Order Only: Private Message to Sirius Black

[alt_severus]

Whilst I was working this afternoon, and thinking aloud, Miss Granger said something that prompted a realisation. I cannot call the page we were working from to mind closely enough: when speaking of the verbena, does the receipt call for "1⅓ʒ" leaf of verbena, or "1⅓fʒ" leaf of verbena?

If it is the latter, or could possibly be read as such: the author may intend for you to pulverise the leaf, and add only the juices.

Comments

[alt_sirius]

I'm not exactly right near the book, either.

But hang on.

[alt_severus]

If this is an inconvenient time I am content to wait for confirmation of my theory.

[alt_sirius]

Okay...

There's a symbol but it's not really an f. Here, I'll draw it:

1⅓ɟʒ

I always thought it was a smudge. At this point it wouldn't hurt to try the juice, anyway.

We're half a bath, one and possibly two bedtime stories and a round of 'night-nights' in the garden away from getting Bea down for the evening.

[alt_severus]

We ought thank Miss Granger, then; it was a question of hers, when I was expounding upon the various notations potioneers have used throughout the centuries, that made me think of it.

Mind you, I am still not certain that is the answer: if it is, it will be yet another way in which this potion is exceptionally strange, as I can think of very few other potions using that preparation, which is why I interpreted the notation as drams rather than fluid drams. It is, however, worth a try.

Do not short your child time; this project is by no means urgent.

[alt_sirius]

Lessons on life with a toddler: Bedtime is always a contest between sprog and parent. Her goal is to postpone the moment when her eyes close; ours is to make it happen sooner. Besides, taking her round the garden is Dora's job, most nights (it's certainly not mine).

Anyway, it means we're up. I can be in the lab in perhaps 30 minutes.

[alt_severus]

There is no rush; I have arrived and settled in, and should reach that section in another five minutes of simmer or so.

[alt_severus]

Bother. That was ... explosive.

On the bright side, the potion did remain liquid through the crucial stage we were unable to shepherd it past.

[alt_sirius]

Small progress is still progress, I suppose.

I wonder .... You said you and Hermione were talking about notations through the centuries.

Are you using standard Imperial measures?

[alt_severus]

We are both idiots of the highest order

Yes. Of course we have been.

I take it you are suggesting we should switch to the apothecaries' weights.

[alt_sirius]

Well, it was developed in about 1625 or something similar.

It's been copied so many times, though, I was sure somewhere along the line it had been updated for modern units of measure.

There's a set of apothecaries' weights in the shop. I'll pop down for them before I come back.

[alt_severus]

You needn't bring them, I know the conversions.