The Basement

Alexandra appeared in the fire-place of the basement and stepped out, brushing the soot off her robes while changing her features back to normal.

She looked around the room with a look of vague interest in her eyes. Not as great as when it came to casting spells and other such things she was extremely fascinated by, but none-the-less, potions were under the filing of "Learning" in her mind with caused her obsessive want to learn become stimulated.
"That's not Felix Felicius(sp) is it..?" she pointed to the golden liquid inside the cauldron in the center of the room. It had a different hue to the potion she knew a bit about but other than that, it was mostly guess-work since Luke was working on his father's creation and perfecting it.

"Those three hairs I'm guessing." she nodded, now understanding the further purpose to dealing his potions in the black market. It was to earn money as well as acquire the contacts he would need to perfect the ingredients for his potion.

"Unicorn hair from a foil. After finishing the potion, place three freshly picked hairs into the potion. It amplifies it 3 folds the strength of the potion." he said gleaming at it. "No one knows I've been making it except you, Cazz and Eirina." His eyes were hungry to see what the potion will do. He tipped the envelope letting the hairs topple out into the cauldron. WHen they touch the liquid...

(Make it interesting.)

(aye-aye sir)

The gleaming hairs landed in the potion and floated on the golden surface for a few seconds, drifting around in the currents of the boiling liquid before being suddenly engulfed by the golden fluid. As the hairs dissolved into the potion, an almost vein-like network of silver spread throughout the golden mixture. The former aroma of it increased by a ten-fold and filled the air with warmth and comfort, the mere presence of the powerful potion was relaxing.
Alexandra watched in fascination as this whole process occurred before them.

(It was not on the spit so it was not boiling but yah lets go with it. I liked it so much.)

"It is finished," he said watching the potion a bit more before going to the Cabinet and pulling flask after flask, with one hand because his other was still throbbing. He got a serving spoon as well and went back to the potion. He scooped up a full spoon full but had a hard time pouring in the flask with one arm. "Can you...?" he asked looking at Aly for help and back to the flasks.

(nice to know my description was adequate:])

Taking the hint, she took the flasks in her hand and held them out steadily for Luke to pour in the potion. Alexandra couldn't help but give a grim smile at the fact that although the trials of Luke and his father were over when it came to making the potion, more were about to begin now that it was finally created.

She stooped down and picked the flask up off the floor then moved the rest of the flasks into a bag she had seen next to the cauldron. It conveniently enough had pockets that were cozy enough to prevent the flasks from hitting each other inside the bag but not so much that it would be a struggle to get them into the pockets.
"Just thinking about the future and shit like that. But what happened Luke?" referring to his arm jerking the table and causing a flask with his most important potion to fall and his tracing a wizard swear on his chest earlier.

She nodded, knowing that he would tell her when he was ready and when they were somewhere more safe. Smiling slightly, she rubbed her face gently against Pikachu's feathers, feeling oddly comforted by the gesture of affection. It was at moments like this when Alexandra wished she could have an un-judging companion as many of her classmates did.
Once the owl left with the flasks she turned to Luke as he spoke.
"Alright, we're going to fly to get there since it's the fastest way. Just follow my lead." she smiled crookedly before changing into a hawk and gliding out of the basement to the gates of the Leoine Residence.

The stairs creaked under the weight of Luke's foot. It was eerie down here, where no one had traverse since a whole year ago. Cobwebs filled every corner, nook and cranny. Spiders crawl quickly among the webs trying to find darkness, where shadows dwell as Luke turn on the light.

When he accidentally slam the door, he moaned. His hole body hurt. Every muscle felt like it was on fire, his head was throbbing. It felt like a hammer heading the side of his head every other second or so. With lack of sleep, and all the emotion going through him at the same moment, today was a shitty day. Worse of all yet he was still half naked trampling down his stairs like Godzilla.

He spat out so cobwebs, trying to keep the stuff away from his face but failing miserably. It cling to his chest, his hair, into his mouth. It was one of the most disgusting things he had tasted, and he tasted Cazz's cooking.

Finally he broke through all the cobwebs, killed a few spiders with his bare feet, and trampled over a stool, landing him straight in front of his closet, where all his ingredients are held, all the safe keeping potions are kept in the right temperature. All his supplies, he needed to bring back some of the cash flow back to his vault. His Vault was empty, his pouch was almost nonexistent as Johnny's brain.

