Practice Makes Perfect

Chase looked over the teas and picked out a fragrant Lavender and Lemon tea blend. "Oh, this is lovely." She looked at the box with a smile. "Thank you, Professor!" She grinned at him and handed over the box for him to use when the water was done brewing.

She giggled along with his description of Professor Wilson, but her cheeks were slightly red. She had never talked so candidly about a Professor before, especially not with another Professor! He suddenly changed his tone, and she quickly stood up to look at her cauldron. It was starting to emit a lovely pale gray steam, which was exactly what it should look like, though it wasn't a lot, and the turquoise color definitely wasn't as bright as she expected it to be. She stirred it a couple more times, and the color deepened even more, and she nodded, grinning at her cauldron.

The book hadn't mentioned anything about stirring again, but it definitely fixed the color issue she'd seen. Chase grinned at the professor and tilted her head as he talked about flying.

"Wait, you don't need your legs to fly, though." She corrected, trying to straighten her hair as the steam was causing every single strand to kink into crazy waves. "I mean, I can imagine landing might be somewhat difficult, but for the most part, you're up in the air!" She looked at him carefully, unsure why he'd say that. Though he quickly changed the subject back around to her, and she fumbled.

"Oh... Well, honestly, I'm hoping to get a position within the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. I know they do all sorts of amazing things, and I'd love to get into the Beasts Division and work on rehabilitation and relocation. Though honestly, I'd love to go anywhere; even if I ended up in the Centaur division, I wouldn't mind. Maybe I could actually help establish communication with them!" She grinned from ear to ear, happy to talk about things she loved. "I know you really need to learn Charms for stuff like that too, and I'm working on it... I just hope I don't end up in the division that's having to obliviate tons of people." She sighed and watched her potion for a moment before nodding at the timer. "Shouldn't be too much longer and this one will be all done!" She grinned.

''You're right about it being done'', he replied as he took the finished tea and handed her cup. ''This is a very delicate fragrance. It seems it suits you'', he said as he took a sip of his own tea and grinned. ''Ah, horrible, just as I like it. I actually don't like tea, but I drink it more than I should'', he remarked and shrugged as he observed her stirring. ''And yes, you're right... this is going quite well. See what you can do when you use your brain, and not that crappy accumulation of cellulose they call a book'', he added.

''I don't know how much you've been flying, but based on your testimony and your remarks... not much, I wager? Yes, you're up in the air most of the time, but the legs are vital for the proper balance. Sure, you can levitate with one leg and your arms, but if you actually want to fly, and remember - I was a Quidditch player - you need all your limbs. Plus, the position would become uncomfortable for my leg after a while. As I've said, I could fly... but since I can barely walk, I rather just Apparate around when I actually cannot limp to the place I want to go. But... and this is a rare moment of sentimentality you'll hear from me... flying can truly provide you with the most beautiful paintings that nature can paint'', he replied and winked. He really liked to fly back when he was younger and aside from all the daily practicalities, this is the thing he missed mostly.

''Ministry? Ah well, I suppose the animal lovers are one of the better departments you can get into? Not too many bureaucrats, because they're all a bit wacky, I suppose. You'd fit right in!'', he grinned, again, sincerely, although it probably looked like another grimace. ''I don't know how these people actually work, but potions can be useful in that aspect. Attracting animals, taming them, calming them down, healing them... a lot of that can be done with a little bottle, rather than a wand... and I suppose it is more humane, depending on what you plan on doing with them. But they're quite delicate to make and require a lot of work, because each potion has to fit the beast. Did you ever wonder why Poachers simply used spells? It's cheaper and easier, and they're mostly idiots! The Ministry blokes aren't necessarily idiots, but the government won't spend so much money on potions when they can just use a cheaper alternative'', he remarked. ''But, Moor, if you ever need any assistance with that part or if you want to actually learn how to do it, since we don't do these in class, they're too specific, you know where to find me.''

He also listened to her remark on Centaurs and Charms. ''Centaurs are tricky creatures. Highly intelligent, and that is what makes them so dangerous. I only had the pleasure of crossing paths with them once... pleasure for me, as it was just once... but I think Wilson met them while he was in Europe, so I suppose he could help you with that as well. But, a word of advice from a cripple... tea! Tea is a potion that can help even with a Centaur!'', he said and winked again. ''Who's teaching Charms now, anyway? I know Wilson, that idiot from Muggle Studies who stole my gaming console and I know McCoy's retiring... but who's teaching Charms?'', he asked.

