Year One at Hogwarts
Chapter 10: The Elemental Choices
With the ash collected that eliminated one of the hardest components of the potion. They still however, needed three more ingredients: threshal scale, eagle feather, and snake venom. The other ingredients were gotten when Tyler asked Professor Reckler for Boomslang skin and Tyler had permission to go into his private stores and got all the other essential ingredients except for those three. They had met in the library to discuss the potion further while doing their astronomy homework.
"How will we get the threshal scale?"
"Easy Tyler" said Jacke. "I heard from the Marauders that the older years don't come by boat like we did but by threshal carriages."
Brad was scratching his head and seemed a little confused. "Wait guys. I've been meaning to ask this, what are threshals anyway?"
"Oh, right, well, threshals are creatures that remain invisible except to those who've seen death" quoted Reggie like it came directly from the book.
Jacke cleared his throat before he spoke. "Yeah, James told me he saw his mom die in St. Mungo's while she had been poisoned by wood sprites."
"What are wood sprites and what is St. Mungo's?
"Well, wood sprites are small forest demons that have lethal poison and St. Mungo's is our medical facility, Brad."
Tyler started to think they were going off track. "Anyway!" snapping them back "Who here has seen someone die?"
Reggie raised his hand. "I have."
Brad, Jacke and Tyler couldn't believe that Reggie of all people had seen someone snuff it.
"I saw a little boy die in Muggle London when he got hit by a car. I could get a scale when the gamekeeper goes and calls them to feed on some of the meat he brings them. I've seen him at it and I think I could do it without him noticing."
"Alright." Tyler could see they didn't need to press the matter further. "An eagle feather could be easy as well since some of the students don't all have owls but other breeds of birds, which include eagles so we could hope for a feather from an eagle at the owlery."
Jacke's eyes lit with a malicious grin. "I'll do it, besides, I have a letter to my parents to deliver anyway."
"Thanks Jacke. That just leaves the snake venom which I could get with no problem."
All three in unison said. "How?"
"Slytherin secret boys." (More truer than you could ever know, thought Tyler) "And as you know when we have a secret than a Slytherin isn't the easiest to break. The potion will be ready in five days and soon after will we become elementals."
"Shh! Not too loud Tyler."
"Sorry Reggie."
Tyler went to Chaos asking for some venom in a vile and Chaos gladly supplied some.
"Think of this as a late Christmas present, Tyler."
"A month late but thank you anyway, Chaos. You don't know how much this means to me."
Tyler went to the cupboard with the potion as the scale and feather were added and Reggie spoke as he stirred.
"The final thing the book says is to add the venom in 2 days and stir for 1 minute and then it's complete."
Brad was excited, so much in fact that he was trembling. "I can't believe this day is here. All the hard work is coming down to the next two days."
"Well I'm glad you're excited guys because now comes the even better part, deciding what element that each of us controls."
"Jacke, I almost forgot about that. Reggie, what does the book say on the choices?"
"Well there are 8 choices. We could control fire, water, earth, wind, ice, wood, thunder, or metal. Which should we become?"
"Why don't we all become a different type?"
"Brad, you read my mind. But we don't have to decide this very second. Lets spend the next two days deciding on that."
Later that night, in the common room, Tyler was sitting with his house friends.
"Severus, what do want to do when you leave Hogwarts?"
"I'm trying not to think of that now, Matt."
"Severus, he has a point. The end of the term happens to be 4 months away and they could go fast and make your chance slip by."
"I'm considering my options. Tyler, why are you so quiet?"
Tyler snapped out of his thoughts. "What?"
"Is something wrong? Did anything happen with your out of house friends?"
"No Severus, no. I was just thinking about random things. Sorry if I worried you. I'm okay."
Tyler was actually thinking on what element he would like to control. There were so many possibilities that Tyler was stuck. Then there was a rumble from the common room windows. A storm was raging outside and without warning a big thunderbolt flashed the sky making Regulus jump.
"Regulus? Are you alright?" asked Severus.
"Yes. I am." Regulus was quivering and his voice made it evident that he was lying. "I'm just a little creeped by the lightning."
"You're afraid of lightning?" Tyler was almost laughing as he asked. "Why good old chum?"
"It just terrifies me a bit of how a force like that can strike at any time almost like an angry serpent. It gives me the chills and I'm sure I'm not the only one."
After Regulus said those words, it was as if something clicked in Tyler's mind like when he came across the Element book. To himself he muttered a "Now I know"
"Know what?" Matt had heard him.
"I know...to conjure a teddy for Regulus during those bad stormy nights" said Tyler jokingly.