He squeaked it open, a cold shiver went down Luke's chest. He rubbed it fiercely trying to get warmth back into his limbs. His mind went to Misery. How can she stand the cold? he thought to himself but already knowing the answer to it. She's a fucking Vampire for crying out loud LUKE!

He was bemused by his own commentary as he pulled out vial, after vial of all different kinds of potions, and different sizes, even boxes load with potions. This what tiredness did to him. His thoughts turn into Aly Morphing her face into a cows butt, and giving Sorrow a laughing tonic, to beat the seriousness out of him.

He laid the potions, the boxes, the vials on the table, than he pulled out one box of ingredients. "All of what I have in stock that I am willing to sell won't be enough to buy, what I want to buy for Cazz. It is going to be a long night...." he said getting to work.

With a sigh, he pulled the top box toward him, it was lighter than he expected. He clicked the box open to find almost all of the small containers to be dried and barren like the Sahara desert. He picked up the mint leaves, so wilted and brown that they were not even good as mulch. He replaced it back, and picked out another ingredients, daisies they where dried and kept good, which was something because he was losing hope to ever put his plan into action.

He looked through all of his containers, and found just enough to make a large cauldron of freshly made shrinking Solution. He was missing some ingredients for the boil cure, but was easily found in his woods. He pat himself down, to realize that he left his wand in his jeans, which where crumpled up in a ball, at Cazz's house. He felt more naked, than the slip of cloth covering his genitals.

Why did he had to be so stupid to forget something like that. The prize possession of a wizard, what defines them as where they come from, their heritage and linage. He mutter to thyself, groaning about it but what could he do. He would just have to wait until some time this summer, but for now their were other things to do.

He checked his list one more time, and saw that also he could make a very small amount of the strength solution, he so loved to make so much.

He had to do this the old fashion way. At hogwarts, he just had to point his wand and mutter the incindio charm, and a blaze of fire would sprout up, on the burner, untamed, majestic. But now when he is home, he had to use a basic flint technique, he learn from wondering the woods at a young age, one of those survival skills you need to wounder a forest, especially a magical kind where danger comes lurking behind every tree, or in the mist itself. Two smooth rocks hang against the wall, ready and waiting for him to use. They where heavy for their size, making his muscle groan, as he heaved them back up toward his chest. With great effort, Luke struck them together, sending sparks flying across the stone floor. As they hit the ground they dimmed until nothing was left behind except the taunting cold stone beneath his feet.

With another grunt, he smacked the two rocks together, over one of the burners. Sparks dazzle the air, with a whoosh the burner caught fire. Its sparkled, and dance with the low blue flames. He was mesmerize by it for only a second, when he look down the row of burners. He had four in all, but he only needed three, but his arms screamed at him to set it down, to turn and walk away before they accuse him of assault and battery. Who was he to refuse. He took small steps toward where the rocks laid, and with all the ease in the world, to not inflame his muscles, set the smooth rocks back.

The pain subsided into a dull throb, but he could live with that, as he moved back to the middle table. He scan the ingredients, for what he was looking for. The dried, unusable mint leaves was perfect for what he had to do. Its dried bristles, would be just what he needed to lite the other two burners. Sure enough, when the leaf got an inch away from the flame exploded in fire. The sensation of fire near his fingers, made it almost unbearable, but he got one of the two burners lite. One more to go. He repeated the process finally getting all three burners lite.

His body was trembling with tiredness, weariness, they did not want to function as they should when he haled three cauldrons to the hook above the burner, but finally he was ready.

First thing was first, to add the potion mixture to the cauldron, to let it shimmer, boil or to let in evaporate, while worked on his ingredients. First he started with the shrinking potion. He wanted to get this potion and the strength solution working so he could scourige the woods for the ingredients he needed for the boil cure.

Luke knew the shrinking potion by heart. He took a mid-size blade from a pouch that had many fine, sharpen knives of all shapes and sizes to use in his potion making. Than he plucked the daisies out of the container of the roots, dried berries, herbs and spices container. He was mathotical as he slice the daisy into tiny, tiny pieces almost into a fine powder. He used every single last one of the daisies hoping it would be enough.

