While the girls explored every possibility, rumor,
and nuance of Nivestorm, the potion began to emit a clear, shimmering steam and
the room began to smell of honey. Checking the potion, they were pleased to
discover that it had the correct golden colour and syrup-like viscosity. Aranya
carefully ladeled the potion into phials and reached for the stoppers.

     "Ara," Rae pointed out, "I don't know
that we need to stopper this... aren't we just going to try it out?"

      "Oui," Apolline agreed, "Let's try it!
20ml each? It should last about an hour."

      "Ok. Should be fun." Rae started laughing,
"Too bad we don't have one of those muggle video camera's to film all of
this. Addie is funny enough when she get's going... I can't imagine what she
will be like when she starts babbling!"

     "Well thanks, Rae," Addie said with a huff.

     Apolline passed around the phials. "Bottoms up
on the count of 3?!"

     Rae held hers up, grinning. "Ok! 1..."

     Addie raised her phial and chimed in.
"...2..."  

     "......3!" Aranya shouted.

      All four girls gulped down the potion, smiling at the
pleasant honey-like taste, and waited expetantly. Nothing happened.

      Apolline looked at the other girls in confusion.
"Les chaussettes de l'archi-duchesse sont-elles sèches ou
archi-sèches..damn, not working, did we do something wrong?"

      "I don't know... is it supposed to work right
away?" Rae started looking around for the directions. "Did it say
anything on your paper?"

      Apolline reached for the recipe only to discover that
a honey stain had erased the administration paragraph. "I cannot read
what's written on the paper...but it's weird, the color seemed right..."

      "Well. I don't know about you," Aranya
said, disappointed, "but I don't think it worked."

      "Well, so much for this experi..." Rae
stopped midsentence, a panicked look coming over her face. "SHHHHH! Oh no!
I think someone's coming!!!"

      Addie looked frantically at the door, then back at
Rae. "What?! What do we do now???!!!"

      Apolline jumped into action. "Quick! Hide!
Closet! Into the closet!"

      The girls raced to the closet, but only Apolline,
Aranya and Rae managed to fit inside. It wasn't big enough to fit a 4th person.
Frantic, Addie dove under a very large, dirty cauldron, complaining to herself
and cursing Rae for getting her into this.

      The door opened with a creak. Footsteps echoed across
the floor, and the girl's held their collective breaths. They could hear two
voices speaking quietly, in whispers and giggles, seemingly oblivious to the
potions equiment still out on the table.

      Noticing a key hole in the closet door, Rae tried to
peep through. "Apolline, move! You're in my way."

      "I can't! Ouch Ara, that's my foot you're
stepping on!"

      "SHHH! Be quiet!"

       Apolline grumbled and crouched to try and see through
the small space between the floor and the bottom of the door, while Rae peeped
through the keyhole and Aranya tried not to sneeze.

      The professors were speaking very quietly, almost too
quietly to hear. They could only catch a few words here and
there:  "wonderful... talented
and... ...in the world. ...the first time I saw you... down the stairs... the
light was dancing..."

      Through the keyhole, Rae saw Professor Darkstorm go
down on one knee. She pressed her ear to the keyhole, determined to hear the
rest, and had to clap her hands over her mouth as she heard a familiar deep
voice say, "I knew that we would be together for a long time to come. So
with that in mind, I just have one question left to ask you. Professor Naya
Nivera, will you be mine?"

      Apolline was nearly hyperventilating at the bottom of
the door, as Rae turned to Aranya and mouthed "HE PROPOSED." Aranya
immediately shoved Rae out of the way, and pressed her ear to the keyhole just
in time to hear Professor Nivera say, "Oh my... Yes! YES! Of course. I
have been yours since the day we met."

      "But we must keep this a secret for now,"
she heard Professor Darkstorm say. "There have been so many changes
lately."

      "Whatever you think is best, Henrick. We can
announce when the timing is right."

      Rae thought she was going to pass out, holding her breath until the
professors left the room. Professor Darkstorm whispered something to his new
fiance, who giggled in response as their footsteps faded toward the door.