"Watch it Tyler." He put his hand on his wand and gave him a side glance that really did look intimidating.
"I'm just kidding Regulus. No harm done."
The group of Slytherins spent the rest of the night exchanging small friendly talk with one another. Tyler conversed with them normally because he had found his answer. They kept talking until they left for bed.
The following two days made the young wizard gang a little uptight. They were excited of almost being done and becoming elementals but tense because this was a risky thing that they didn't want the professors or their parents to know about. However, they set out to finish what they started almost a month ago. They gathered around the cauldron to add the venom to finish the potion on the last day.
"Here it is guys." Jacke couldn't stay still. "I can't believe this day is here. I can't hold in my excitement.
Tyler had to hold down Jacke at the shoulders to get him to be almost still and spoke in a calming voice. "Jacke, c'mon, calm down. We haven't even taken the potion yet."
"Yes, guys. Tyler's right."
"Thanks, Reggie. I'm glad to know that I'm idolized."
"Wait a go Reggie. You went on and gave him an ego."
"I just meant that we haven't taken the potion yet, Brad. We still have to take it and the book says that we have to have a strip of parchment dropped in the potion with a sign of the element that we want. Did you guys decide yet?"
Tyler answered barely a second later. "Thunder"
"Wow, that was fast. I guess it makes sense for you to have that one speedy. I chose to be a fire elemental."
"Fire for a red head, huh Jacke? For me I chose to be a water elemental. That just leaves your choice Reggie."
"Well...to be hones, I didn't take too much time on this."
"Who cares?" Jacke got jumpy again. In the excitement, Tyler had let him go. "Just pick one."
"Okay...Wind will be my choice."
"See? That wasn't so hard."
When it became time Reggie added the venom turning the potion from a deep black to clear. Then Reggie handed out strips of parchment to each of his friends.
"Okay, take the parchments and draw your signs."
Jacke drew a fire symbol.
Tyler drew a lightning bolt.
Brad drew a water drop.
Reggie drew a tornado.
After they drew the designs, Reggie split the potion into 4 goblets they 'borrowed' from the Great Hall and then they placed in their parchments. Tyler saw that once the parchment hit the potion it disappeared but made the potion change color. Brad took his yellow potion and spoke.
"Ok. 1,2,3...go." Right before he started to drink.
Reggie drank his blue potion carefully like it might poison him if he drank too fast. Jacke drank his red potion without much difficulty. Tyler just took his green potion and drank it fast because he wanted it done. Luckily the potion didn't taste as bad as he originally thought. It had the taste of rum to it but Tyler still hated the taste a little. After he emptied the goblet he had a weird feeling. It felt like his veins were running ice, all over his body, it felt cold. Then it felt like he had an itching feeling down to his bones that scratching couldn't cure. Then, all of a sudden, it stopped. Jacke broke the silence.
"Well...after all that, I don't feel like an elemental."
"Me neither though I wouldn't know since I didn't find out about elementals until last month."
"Reggie, why not look at the book to see what's next."
Reggie looked at the book and hit his head with his hand, which gave the impression that they overlooked something.
"We only became catalysts, remember? This potion made it so we became sensitive and intoned to our elements. It will be easy to manipulate the elements now but we have to control it."
"Oh great"
"What did you two think after the potion was going to happen? Poof, we're powerful elementals."
"Yeah, I completely forgot the catalyst part. I guess we were so excited that we expected too much, right Jacke?"
"Yeah...I guess we expected too much."
"Listen guys. We have to make sure we don't concentrate and slip during class time. If the professors see us manipulating or creating elements then they'll know. We just have to remain calm and focus on not wearing our emotions too strongly."
"That is something we could do" said Brad. "You two are the real concern, especially with the Gryffindor + Slytherin rivalry."
In unison Jacke and Tyler said, "We can handle it."
"Perfect. With that done we need to find a place to practice our new powers."
Brad spoke. "Well, while we were brewing the potion, I did find a good place. But it's a surprise. You'll just have to wait."
End of Chapter 10
Nightlit: I'm glad you are reading and reviewing my story. On the issue of James Potter's position. JK Rowling confirmed in an interview that he was indeed a chaser. The movie changed it to seeker but he was supposed to be a chaser. Glad you like the different views on Snape and the Slytherins. Keep your story up too.
Author Notes: Well, it seems that the new elemental wizards have their work cut out for them. I hoped you like the choices of elements that I gave them. Next chapter will be up soon. The interhouse friends will have to learn how to control their new power without getting caught. "Lightning, Fire, Wind and Water".