HP: The Dream

"What is this?" I ask seeing the pile of books in front of me.

"These are the books on basic potioneering that should contain your answers."

"I have to read all of these."

"Don't make a fuss, its only 4 books."

"Yes, and that is 4 more than I would like to read."

She just gives me a weird look and sits down with her own book.

Well time to tackle this potion problem.

"Ok, so I am 1 hour in and I don't see any way to improve this potion in any of the books."

"Maybe you didn't look hard enough."

"I did. There isn't anything in these books that can help me."

"Well, these are the only books on the basics of potion making. If the answer isn't there, I don't know where you can find them."

"No, this won't work. Let me think."

'Ok, think brain. We have a potion- Cure for Boils. Pretty basic potion. So how can I improve it? Ingredients, that's how potions are made. A combination of different ingredients. So maybe something in the ingredients. Ok, start there.'

Getting up I walk to the potions sections and start taking out books on ingredients.

"You were whining about 4 books I brought, and now you take 9 yourself?"

"I know, I know, sorry."

"So, what are these books for? 'Type of snake fangs'- What are you reading?"

"Alright listen, I was trying to find an improved version of cure for boils potion in those earlier books."

"Yes, that's your assignment."

"Yes but, I thought that if I can't find a better recipe, then why not make one? And since potions are all just a combination of different ingredients, I just need to find the better ingredients to replace the original ones."

She just stares at me for a minute like I am some kind of lunatic and then replies-

"*sigh* You are crazy, you know that right."

"I do realize that, yes."

"And this idea of yours, to make a whole new potion recipe is even crazier."

"Yes, I realize that as well."

"Well, I never claimed to be sane either. Let us do this." Now that's a crazy smile all right.

"Sure le- wait, you are going to help?"

"And that is so strange because..."

"Well….. I…. guess I didn't expect you t help." This is a surprise.

"Eh, don't have anything better to do. And this seems fun. Finding our own potion recipe from scratch."

"Your definition of fun needs a bit of tweaking, but sure, let's make our own recipe."

'I guess I have made myself some nice friends here. Good job brain."

"So, where do we start?"

"Right, so here is the list of ingredients that are used in the potion. Try to find these ingredients in the book first, then we will go from there." I say handing her a parchment with ingredients written on it.

That part hardly took 20 min to complete.

"Well, that's done. Now what?"

"Now we see what each part is used for in the potion. And then we try to find its better substitute."

After 40 min, this was our list.

'Water- cause we need a medium to mix stuff.

Porcupine quills – to act as anti-bacterial.

Snake fangs – to cut into wounds.

Horned slug – for its healing properties.

Flobberworm mucus – to thicken the potion.'

"That took a while. Why do none of these books clearly mention its uses? Even this is just our best guess." She's right, this is frustrating.

"I know, I mean I thought that porcupine quills were for puncturing the wound and snake fang for healing stuff; but nope, apparently the quills were for their anti-bacterial property. And how does a slime heal?"

"I am starting to doubt this idea of a new recipe."

"Don't, this was the easy part. Now we gotta find better substitutes and looking at how 'easy' this was, I sure am excited."

"No need for the sarcasm. *sigh* We need a break. Let us go and eat something, it's already time for lunch."

'Already? I didn't even feel that. But now that she pointed it out, I am hungry.'

"Sure, we will pick back up from here after lunch."

*********************

"I need some sugar to think anymore." It just makes my brain work.

"I can go for some sweets."

As we sit down to eat and replenish our energy, Parvati approaches us.

"Where were you two the whole morning? You look tired."

"In the library." Came my reply.

"Of course, why did I even ask? But since when do you get so tired after reading?" She asks her sister.

"Well, when I have to flip through the same books dozens of times because the dumb authors can't write everything at once and clearly at that, it does tire me out."

"Calm down, I didn't write those books. And since you are so tired why not come with me, a couple of us are going to the lake."

"Hmmmmmmmmm that does sound nice" Wait, what?

I look at the traitor by my side.

"Sorry Ansh, but I am done. I can't help you anymore, and this was your homework anyway so me helping you is kind of cheating." The traitor says with a straight face.

"Sure, whatever helps you sleep at night. You traitor.''

She gets up and starts leaving with Parvati.

"When I publish my research, your name won't be in it. You hear me, traitor!" I yell behind them.