cauldron
Copper Cauldron
Now, when we say "effective" you may ask yourself will it really improve my potion skills or make my potions better? Sadly no, you can only improve through practice and studying. However, better cauldrons can make your life easier as they are more durable, they heat up and cool down faster, and they're easier to clean. In fact there are even self-stirring variations of these so you never have to worry about that when making potions. Rumour has it in the Wizarding world that some experiments for creating self-cleaning cauldron are also being done.
Cleaning, you wonder? Oh yes, prepare yourself for lots and lots of cauldron scrubbing! This is an art of precision, every potion needs just the right ingredients in just the right amounts. Anything extra and you could end up with a disaster as a result. Therefore it's crucial to always clean your cauldrons spotlessly between any two potions.
Melted Cauldron
You should also have a pair of dragon-hide gloves at reach to use depending on the ingredients you will be handling for a potion. These aren't always necessary and may be quite uncomfortable when you actually need to use a charm or two - for example for preparing some ingredients or saving your cauldron when it's on fire. Which also means you should bring your wand along with you, even if we won't use it most of the time.
What you don't need to worry about are the ingredients themselves. The shelves and cabinets around the cauldrons area are full with everything you may ever require, or wish for. A few of them and the storage room in the back are locked. You are not expected to know any of the ingredients there and using them requires express permission from your Potions teacher. Leaving classroom with either potions or ingredients should also only happen when prior permission has been granted.
When it comes to brewing potions, you wand is your friend. For the purpose of this exercise I have filled all your cauldrons with plain water. Please bring your want to the water -but note you should not be dipping your wand in the cauldron, simply hover the wand above the liquid!
Now pronounce "Mobillarbus Circumage" while doing a full circle movement with your wand, followed by a rewind movement. The direction of the rewind will be the direction of the stirring that takes place. If your water is being stirred - congratulations, you've just performed your first Stirring Charm! If it's not, please do not be discouraged and give it a few more tries.
If there was an actual potion ready, you would have now collected it all in some glass phials, securely closed those, and made sure they are clearly labeled so anyone would know what potion is inside them. But that's something we get to look forward to for our next lesson! As discussed before please empty your cauldrons and clean them spotless. Yes, this goes even if there was just water in them.
My last piece of advice for you for this lesson is to be highly cautious whenever you or anyone else is brewing a potion. Stay far away from any danger, do not attempt to help colleagues having an issue by yourself, and instead reach out to your teacher. If there is a problem please call of help immediately rather than trying to resolve the situation yourself. While I'm sure you have the best of intentions in mind, it may only complicate matters.
Now, if you've heard all my words I'm sure we can make our class a fun and enjoyable learning experience. See you next time!
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