Since the last update, the two year anniversary of the publication of Harry Potter and the Yellow Quartet passed on August 5th. Thank you to my 203 favorers and 232 followers for bonding with the Yellow Quartet with me. This chapter doesn't include the Yellow Quartet but resolves a lingering issue for Heather. Much love from Arizona -Michael :)

July faded imperceptibly into August with some intense summer heat. There were several days of high temperatures in the mid to high nineties.

Heather Abbott was feeling heat too.

She had made a selection for who she wanted to hire as the Potions Master for Skyward School of Practical Sorcery and felt the pressure to get it right.

As Amelia had suggested, Heather focused her search outside the U.K. by taking out ads in the classified sections of wizarding newspapers worldwide.

After reading through the applications, she settled on giving the first interview opportunity to a Russian Potions Master named Alexander Ivanoff .

On the morning on Monday, August 3rd, 1992, Alexander Ivanoff flew in from Russia for his interview.

Amelia took Heather to work that day and Alexander Ivanoff was waiting for her in the interview room at 10 A.M.

Getting down to business right away, Heather asked Alexander, "How old are you?"

"I'm only twenty one, " said Alexander nervously.

"Don't worry about that, " said Heather matter of factly, "I selected you for this interview because I believe you have the best credentials for this job based on all the applications I read."

"I was educated at the Russian wizarding school, Koldovstoretz," explained Alexander, "Koldovstoretz places a very heavy emphasis on Potions education."

"How heavy is the Potions emphasis at Koldovstoretz?" Heather asked Alexander.

"We did double Potions period every weekday, " said Alexander in businesslike voice.

"And you excelled in Potion?"

"Yes, " said Alexander proudly, puffing out his chest, "I got a grade of O in Potions every year I was at Koldovstoretz. Furthermore, I proved myself to be the very best Potion Maker at Koldovstoretz. You see, at tend of each school year, all Koldovstoretz students at Koldovstoretz who achieved a O mark in Potions competed in Inter Student Potion Brewing Competition. I won this competition every year."

"So then?" grilled Heather, "What do you plan for you teaching style to be like?"

"There are a couple of key points, " said Alexander firmly, "First, I believe in verbalizing Potions instructions. My Potions Master at Koldovstoretz believed that Potions students could better internalize and retain instructions for how to make Potions by hearing them aloud rather than just reading them from a book. When I took my Potions exams, I always read the instructions out loud for myself and I found that very helpful. So, I believe in verbalizing in Potions."

"I'm liking what I'm hearing so far, " said Heather approvingly, "What about your pace of instruction?"

"Potions is NOT a subject to eager beaver through, " said Alexander seriously, "If you rush through your Potion Making you will make little mistakes that ruin your Potion. By the same token, if you are too much of a slow poke, you will lose focus and attention and focus, and attention are paramount in a subject as delicate and fiddly as Potions. Don't be a spaceship, but don't be a snail either. Potions Making should be performed at a relaxed but attentive pace."

"This interview is going well for you so far, Alexander, " said Heather warmly.

"When teaching students, especially younger students, " explained Alexander, "I think it's best to take a one step at a time approach to the craft instead of shoving the whole thing down their throats at once."

"Your teaching approach is exactly what I'm looking for in a Potions Master for Skyward School of Practical Sorcery, " said Heather hopefully, "The job is yours if you can demonstrate Potion Making ability to me. I am going to ask you to brew Antidote to Common Poisons. Follow me to the Ministry of Magic's Potions Room."

Alexander and Heather rose from their chairs and Heather showed Alexander into the Potions Room.

Smack dab in the middle of the room was a long inky black desk with matching chairs around it.

Atop the desk were a mortar, a cauldron, a pestle, and various Potions ingredients.

Pulling out a chair and sitting down, Alexander said, "I know what to do."

Alexander retrieved his wand from his right hand pocket with his right hand and set it down on the desk so he could instantly access it when he needed it.

Heather eyed Alexander intently as he got to work.

Alexander picked up a Bezoar and set it in the mortar and crushed it into a very fine powder with the pestle.

Alexander then added four measures of the crushed Bezoar to the cauldron and followed that up by adding two measures of standard ingredient.

Alexander turned the heat onto medium for five seconds and then waved his wand.

"We have a wait now, " Alexander told Heather, "Because this cauldron is copper, the wait time shall be thirty minutes."

"Very good, Alexander, " said Heather happily, "You executed the first part flawlessly."

"Is the job definitely mine if I get the second part, right?" inquired Alexander.

"Yes, " said Heather clearly.

Heather paid very close attention to Alexander's attention to detail and was delighted when he began part two at exactly the right time.

Alexander now added a pinch of unicorn horn to the cauldron and gave it two clockwise stirs.

He then added two mistletoe berries to the cauldron and stirred it counterclockwise twice.

Alexander now waved his wand to complete the Antidote to Common Poisons Potion and it turned teal.

"Merlin's beard, " cried Heather, "It is perfect. Alexander, it is my great pleasure to officially offer you the job of Potions Master at Skyward School of Practical Sorcery!"

"I accept, " said Alexander ecstatically, "I can't wait to share my love and knowledge of Potions with the young witches and wizards at Skyward School of Practical Sorcery. It is my understanding that the deliberate non-teaching by the Potions Master at Hogwarts has eradicated Potions skills in Great Britain over the past decade or so."

"His name is Severus Snape and it's true. Lack of Potions skills amongst young freshly graduated witches and wizards made it hard to hire young people for important jobs, especially in medical professions and law enforcement, " confirmed Heather, "In fact, that's exactly why I had to look outside the U.K. to find a Potions Master for Skyward School of Practical Sorcery. It is my hope that my school will produce young graduates with outstanding Potions skills who can become Healers, Aurors, etc. Will you be living on campus while you teach?"

"Yes, " confirmed Alexander.

Heather smiled at Alexander and let out a HUGE sigh of relief.

She had found her Potions Master.

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