POTIONS: AMORTENTIA LESSONS

[goosestaff]

All this week in Potions, Mr. Elmasry is instructing students in the delicate art of brewing Amortentia.

In his usual laid back manner, Karim sits on his desk facing out to the students as he explains the nature of the potion. Its effects are instantaneous and undeniably powerful, but it doesn't actually create "real" love (whatever that even is). Instead, the person who ingested the potion develops an intense obsession (and usually a physical attraction) to another individual. Obviously, it's easy to abuse. So, like, please don't take any of this out with you? Thanks, you'll make his life so much easier.

Amortentia smells different to each individual. It often has multiple layers of scents that remind the person of things that make them feel safe and comfortable, or things that they're drawn to. As well, yes, hints of people that you're currently harboring romantic attraction to, even subconsciously. Elmasry says that to him it smells like wet leaves, the Grotto, well-aged potion ingredients, and... some other stuff. OKAY EVERYONE, GET TO WORK.

This is followed by careful, precise directions on how to make this delicate potion. Elmasry will offer guidance, but Seniors and Juniors are expected to brew it successfully with little help. Sophomores and Freshmen are mostly just asked to give it their best. In case some people don't successfully manage to make their own, Elmasry will let everyone smell his expertly crafted test batch.

This event is taking place over the course of the week, from 10/24 to 10/28. All Potions students will have a chance to brew and smell Amortentia during their regularly scheduled classes. Enjoy all the awkwardness that comes from getting a big whiff of your heart's (current) desire.

If your character does not take Potions but is still curious, Elmasry might indulge them and let them smell his test batch if they're polite.

You can go ahead and respond to this post with what Amortentia smells like to your character, what their general reaction to it was, and what they told their classmates. Optional: You can also note what scent(s) might be associated with your character, in case they have any admirers.

For reasons, please do not have your character drink or steal any of it. For one thing, they'd be in big trouble. Don't worry, I know what you're thinking, and your chance will come... later. ♥

Comments

Dominic

[thecourtier.insanejournal.com]

Dominic is in Junior Potions on Monday at 9 and Thursday at 2.

To him it smells of maple, shaved ice, tree bark and grape. He'd be open about this with his classmates, because that's how he rolls.

Scents associated with him - he wears a lightweight muggle brand of hair gel (sometimes a similar smelling potion), a sandalwood based cologne, and might also be associated with smells of grass/the great outdoors and snow taffy.

Re: Dominic

[dooomcookie]

Hair gel users unite!

Tabitha

[caritasmitis.insanejournal.com]

Tabitha doesn't take Potions, however, Elmasry let her try it out after she stopped by between classes. It smelled of polished leather, cooking herbs, the slight musk of sweat and men's deodorant. Hmmmmmm...

If anyone has a potion hinting at Tabs, her scents would be Chanel #5, roses, peppermint foot potions and the smell of soil scuffed up by dancing outdoors.

Will

[notacad.insanejournal.com]

Will takes Potions with the sophomores on Monday at 1 and Wednesday at 9. He is super into the theory of it, but if anyone asked him what he smelled, he clammed right up and only gave very vague answers like perfume and flowers.

In reality, he smelled campfire smoke, graphite/pencil lead, new parchment and bread. NO PATTERN THERE AT ALL AZURCREST, NOTHING TO SEE HERE.

His scents: cat fur, roasted chicken, wet leather and the potion he uses to clean his glasses.

[paytee.insanejournal.com]

Senior Potions Wednesday at 3 PM, Thursday 9 AM.

Wes detects first and foremost the scent of garlic, celery, and bell pepper being cooked in a roux, followed by cypress wood fire. It's followed by strong coffee, jasmine flowers and rained-on soil, and what he describes as "like walkin' into church on Reveillon." He thinks he smells paper or wet cotton, but he's not sure, so he doesn't share those two like he does the previous.

Optional section: myrrh, frankincense and prayer candles, burned matches, rosewood. And this deodorant. (https://c3.q-assets.com/images/products/p/pg/pg-6542_1z.jpg) Because sometimes he cares about house spirit.

[chryseis]

Best believe Cricket was eavesdropping.

