Shelter • wolfstar au

32 ; potion making

Chapter Thirty two: Potion Making

25 November, 1982

Nathan jumped when Remus dropped the heavy books on the table with a loud thud, and looked up at him with a playful glare. He gave an apologetic smile before pulling out a chair and sitting down next to him. He took the tray that was lying in the middle of the table and began to nibble on a scone, before he looked at the wizard and said, "I was thinking, that since I don't have much to do at home, could I make some of the potions? I read the books, and I saw you don't need magic to make most of them, just a cauldron, a fire and the ingredients."

A frown appeared on Nathan's face, and Remus wondered if he had hurt his pride by saying that wizarding activities were so trivial that even muggles could accomplish them easily. But then he remembered that it was only Sirius who was so prideful, and that didn't necessarily mean all wizards would be the same. He was proved right when Nathan answered his question, though his response wasn't exactly what Remus had expected to hear.

"I don't know, Remus," he said as he chewed on his lip, the frown still prominent on his face. "The books make it look easy, but trust me, it takes a hundred tries to perfect an OWLs grade potion, and medicinal potions are twenty times as difficult. We can't afford to waste any ingredients."

He nodded his head slowly and continued to eat the scones. He couldn't argue against that. He had seen how long it had taken for Nathan to gather all the desired ingredients, and what kind of precision was needed to make the potions. And especially during this war, those ingredients, most of them being described as rare or being collectible only during a certain time of the year, were bound to be scarce.

"You can learn what kinds of potions are used for what," Nathan suggested after a while. "When we are busy with our plans, or in battle, you can help the wounded. If the injuries are caused by a spell, they can't be healed by muggle medicines."

Remus nodded again.

"But, if you want to," Nathan continued when he didn't say anything, "you can learn to make the painkilling potion. You've read about it most likely - there are many types, but there's one that is used to relieve minor pains inside the body, and it's the easiest to make. It also uses only five to six ingredients, so we should be fine. I'll help you learn it."

Remus smiled and looked up at the blond. "I'll try my best."

As it turned out, making the painkilling potion wasn't as easy despite it being the simplest medicinal potion to make. Remus wasn't familiar with the ingredients at all and kept mixing them up, and it was only with Nathan's help that he managed to perfect the potion in the third try. Thankfully enough, it didn't require any strict timing, nor did it require the ingredients to be added in precise intervals, unlike some of the other potions Remus has read about. Since it's function was simple - relieving small pains - it's production process was easy as well.