--
Gilderoy stood on a stool so that he could see what he was doing...
He held into a paddle and stirred the contents within the massive pitch black cauldron before him over a roaring fire. The liquid inside was viscuous and glowed with a purple sheen; it bubbled away and released puffs of smoke that left a rather nasty smell in the air, yet Gilderoy endured its foulness.
His eyes were focused on his task. He was following an ancient recipe for a poison brew, and he followed it down to the last punctuation mark. So far, everything is going well.
"What in the world..."
A sudden voice interrupted his focus. Gilderoy looked behind and saw the flabbergasted look on his mother's face. Somehow, he felt embarrassed, even though there's technically no reason for him to.
He then greeted her, saying, "Let's be honest, you've seen worse from me."
