"Guess is for the same reason as the Shrinking Solution: it does make things shrink. Shrivelfig because of the Key ingredient, again, in both potion works to make the structure smaller, and the daisy roots who we know to stop grownth.... oh, that reminds me:
"Caterpillars, for it intention to change might be used as well, seeing this potion also works with transforming the structure, transfigurating into something different, and such, though not by "growing" exactly, like in the other potion...."

Terry is surprised that so many of the ingredients found in the Shrinking Solution would also be used in the Shrinking Potion as well. "Since most of the ingredients mentioned already were also used in the Shrinking Solution, you must also use leech juice because it will help to draw the size out of the item being shrunk. I guess you don't need to use a rat's spleen since it is used to filter out the poisonous parts of the daisy root. Do you prehaps use the rat's heart instead so you continue to have an organ associated with blood? I ask this because most ancient potions used blood as their base ingredient."

Serena raised her hand, "The skinned shrivelfig is the key ingredient in the shrinking solution that causes the shrinking to occur."

Jan raises her hand and asks, "How about nettle, Professor? Nettle is important in potions that shrink and cure boils; could it be an ingredient in a shrinking potion as well?"

"Professor, you didn't tell if the catepillar was indeed part of the Shrinking Potion as well," Nadia told raising her hand. "Should we think it doesn't?

"Up to now we have shrivelfig, daisy roots and, ah, leech juice, all used in both shrinking potions and solution. If the caterpillar was used then that would make the 4th ingredient in common..."

*ponders* "I know this might not act like ingredient exactly... but Water in this potion could be particularly useful because of its particularity to make things shrink in size: with clothes, it turns them smaller; with hard material like stones, it shrinks them because of erocionates(sp?) it and wears it off; with living things, it makes them shrink in cold. Guess we could think of cold-water especially, or ice, which does respond this description as well (erocionating + shrink clothes)."

"If that doesn't count as ingredient, my last guess is something of an elastic nature, to allow, without breaking the structure, the expansion of the material."

::Ganymede.tries.to.think.of.something.."Professor ,What.about.something.
rubbery?.Or.a.gum.of.some.sort?".:jump: I.ask.trying.very.hard.to.figure.it.out.::

(Jessie whispers to Nadia)
I wonder if we'll have to shrink rats with this potion, too. It would be much more satisfying to shrink Gryffindors...

(Jessie smiles, copies down the notes, then raises her hand.)

Professor, I understand the the shrivelfig must be skinned (we learned this in the last lesson) but I'm curious as to why. How does the skin of a shrivelfig tamper with the potion?

Nadia chuckled. Ah, if she knew how many people just agreed with that idea.... Mind, Nadia particularly would like to shrink some big heads into normal size, personal taste. Though the Hufflepuff weren't exactly the last option. ("I always thought badgers were another kind of rats if you ask me," Nadia whispering back and winked at Jessie, coughing to desguise the comment.) True, Nadia wouldn't, it would be too much work to design a plan which would only get her in troubles. Plus, knowing theses people, she wouldn't need to move a finger; they would do it perfectly alone on their own, but she was always up for a bit of teasing. Jess was one straightforward Slytherin while Nadia liked the more, err, indirect approach when she could manage.

Waking herself back to topic, Nadia jolted some notes and tried remembreing everything being said. She figured she had alrady spoken too much so she would do good to allow other people to collaborate... though she still had ideas to express.

Lyra over hears Jessies comment to Nadia and looks at Jessie and quietly says "Go ahead and try it if you dare." then returns to taking notes.

"Professor, what about eucalyptus leaves or another plant from the Gum tree family for elasticity?"

Jessie smiles at Nadia knowingly, and sticks her green-coloured quill behind her ear.

This is an interesting lesson indeed... I love Potions Class. :)

:kelli raises her hand:

Professor, doesn't the skin react unpredictably to other ingredients? So you cannot be sure what will happen if the skin comes into contact with other ingredients of the potion.

Sangeetha, was writing notes furiously. She was writing so fast, that her wrist ached. She had also blushed, embarrassed that the Professor had called her "Sangeethlee". But after giving it an afterthought, she chuckled. It was rather funny, and her name was rather long. She didnt blame her. A question pooped up into her mind and she raised her hand:

'Professor, why arent we using rat spleen in our potion?'

