Knight of the Black Rose (23 page)

She smiled brightly at them all as papers appeared on her desk. "Good morning class, I am pleased to see that you're all here and you were all early as well; defiantly a good start to the day. Now then, I'm Professor Burnhill and I will be teaching you Charms and the proper use of the magical languages for the next seven years; and I do hope that we all get along. Okay, we'll start with the basic introductions today. As you've all noticed, there were names on each of your desks. Now, yes you're all basically sat next to or near someone that you know, or there about’s. I am sorry that you weren't allowed to choose who you sat next to in class, but the school decides who you will sit next to for the year. You may not know this, but you all have been tested in some way of your powers, that is how you got into this school to begin with. That means that the person you are sat next to will be able to help you to advance in the areas that needs work this year. Your seating arrangements will be looked into every year. Now my class, as you've probably noticed this floor is mine; meaning that beyond is the practical area for the bigger charms that we'll be learning. Charms can be used for so many every day uses and also to help you protect yourself, that's what you will be learning in my class. You will also be learning the language as well, you might not think that it's important, but it is. Someone could throw an unknown spell at you, and your only defence would be to understand what that person is saying to you; that is what you will also be learning in this class which will help you in all of your lessons."

She waved her hand in front of her and books appeared on all of the desks in front of everyone and then she turned back to the board as she pulled her wand out from under her robes and pointed at it and writing appeared in an elegant scroll.

Chapter Nine

They walked out of the food hall and down the corridor to the adjoined building for their next lesson, as their break was almost over; Troy was trying to eat another piece of toast while Alex complained next to him. "We haven't done any magic yet,"

"She said that we had to understand the basics first," Lucy told him again.

"English wasn't really what I was expecting," Libby said from the back of the group.

"I think it's kind of cool, to learn to write your own spells," Lucy said as she took a piece of toast off of Troy. "It isn't as though you can really eat all of that yourself,"

"I could have," Troy told her, but he didn't really mind.

"Do you think that was the only lesson we have with another estate?" Jess asked as she walked beside of Lucy.

"So, is Zakiya alright?" Lucy asked her.

Jess shrugged. "She seems it,"

Lucy smiled suddenly. "I got it...Burnhill said that who we've been placed with will help us...Zakiya is to help with you being a little shy around people you don't know. I've tried...but, maybe she'll be better at it than I am."

"I thought it was supposed to help with our magic?" Will asked confused.

"Yes of course," Lucy said as though this was obvious. "You need self confidence with your magic; otherwise you won't be able to use it properly,"

"I don't have a problem with my confidence," Jess said a little embarrassed that she was bringing it up in front of everyone, which she kind of guessed proved her point, but she also knew that Lucy wasn’t very shy, but she didn’t like to be centre of attention either.

"What I mean is; that you'll be even more powerful than you are now," Lucy said not sure that she was explaining it properly.

"That explains you, your parents putting you out there and knowing so many people," Selena said.

"Tell me about it," Lucy said before she finished her toast off as they came onto the main corridor with was laid out like the Charms Block.

There were already a dozen or so Disa lads stood outside of the classroom talking amongst themselves, they looked over and started to snigger as they approached, not that they stood too close to them.

"I over looked that," Will said annoyed that he had missed that they would be having this lesson with Disa.

"As long as we don't have to sit with any of them, I'll be fine," Eddie said.

"They can't all be bad," Lucy said looking over at them, but considering how they were already glaring at them, she was starting to rethink her comment.

"My brothers alright...can't say much about his friends though," Selena told them. "I don't really like them that much, but dad didn't seem to mind them,"

"So it's not everyone in the estate then?" Jess asked.

"I’m sure we'll find out," Lucy said as the rest of their classes arrived and the bell rang.

The classroom door slowly opened and they all started to make their way in, but before they could start looking for their assigned tables a tall man stepped out in front of them; he had short tidy hair gelled into place and was wearing a navy pinstriped suite.

"Morning, I am Professor Jevidah, your Potions and Science teacher," a list appeared in his hand. "We'll do roll call first as you take your seats." He called out their names and directed them to their desks; they were set out in fours, two on either side, every table was mixed with Cadell and Disa. Once everyone was seated, he moved back to in front of his desk. "As you've found out from your other classes, your partners have been chosen by the school. So has the people facing you, they will be with you for the whole year and you don't have a say in it."

Will looked over at his two best friends, he didn't mind sitting with Lucy because she was basically like one of them, but these two other girls facing him, what was with that and they kept glaring at the two of them with dislike even though they didn't even know them. As he looked over at his friends on either side, he noticed that they were on tables full on lads, and the atmosphere didn't appear to be any better than it was on his.

"Today is a basic introduction to the craft of potion making and science," Jevidah told them, everyone listening to him in complete silence. "It isn't just about throwing ingredients in a caldron and hoping for the best, you will learn what can be used together to make effective potions, brews, creams; and then of course what not to mix together. We'll be going through the basics of what you will be learning and what will be expected of you. We'll start now with what is expected of you each term, your on going homework until the end of each term is to make a potion of your own. You can use a potion out of your book, and then improve on it; the potion is your choice which you will then show to the whole class. You will be graded on the effectiveness of the potion and how imaginative you are at creating a new mixture.