Joanna

[fillefidele.insanejournal.com]

Joanna is so here to smell this that it almost takes one aback. She's blunt about what she smells - fresh tomatoes, iron, basil and men's cologne.

Joanna's scents are new ink, limoncello, lipstick and Daisy perfume by Marc Jacobs. She's more specific than others ;)

Chris

[bambae]

Chris is a senior and has potions on Wedsnesdays and Thursdays

To him, it smelled like his mother's cooking, wet grass, the distinct scent of fall, and maybe a little bit like Levi.

When admitting to other students what he smelled, he probably left that last part out, but he definitely coyly sidled up to Cecil to inquire what HE had smelled.

Scents associated to Chris: Grass, vaguely cat, sweat, and the scent of the deodorant he uses.

[dooomcookie]

Ryan is really hurt you don't smell him, Chris. SO MUCH FOR BROS FOR LIFE

Diego

[indiefolk]

Diego's in Potions 3:00 PM Wed, 9:00 AM Thu. Diego definitely needs help from whoever's sitting next to him to get his batch to come out right.

He smells aloe, sage, wildflowers baking under a hot sun, campfire smoke, and hay, with a vague wisp of feminine perfume that smells like every girl, and at the same time no girl in particular. Unmistakably, he also detects beeswax and some familiar hair product, but he stops short of listing those last two out loud.

Optional bonus thing: Diego uses bay rum aftershave, so that's the most obvious scent people will usually get off him. Other associations might be campfire smoke, a cedar based cologne, and whiskey.

Diego

[bambae]

I volunteer Chris as tribute to be the person sitting next to Diego. So they can discuss what they smell and then both lie about the the boy they definitely smell but are in quiet denial of smelling. Which would've made it even worse when Chris sidles up to Cecil because then it'd look like he KNOWS when really he just wants to see if Cecil smelt Levi.

Addy!

[addytives]

Addy is in junior potions in Mondays and Thursdays. She had no problems brewing this but told whoever would listen her stance on how love potions are creepy af. But then she couldn't stop smelling hers and was so sad she couldn't make other people smell what she was smelling. She would like to make a candle plz.

WHICH WAS; old books, cigarette smoke, a damp forest, bourbon, grilled cheese sandwiches, a beach in the rain

SHE SMELLS LIKE; a grapefruit/mint kind of soap,the smoke that happens after fireworks, a hint of the kind of dive bar you sneak into, steam off a potion

Laurel

[laaurel.insanejournal.com]

Senior potions♥! Wednes/Thurs.

It takes Laurel forever to brew this successfully. She has to restart once, and then needs someone to step in and help guide her through a couple of the last steps (any takers?)

She's very open about what she smells.

Amortentia for Laurel smells like sugary candy strawberry, a cedar and pine/foresty scent, popcorn, lit matches.

Scents associated with Laurel: super gingery cookies w extra ginger, waffle cones, rain, that kind of rosy-clay smell you get with lipsticks sometimes.

Olivia

[datasstho]

Olivia's a junior so she has potions mondays and thursdays

And she is right there with Addy agreeing that love potions are creepy af, but hers smells so good okay. She smelt clean sweat, the leather of a boxing ring, girly perfume that could be anyone's and no one's at the same time, and girls just have a certain kind of aroma to them okay, and it just smells really good, and also the elixirs she grew up around that are common to healers.

Smells associated to Olivia is clean sweat, her particular brand of shampoo, the claylike scent of make up, cinnamon, and literally just the fall air.

Re: Olivia

[thecourtier.insanejournal.com]

If Olivia mentions the girl smell thing in public, Dom is right there with her. "She's right, you know!"

Zoey

[valentinez.insanejournal.com]

Senior potionnns.

Though she has zero difficulty with it, this assignment puts Z in a kind of distant mood (I just typed putz). I mean, more distant than usual. She's friendly enough, but after she finishes her potion she kinda shuts off and makes herself busy studying/reading ahead in the book. .-. She's around if anyone needs help, though!

Amortentia for Zoey smells like old books, lavender+lemongrass, the teensiest bit of Ryan Hertz, brown sugar, black tea.

Scents associated with Zoey: hot cocoa, incense and sage, hemp oil, something vodka-y, licorice.

