Elemental Eclipse

🌻Chapter Nine; Part Three: Dark Secrets🌻

After a few minutes, their friend group appeared from the crowd of disappointed kids.

"By the looks on your faces, I'm guessing we lost." Rachael says, looking up at the boys.

"We got crushed." Zeph sighs.

"The game certainly could have gone better." Griffin says, trying to hide a frown.

"Is there a reason we're just standing around? Or are we just going to make this potion sometime today?" Beckett says, getting straight to the point and attempting to take everyone's mind off of how shitty their team had played in today's game.

"Beckett's right. We've got work to do." Rachael sighs and their entire group started to head to the roost.

—

When the arrived at the roost Beckett set up a cauldron on the floor and Rachael sat beside him laying out all of the ingredients she had stolen from Kontos.

"Yes, this looks like everything I'll need." Beckett nods, examining them.

"Rachael, has the whole situation handled. She went in there and picked out the right stuff without any help." Shreya says, like she was talking up her child to its mother.

"That's our Rachael, kicking ass and taking names." Zeph adds.

"I don't know about that, but I can definitely manage stealing a few potion ingredients." Rachael says.

"I still can't believe you managed to get this out of a professor's private stock without being caught." Beckett says, with shock laced in his voice.

"I know, I'm just so amazing. I just snuck in and got those ingredients like it was no big. Impressive, huh?" Rachael quips, playfully.

"And I can see it's not going to your head, or anything." Shreya laughs.

"Well you still need me to make the potion, so it's not nearly as impressive as you believe it is." Beckett says.

"True, but you wouldn't be anywhere without my flawless leadership." Rachael smiles, as the other two shake their heads at her.

"Well, the potion is going to take a few hours to brew, so we should be able to get our answers later tonight." Beckett sighs.

"I can't think of anything more boring than watching someone make a potion, and I'm starving, so I'm gonna go get some dinner." Zeph says.

"Count me in. I need to refuel after that game." Griffin nods.

"I heard they're serving fairy dust creme brulee for desert tonight. I'm not missing that!" Shreya says, clapping excitedly.

"Good then, I'll have some peace and quiet to work in." Beckett says, deflecting the feelings of  sadness that their responses brought to him. As much as he didn't want to admit it he actually enjoyed the company they provided him. They all headed to the door of the Roost leaving Beckett to revel in his silence. He bit his lip before calling out to the youngest of the Pend Pals. "Rachael, can I steal you for a moment?"

"Sure, you can steal me anytime you like." Rachael giggles, returning to her seat beside him.

"Uh...I-...Well, I just wanted to...It's been a few years since my sister taught me this potion-" Beckett blushes, her comment threw him off and made formulating the sentence he had prepared in his head almost impossible to comprehend.

"You didn't say your sister is the one who taught it to you." Rachael smiles.

"Oh, well, she did. She used to help me with a lot of spellwork and potions, since we aren't supposed to learn them until we reach university. Together the to of us could basically do anything." Beckett smiles fondly. "Anyway, I was thinking, it might be better to have more than one set of eyes on the potion, since it's been so long...If you'd like to help me, that is. I find your company most tolerable."

"Oh well, in that case." Rachael smiles. "Hang on a second."

He couldn't help, but smile at her as she got up and leaned out of the Roost exit yelling after their friends.

"Bring us, back some food so we don't starve! Preferably dessert!" Rachael shouted as she popped her head down from the ladder hole.

"Don't do anything stupid while we're gone!" Griffin calls back as they headed to the dining hall.

"Use protection!" Shreya laughs, as she shouted back.

"Why would we-" Beckett questions confused, before realization washed across his face along with a light blush. "Never mind..."

She sat back down beside him, with a giggle. His blush darkened at their proximity to each other, he cleared his throat before speaking again.

"Hand me the basilisk scale. Then light the cauldron and keep the flame low." Beckett instructs.

Rachael picked up the large green scale looking over it carefully. "This is a huge scale..."

"Naturally. A full grown basilisk is typically the size of a car, though the largest recorded one was nearly as big as a dragon." Beckett says casually, taking the scale from her and starting to chop it into fine pieces.