Chase felt herself go slightly red when he admonished her about her knowledge of flying. "I suppose that's true... I really don't fly much. I mean, I can if I need to, but all that tricky stuff... I'd rather my feet be on the ground." She smiled at him and shook her head. "Maybe you could get a custom seat made that would help you fly again." She smiled hopefully, honestly just hoping to make him feel a little better about not being able to fly anymore.

His offer to help her learn more advanced potions for exactly what she wanted to do made her eyes light up. "Oh, would you! I've looked into a bunch of them, but a lot of them have ingredients that are super hard to find or even just take the time I really wish I had... Even if you just had a good book with actual recipes in them. I swear half the potions I find are super vague and don't even have things like measurements or instructions." She glowered, and it was obvious she'd spent a fair amount of time looking into this as well.

She nodded and then giggled at what he was talking about. "The Centaur Department is where people joke you get sent to be fired my parents said. Cause the division has never actually done anything with the centaurs... you get sent there, and it's basically a dead end and nowhere to go... but even if that was the case, I think I'd try." She looked thoughtful and nodded. "It's not a place I would WANT to end up since I do better with Beasts than Beings that pretend their Beasts... but it would be neat to try." She smiled happily.

"Oh, Professor (name) teaches Charms. I had to do an extra essay from them every now and then because I told them to want I wanted to do when I graduated... well, that and doing my career counseling... I need to do pretty decently in Charms, and I am trying." She sighed heavily and sat down next to her cauldron, sipping at her tea.

He laughed wholeheartedly and quite loudly when she suggested that he should get a custom seat for his broom. It wasn't because she said anything wrong, he just remembered Alastor Moody and his custom-made broom, which always made him laugh. Moody looked like an old, fat woman on a flying stick and while he did not expect to end up in a similar situation like him - disability-wise - he swore back then that he would never resort to such a silly modification, no matter what happened. And he would not. ''A custom broom? So that I look like Moddy flying on a stick? Don't be silly!'', he finally remarked, and then remembered that she had probably never heard of Moody. ''You probably don't know who Moody is, am I right?'', he inquired.

''I pride myself in the fact that there is probably not a potion that I cannot or could not brew. I have learned from the best and I think that I have been taught all the necessities to make anything you need'', he commented briefly, before continuing, ''even if it is something unrelated to my usual work. There aren't many beast-specific potions, but a lot of potions require delicate tweaking to be effective on beasts, and it requires a vast array of knowledge to do it. The ingredients are, indeed, very hard to come by, but I think I might have some'', and he stopped there, winking significantly, ''somewhere in my office or my store. But don't tell that to anyone, some of that stuff's illegal and I don't want the Ministry bothering me about it. Again.'' He sighed and took another sip of his tea. ''Is there any potion that interests you particularly?'', he asked. ''I might also have a book on the subject, but it's not in English I think...'', he remembered, saying this to Chase, but it seemed as if he were talking to himself, although he actually wasn't.

''I honestly have no clue what they do in the Ministry, nor do I care that much, but your description sounds about right, as they rarely do anything, regardless of the circumstances. I admire your idealism, Moor, but don't ever lose sight of the fact that the Ministry of Magic has constantly been killing any trace of idealism within their ranks with impressive vigour. I even think there's a rule forbidding idealism there. I don't image any other way how some people could work there their whole lives'', he replied. ''But it's admirable that you want things to change. You're young, you haven't seen most of the crap we have, and I hope you won't have to, really. We're still alive and kicking, so we'll do our best to allow you to waste your life as a Ministry official, Moor, don't you worry about that'', he added and nudged her a bit with his cane in a comical manner.

''Oh, right. Because Charms is the ideal subject for essays... I once heard of a wizard who wrote such a great essay about levitating charms that people simply started to fly around him at random because his essay was so good'', he commented, rolling his eyes. ''I hate that, really. We're supposed to be teaching you something here, not write bloody essays and stories! There's Binns for that, for crying out loud!'', he exclaimed. ''Moor, if you and I were to go outside and if I were to blow the wooden bridge up, would you know how to repair it?'', he inquired.

Chase watched him laugh and felt her cheeks go red. She hadn't thought the suggestion was that funny, but apparently, he felt so. She tilted her head to the side when he said a name, though, and then asked if she knew who that was. "Uh.. no... sorry, Professor. Is he a friend of yours?" She smiled politely, still confused about what this person had to do with why he'd laughed at the idea of using a custom seat.

