Chapter 23: Choosing The First Potion
She could feel a vibration in her body coming from it as if it was calling her and as the distance between them decreased, the vibration she felt in her body increased.
Now, standing before it, Annie felt the vibration in her body lessen.
The wand flew over to her and said, "If you didn't already know, every kind of magic demands something from the person conjuring it. It has always been wizards. It doesn't take them too much time to recover from the repurcussion but I don't think you should be concerning yourself with that since you aren't one."
"You are being a great motivator here, aren't you?", Annie sarcastically said to the wand.
"Anyway," the wand quickly said, "I think we should begin your journey of trying to become a potions master with a simple potion. One that is easy to make and also useful at the same time so that you don't exhaust yourself."
Annie nodded slowly, agreeing with the wand for once, "I think the same. I think the best option we have is the Wiggenweld Potion. It's quick. It's one of the easiest potions to brew. On top of that, it can be used to rejuvenate stamina and health."
"Also," Annie devilishily smiled and murmured, "I appoint Teddy to be potion taster!"
SQUEAK
Lying on the couch where she was before, Teddy stood up with an expression that could only be described as horrified and betrayed.
Annie rubbed her hands and spoke in a devilish tone, "He has been sticking with me for quite some time. It's time I put him to some use. Also, he is too egotistic and spoilt. Tasting my carefully crafted potions and having to experience the imminent side effects should bring him down from the clouds he has been living in for the past few months."
SQUEEEAAKK
Teddy let out a loud squeak angrily and used his tiny paws to quickly run toward her.
"Wait! Teddy!", Annie's eyes widened at the sight of Teddy angrily running toward her while constantly squeaking as if to say, "Side effects?! Egotistic?! Spoilt?! I will show you who's spoilt!!!"
Teddy pounced on her legs and began throwing his paws around.
"Ouch! Ouch!", Annie felt his nails scratch her skin and she pleaded, "No! Teddy! I was just joking! I didn't mean that! Ouch! Teddy!"
SQUEAK?
Instantly, Teddy stopped and stared at her suspiciously, blinking his eyes slowly for dramatic effect, as if to say, "I will stop now, but don't think that this is over!"
He glanced at the blazing cauldron and then back at her and squeaked as if to say, "I'm going to have my revenge soon! Very soon!"
Then, with a swift movement, he took his paws off Annie's feet as if on purpose.
"Ouuuchh!", Annie cried out loud because of the pain and pleaded while throwing her hands in the air in surrender, "I'm sorry… I'm sorry. I promise I won't do this anymore."
As if pretending it didn't notice anything that just happened, the wand said, "Wiggenweld Potion it is, then."
A FEW MINUTES LATER
A small mountain of big and not-so-big dark-colored packets were placed on the potion station.
Annie stared at it with a happy smile on her face and exclaimed, "Absolutely perfect!"
She put her hand on her chin and began thinking various thoughts.
Until now, she had to find a way to accept the fact that she knew everything about potions. Ingredients, properties, etc. But she had hoped that seeing the cauldron or the packs would provoke a more human reaction in her.
Yes, sure, the cauldron had excited her a bit, but not because it was a cauldron.
Not because she had never seen a cauldron before, but because she was eager to start with the potion-making.
Which was true and yes, she liked it.
Why? Because it gave her the peace of mind she wanted.
Back in her previous life, she used to cook food thinking that she was brewing potions and she realized that whenever she cooked food, she shut her mind completely to the world outside and from the various thoughts within.
This is what she loved about it and she hoped to have the same feeling while brewing potions like cooking food back then.
'I have to be careful.', she thought, 'I have to make sure that despite all of the circumstances over which I'm here and my newly required powers, I'm still human. If the human side of me starts to blur, then… how will I be different from Grindelwald, or any villain out there?'
She sighed for God only knew which time today and focused back on the packets.
"Okay."
She started moving them apart and began checking the contents inside of each one, "Molly, Dittany, Horklump Juice, 2 drops of Flobberworm Mucus…Good.", she nodded, 100% focused. Wiggentree bark, a spring of mind, mondew drops, Sloth brain mucus, drops of honey water…"
After checking out all of the ingredients, she turned to the wand and said, "We are good to go."
"So, ready to brew a potion?", The wand asked Annie.
SQUEAK
The niffler that was lazily lying on the couch behind Annie raised its head and stared in confusion as if thinking, 'What in the hell are you doing?'
"Do you wanna join us, Teddy?", Annie asked him with her gentle voice.
SQUEAK
Shaking his head, Teddy glared at Annie and let out a loud squeak. He turned his body on the couch to point his dark blue bum at her.
"... Never mind, Teddy.", Annie shook her head, seeing him shake his bum like a clock at her, and said, "Just... try not to bother me when you start to smell something weird, okay?"