‘While that one is brewing, the next one we’re going to make is a potion that will be a huge advantage to us when Jem and I attempt to infiltrate the Shadow Sect’s lair. We’re going to play them at their own game. If they like shadows, shadows are what we will give them. This is the Draught of Darkness, and when brewed correctly, a simple sprinkle of this onto the rocks in the cave will create a shroud of darkness. To those who aren’t expecting it, it will be disorientating and terrifying, but to Jem and to me, who will be in possession of this,’ she pulled a tiny bottle out of her trouser pocket, ‘we will be able to enter unseen, as this little potion that I brought with me from my uncle’s apothecary will make us immune to the effects of the draught.’

Everyone in the room was staring at Lily with expressions ranging from intrigue and fascination to sheer delight. They were hanging on her every word. She scooped up an armful of seaweed, emptied the tin of black paint and the river water into the pot, and sprinkled in the sand. She lifted the pot onto the space on the stove and let it simmer next to the healing potion. She rooted around in her bag for a tiny bottle of unlabelled viscous liquid and poured the entire contents into the bubbling pot.

‘Finally, we have a potion that we absolutely cannot heat. Please, if you remember nothing else I’m teaching you, remember not to heat this one. I’m about to show you how to make a potion that is violently explosive when it comes into contact with heat or open flame. This potion is only to be used in dire situations: if you are under attack, or if you need to destroy something quickly and efficiently … like the lair of an evil coven of witches.’ She smirked at Jem, who was looking at her with a mixture of fear and adoration in his eyes.

Lily gathered the rest of the ingredients on the table and placed them all into the final cast-iron pot. She used a heavy marble rolling pin to crush all the flowers and plants into mulch, until she was left with an unrecognisable but seemingly innocent concoction of ingredients.

‘Glenn, can you do me a favour and bring me some of those small glass bottles from the pantry? Brenna, Maeve, go with him and help please.’ The three of them obediently got up and wandered off to the pantry. Lily thought she heard Glenn heave a sigh, but ignored it. She still hadn’t figured out that boy.

They returned holding armfuls of brown and green bottles. Lily handed out half of the bottles to everyone crowded around the table and instructed them to fill the bottles with the mixture. When they were all full, they returned them to the pantry, and then proceeded to fill the rest of the bottles with the mixtures from the stove. By the end of the evening, the kitchen was filled with a group of very tired, very satisfied children who felt like they had learned a great deal from Lily’s potions lesson.