Chase was actually extremely excited at the prospect of learning more specialized potions for helping creatures. She instantly thought of all the great things she could do with the information, and being able to show it off when looking for a job could really get her into a great department! She grinned happily, and then her eyes widened as he talked about some of the ingredients he had. "I didn't even realize some of them were illegal." She thought about it for a long moment before shrugging anyway. "Well, there are always Dragon Tonics I could learn to make or turn a calming draught into something that can be thrown." She thought about it again and nodded. "Do you have suggestions?"

She was confused by Professor Doyle's thoughts on the Ministry. "Isn't that what they do, though? Help people? I mean.. they have resources and sway! They can help create laws to protect... sure sometimes they aren't.. amazing.. but that's why getting involved is important!" She looked at him happily but could feel her smile slipping at his words. Idealistic? Wasting her life as a Ministry Official? She felt anxiety bubble up in her stomach at the thought that maybe her ambition was misplaced... She'd have to think on this later a lot more... cause this was certainly not something she'd ever thought about before. She'd lived her entire life up to that point focusing on this goal and to see someone so... dour about it. She frowned and turned back to her potion to keep an eye on its progress.

However, he asked her a question, and she turned back to him, nodding. "Yea... I don't know when I'll ever use half the information I've had to look up for these essays. Not that I really remember what I wrote right after I finished it." She rolled her eyes. "I don't know why you'd want to blow up the bridge, but I guess Repairo would work well enough to fix it." She sighed. Repairo was one thing she actually used regularly, Chase could be quite clumsy when she wasn't paying attention, and she'd had to fix more than her fair share of broken cups, suits of armor, and handrails. She smiled at Professor Doye again. The potion was nearly done and she was just waiting to turn off the heat and add the flobberworm mucus to finish it off. She went over to her supplies and grabbed the vial, watching her timer as the potion's steam increased.

The term "friend" made him laugh more than the present tense, but seeing how she was confused the first time he laughed, he only chuckled mischievously and controlled his laughter this time. "Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody is not my friend, my dear. He is, in fact, dead. Has been for a while now. But I don't think I would have referred to him as a friend back then, no... but he was a worthy and loyal ally. He even taught here for a while... or was supposed to, I don't remember all the details... Wilson's subject... and he was one of the best Aurors that the Ministry ever had'', he explained. The last war he had participated in would have definitely been much easier with Moody on their side, but that was a discussion best left unopened. At least at this moment.

''Well, they're not necessarily illegal... I mean, the potions aren't, really, but some of the ingredients are. It is ironic that you can actually possess a potion, but not the ingredient. So I'd have to go to a licensed store to buy them and have a valid reason to do so... yeah, right'', he flicked his palm as a sign of disgust. ''So yes... as far as you're concerned, I have nothing and you've heard nothing. But, as for the potions... Dragon Tonics are boooooooooring... but I suppose it would be a challenge for you, so I can teach you that, if you'd like. It's a good start, I suppose... before we move on to the more... frisky stuff'', he winked at her in a whimsical manner.

''The Ministry? Helping people?'', he asked with a bewildered expression and then grinned. ''Well, I do suppose they do. Up to a certain degree. I am very sad to have to break your bubble, Moor, but as someone who's had more than his fair share of business with them, I can tell you that they're a bunch of bureaucratic snobs! Well, most of them, at least. The goblins at Gringotts seem like a talkative bunch compared to some of these idiots that I've met'', he explained, but seeing how his sincerity affected the girl, he paused for a moment. It might have been the truth, but he was her professor and despite his nature, he did not want to demoralise her. ''Look, kid, you're bright. A bit clumsy, but you're bright and you're sincere. You're an idealist, and you want to do good. And I really admire that. Don't ever lose that'', he continued, ''but you have to know that... working for the Ministry is a difficult endeavour for idealists. You can fight them off, and you can do good, but whence you'd expect your colleagues to help you and support you while the beasts give you trouble... sometimes, the beasts will be less trouble than the people working in the same overcrowded and overstuffed they'll put you in. And you have to be ready for that. But if you're true to your idealism, I suppose you'll be able to fight them as well.'' He then took his cane and hit her on the back. ''Lighten up, Moor, you'll have the time to frown at the Ministry'', he added.

He listened to her and then grinned. ''Well, aren't you a bright little bulb of light'', he said mischievously. ''It does seem that you'd make a fine essayist one day'', he added. ''Good grief, Moor, I did not ask you whether you knew the spell!'', he then exclaimed. ''Every idiot and their fat aunt knows that you use Reparo to fix something. I was asking you whether you'd be able to fix it?!'', he asked and looked at her, spreading his arms.