April 14th, 1888 — Potioneers' Guild, London

As Assistant Head of the Department of International Magical Co-Operation, Charles really didn't see why this job had to fall to him. Why couldn't those slackers in the Games and Sports department do some work for once? Wasn't this basically their area? Regardless of his misgivings, he was at the Potioneer's Guild to oversee some of the competitors and that was that. It also happened to be a good excuse not to spend Saturday with his daughter.

"The first potion you will brew today is a Wit-Sharpening potion. Inform me when you have completed your potion and do try not to have any accidents." He really meant it, he desperately did not want to deal with a potion upset, but he said this with a jovial grin that a very observant individual might notice didn't quite reach his eyes. "You may begin."

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Rebecca Grey Philip Aymslowe @'Mireille Lecuyer' Elladora Black
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Philip had thought it would be great fun to join in on the Potions Competition. He wasn't an especially competitive sort but he did enjoy doing anything that resembled cooking in any small manner. Once they were bid to begin, he did so. Once he was finished, he signaled this fact and awaited judgment.

  

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— set by MJ —

At Hogwarts, these competitions had always come easily to Becky—but Hogwarts was more than a year ago, now, and Becky considered herself very much an underdog when facing off with individuals with far more life experience than she. It was for that reason that she had decidedly shied away from the professional level competition, hoping that entering as a hobbyist, in spite of her work as a potioneer, would help her see more success—and build her blossoming confidence.

The witch went to work on her wit-sharpening potion, resisting the urge to gag as she poured the armadillo bile into her cauldron. After a reasonable amount of time (her opinion), Becky was satisfied with her results. As at Hogwarts, she raised her hand so that the surly-looking moderator might expect her work.

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— beautiful set courtesy of lady <3 —

Despite their invigilator's tone Elladora's spirits were not to be dampened. She had spent much of the winter tinkering with potions in the blessed peace of Grimmauld Place and this year she had been quite eager to enter the competition: it was also the sort of event that Ursula would not be caught dead at so she was without heckling from the gallery.

A wit-sharpening potion was relatively straightforward and she was done rather quicker than she had anticipated, though she was not the first, and she took the opportunity to glance around the rest of the room to see the efforts of others. It seemed she was in for tough competition.

  

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fabulous set by Lady <3

Any reason to be semifree from the finishing school was a good reason for Mireille. Something she enjoyed, one of the few subjects she had excelled at — and liked — was the perfect excuse for her to leave the school. It wasn’t like she could leave whenever she liked. At least her first year was almost over. She felt excited over that small fact.

Once she was completed with her potion, she signaled that she was ready to have her potion judged.

  

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MJ made the pretties ♥

Mr. Aymslowe's potion seemed perfect aesthetically speaking, but then he stood near it a few moments and the vapors made his eyes burn which wasn't characteristic of a textbook Wit-sharpening potion. Miss Lécuyer's had started to burn through the bottom of the cauldron which warranted immediate attention. Misses Grey and Black (if only there was a Miss White to be had too) had set a standard the other two hadn't quite been able to meet. "Miss Grey and Miss Black will progress," he smirked for a moment and then continued. "For the deciding round you will be preparing a Calming Draught. Please begin."

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Rebecca Grey Elladora Black
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Becky beamed proudly at her accomplishments, thoroughly pleased with how things were progressing thus far. She knew, however, that she had no time to rest upon her laurels, setting immediately to work—albeit with a lightness in her step—on her Calming Draught.

Once satisfied with her results, the young potioneer signaled to the judge.

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— beautiful set courtesy of lady <3 —

It was not an especially surprising result given the competition and Elladora was thoroughly non-plussed when the potioneer advanced. She was, of course, even less surprised by her own success and she smirked to herself when she heard the next potion, having long since been of the opinion that Ursula could do with a daily dose to keep her placid and less prone to idle chat.

Getting to work she didn't spare a glance for the younger girl, quite sure Miss Grey would prove a challenge and focussing entirely on her own work, until eventually the cauldron was bubbling away and she took a step back.

  

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fabulous set by Lady <3

The potions looked equally proficient but they couldn't both win. He probably ought to examine them further to tell which one had the edge but he hardly made a career out of being good at potions. Ultimately, he didn't care enough to try and he wasn't entirely certain he'd know what to look for. What did it matter anyway? It wasn't as if either lady was going to question his judgement and even if they did, who would listen? Picking a favorite to win was so much easier anyway. "Miss Black is the victor!" Besides coming from the same sort of social circles, Charles also happened to find himself unexpectedly attracted to the spinster. There was a woman as different from his late wife as it was possible to be. He assumed, he only knew her by reputation after all.

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