watched cauldrons never boil (sion)

[CAMERON CAINE]

[atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, width: 440px; background: transparent; border-top: #8A1E1E 9px solid; border-top-left-radius: 20px; -webkit-border-top-left-radius: 20px; -o-border-top-left-radius: 20px; -moz-border-top-left-radius: 20px, bTable][atrb=valign, top] words: 381 tag: sion notes: derp credits: made by spark

[atrb=valign, top][atrb=style, text-align: justify; padding: 5px; border-bottom: #8A1E1E 5px solid]Potions. The whole subject was nothing but a headache in the making, with far more complications than was necessary; this many turns in that direction, so-and-so minutes or degrees of boiling, and usually with more ingredients that he cared to keep track of. How some people even managed to memorize steps for certain potions was beyond him, who could barely manage to not skip a printed direction by accident. However useful the concoctions, the point was moot when the brewer couldn't even get to the finished product. Cameron was not known for his studiousness. Grades didn't figure that much into his happiness, nor did he fret over them much. For better or worse, though, even he was beginning to feel that his potions grade was dropping too low for comfort. Now, here he was on his way to the dungeons in search of an alleged genius in the subject. This Slytherin guy better be as good as they said. And even if he is, who knows, he might be looking for someone with a higher level of potion competence than I've got. Or I'll be too busy grabbing stuff for him to see what's he doing. He smiled faintly. As if anything would need so much stuff. Anyway, it'll be better than nothing. The worst that could happen was if Jenkins turned out to be one of the more stuck-up Slytherins, or one of those types that clung tightly to the belief that Slytherins and Gryffindors were destined to be nothing but mortal enemies. Still not too big of a deal, but much more exasperating. Upon reaching the entrance to the classroom, Cameron paused. It was difficult to fathom why anybody would spend their free-time here when it wasn't for the class. At least the teacher wasn't here, so a person could do whatever he wanted. Clearly he wasn't the only one who thought there were better ways of spending their time though; it was empty, save for one person seated near the back--which, Cameron noted, happened to be closest to where all the spare ingredients were stored. He walked in as casually as possible without seeming as he if were barging in. Which I am, pretty much. "Hey," he greeted cheerfully, "you must be Sion Jenkins. I heard you might be here."

[SION JENKINS]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=CellPadding,4,true][atrb=CellSpacing,0,true][atrb=valign,top][atrb=style,width: 350px;][style=background-color: 000000; padding: 5px; line-height: 80%; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 10px; text-align: center; margin-top: 10px;]WATCHED CAULDRONS NEVER BOIL[/style] [style=width: 300px; color: 797979; font-family: verdana; font-size: 9px; text-align: justify;] The potions classroom was mostly empty, as usual. The dimly lit dungeons we're the most welcoming, even to Slytherins, and Sion had long ago learnt the usual schedule of when the potions teacher was in the classroom. So, he had the room all to himself. At the moment he working on his latest, multi-part project. He was trying to create potions with very simple ingredients that would react specifically to an added ingredient - for example, the last one he'd completed had been a potion that turned a bright, glowing purple only when in contact with rust. So, if you weren't sure if something was rusty, you could identify the rust by putting a few drops on it. He hoped to use similar potions that could accurately identify substances such as various poisons or bodily fluids. It was difficult, using simple ingredients for such a specific purpose, but his knowledge in potions and herbology helped immensely when considering the magical properties of substances. Unfortunately, all of this took a lot of work. Not that Sion minded spending long hours on his research - the satisfaction of getting it right was enough for him. He didn't mind if he missed a meal or two or worked late into the night, because being able to figure these things out was so interesting to him. But sometimes he thought it'd be nice to have someone who could help out a bit and boost his ego with compliments. jk. But seriously, walking a few metres to the potions cupboard? So much unnecessary effort. And he'd complained about that earlier that day in class. Sion had just finished stirring when he heard light footsteps echoing against the stone floors. He turned in his seat to see a Gryffindor student, about his age, walking towards him. Odd. He'd never talked to this boy, nor seen him hanging around in the potions classroom. Why was he here? "Hey, you must be Sion Jenkins. I heard you might be in here," the other boy said. Oh. Well, this might explain a few things, if his theory was correct. Yes, it fit now. The Slytherin sat up straighter instead of leaning over the cauldron and looked the other boy up and down. "And you're Caine, Cameron Caine." A fourth year - he'd made sure to memorise the names of fellow students in his year in case he had to identify them. "Well, I'll need to finish this, and then I'll help you get familiar with the ingredients cupboard. It is quite important if you want to be at ease whilst making potions," he said, a bit presumptuously. Sion's attention wandered back to the cauldron, which was now filled with a pale, silvery glow. "That, and I don't want you handing me wrong ingredients... it'd be terribly inconvenient..." [/style] [style=background-color: 000000; padding: 5px; line-height: 80%; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 10px; text-align: center; margin-top: 10px;]WORDS 466   TAGS cameron    NOTES yes. sion just knows these things. it's like he's a wizard or mind reader or something[/style]

