"Possibly. Wands can behave unpredictably, especially when used by people not attuned to them - and most people would not choose to give up their wand - or when destroyed."

"What kinds of safety precautions should we take when actually experimenting with this, which will of course only happen after at least the full two years this course lasts and we're not about to go trying it every other weekend?"

Sigh. "Perhaps I should tell you in two years."

"But then if we do end up being insane enough to try it before the two years are up, we won't actually know what to do and may end up exploding much more things than were strictly necessary."

Heavy mustache-ruffling sigh. "Well, if you were thusly insane, you would at least be advised to make sure the wand is never pointed at anything you don't wish exploded, or near anything you don't wish exploded, and does not begin the ritual damaged in any core-exposing way."

He writes this all down, grinning. "Are there any other general precautions for alchemical experimentation? We really aren't gonna experiment anytime soon, but knowing things in advance tends to be useful."

"Have your procedure written down in advance and do not make things up midstream," Slughorn says. "Do not rely on an untested ritual to contain high temperatures or volatile effects by itself and use appropriate crucibles, shields, gloves, etcetera. Avoid using live animals as a target effect or an ingredient until you are exquisitely confident in your general alchemical intuitions and to a lesser extent the same goes for live plants."

Write write. "What's likely to go horribly wrong using live plants? And are the things that are likely to go horribly wrong with live animals horribly wronger than torturing innocent animals?"

"Yes," says Slughorn dryly, "they can be, although even if they couldn't the advice would stand. Living things in general add a substantial element of unpredictability to a new ritual and may result in difficult-to-kill undesirable magical life."

Or, alternatively, difficult-to-kill desirable magical life. He writes something to that effect down. "Thank you, Professor, you're very helpful! Alchemy's fun."

"It's always rewarding to pique interest in a young mind," says Slughorn dryly, and he dismisses them.

"Well that was fun," he says, admiring his glass thing.

"Mm-hm."

"Bless you."

"Tryouts! Are you trying out? I'm trying out. There was a poster in my dorm about it!"

"Ooh! I didn't see! I wanna try out too!"

"I don't think so. I'm better on a broom than on the ground but catching things is not my strong suit even if the game weren't badly designed."

"I like watching more than playing. I'm not that good."

"Well you can only become good by practising!"

"The game may be badly designed but I get to throw evil metal balls at people, it's almost as if someone decided in advance to invent a position with me in mind!"

"I don't like playing enough to do it enough to get good," Karen asserts. "A little pickup every once in a while is okay. What's so great about batting Bludgers at people?"

Willow and—

—Sadde look at her like she's insane. "What's not great about it? You're the only player who can actually do something about the evil metal balls and you get to like strategise and protect your teammates and take everyone else out and the look on everyone's faces must be hilarious!"

"I'm sort of worried by your enthusiasm for violence."