When all of the daisies where in a fine, mince fashion, he moved onto the Shrivelfig. That was in the ice cupboard part of the seller. It kept chilled to last longer. It was not as good as the real thing, but Luke had to make due on what he had. It was cold, and rough to gentle peel back the layers of the Shrivelfig, It did not want to budge open, but after some failed attempts and some wasteful time on the shivelfigs, he blossom open three of them for the potion.

Seeing the large cauldron at a boil, Luke added the daisies to it, letting the potion solution get the flavor of the dried daisies, as Luke went back to the table to cut caterpillars. That was in the third box, called animal parts, that housed the eyes, the wings, the thorax. You name it, it was the biggest container out of all of them, because it house so many different body parts. This container, was expensive to obtain, because their were spells, incantations around the box, to preserve "special" ingredients. He pulled six of the slimy green worm looking things out of its pocket. One of them was so slummy that it slipped between his fingers, and slide across the table, leaving a trail of gooey snot in its wake. He let that be, as he got a flat edge knife not for cutting but to use to smash the juices out of the caterpillars. His manual said to slice them, but he found it better to smash them underneath the butt of the knife, than slice them into equal size pieces. So that is what he did. On the clean section of the cutting board, he squishing the little boggarts until the green ooze covered his hands, and the cutting board alike. Than he proceeded to slice them, making sure he retrieve the last one that made a mess of his table top.

Knowing it was ready for the shrivelfigs, he added them lightly to the water, watching them float for a bit before sinking under its dark depths. He stirred the cauldron about 10 times before adding the caterpillars, which turn the clear liquid into dark, mucus green. Letting that boil for a bite longer, stirring it occasionally, he went back to find a spoon to put two table spoon of leech juice in a bowl with the rat spleens to let it soaked.

While that cooked for another ten minutes before adding the leech juice and rat spleen, he started on the Strength solution.... but he realize that he was all out of Griffin Claws. Dammit, he moaned, as he was about to give up, when he thought of another potion to use. He went toward the stairs, climbed it to go to the attic. His potion books used to be down their but with the damp cold air, and the changing of temperatures all the time, the books just got ruined. Luke was back in a couple minutes, siffering through a moderate to advance potion making. He kept muttering himself, after each page complaining that, nope he did not have the right ingredients, or no it took to long, or no he would not kill someone for their human heart...the last one he was just kidding. Each page was filled with notes, the side bars had things written in them to help, Luke in future use. The pages he had nothing negative to say about the potion, he had detail information about the ingredients themselves. Where they come from, what are their purpose, what are the side effects, how can you counter balance them, ect, ect. Until finally, he stumbled on the wit sharpening potion. He had not done it since last year, that got him exciting, pushing back the sleep out of his body.

The Wit-Sharpening Potion is a potion which presumably allows the drinker to think more clearly.

Instructions
Mix in Ginger Root until lime green.
Mix Armadillo Bile until blue.
Mix Ground Scarab Beetles until red.
Remix Armadillo Bile until red liquid is yellow. (Not dark green)
Remix Ginger Roots until brew is lime green.
Mix Armadillo Bile until the potion is purple.
Allow potion to simmer for 10 minutes
Add more ginger root till dark orange.

He did not want to forget the rat spleen and leach juice so he added that into the cauldron of the shrinking solution, than he turn the flame on low to let it shimmer until it was a pasty, green color.

Back at the lab station, he plucked the ginger roots out of the container, and the beetles out of a jar.Back in the cupboard to find the bottle of Armadillo bile. He found it on the top self, in the way back. His arms refuse to stretch so he had to get a stool to help him reach. Still on the stool he open it, to find it recking, making his eyes water, his stomach turning in knots, making him want to vomit. "Fresh," he said trying not to breath around it. His face was scruntch up, trying to hold it out as far as he can to get away from the smell.

He saw how much he had all together, and decided to make it into a large pot as well to accommodate all the extra ingredients he had lying about. He used a cloth to shield him from the flesh scaping hot metal, as he poured the boiling potion solution transferring it over to a large pot. The cool cauldron hiss and steam, but the cauldron soon died down as the hot liquid helped heat it up. It was not enough liquid for the size of the pot so he added more, a lot more, finishing off the jug of potion solution. He set the jug aside, and put the heavy cauldron over the flame. His back was inflamed once again. He blinked away the tears, and kept working on the wit sharpening potion.

