April 14th, 1888 — Potioneers' Guild, London

Now this was a grand affair, and a sight equally exciting and intimidating, to have so many professional potioneers in the same room. It would no doubt be stiff competition - he wasn't much looking forward to having to judge them - but for the moment he smiled warmly around at the group: two faces from St. Mungo's, one of his own healers, his old superior and, it seemed, her son.

"Welcome, all," he began, as they took their places before their cauldrons. "You will first be brewing an Antidote to Uncommon Poisons - no trial for any of you, I'm sure. Signal when you have finished brewing it, and best of luck, I suppose, though you'll hardly need it!" With that, he turned the hourglass over to start their time.

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You have 72 hours to post.
Richard Gladstone Bella Scrimgeour Mariana Macnair Marianne Hatchitt Agrimony Macnair

  

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Agrimony typically wasn't the type to gloat. If anything, he preferred to keep his head down and mind his own business. However, when Mr. Fisk stated what They were to make, he couldn't help but to smirk.

Ignoring the fact his mother was so close, he set to work knowing exactly what to do. He had, after all, dedicated his entire work history toward making antidotes. Once satisfied, he took a step back and nodded to Mr. Fisk indicating he was finished.

  

It struck her as quite amusing that her prodigal bastard son was to be competing against her and she looked forward to commiserating him when he inevitably lost. Mariana set to work on the antidote which she was sure she could brew in her sleep and upon completion, alerted her successor to its finished state.

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The competition was stiff for this bracket and with a quick smile Miss Scrimgeours way, Richard focused on brewing the potion perfectly. Once he had finished, he awaited judgement.

  

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graphics by Lady!

Bella was hardly the most experienced in the room — in fact, it looked like she was the youngest out of the entire bunch! No matter; if Bella was confident about anything, it was her skill with potions. Mr. Gladstone was there, and sadly that was likely to make her even more nervous while brewing. She followed the instructions once the time began, and completed alongside everyone else.

  

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— MJ is MAGICAL —

It seemed that experience - unsurprisingly, he supposed - had won out amongst the professionals. Mr. Macnair's brew was well done enough, though perhaps a little rushed, for it did not quite match his mother's standard. Mr. Gladstone's was only a hair's breadth worse off in colour; Miss Scrimgeour's and Mrs. Hatchitt's (unfinished) attempt both lacked, comparatively, in finesse.

With the top three through to the next round, Ari waited until their cauldrons and ingredients had been replaced for the next potion. "Now for a Volubilis Potion, if you please," he declared. The results of that would cut another from their number.

AGRIMONY: 10 | MARIANA: 13 | RICHARD: 12 | BELLA: 9 | MARIANNE: 0

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You have 72 hours to post.
Mariana Macnair Richard Gladstone Agrimony Macnair

  

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Richard smiled as he moved forward in the round. Once they were bid to begin their next potion, Richard did so. He couldn't help mild amusement that his competition were a mother son pair as he wondered who would fare better of the two in the next round. Completed his potion, Richsrd waited judgement.

  

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Agrimony was not at all happy that his mother had bested him but there was little that could be done for it. He was just grateful to still be in the competition and would simply have to do better. He set to work as soon as the new potion was given to them and put all other thoughts out of his mind as he worked on it diligently. He wasn't the first to finish this time but still seemed to get done before his mother which was something of a bonus in his mind. He stepped back from his potion and indicated he was finished then waited patiently for the results.

  

As inconvenient as her son's continued existence might be, she was privately proud that he'd made it to the next round. As long as he didn't win, those feelings would remain unchanged.

She set to work on her potion and made it known when she was done.

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Although Mr. Gladstone had finished first, his potion paled beside both of the Macnairs' offerings. Funny as he felt seeing the competition shaved down to mother and son, it was nevertheless Mr. Gladstone to whom he had to bid farewell and commiserations.

"Next," Ari said, with a look between the Macnairs at their newly-readied empty cauldrons, "it'll be Amortentia, please."

RICHARD: 9 | AGRIMONY: 13 | MARIANA: 15

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You have 72 hours to post.
Agrimony Macnair Mariana Macnair

  

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There was no way in hell she was going to lose to her own son. Amortentia wasn’t a potion she often had reason to brew but that didn’t mean she wasn’t confident in doing so.

When she was finished, she surreptitiously eyed her son.

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The following 1 user Likes Mariana Macnair's post:1 user Likes Mariana Macnair's post
   Aldous Crouch

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It was now or never in Agrimony's mind. While Tatiana's comments prior to the competition were in his mind still, he wasn't about to go down without a fight. Quickly setting to work, He meticulously measured and added his ingredients until the potion was finished. His mother had finished before him but that didn't stop him from flashing her a rather confident grin, something she probably hadn't seen from him in years!

The following 1 user Likes Agrimony Macnair (Hawke)'s post:1 user Likes Agrimony Macnair (Hawke)'s post
   Aldous Crouch

Neither brew was bad - he hadn't expected either to be, in this category - but one of the cauldrons was far more seductive in scent than the other. Ari found himself lingering over it, his breaths long and slow as he tried not to think too much about the smells he recognised too well.

Shaking himself out of it, he stepped back and announced - "Mrs. Macnair is the winner!"

MARIANA: 15 | AGRIMONY: 11

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