[CAMERON CAINE]

[atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, width: 440px; background: transparent; border-top: #8A1E1E 9px solid; border-top-left-radius: 20px; -webkit-border-top-left-radius: 20px; -o-border-top-left-radius: 20px; -moz-border-top-left-radius: 20px, bTable][atrb=valign, top] words: 398 tag: sion notes: a wizard? pfft, don't be ridiculous xD credits: made by spark

[atrb=valign, top][atrb=style, text-align: justify; padding: 5px; border-bottom: #8A1E1E 5px solid]If the blonde haired Slytherin was startled by his sudden arrival, he certainly didn't show any of it. In fact, it sounded as if he had expected him. Cameron blinked, taken aback by his straightforwardness. Was I that obvious? It came as a surprise that he knew his name, when he himself hadn't found out the other boy's until today. Now that he was closer though, he recognized him as someone whom he glimpsed in the hallways or in certain classes, this year or previous ones. They were in the same year, after all. This had to be the first time they ever exchanged words. His explanation for why he had come died in his throat as Sion went on. "Well, I'll need to finish this, and then I'll help you get familiar with the ingredients cupboard. It is quite important if you want to be at ease whilst making potions. That, and I don't want you handing me wrong ingredients... it'd be terribly inconvenient..." This was disarming. Nevertheless, Cameron recovered quickly. He raised his hands slightly in a "wait" gesture. "Hold on a second. I didn't come down just to fetch you ingredients for...whatever you're making." His voice was steady, though he didn't bother hiding the faint undercurrent of annoyance. He craned his head slightly to catch a glimpse of the liquid currently simmering inside the cauldron. Based on the few things he'd manage to grasp about potions, he could tell it was a complicated project. And was he making it up as he went along? He didn't see a textbook anywhere. At least by now it was obvious Sion knew exactly was he was doing. Or looked and sounded like he did. "I was actually hoping you could help me with some stuff, too, in return. Potions in general, I mean." He paused. And then, reluctantly: "The cupboard would be a nice place to start though." He leaned back against the desk, careful not to knock over any of the instruments. A few seconds passed before curiosity overcame him. "So...what are you brewing now? It doesn't look like homework, otherwise I'm doomed," he joked in a combined attempt to get an answer and start a conversation. Sion definitely did not come across as the talkative type. Things were going to be awfully dull if it stayed that way all the time. "Do you always come down here?"

