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[Aimee Callaghan]

[Eden Callaghan]

“I think everyone is sleeping or not home. Come on?” Ed knocked Aud’s partition room and pushed the divider open, speaking in a low tone. It was later in the afternoon, nap time for them but Eden and Audrey had different plans. He wanted to brew a potion recipe he has written the previous year. Eden wasn’t even sure if it was going to work or if it was a recipe at all but Audrey had caught him working on it, while hiding in the basement being inquisitive as she was and she promised to not tell anyone as long as he included her. Eden was a little hesitant as she was his younger sister and he didn’t fully trust her to keep his secret, knowing his older sister would freak seeing them messing with ingredients and stuff at such a age, or causing havoc in their house but he knew Audrey would at least never tell anything to Aimee or the rest of the house for the matter.

“You promised you won’t tell anyone, okay?” he asked her again, as they tiptoed their way to the basement and slowly descended. It was good if everyone was sleeping… at least they will not be caught.

[Audrey Callaghan]

The wooden separation tapped precisely three times, a manner to call Audrey by her beloved brother. The sound did not amaze her. She basically predicted that knock. Five minutes after the departure of their sister and mother. Three minutes before, granny heads for her room. Her hearing ability has dwindled with time. Aud, although pitied her, never wavered from benefitting from that setback. She has seen the ingredients Eden noted. Who would have thought that her brother could own such a genius brain? Audrey thinks that a logical mindset is their only inheritance from her father. Someone she doesn't recall meeting. The extraordinary resilience descended from Callaghans. She slips her footwear off and slumps into comforting pair as she tiptoes on her way into the cellar. "We have one hundred and twenty minutes. Mom will come back to scrub off the dishes." Unlike Muggles, they have the advantage of less work as magic comes in handy. She rolls her eyes when Eden investigates about her spilling the tea. "I didn't even speak to Penny." And Penny is one of her dearest friends at that point. The smell of Irish whisky doesn't go to basements as the two Callaghan geniuses earlier concluded a way to prevent the odour from interfering with the creation. "This feels like a home." She enjoyed the fresh air processing from tiny ventilation. "Cauldron is prepared?" 

[Eden Callaghan]

Eden was more careful than Audrey was as he waited at the door to make sure all the other doors were closed. At this point mother and Aimee had left, grams was about to sleep so their path was clear. He jarred his door enough to make it seem like the door is close and the kids are inside but taking a short nap because of the silence so no one will enter. But when the two return, they can step in without any creaking or sound. “Noting it by the minute. Good. Our next step will take ninety seven minutes and counting the cleaning process, add another ten fifteen more. We are good.” He has gone through the instructions several times to know how accurate he was in his calculations. At the mention of Penny, his body perked up a little bit he covered it up by pretending to slip. He didn’t want Aud to find out if his crush on her best friend. “Good… although, you can tell her if you need. I don’t think she’ll react like our parents do. I mean she’s your best friend… I mean. You know?” He stammered trying to cover it up. Once they are in the basement, it took him only a few minutes to reveal the cauldron he was working on late the previous night. “Duh. Got the notebook?”

[Audrey Callaghan]

They had to count every minute of the time as her mother's and Aimee's visit to the house was frequent. The duty they took upon themselves to run the household was heavier than several boulders combined. Aside from the café, they sell the vegetables to local shops. It covers a significant portion of the expense. As for herbs, Aud and Eden tried to collect from local rich potioneer who hoped to encourage talents like them in the country. A vibe that he projected irked Aud. He had a face they didn't encounter in their childhood. As long as there were rich in supplies and not wasting their family money. It was all a good experiment. "We shouldn't be wasting our time then. I dread to imagine what might happen if Aimee catches us again." Aud can get frightened, especially when the restriction concerning visiting their house comes into play. Despite the disparity in their beliefs, Aud appreciated her home. It was their safe place, her safe place. She was away from the negativity and chaos of the students. The ravishing fragrance of cinnamon, or the dampness of the soil were linked with her adventures there. They were her element. "Wait! What? I thought you'll be the first to get offended by it!" Aud would give details about it to her, eventually. Maybe during the summers. "I apologize for not informing her with information about my often explosive experiments. I'll tell her, gradually. " Aud smiled when he revealed the Cauldron, proud of her brother. "Yes. Here it is." She took the wand out and cast a fire protection charm around the Notebook. "That will do." 

[Eden Callaghan]

Eden feared to think how Aimee would react when she discovered their experimentation happening right under her nose. They were trying their best to be stealthy to avoid intervention and a possible ban on their trip to basement so every time they left the house, Ed and Aud would note the seconds to the T. “But we need a cover story in case that happens. I can cover the cauldron and hide the items under the blanket. You keep the room spray handy so she can’t smell anything,” he informed her of an idea that came to his mind. Eden didn’t have much to do at home other than read in the room. Sometimes be helped Aimee at the shop, the other times he took care of the vegetable patch. The kids helped in every possible way they could but he needed something that kept him going… that didn’t exhaust him from the trip home and that was potion making. Did he aim to be a potioneer in the future? He can’t tell but it’s a passion he loves to dabble with. Audrey’s surprise reminded him of the subtlety he needed when speaking of Penny. “Why would I?” he shrugged, pretending to be nonchalant and chuckled at his sister’s unapologetic apology. “What I mean is that if she’s your best friend, she won’t tell. That’s a best friend rule, isn’t it? But if you don’t want to, that’s up to you.” If she knew, would she think they were freaks? He hopes not.

The cauldron in front of him was lit under fire, heating to a minimal temperature and all the ingredients on the table were open up front. “Cauldron heated up on minimal temperature in 3 cups of water. What’s next?” They have an idea for the potion they want to create. It was all jotted down in the book but now the true experiment started.

[Audrey Callaghan]

Aud nodded in acceptance that they indeed require an appropriate cover story if their mother arrives at the Basement prior to her usual timing. A false alarm could be the cause or a forgotten purse on the table. It almost always threatened their progression toward discovery. "We can say granny wants the threads and needle for suing machine?" She nudged him towards the undisturbed sets of thread arranged inside the transparent box. "The spray is ready and ventilation is eager to act." The feeling of satisfaction bathed her but a nagging feeling kept knocking on the door of doubt. Aud has taken an interest in gardening due to their family's occupation. Aside from their room, their yard became another common location for Audrey to indulge her interest. The only excuse for her presence in the basement could be her granny anything mysterious could bust their plan up. "Because you would accuse me of threatening our secrecy?" Wasn't that obvious to him? Penny would earn knowledge of her interest during the fall term. Penny reads her face like none other. It put her an advantage over any of her friends. She knew the exact way of cheering her up. "That has nothing to do with what I want and what I don't want. It's your secret too. If you are fine with it, I'll inform her." She thought for a moment. "You too trust Penny?" She asked, her voice doesn't have the suspicion that her mind did then. 

 

She looked down at the cauldron. She tried to read his handwriting. "three dried, crushed staghorn." The ingredient itself screamed they were creating a potion benefitting their body. It had an anti-tumour application after all. "add it slowly and stir four time clockwise"