“In this classroom you will be learning an art form that has been in use on hundreds of worlds for tens of thousands of years, and is still carried on today; though in most cultures it has changed to suit with the advances of technology. Which I am pleased to tell you, you will also be learning. Medicine as you know it began in this manner, another great form of this art will be learning. Magic isn't all about using a few words and waving your wand about, which I'm sure has been mentioned to you this morning in your other introductory classes. Potions, brews, incense, oils, everything that you are going to learn in my class; it can all be used in conjunction with your magic, just as long as you know how. Something else that will be taught in this class...or rather in the adjoining room, some of these potions could also be used in some of your other classes, just as long as you know how to use them effectively."

Jevidah waved his wand and a list of ingredients in a different language appeared on the board behind him, then caldrons appeared in front of them all.

"As you can see, this is a basic recipe to make incense," Jevidah told them. "Yes it isn't a potion as you may think, but incense is still used effectively as long as the right ingredients are used. Incense is a good way of getting into the art, learning a skill no matter how basic you may think it is, it is a good stepping stone into learning how the basic ingredients react to each; before moving onto the more complicated and dangerous ingredients. Now, hoping that you have at least looked through your books; what are the fourteen basic
human
ingredients used in incense?"

A few of the students looked at each other with blank looks as though they had no idea what he was talking about, and a few even seemed uncomfortable as though they might know the answer but was unsure if they wanted to speak.

Jevidah wasn't at all pleased by this reaction. "We will not be moving on, until this simple question is answered,"

Eddie slowly raised his hand and everyone looked at him.

"Yes, as many as you can remember?" Jevidah prompted.

"Sage, Thyme and Pine," Eddie said.

"Five points." Jevidah said as he looked around the room for someone else, but as he turned back Methos had his arm up this time, and he nodded for him to speak.

"Clove...and err Cedar,"

"I'd expect nothing less from the two of you, raised by a teacher here; I would have been more disappointed if you didn't answer," Jevidah told them. "Five points, and that's five...anyone else?"

This time it was Selena who put up her hand. "Rosemary and Cinnamon,"

"Another five points," Jevidah said annoyed. "That makes fifteen points for Cadell so far,"

Lucy raised her hand and he waved at her to speak. "Allspice, Arabic Gum, Bay, Benzoion...err...Copal, Dragon's Blood...Frankincense...err...Juniper...Myrrh and I think Sandalwood, Basil and Rose Petals."

"Impressive...ten points. Though it is more than I asked for," Jevidah said as he waved his hand again, and the ingredients on the board were translated. "These are two simple incense recipes, you can chose which one you want to do or both of them depending on how much time we have. First, I would like to know what they are used for? Miss Shepherd if you please...considering that you knew most of the ingredients, what would they help with?"

Lucy looked at the board, starting to wish that she had never said anything as everyone in the classroom stared at her making her face burn red, she could actually feel the heat coming from it. She tried to remember at least one thing that all the ingredients had in common but couldn't quite think what Saffron was used for and none of them had said it either, so she had to think what the other four ingredients had in common, rosemary, juniper berry, then myrrh and cinnamon with the saffron.

"Well, it's wroth another ten points for your estate, if you don't know then I'll ask someone else," Jevidah told them.

"Ere...err...health...healing...I'm not sure," Lucy admitted a little thrown that she was just put on the spot like that.

Jevidah looked at her annoyed, he hadn’t really thought that she would know. "Ten points, they're for healing. The ingredients are behind you on the counters around the room. You are to mix them together, and then mould them into the cones or sleeves, depending how one wants to describe them. You are to make four; one will be tested to make sure it has been correctly made. If so, then you may keep them to begin your collection. The cones and sleeves will be provided for you today and the rest of the week; but it is something important that you have to learn, so after that you’ll have to make your own."

He nodded and everyone got up to get their ingredients.

"I can't believe that you knew all that," Will said impressed.

One of the girls who had been sat facing them; Catherine, nudged Lucy out of her way. "Know it all,"

"Wow...and I thought guys were bad," Troy said as he came up behind them. "You alright?"

"Yeah...yeah I'm fine," Lucy said, but also a little unsure that they wouldn’t like her when they didn’t even know her.

"And damn, you actually knew all that," Troy said smirking at her.

"See that's why I wanted to be on her table," Alex teased. "I bet you know how to do these incense things as well,"

Lucy smiled back, as she didn't really mind them teasing her. "It actually tells you how, in the book we have,"

Lucy picked up a cutting knife and board, a mixing dish and then went back to her table; Will quickly collected the same things and then went back to get their ingredients, enough for them both.

"So...do we actually have to use the caldrons for this?" Will asked her.

"Nope...just cut them and mix them," Lucy told him quietly as she flicked through her potions book for the right page. "I think I read about these somewhere..."

Will and Lucy got started on cutting the ingredients into smaller pieces and then put them into the mixing dish, before mixing them together; doing this several times before they had made enough. They decided to do both recipes considering that they had the time, and it was good for them to practice in doing this.

Jevidah walked around the room commenting on everyone’s work, telling them what they were doing wrong and also writing notes on them all in a notebook that he carried around with him.

Lucy and Will were getting quite nervous as he made his way over to them, the girls facing them had already made a mess of their first batch when they actually tried to boil their ingredients and then poured them into the cones.