It was around midnight, as he slice into the roots, into equal quarters in size, tossing them into the cauldron until it was a shade or two darker than lime green, than with a spoon, he scoop up the disgusting bile, stirring it into the liquid until a blue shade. Forgetting to ground the scabber beetles, he had to do it quickly before it turn a darker shade of blue. He ground faster, and faster, and faster until his arms could it do it anymore. With a great sigh of relief as he set it back down on the table, he pinched in the best of the beetles ground in until a red color. He followed each step to the letter,until step 7. It was a bigger cauldron so he would let it simmer for 20 minutes or so, and wait to add the roots afterwards.

Luke had time to search for some of his boil ingredients, but first he added the Flobberworm Mucus to the green liquid until it turn pink. He turn the flame down to low so when he came back he could get finish with this potion, and package them for selling.

Seeing that the boil cure potion was orange already he added in several of the nettle leaves, still using his boxer as a barrier. Seeing himself nude did not phase him, but seeing others people well...

The potion turn green, as he added on last leaf to the cauldron. Now he had to reheat until the potion looks blue, but while it was reheating he was at the table, with a hammer, shatering some snake fangs, crushing them under the weight of the hammer. He could not wait for this to be done. He was about to drop dead of exhaustion as he crush several more fangs to pieces, enjoying himself.

He looked back to see if it was blue. It was not so he pulled out the last four horned slugs, and he just throw them in the heated small cauldron that was suppose to be use for the strength potion now used for his own pleasure of Stewed horned slugs. He sat on the floor by the cauldron with the Stewing horned slugs until with was mushy and stewed properly.

Seeing it well, look like slug mash potatoes, he got up to see how the other potions where doing. He lift the lid to the shrinking potion, it looked perfect, ready for pranks to come, so he turn off the flames, and let it cool. He than checked on his Wit-sharpening potion, it was ready for more roots. He chucked them in, until the pot turn an orange. He knew when it turn orange to let the warmth of the cauldron to heat it up, so more nectar from the roots spill out making the orange go shades darker. That too he turn the heat off letting it do it own magic.

He stifled a yawn, rubbing his eyes. They where literally blood shot, but he had to continue. The thought of getting it, for his beloved, got him aroused...I mean excited (in a none sexual fashion.) The boil cure was finally blue, so he added little by little snake fangs. It first where the fangs landed in the liquid turn pink, and rapidly spread out from their. He stirred it once to spread the fancy liquid out making the whole boil cure to turn pink as well. Than he sprinkled in Porcupine quills until the potion turns orange. It smelled horrible by the way. Then with a spoon full of sugar, not really, with the stewed horn slugs. It was darker then turquoise, but he did not care as he heated the potion until it was red.

As he awaited for the potion to turn red, he scratched himself (Not down there you sick BASTARDs XD). While waiting for his final potion, he clean up after himself, putting the knives, spoons, and other utensils in a pile for washing. He clean off the nasty table tops full with juices and slim scatter about, he wiped it up making the table shine in no light. He carefully closed his container boxes and putting it back in the selves with all the rest of the jars he used. Carefully he pulled out his boxes of empty vials hoping it would be enough to fill all three cauldrons of potions.

"Tonight is going to be a long night," he said pulling out vials in rows to start filling them with his elixirs.

Slowly coming down the steps she rubbed the sides of her arms slowly. 'Why is it so cold down here... for the lover of Merlin.' Stepping down on to the floor she looked around slowly. Seeing empty cauldrons and boxes on the floor a faint smile ghosting across her lips. Stepping in to the middle of the room looking for the potions.

Going over to the far shelf where a fridge and a few shelves resided. Leaning in closely looking for the potion she was talking about. Ingredients rested on the top shelf but she had no interest in them at the moment. Running her index finger along the label not seeing what she had wanted in the lest bit. Opening the fridge quickly looking into it for what she desired. Taking hold of a bluish/purplish potion she held it in her hand. Tipping it around for a moment before closing the fridge knowing she had the right thing. With a pop she quickly left reminding herself to get Luke back the potion she took.