Post by Viola Stratford on Aug 12, 2010 21:40:01 GMT -5
Operation Poly-Flop
The point of this experiment, obviously, is to successfully produce a usable vial of the complex Polyjuice Potion. This potion allows a human drinker to assume the form of another person. It is unlike any I have ever heard of, unsurprising since I found it in a Dark Arts Book, Moste Potente Potions, Chapter XVI. I highly doubt I will get it right the first time, let alone the second or third try. But I will, even thought this means months of preparatory work.
Experiment One: I have found a small room in the dungeon, with a drain in the center, and the floor gradually tilted toward the drain. I assume this is where potions used to be made in secret. Most of the ingredients for the potion were relatively easy to find, buy, or steal. The once of crude Antimony proved mot difficult to find, I had to filch some from a store in Hogsmeade. The instructions use terms that I do not understand, I assume they are common in more advanced potion making.
After the twenty one days of stewing the lacewing flies, I added the powdered bicorn horn. My cauldron essentially melted, and then went down the drain. Upon closer inspection, the Bicorn horn needed to be "lunar extracted". I have no idea what this means. I’m going to try collecting it at the same time I collect the fluxweed, at the full moon.
Experiment Two: After procuring a new cauldron and new ingredients (my leeches rotted), I am again attempting a Polyjuice potion. I have made care to research each term I did not previously know, and to collect my bicorn horn at the full moon.
This attempt, my cauldron did not melt. The potion inside though, turned a dark black colour with the viscosity of tar. It should have been brown mud. I was unable to force myself to try it on myself, I slipped it into the drink of a student in my common room. People shouldn’t leave goblets just hanging around with pumpkin juice in them. I added the hair of a girl in my dormitory. Her hairbush was full of them, I doubt she will notice.
It failed, again. Test Subject One developed ragged breathing within minutes, and turned splotchy. His hair turned from blond to brown, a good sign since the hair donor was a brunette. I’m afraid I didn’t shred my Boomslang skin enough.
Experiment Three: Not to worry, Test Subject One recovered before the month’s time it took to complete this potion again. The teachers are on the lookout for students making a Polyjuice Potion. Maybe I was closer than I though, if they knew it was a failed Polyjuice potion.
I was so close this time. Test Subject Two experienced a partial transformation before passing out. This time the subject was a student from Hufflepuff I passed in a corridor. I was sure to be long gone before anyone discovered her. In my brief examination, she was halfway through a gender switch. Her body was quite androgynous. She woke up a few hours after the potion wore off. I’m not sure anyone was even worried about her, she just looked like a student taking a nap in the hallway.
Experiment Four: Turns out, someone did notice the girl. The teachers are warning all students about a rogue student practicing Dark Arts on the unwary. They are searching bags at random, looking for tell-tale potion ingredients students shouldn’t have. They rarely pick first years like me. Lovely.
Sweet success. It worked this time. Very well. I had to stun Test Subject Three and store him in a broom closet. He attempted to run to the Hospital Wing for his ‘affliction’. The potion worked to perfection. After the hour, the magic dispelled, returning him to his natural body. I think its now time for me to test the potion out on myself.
Experiment Five: I was very leery of using this potion on myself, but after nearly wasting half the year to one potion, I was ready. I had already successfully created one before. I had big plans for this, I snagged a strand of red hair from the robes of the passing Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, Kaileena Lovegood. Her potion turned an odd color. I expected a pastel pink or something. I guess she isn’t as ditsy as she seems. Anyway, it worked. I had to modify my clothes a bit, but I was able to pass myself off as the professor in the corridor. For a short time anyway. I went the opposite direction when I saw teachers. They still have yet to find my secret chamber with the drain in it. I think it’s time for me to go on to another experiment now.
~Viola Stratford
