"Improvements?" Luna broke her Yorkshire pudding in half again, handing the piece with more beef filling to Wyzett. "I want something sweet."
She unwrapped her earlier Chocolate Frog, tucked it into the Yorkshire pudding, and took a blissful bite.
Despite the word "pudding" in its name, Yorkshire pudding was more like soft bread—savory, thanks to a pinch of salt in the batter. The filling could be savory or sweet: minced meat, or perhaps yogurt jam, or chocolate for those with a sweet tooth.
Wyzett nodded. "As long as you like it. Is it enough?"
"It's plenty," Luna replied.
She was still pondering the earlier question, watching Wyzett sip his preventive draught. "Isn't this draught... not magical enough?"
"Not magical enough?" Wyzett swirled the potion bottle, floating a mirror up to check his reflection.
Everyone's ideas have their limits; it's easy to overlook what once seemed so important. Sometimes, you need someone who truly understands you to point out what's missing.
He glanced at Luna, still trailing white steam from her ears, and suddenly understood. "You're right! It's not magical enough!"
"I mimicked the taste and mouthfeel, but what really matters... is that unique magical flair!"
"After all, when you drink Pepperup Potion, you get that wonderful burst of white steam... White steam... Looks like I'll need to consult some fireworks experts."
After their last Acromantula adventure, Fred and George had acquired a new pet—an orange-red Fire Salamander.
Rescued from Care of Magical Creatures class, the twins had abandoned their old barrel hideouts and now devoted themselves to raising the salamander, feeding it piping-hot charcoal sticks.
But feeding wasn't their true goal. Whenever the salamander opened its mouth, the twins would try to slip a firework tube inside.
The salamander, however, was far too quick: the instant the charcoal disappeared, it snapped its mouth shut.
"It's just not used to us yet," sighed Fred. "A couple more days of feeding and it'll trust us enough to let us try the fireworks."
Luna asked, curious, "Why do you want to feed it fireworks?"
"We want to try something new—see if we can make... self-inflating fireworks!" George spun his hands in a circle.
Fred added, "Yeah! The kind where, if you try to vanish them, they just keep getting bigger!"
George raised an eyebrow, eyeing the draught in Wyzett's hand. "What's up? You don't look like you've got the flu..."
"The color's off, isn't it?" Fred stroked his chin. "The Pepperup Potion we had was redder, I think?"
George sighed. "Ah, that's what happens when Snape gives you special treatment!"
Wyzett just smiled, holding up the draught. "It's a flu preventive, but Luna thinks it could be improved."
"Oh! You suggested it?" Fred and George cried in unison, both turning to Luna. "What's your idea for making it better?"
Unfazed by their teasing, Luna explained serenely, "Wyzett and I both think it should make you puff out white steam after drinking—just like Pepperup Potion."
The twins applauded. "Copying the steam effect—brilliant! You two have real prankster potential!"
Fred scratched his head. "Making white steam isn't hard... making it safe is a bit trickier."
George agreed. "We're experts with fireworks, but with potions, not losing points from Snape is a win."
Luna took out her sketchbook and showed them a bottle with a unique shape. "What if we used this?"
Fred and George crowded in, studying the drawing with growing excitement. "What kind of bottle is that?"
Luna glanced at Wyzett.
Wyzett explained, "It's called a Codd bottle. You can put the steam-producing ingredient right here..."
He pointed to a transparent marble at the neck. "When you drink, you press your tongue against the marble. That way, you get the draught and trigger the steam at the same time."
"That's genius!" Fred and George lit up, grinning. "How'd you come up with that?"
Wyzett chuckled. "Actually, it's a Muggle invention. My draught was inspired by one of their sodas."
Fred nodded in understanding. "No wonder Dad's so obsessed with Muggles..."
George chimed in, "Yeah! That car of his is legendary!"
...
With the safety problem solved, the twins got to work. Using their alchemical skills, they crafted a special powder—one requiring Jobberknoll feathers. The process was similar to making Veritaserum, except this powder produced white steam instead of truth.
Luna refined the Codd bottle design, sketching it as a Mooncalf this time. Once the shape was set, Wyzett used Transfiguration to mold the potion bottles accordingly.
At last, with the draught and alchemical powder combined, the brand-new preventive draught was ready—just in time for Halloween.
Admiring the whimsical bottles, George suggested, "We should start a club, you know?"
Luna blinked. "A club?"
"I'm in!" Fred raised his hand at once. "Let this draught be our first official act!"
Clubs were common at Hogwarts: the Gobstones Club, Charms Club, Divination Club... Wyzett's dormmates, Michael and Anthony, had joined the Divination and Charms Clubs, respectively. Wyzett occasionally helped out at Charms Club as a teaching assistant, especially when Professor Flitwick was busy.
There were plenty of short-lived clubs too, usually founded around a single student and fading after graduation. Slughorn's Slug Club was one of the most famous—gone now, but still spoken of, since so many magical luminaries had once been members.
Seeing Luna's eager expression, Wyzett didn't hesitate.
He raised his Codd bottle. "To our first successful operation... Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
Four Codd bottles clinked together with a crisp ring.
They downed the draught in one go. Instantly, white steam puffed from all four pairs of ears, making them look like a quartet of magical steam trains.
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