_________________
☑ , +3 Bevans, Nicholas
Caldara, Marco
☑ Flickwick, Sophie
_________________
Bell, Verity
Ji-Hyun, Jeun
Gallagher, Micah
Hughes, Elysia
Sellaphix, Figaro
Trumble, Zel
_________________
☑ Amherst, Lenora
☑ Canterbury, Polly Esther
Carstairs, Alexandra
Harris, Chloe
☑ ,+3 Nettlebottom, Macaulay
☑ , -5 Piselli, Maurizia
☑ ,+3 Schlagenweit, Sasha
☑ Wentworth, Peyton
_________________
Amherst, Eli
☑Bulstrode, Cadance
Carstairs, Virgil
Chance, Asher
☑ ,+5 Dimbleby, Jordyn
☑ Roh-Ballentyne, Waverly
☑ Slant, Gracie
☑ Tawse, Xavier
☑ ,+5 Whitman, Theo
Woolfolk, Neely

Caesar Selwyn was holding his first NEWT class of the semester. The day had, thus far, gone smoothly. He'd had fourth years first, followed by the third years- those had gone well enough, after they had realized he was a no-nonsense man with very little patience for tomfoolery. The blackboard had the word "Potions" scrawled across it in large letters. Beneath that he had written his name- Professor Caesar Selwyn- and beneath that a bullet point list.

• Take your seats and remain quiet.
• You will work in partners. I reserve the right to separate partners who misbehave and are not productive.
• Do not speak while I am speaking.
• Wait to be called upon to ask or answer a question.
• All conversation during class should be related to class. Idle chit-chat and gossip while performing classroom related tasks is prohibited.

Professor Selwyn stood at the front of the room, hands folded behind his back. A pureblood wizard, ever traditional, he wore an old fashioned tailcoat in a dark emerald green- in homage to his former house. High waisted, tan colored pants and knee-high boots were paired with his coat. He had dragonhide gloves resting on his desk- dark brown, made from the hide of a norwegian ridgeback. He had various pairs of dragonhide gloves- varying breeds for the varying colors to match his clothing. His gray hair was carefully parted to one side and slicked down, his face clean shaven, and everything about his appearance was perfectly groomed.

He watched as students slowly filtered into the dungeon, settling in at the two-person tables that were arranged in neat rows in the room. "No talking," he sternly informed one of the students who had immediately begun to chatter upon getting settled in their seat. He pointed his wand toward the blackboard where directions had been written.

When it was time for class to begin, he flicked his wand and the door to the potions dungeon slammed shut and locked itself. "Good afternoon, students." He gave them all an appraising look- noticing more than one had a uniform that was less than tidy. He would remind them of the dress code before they exited his dungeon. "My name is Professor Selwyn. I will be your new potions instructor. You should know that I do not tolerate students off-task and nonsense and tomfoolery is strictly prohibited in the potions dungeon- it is dangerous, and should you injure yourself via your own stupidity, I will be disinclined to come to your aid straight away."

"You are all on your way to being adults- if you are not already of legal age- and I expect you to behave as such. Misbehavior, speaking out of turn, and not paying attention will lose house points. The door to the classroom will be locked at precisely three o'clock- and after today, tardiness will not be tolerated and you will not be allowed late-entry. It is your responsibility to be on time and prepared to be prepared for class. If you come to class unprepared- without necessary texts or equipment- you will be asked to leave."

Caesar intended to make a lasting impression from the very beginning. He would not be pushed around by his students. "This year will be your final year at Hogwarts- and it is my duty to prepare you for your NEWTs at the end of the year. You are all expected to work hard, to complete assignments and turn them in on time- no late work is accepted. Finally, you are expected to put forth genuine effort in and out of class to be prepared. Getting behind will be detrimental to your final grades. Be forewarned- leniency is not in my vocabulary."

---

1) I opened the applications of the 7th years to put together this roster. To be removed or added, please send me a PM. Feel free to post even if you aren't on the list.
2) Points will be awarded for attendance & participation. Points will be deducted for misbehavior or speaking out of turn. (If you have multiple characters in this class, feel free to use one account to write them all if it is easier for you.)
3) Caesar is written to be prejudiced. He is a purist. And he plays favorites with Slytherins. Points for attendance will not reflect this- but points awarded for class participation (as in answering questions, etc.) will. Please do not take this personally. But feel free to groan or complain about it in character.
4) If you have any further questions/concerns, please PM me.