Re: Zoey

[dooomcookie]

OMGGGGG. THE FEELS

Solomon

[theniceboy]

Solomon has potions Mondays and Fridays because he's a baby sophomore

And he struggled just a tad with making the potion but he was really proud of himself when he finally managed it. His was more complicated than Olivia and Chris's, because he could identify a ton of different scents in his. He smelt home, just the multitude of scents in a fishing village, and the ocean, and his mother's cooking, but he also smelt campfire and the oppressive heat of Gooseberry at the start of school and snow and the scent of paper and ink and the smooth wood of the violin. This kid loves too many things, clearly.

Scents associated to Solomon are polished wood, the outside air, the hair gel he uses, paper, ink, and fish batter.

[reehobbs.insanejournal.com]

Ree has sophomore potions on Monday and Friday.

To her, Amortentia smells of graphite and photo developer, men's cologne and women's perfume ("Hey, guys, apparently I swing both ways!") the faint musk of birdfeathers, campfire, and cinnamon.

Scents associated with her: paint, raspberry lotion, hair dye, probably also the bird thing.

Calvin

[evercreep.insanejournal.com]

Calvin has potions Monday and Friday. He was pleased that he was able to mostly brew the potion, with some assistance from Elmasry.

Calvin smells fresh books, oil paint and turpentine from his father's studio, rain on stone, the swampy smell of the stream that runs through Ribbonfin, freshly laundered sheets, and Ravi's wool sweaters. Only his little Sophomore girl buddies will get him to admit that last one.

Calvin smells like clean, powdery soap, almond hand lotion, and musty books or clothes that were in storage a little too long.

Re: Calvin

[reehobbs.insanejournal.com]

Oh hai you called?

Ree claims that that oil paint COULD BE HER, TOO, even though she doesn't really use oils at school but WHATEVER. Also she is NOT leaving you alone til you admit the last bit, Calvin.

[gabiflor.insanejournal.com]

Gabi's a baby sophomore too.

To her it mostly smells like seaside air, though there are notes of loam, hyacinth and her mother's perfume.

If you want to smell her, try pineapple and lime, river mud, and rain.

[gabiflor.insanejournal.com]

Also, when Mr. Elmasry mentioned the smell of the Grotto, her head perked up like you wouldn't believe.

(You guys I think she is going to end up with a crush on Elmasry's ~tragic past.~)

OOC

[noblewon]

This might be helpful to browse through if anyone is struggling!

[chryseis]

Thank you!!!

[sairaza.insanejournal.com]

Saira has potions on Monday and Thursday. She paid intensely careful attention to Mr. Elmasry's directions, took meticulous notes, and brewed a note-perfect potion because that is how she rolls. However she was not so much into discussing what hers smelled like because that feels very private.

That being said, to her it smells of honey, melon, paper and ink, and soap.

Scents associated with her might be attar of roses, curry spices, ink...does studying have a scent? Because that.

[knightly]

Senior potions! Ravi's try at Amortentia comes out pretty well, but he's extremely focused the whole time trying to make sure he follows the directions to the letter. He knows Potions is one of his weak points, but once he's done, he's glad to help anyone nearby who's having trouble.

To him, Amortentia smells like grass and falling autumn leaves, the musty old book smell of the library, curry spice, the Ribbonfin stream during the warmest days of spring, campfire smoke, and an embarrassingly familiar aftershave.

Ravi smells most strongly of the copious hair potion he uses (which mostly has a smoky vanilla scent), but also the lanolin smell of expensive wool, old books (paper and leather bindings and dust), and just a little bit of horse sweat and mint toothpaste.

[sylla]

Sylla creeps around on Thursday despite not taking the class, but is her sweetest most polite self because she is going to smell that potion come hell or high water - self-discovery for the win!

In the test batch, she smells ginger and cinnamon and other baking spices, ambergris in her mother's perfume, oxidized iron and old metal (or blood? She isn't sure, but she conveniently leaves that detail out), scotch, and cigarette smoke. The conclusion she draws and keeps to herself is that it smells like Mummy and Daddy, and she's not too bothered when she thanks Elmasry kindly for his time and waltzes back on out.

And just for fun because PFFT who would even, associated with Sylla: freshly-laundered linen, wool, perfume that smells almost tart like pomegranate juice.