[SION JENKINS]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=CellPadding,4,true][atrb=CellSpacing,0,true][atrb=valign,top][atrb=style,width: 350px;][style=background-color: 000000; padding: 5px; line-height: 80%; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 10px; text-align: center; margin-top: 10px;]WATCHED CAULDRONS NEVER BOIL[/style] [style=width: 300px; color: 797979; font-family: verdana; font-size: 9px; text-align: justify;] Sion looked up again at the Gryffindor. Cameron had seemed a bit taken aback by Sion's quick assumption of the situation, but he didn't comment on it, instead stating his need for help in the class. At this, Sion flashed him a genuine smile. Well, it might have been tainted by a bit of a smirk, but it was still meant to be reassuring. "Of course you didn't come just to assist me," the Slytherin said patiently. Then he began to speak more rapidly. "You walk in knowing that I'd most likely be in here, though weve never met before, and just this morning I was talking to a different Gryffindor about my need for an assistant. That points to you wanting to fill that roll. Yet I've never seen you here before in your spare time. So, I doubted you have much of an affinity for the subject. Then why would you offer to assist a Slytherin, of all people, with potion-making? Obviously the person I talked to this morning knew you were having difficulties with the class, and thought I'd help you if you helped me." At least, it was obvious to Sion by his line of reasoning. But he was known for making large but usually accurate leaps in logic. Sion gave Cameron a last, slightly lopsided smile before turning his focus back to the cauldron. "Like I said... being familiar the cupboard will help make potions class easier. First things first. Go on." Still staring at the concoction, he waved a hand in the vague direction of the cupboards, entirely oblivious to how demanding he sounded. As he waited for the other boy to head towards the ingredients, Sion continued to answer Cameron's questions. After all, he had about a minute or so before the silver light in the potion was supposed to dim. Then it'd be ready for testing. "Well, I usually stay down here when I have free time and an idea for an experiment. Luckily the Slytherin common room is nearby." He brought his palms carefully together and placed his fingertips against his mouth, looking thoughtful. "Right now I'm working on a series of reactant potions... it's actually rather simple... but since it's not in the textbooks, I'm sure it looks complicated..." He was actually being a bit more talkative than usual, but now his voice was trailing off as the potion dimmed. A moment later, it was clear that the silvery light had vanished, and the potion now appeared to be an opaque grey. Sion stared at it passively for a second. Then his careful, precise demeanour seemed to cease. He jumped up, almost knocking over his stool, his hazel eyes bright. "Hey, Caine, could you get me a small knife? And make sure it's sharp." He returned his hands to their original position, almost rubbing his palms together in excitement. [/style] [style=background-color: 000000; padding: 5px; line-height: 80%; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 10px; text-align: center; margin-top: 10px;]WORDS 479   TAGS cameron    NOTES wow, I'm actually responding quickly. probably because I have nothing better to do today >< sorry, I wrote a lot[/style]

[CAMERON CAINE]

[atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, width: 440px; background: transparent; border-top: #8A1E1E 9px solid; border-top-left-radius: 20px; -webkit-border-top-left-radius: 20px; -o-border-top-left-radius: 20px; -moz-border-top-left-radius: 20px, bTable][atrb=valign, top] words: 374 tag: sion notes: blah post credits: made by spark

[atrb=valign, top][atrb=style, text-align: justify; padding: 5px; border-bottom: #8A1E1E 5px solid]Cameron couldn't help raising an eyebrow. When he put it that way, it did seem pretty obvious. Then again, not everybody had the same powers of deduction. Of course, Sion was correct in his reasoning; that didn't mean he didn't want to argue, if only to indulge a petty urge to mention the few holes in the Slytherin's logic. "I might have found out some other way. Like, say, if Professor Channing said I should ask you for tips and I didn't come to help get ingredients at all," he pointed out, not rudely. "It might have even been fate." At this he grinned, returning the other's crooked one, and also making it clear he didn't really believe that. I bet destiny has bigger things to deal with than this anyway. His smile faded somewhat when Sion steered the topic back toward the ingredients cupboard. Whereas before it had been but a suggestion, it was impossible to miss the subtle--or not so subtle--shift to what was undeniably an order. A faint flash of annoyance flitted across Cameron's face. No doubt it would be lost on the other, for the blond had turned his attention back to his concoction. Sensing no reason in ignoring the demand, he pushed off of the desk with a sigh and moved toward the cabinets. If I'm just going to be "getting familiar" with this, I can do it on my own time, he thought mutinously. Out loud, he absently commented, "You know what would make this even easier? A few more labels on this stuff. This won't be all I'm doing, will it?" Cameron soon grew bored of doing nothing but staring at the cluttered shelves, and turned back to face the other. His responses were only bit more interesting. He chuckled. "Simple, huh? For you, probably, but mixing things based on guesswork doesn't sound easy at all unless you're trying to poison somebody." He would have said more, until Sion suddenly sprang up, composure gone and asking for a knife. Bewildered, Cameron picked one randomly off the shelf before crossing back to the desk and slid the tool across its surface. "I could've sworn you're supposed to have one as part of your potion making kit. You're finished?"