It was always a bit of a scramble between classes; there was such a short period of time between classes and the castle was annoyingly spread out.  Especially on Tuesdays, when one had to find a way to get from the Divination Tower to Muggle Studies on the first floor in only a handful of minutes.  Being able to apparate within the castle could be immensely useful.  But, Sasha couldn't apparate so it was a moot point in more than one way.

Thankfully, the dash between History of Magic on the First Floor and the Potions dungeon was a short one and Sasha was able to reach the classroom with plenty of time to find his usual approximate seat (front row and, in the absence of windows, just off side of center) and get settled.  Cauldron, basic herb kit, knife and a scroll of parchment and quill for notes were arranged carefully on the desk.  His bag and the rest of his books were stowed away and his clothes and hair given a quick, tidying once-over before settling in his seat. 

Though Professors came and went, their year's class dynamics had been consistent for a long seven years.  Gone were the days of uncertainty when sitting with a random stranger was a social and academic gamble.  Partnering up had long lost the mystery of whether your partner would be an asset or a liability.  Now it was the usual horribly awkward social exercise of seeing who was still willing to voluntarily be his partner and hoping there were still enough assets lingering in that group. 

With a flick of his wand, their new Professor Selwyn started that class.  He was certainly no Professor Gunnar, Sasha thought as their new professor laid down the law.  It seemed unlikely bananas would feature prominently in any class lectures or discussions.  Which, Sasha was okay with.  Unlike many of his classmates, he preferred the consistency and clear expectations of more strict professors over the wishy washy likes of their last Muggle Studies professor.  Professor Santucci's lack of rules and downplaying homework had just confused him. 

So far, at first impressions, it seemed this class wouldn't be that bad.  A lot of work, yes.  But, straightforward.

It was unfortunate but it was true: even some of Zia's most revered professors distinctly underestimated her. There had been a variety of professors Zia had met throughout the years, and they all seemed to either love her or hate her. This polarization was nearly imperceptible until Zia decided to transfigure her hair a bright shade of magenta. Evidently having pink hair and a bubbly personality warped people's perceptions of you. Zia had a secret intelligence, though, and a passion for learning and proving herself.

She spent most of her time throughout the years studying and being a general goody-goody, but after this summer she felt like she had grown up so much. It wasn't just because she turned seventeen, but she was having difficulty adjusting back to life at Hogwarts. Zia's patience seemed to be wearing thin- she was ready to be an adult, to get out into the world and start doing things. To make her place. Her uniform suddenly felt itchy and too small, so beneath her Ravenclaw cloak she wore whatever she wanted, because she was seventeen and what was the point of a uniform anyway? She was an individual!

This year there was yet another new Potions professor, so Zia arrived in a timely manner. Of course the only person to beat her there was Sasha-- she admired his dedication to academics. "Hey Sash! Did you have any of the pumpkin muffins at -" No talking." Zia snapped her mouth shut and turned to the professor, her eyes wide with shock and confusion. Her face was the same color as her hair.

"Sorry I-" She covered her mouth. Did that count as talking? She shuffled her way to a seat a few away from Sasha, so she didn't indict him. As quietly as she could, Zia pulled out her notebook and writing utensils and put them on the table. She didn't know what to do with herself so she pulled out a book and started reading until class started. The last thing she wanted to do right now was make eye contact with the professor.

The professor started talking and Zia listened intently. Making a bad first impression was probably Zia's biggest trigger of anxiety. Yes, Professor Selwyn was intimidating.... really intimidating, with the most piercing blue stare she had ever experienced. But still- at least she wouldn't have the ability to let her mind wander in this class.... especially since her ex happened to be in it.

Waverly had filed in slowly behind Mac, she was trying not to obviously stare at his bottom - not out of interest but because she couldn't decide if he knew someone had stuck a piece of paper to it reading Top Choice on it. Of course she couldn't really judge because he was wearing traditional robes over it, and thus she would reserve opinion for later. Besides mucking about in Selwyn's class could only end in humiliating detention.