[nobletoo]

Frankie's in Baby Sophomore Potions on Monday and Friday.

To her, Amortentia smells like bakery early the morning, before any of the customers arrive, ovens all stoked up and pastries just starting to rise. (And now she's hungry.) It smells like trees and leather and sports equipment and the paints they use on the walls of the Sophomore cabin. And she'd very happily tell people if asked - though she also has some quiet opinions on the whole potion being mildly akin to a magical Molly.

She smells faintly like paint and largely like Bristol Board and charcoal/graphite pencils. With a hint of vanilla frosting and coconut shampoo.

[noblewon]

DON'T SMELL ANYONE, BB FRANKIE.

But srsly, Tess may have tried to nonchalantly ask her after her class what (or who) she smelled?

[birdbrainy]

Lmao these are taking me so long to do. NATE IS IN SENIOR POTIONS.

Nate definitely smells leather, like from a saddle, and silage. Maybe no one else is drawn to the scent of silage or finds it comforting, but it smells like home. There’s also a smell that he can only describe as the air right after it rains and the sun is coming out, and, what is that, gum? He can’t quite place the last scent, but it’s minty. Maybe it’s his favorite chewing tobacco?

NATE SMELLS LIKE sweat, Old Spice deodorant, tree bark, and books. Oooh sexy.

[chryseis]

Does he share with anyone what he smelled?!

[browbeats]

ROSY IS IN JUNIOR POTIONS.

The first thing Rosy smells is the ocean. Not from the beach, but from a cliff standing over the sea, with the mélange of smells from the scrubby brush all around and the salty, briny whiff of the water, and she tries to remember if she’s calling to mind a specific trip to the ocean, or if she just has a very specific affection for cliffs over beaches. She also smells freshly cut grass and what is probably the school gardens in the spring, old books (the ones that smell like a library and not the ones that smell like dust and must), and goddammit is that pumpkin spice, she swore she’d never admit to her love of pumpkin spice.

Rosy smells like her shampoo (cherry blossom), her lotion (vanilla), or whatever the library smells like? MAN IDK.

[bambae]

Rosy smells like a library that's so adorable.

[hisshiss]

You guys idk if I even want to know what robin's smells like

[chryseis]

BARBARIAN!

[chryseis]

Cricket takes Senior potions on Wednesdays at 3 PM and Thursdays at 9 AM, so she is present as all this drama unfolds.

She voices some apprehension about the concept of love potions in general, but ever obedient, she takes diligent notes as Mr. Elmasry explains the process and promptly gets to work. She struggles a little with the portions that require wand magic, but pulls through on her first attempt (with a little help from Nate).

Cricket's amortentia smells overwhelmingly of hay and the earthy, warm of horses when you brush them, followed by the must of sunbaked wall paper in a very old house, the muddy scent of river banks in the early morning, Maggie's various face creams, lotions, and potions, and Old fucking Spice deodorant mixed with... an extinguished campfire? She glares at Nate as she lists out loud what she is smelling, but pauses after a second whiff and clams up.


Smells associated with Cricket: Newspaper print, that alcohol-y scent from new highlighters, hay/horses, and vanilla and brown sugar body scrub.

[birdbrainy]

Nate insists that Old Spice is good deodorant stfu or he won't help you with your potions anymore.

(Except lol no HE COULD NEVER HOLD OUT ON CRICKET LIKE THAT)

Leo

[ninjaleo]

Is in Senior Potions on Weds and Thurs! He was okay at brewing it and ultimately succesful.

HIS SMELLS LIKE: Homemade marinara, candle wax and incense, the smell of a Quidditch locker room before everyone goes in, evergreen trees, chalky earth, someone's fabric softener, grade school library (THIS IS TOTALLY ITS OWN SMELL)

He tells people who ask what his smells like to mind their own business. If they suggest that this is because he can't smell it, he says something stupid like IT'S FLOWERS AND SUNSHINE, HAVE A GOOD DAY. This isn't because he's trying to hide anyone special~~~ so much as this is private, ok.

SMELLS OF LEO: A subtle/sharp-smelling hair potion, old coffee, freshly-ironed clothes,sweat, leather boots, fresh air from up high