[SION JENKINS]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=CellPadding,4,true][atrb=CellSpacing,0,true][atrb=valign,top][atrb=style,width: 350px;][style=background-color: 000000; padding: 5px; line-height: 80%; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 10px; text-align: center; margin-top: 10px;]WATCHED CAULDRONS NEVER BOIL[/style] [style=width: 300px; color: 797979; font-family: verdana; font-size: 9px; text-align: justify;] "Fair point," Sion admitted as Cameron pointed out other possible scenarios. He was almost surprised by the lack of hostility in the Gryffindor's voice. Usually people got highly irritated when he assumed things about them. Maybe tutoring him in potions wouldn't be as tiresome as he'd originally thought. "I suppose I just assumed that Professor Channing would have notified me beforehand. But I think you might have missed the mark with that fate theory," he added wryly. And that was probably the closest Sion would come to admitting his logic had been a bit flawed. As he waited for the other boy, who was looking through the cupboards, Sion commented,"I'll teach you more things, later. But it's good to be able identify ingredients. Makes things quicker. And it's not based on guesswork," he added in a slightly offended tone, though he wasn't too bothered. "A lot of work, yes, but no guessing. It's based on research and prior knowledge." Which why he liked potions and herbology better than spells or - god forbid - divination. There were very clear steps and procedures, and if you were patient and precise, you'd usually get it right. He had no clue how new spells were invented, but he could understand how to create new brews. But at the moment the Slytherin didn't have the same usual patience and precision. He was fidgeting with his wand, staring in anticipation at the ingredients cupboard. He grinned when Cameron came out and slid him a knife. "Well, hopefully it's done. We'll see." He took a small dish out of his potions kit. "And I do have a knife, but it's too dull. I need to buy a new whetstone... I lost mine..." And with that, Sion nicked the side of his left index finger, letting a drop of blood fall onto the dish. "Unfortunately they don't keep human blood stocked in the cupboard," he said as a way of explanation, healing the tiny cut and re-sterilising the knife with a quick spell. He carefully took out a vial, scooped into the cauldron, and tipped a few drops of the potion onto his blood. As the two came in contact, it created a glowing, red-orange liquid the colour of embers. "Brilliant," Sion breathed, eyes bright. It had reacted just as he'd hoped. Now he could move on to human saliva. "Caine, you'll be learning from the master. Let's just hope my teaching skills are as goon as my potion-brewing ones, hm?" [/style] [style=background-color: 000000; padding: 5px; line-height: 80%; font-family: tahoma; font-size: 10px; text-align: center; margin-top: 10px;]WORDS 416   TAGS cameron    NOTES oh sion. so modest.[/style]

[CAMERON CAINE]

[atrb=cellspacing,0,true][atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, width: 440px; background: transparent; border-top: #8A1E1E 9px solid; border-top-left-radius: 20px; -webkit-border-top-left-radius: 20px; -o-border-top-left-radius: 20px; -moz-border-top-left-radius: 20px, bTable][atrb=valign, top] words: 310 tag: sion notes: kind of short credits: made by spark

[atrb=valign, top][atrb=style, text-align: justify; padding: 5px; border-bottom: #8A1E1E 5px solid]Yes, because spending hours researching something is much easier than throwing things together at random. More time consuming, anyway. How was a person to know where to start if their planned experiments were born from nothing but a whim, or momentary interest? Anybody who spent that much time digging for independent research couldn't have that big a social life. They did say he was a little weird. He pushed the thought swiftly from his mind, and didn't bother wondering further; he wasn't about to do any of that himself. Homework was tedious enough when he bothered to do it without piling extra work on himself. Cameron leaned over, peering with interest to see the supposedly finished product. It didn't seem like anything too special now. "Lost? Why didn't you just charm it back or something?" he murmured. He looked up, then, in time to see Sion cut his finger slightly to catch the blood in a tiny dish. "I can't imagine why," the boy remarked dryly as he watched the other student swiftly heal himself. Cameron couldn't resist a little smirk. "Usually that means it's not a commonly used ingredient, especially in a school setting." The end result, an apparent mixture between the one drop of red and gray potion, came as a surprise. Judging from Sion's satisfied exhalation, the abrupt change was exactly what the Slytherin had hoped to happen. Cameron was visibly impressed. He had no clue what it was supposed to be used for. Blood didn't get spilled often. But still, the transformation looked fancy. Plus, it was made from scratch, which deserved some credit. He gave a skeptical grunt, shooting Sion a sideways look. 'Master' might be a little bit too much."I hope so. But what exactly are you planning to do with this anyway? Doesn't look like anything you'd use on a daily basis, I don't think."