She had met him before, briefly, but long enough to find him to be a pompous ass. It was only natural, really, because Althea sort of ran in the same professional circles. She at least knew enough that he was one of those...we must protect our Wizarding Heritage types, the ones who wouldn't call themselves Purists (because one just didn't in polite society) but obviously were. When one came from a mixed background of "questionable lineage" (she'd heard that at one point in her third year from one of the snobby 7th year Monarchy girls) coupled with the fact she had two mothers... she was probably not going to be on his short list of favorites.

Passing by Sophie as she slipped into the second row Waverly scanned the room for Lenora, dropping her bag on the bench, saving the Ravenclaw a seat. Roh liked working with her, they'd done well as partners the year before. The thing about new professors, even if they were probably total up themselves wankers, was that kind of ego rarely occurred without some sort of basis, so actually Selwyn might prove to be the best Potions Master they'd had yet. He certainly couldn't be any worse than some of them!

Cadance strode into the Potions Dungeon with her head held high. As desperate as she was to escape her life she was ready to revel in her final year of Hogwarts and hoped it didn't pass by too quickly. At the end would come her Wedding and subsequent marriage if she didn't manage to run away in time. She was happy to see that they had a new Professor and not have to deal with another year of Di Luca. Honestly the woman was horrible and she actually had the gall to give Cadance an E at the end of the year, an E! She had never gotten less than an O in Potions before.

She gave a modest smile to the older Professor trying to place him. She knew him, she was sure of that but whether it had been from something her parents had organized, something her Grandfather had dragged her to or even her own 'Coming Out' Party when she had turned Seventeen over the summer, she was unsure. What she did know was that Selwyn was a purist and he had been a Slytherin which certainly put Cadance in a much better position than she had been the previous year.

She straightened her skirt and sat at a currently unoccupied desk awaiting the start of class and the arrival of her usual escort - her cousin, her brother and her Betrothed.

Xavier was not far behind his cousin as he entered the Potions Dungeons, while he didn't recognize the man the way Cadance had he was equally glad to see his stern face over the death glare that was all too common coming from Professor Di Luca. He could almost hear Cadance's grin. Neither of them had gotten the grades they had expected at the end of the year and he had heard about it practically all summer. He wasn't as keen on keeping up his straight O performance, it had slipped some in most subjects over the past year but it wasn't going to be an excuse to slip either.

He past Piselli with an almost sneer before taking a seat in front of her. He didn't really have anything against the brightly coloured Ravenclaw but she had been dating Fig and now she wasn't which meant that Xav had to be upset with her, at least until Fig said it was cool.

He listened intently to the new Professor wondering who would be the first student kicked out of class. It was likely to be Fig but he was hoping one of the Huffles would bite the dust first. He almost caught himself looking around for Dues to suggest placing bets on it.

Peyton hung back just a few steps so as not to arrive at the same moment as his half brother and cousin. He took a wide berth of both as he entered the classroom and sat down with Zia. He had contemplated sitting with Sasha but didn't want to hinder him if things got bad. He figured Zia would be a little more sympathetic when it came to partnering up. He wasn't horrible at potions but he definitely wasn't the top of the class either.

He had grown another inch or two over the summer, leaving his robes a little short. He hoped the strict new Professor didn't notice. He had ordered new ones but they hadn't arrived yet. He had spent almost his entire summer interning at a wireless station in Diagon and had lived with his cousin Berkeley the whole time, which had given him interesting insight into the larger Wentworth pureblood line and just how many cousins he currently had at Hogwarts, none of which knew he was related to them.

He seemed a little nervous as the Professor spoke. He didn't want to be kicked out of class and he couldn't afford to let his grades dip this year. He needed them to be at least on par to keep his Captaincy of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team. The last thing he wanted in his final year was the screw that up.

Lenora loved potions. She had for a very long time. It was potions that helped her get things just right when it came to mixing her own paints. Because she enjoyed the class so much- and had a natural aptitude for it- he was rarely late. She filed in with a throng of other students- pausing when she saw the new professor. Always new professors.

