The Potion of Life

Chapter 12: African Dreamroot

A heads up: everything about the potions or ingredients I researched a little bit. It's part truth (or lore accurate) and part made up by me. 

Garreth

"Professor!" I literally barged into the Potions classroom where the last lesson before curfew  was currently going on. The loud crash of wood against stone shocked every student in the room and their teacher.
   "Oops." Sheepishly I scratched the back of my head. Professor Sharp's face told me he did not appreciate me interrupting his class at all. 
   "Continue your brewing. I do not want to see a single wrongly coloured potion by the end of this hour." Sharp directed his gaze to his students, who hastily went back to their work. "Now, Mr. Weasley, I strongly advise you to no disrupt my class again the way you did. Follow me to my office."

It had been a long time since I had gotten such a stern talking to and I couldn't say I missed it. I felt like a first year who had gotten his first scolding from a teacher all over again.
   Once we were inside the little space that was Professor Sharp's office he locked the door behind us and turned to me. "What did you find out? I presume this is about Ms. Cole?"
   I hurriedly nodded my head. "Yes! I think I discovered the key ingredient of whatever was used to put her in this state." I paused, wanting him to ask me. 
   He let out a sigh. "By all means, go for the dramatic effect of making me ask for it, but we are wasting precious time."

I pouted, a little miffed the Professor didn't want to play along. Thankfully my discovery had gotten me in high spirits because I knew we would be able to brew an antidote much quicker now.
   "African Dreamroot." Was all I said, waiting for Sharp to understand where I was going. 
A raised eyebrow and a little nod was what I got. Then he started pacing the room. "Hm, that would make sense, but we couldn't smell anything in her drink. From what I've heard, the herb has a very distinct smell."
   I shook my head. "That's the thing, the herb itself has a very distinctive smell, especially the white flowers, but the root doesn't. And it also happens to be that the root would have the highest probability to cause hallucinations and dreams." 

Professor Sharp went over to his chair and sat in it with a contemplative look on his face. "It is not something that is used commonly by witches or wizards, not even by Potioneers. Especially since we have our own magical sources to brew a good Sleeping Draught."
   "That is true, but don't you think it has the highest probability? I bet that if one would pair the root with Valerian sprigs or some Asphodel that one could stay asleep for a long time. Maybe get stuck in their dreams or nightmares." While that sounded very logical in my head it was only now that I spoke the theory out loud that I finally realized what that meant for Tessa. 
   Was she stuck in her dreams right now? Or worse, maybe she was stuck in her nightmares. Merlin knows she went through enough hardships to have some vivid ones. 

"I see where you are going with this. However, it's a very rare ingredient." Professor Sharp said as he took out a piece of parchment, dipped his quill in some ink and started writing something down. 
   "It's only rare in most places." I slightly corrected him. "As the name suggests, it's not very rare in Africa. Especially not in South Africa. Sure, one would have to have really studied the subject and on top of that need someone that they could buy the herb in its entirety or just the roots from, but that doesn't make it impossible." 
   "So what would you suggest we do?" My teacher stopped writing so he could look up at me. 
"I'd need an African Dreamroot to experiment with, not to drink anything made with it, but to see if I can create a similar potion. One that is odourless and practically transparent yet still heavy enough to have some of the contents sink to the bottom of a cup." It was my turn to pace around as I thought of what I should do.