Terry overhears Nadia and JessieHearts comments. Nadia is one smart cookie. She knows better than to mess with the Hufflepuffs. Mind you I'd enjoy seeing some Gryffindors reduced to their proper size. I've aready had a run in with one of them, and they are entirely too hot headed for their own good.


"Professor, there are generally two reasons why you peel something. One, you cannot eat the peeling; and two, leaving the peeling on will interfere with the effectiveness of the ingredient you are using in the potion. I believe we peel the shrivelfig because the potion need the ingredients contained in the interior of the fig. By the way you haven't told us the second ingredient. Could it be ginger root or aloe?" Terry asks.

"You are both absolutely correct. 2 points each to Hufflepuff and Gryffindor. Many potions were devised many many years ago and we aren't exactly certain why they did things they way they did them but, we still brew the potions the same today. However, in this particular case, Mrs. Weasley is right to assume that the reason we skin the shrivelfig is because we are using the inside of the shrivelfig for this potion and the skin is completely unnecessary and, even harmful. So, be sure to skin your fig completely."

"Ah... Excelllent question which I believe Mrs Weasley commented on before which I didn't acknowledge. We used the spleen in our last potion because of its filtering properties. Since this potion is not ingested, we do not need to bother with this ingredient."

"Ah yes," Professor Airlia shook her head; she really needed to focus on teaching her classes instead of allowing her mind to wander to other matters... "I'm terribly sorry about that. Yes, Mrs. Weasley, I did forget to mention that we would be using ginger root. Because this potion is not ingested, it does need a bit of a power boost."

Professor Airlia floated back behind her desk and wished she were alive so she could have the excuse of needing to run to the washroom in order to gather herself together. She flickered slightly and shook her head again before turning back to the class, attempting to mask her sudden bout of weakness. "Alright, now I believe we've discussed all the ingredients. Now for a question I had thought you would ask of me but, since no one has brought it up, I'll ask it of you: Since this potion works by contact only and will effect non-living objects, why doesn't the cauldron or ladle or vial shrink when you are brewing and storing the potion?"

Serena raised her hand, "Well, since the cauldrons are made for preparing potions, and the vials are for containing or storing potions, they would need to have 'anti-magic' spells or potions used to keep them from being affected."

(Jessie nods in agreement with Serenasnape)

Yes, I always thought that cauldrons were magically fortified. Unless you buy a rather cheap one, your cauldron should stand up to the task of regular poions. Of course, if you start brewing up a potion of your own concotion, or completely mess up a contemporary one, your cauldron will probably melt.

Serena began to get her cauldron and her ingredients ready and then waited for Hubert to finish with the instructions.

Lyra began preparing her daisy roots, catepillar, and shrivel fig. With the way people have been acting lately, she decides it's best if she keeps an eye on Jessie and Nadia, just in case. Lyra thinks 'I hope they don't try anything but if they do, I have to protect my housemates'

"That mean," Nadia pondered outloud, "if this potion was to be boosted-up the cauldron might not to able to repell its magic and would finally shrink, probably."

She chuckled, thinking this could probably waste some people's efforts.

Nadia finished taking notes, sounding like this:

Ingredients:
[*] chopped daisy roots --> stunt growth
[*] skinned shrivelfig --> key ingredient, using the inner part
[*] sliced caterpillar --> tranform/transmogrification
[*] nettle (how?) --> to shrink and cure boils
[*] ginger root --> power boost
[*] leech juice --> extract volume

NOTE: Powered Cauldron

Nadia started chopping the daisy roots, in even, square-like pieces, which took her a minute, and then set it aside. Prepparing the cauldron, Nadia set it over her magically appeared cauldron, but put the fire down almost immediately put it off. She still didn't know how much water would she need, she needed asking the professor but... by the look of it, Proefssor Airlia wasn't looking too cheerful. Nadia decided to leave her to her thoughts while she started with the caterpillar instead, to her horror. It took a couple of minutes. Once done she started with the shivelfig, again with her potatoe skinner.