Waverly waved her over, and Lenora sat down next to her, setting out her various materials. She could tell from looking at the new professor- Selwyn according to the board- that he was going to be a hard ass. Not that she particularly minded, but she wished- for once- they had a fun potions teacher instead of one who could murder you with a well placed glare. Like the one he gave to Zia when he told her no talking.

She had to stifle a snort whenever he used the word tomfoolery. Who even said that? She gave Waverly an amused look and eyebrow waggle before putting on her best face for the new professor. No late admissions. Ever. Damn. Strict wasn't evne the word for this guy. No leniency. Damn. She had a feeling her brother was screwed- and half of the class besides.

The first student to enter was a Ravenclaw boy- who settled himself in the front row. Overachiever, Professor Selwyn noted in his mind. They always sat in the front. And the troublemakers always sat in the back of the room. He'd learned this after doing some slight research on the ins and outs of teaching before taking his position as the professor at the start of the school year.

The Ravenclaw he had silenced started to apologize- then covered her mouth. He pointed a finger at her again as he got a better look at her clothing. "There is a reason that we have a school uniform and dress code," he told her. "To cover as much flesh as possible in a class where a splashing potion could be detrimental is among them. Should you enter my classroom again, with such blatant disregard to the requirements of school uniform, you will be ejected from my class. As a seventh year I expect you are more than familiar with uniform requirements. Five points from Ravenclaw for your extreme infraction."

The Slytherins seemed to pile in one on top of the other. He recognized Cadance Bulstrode and gave her the closest thing to a smile a man like him could manage. He was familiar with her family. She was a pretty little thing. It was a shame her hand was promised to someone else or he would have her for one of his own sons. He did not recognize the other two.

Everyone else seemed to have the appropriate behavior and appearance so he pressed on. "Today we will be brewing a basic potion- one which should prove easy for students of your year. I learned to brew it in my fifth year at Hogwarts and as such it should prove a simple task for a NEWT level student." Of course, he had been advanced at potions. He was going to use the potion to gauge the capability of his students. It should be on par with their average brewing capabilities at the start of their seventh year.

"Our potion will include bicorn horn and mandrake root. Can anyone tell me what potions might use both of these ingredients?" Mandrake roots and bicorn horns were used in a various number of potions- but combined together had a more limited use.[1]

1.	Raise your hand to be called upon. You can say that the professor called on you to answer the question/speak. If you want to write speaking out of turn- feel free. Just remember he will deduct points!

To Theo’s regret, Lucrezia Di Luca had, like so many others, come and gone. She had been severe, yes, sparing in praise when others would have been generous, and despite the numerous conversations they had of a scientific nature, Theo always had the feeling she didn’t quite understand him—but it was that very same severity that pushed Theo to address his miscalculations, to aspire for more than simple perfection. To be better. And that would always be worth more than needless praise…

But he was nothing if not adaptive—and curious, for that matter. As Zia was censured for her attire, the Slytherin straightened from his idle slouch, curiosity piqued by their latest Potions professor’s stern manner. Selwyn. An old name, to be sure—and in Caesar’s case, one quite respected in the field.

As an aspiring potioneer himself, Theo was particularly intrigued by Caesar’s work in potion refinement and innovation. To be taught by him… It was not an opportunity he was keen to squander. The Head Boy raised his hand. “The Pepper Up potion, sir,” he replied, lowering it once called upon. “The mandrake root–” a popular ingredient in many healing draughts, “sets the foundation for much of its curative quality. The bicorn horn serves as both binding agent and amplifier.”

The new potions professor looked like something out of one of the novels that her mother would read while sitting in the garden with an “adult” beverage in the summer.  So, listening to him speak, it wasn’t like she was surprised by the things he was saying: don’t talk, be prepared… it was all the things she expected their NEWTs classes to be.  Though, she was fairly sure the whole ‘leniency is not in my vocabulary’ bit was somewhat unnecessary. 

She knew she recognized his name; he either had sons or nephews – relatives - in school.  Unlike some of her classmates she was fairly sure, she didn’t really know anything else about him except for that he was presumably very skilled in his discipline.  Jordyn could almost learn from anyone – she was eager to please and do her work, she wanted to excel, it wasn’t about whether she liked a professor or not (except maybe in Kesali’s case). 

Sitting at her normal seat: center of the room, a couple of rows back, she watched as the professor berated Zia for her choice in clothing.  Jordyn had warned her several times about her disregard for the rules, she’d even taken points when she was a prefect.  It was more strange seeing a professor do it and the five point loss made even Jordyn suck in her breath just a little bit. 

She’d be happy just to get to brewing.  She was going to raise her hand, but it seemed Whitman beat her to the punch.  Pepper Up was a standard healing potion, she’d brewed it over the summer countless times (or at least assisted in brewing it).  Whitman was correct, by all accounts, which hwasn’t strange, considering his proclivity toward the subject and Jordyn glanced at the professor, finally deciding to raise her hand to add something to Theo’s point. 

When she was indicated to speak, Jordyn lowered her hand and sat up taller.  “A cure to the common cold, Pepper Up can also be used on general lethargy or exhaustion.  Side effects include steam from the ears.” 

With barely concealed dismay – the groan threatening to rip out of her throat practically written all over her face – Gracie stared at the board, hunched over the table and hands fisted in her hair.

Another one. The thought resounded in the very depths of her soul. Another one. Gracie winced at the coldness in Caesar’s tone. The waistcoat wasn’t a good sign either; only the very traditional ones dressed like that, and if the color meant anything at all the man was probably a Slytherin alum. Together, those things never meant well for anyone who wasn’t of the purebloody Slytherin stereotype.

And speaking of those–

As Theo spoke up, Gracie silently scrubbed a hand over her face and sighed. Dark Ages, take two…

If anything, Ligeia was slightly unfocused in the middle of reminiscing while sitting in class. Caesar Selwyn's reputation proceeded him, he was a Selwyn after all. The level of society he came from was one familiar to the Canterbury's, even if not all of them were as pure as the sacred 28.

What she was currently wondering about would be how to approach the  new potions professor on laboratory space for extra credit projects. Since she had become a NEWT student it was a study Ligeia had arranged for herself with the past instructors, often a continuation from an experiment she had brewing over the summer.

The temptation to argue back with the professor about the lost house points was almost overwhelming, but Zia was too embarrassed to risk any more house points explaining to the professor that a skirt was hardly more protection than the pants she was wearing. Technically she was breaking the rules by skipping out on her uniform. It just felt like one of those stupid rules she shouldn't have to follow anymore now that she was in her seventh and final year.

She was happy that it was Peyton sitting next to her and not someone more judgmental. With the new professor already singling her out, the last thing she needed was someone who would be breathing down her neck telling her everything she did wrong. Zia was determined to replace the poor impression she had made, and excellence in the classroom was the way to do it. Zia was good at Potions; Charms was her best subject, followed by Transfiguration -- but Potions was a close third.

The professor hinted that they'd be making a Pepper-Up potion, which Jordyn Dimbleby (of course) confirmed. Zia tried her best not to show her relief. It wasn't that this was an easy task, but she had seen her mother making Pepper Up Potions for essentially her entire life. Zia's mother was a healer and on top of that she was a mother of over a dozen children-- Pepper Up potion was a must-know.

Professor Selwyn smiled at Theo Whitman when he provided the correct answer. Whitman was a good name, good family. Oscar Whitman was on the Wizengamot- staunch purist, good fellow. "Correct, Mr. Whitman! Five points to Slytherin. Excellent, excellent!"

He called on on another Slytherin- head girl. He was pleased to see both Head Girl and Head Boy were Slytherins. "Yes, Miss Dimbleby. You are correct. Another five points to Slytherin."

"Pepper Up potion is one of the more useful of simple potions. It does cure the common cold, relieve its symptoms, and as Miss Dimbleby pointed out it can also help relieve exhaustion. Pepper Up potion is also helpful to relieve sinus pressure and relieve symptoms of seasonal allergies."

Selwyn flicked his wand at the chalk board which cleared of earlier instructions. A piece of chalk levitated and began to write on the board. Ingredients: And below that the chalk scrawled out: Mandrake Root, Bicorn Horn. "These are two of the main ingredients of our potion. Can anyone else name some of the other ingredients found in Pepper Up potion?"[1]

1.	Feel free to make this up. The wikis only have those two listed. Be creative! Have fun! Raise your hand, assume to be called on.