Aang quickly became a celebrity for the tricks he did in flying class, and because of the news of him being a first year playing Quidditch.
The news spread quickly throughout the school, thanks to the Hufflepuff team telling their friends in other houses about him. And those friends passed it on to their friends in their own houses, who also told their friends in other houses.
Aang was pretty surprised by all the attention he got from everyone when he arrived in the Great Hall. He was instantly surrounded by a crowd of students and was bombarded by questions.
"Where'd you learn to fly like that?"
"Is it true you've got a Nimbus at home?"
"How'd you teach yourself to broom surf?"
Aang became overwhelmed from all the questions. He didn't like all the attention, he preferred when people barely looked at him.
"Hey, give the guy some room to breath!" Sokka said as he pushed through the crowd. He grabbed Aang's arm and pulled him out of the crowd. "He's not an exhibit!"
Sokka walked over to the Hufflepuff table, pulling Aang with him.
"Thanks Sokka," Aang said.
Sokka smiled at him. "Hey, I wasn't going to let my friend deal with that by himself."
Aang smiled, but it faded when he saw that everyone, excluding the Slytherins, was looking at him. "Everyone's staring at me."
Sokka stopped and looked around. "Hey! He's not an exhibit in a museum! Get back to eating!"
Everyone turned around and went back to their earlier activities. Aang sighed in relief as he and Sokka sat down with Zuko and Bolin.
After finishing breakfast, it was time for Potions. Aang walked in between Sokka and Zuko as they followed other first years down to the dungeons. They walked into the classroom lit by candles, and sat at a table in the middle of the room.
Aang and Sokka sat on one side of the table while Zuko and Bolin sat across from them. The four open seats were soon occupied by Katara, Mai, Suki, and Korra when they walked in. Katara sat at the end of the table, next to Aang and Suki. Korra sat at the other end of the table while Mai sat next to Zuko. Toph sat at the table next to them with Meng and few other first years.
Iroh walked to the front of the room while everyone set down their cauldrons and ingredient cases onto the table and sat themselves down.
"Good morning everyone," Iroh said with a smile. Silence slowly fell in the room before he continued. "I can tell you're all excited to learn the art of potion-making." Iroh looked at the eager faces of his students. "Potions are an interesting form of magic. Multiple ingredients, each different and unique in their own way come together to make something amazing, much like this school. Every student here is different and unique, but together, you can achieve greatness."
Zuko smiled as Iroh continued, "Now, let's see who read ahead. What do you get if you mixed an infusion of asphodel and wormwood?"
Aang and Katara were the only ones to shoot their hands up. They looked at each and Katara smiled as she put her hand down. "You answer this one."
Aang lowered his hand with a smile. "If you combine powdered root of asphodel and an infusion of wormwood, you'd brew a sleeping potion known as the Draught of Sleeping Death. It causes the drinker to fall into a deep, death-like slumber."
"Very good, I see you studied well." Iroh looked at Katara. "I'll let let you answer this next question, Ms. Aippaq. Where might you look for a bezoar and what is it used for?"
"Bezoar is a stone-like substance found in a goat's stomach," Katara replied with a smile. "It's used as an antidote to most poisons when swallowed whole."
"I see you studied as well," Iroh looked at the rest of the class. "How about the difference between monkshood and aconite?"
Katara frowned since she didn't know that one. No one in the room raised their hands... except for Aang.
"There's no difference," Aang said as he lowered his hand. "They're the same plant...but it's better known as wolfsbane."
Iroh nodded with a smile and went on to talking about the different plants and tools they'll be using. He demonstrated how to use the brass scales to measure and how to crush ingredients. When he finished explaining the basic information of potion making, Iroh set them toward brewing a Cure for Boils potion.
Aang willed himself not to wince when he grabbed the silver knife to cut ingredients. He already practiced plenty of times at home so he could blend in with the other students. Of course, his parents didn't know; he did it secretly in his room.
Iroh walked around the classroom, watching the students prepare their ingredients. He made encouraging remarks here and there while pointing out what could use improving.
"I don't think potion making is my thing." Zuko said with a frown as he tried to correctly cut and measure ingredients, right as Iroh finally made his way to his nephew's table.
"Don't worry, Zuko," Iroh said, placing a hand on his nephew's shoulder. "It just takes practice like everything else. As you can see everyone else is having troubles." He motioned to the others, but stopped at Aang. "Except for Mr. Lhundup it seems."
Aang looked up when he heard his name. "Oh... my mom taught me how to cut vegetables back home. Potions is just like cooking, and I grew up helping my mom cook."
"I guess that's something Muggle-Borns and Half-Bloods have over Pure-Bloods," Toph said with a smirk.
"You are correct, Ms. Beifong. Most of my best students have been Muggle-Borns, including your mother Mr. Lhundup."
Aang smiled as Iroh gave Zuko an encouraging pat on his shoulder before walking away. The other Slytherins in the class didn't seem to like the remark of Muggle-Borns and Half-Bloods having an advantage over Pure-Bloods, or the fact that Professor Iroh agreed.
After Aang finished cutting the necessary ingredients, he put his knife down and looked at his hand to see that it was red. He did his best to hide it as he continued brewing the potion, following the directions in his book.
The class seemed to go by without any problems at first, until Bolin managed to melt his cauldron, as he added the porcupine quills before taking the potion off the fire. This caused the classroom to be filled with acid green smoke and the failed potion seeped over the floor, burning holes in people's shoes.
Iroh had Korra take Bolin to the Hospital Wing, whose face was covered in nasty boils from his failed potion, as he quickly vanished the spilt potion with a wave of his wand. Then, he began sending students off to lunch after they finished their potions, but only after it was tested to make sure it was brewed correctly.
Aang was the first one done, but he stayed to help his friends finish theirs. He blushed everytime he had to direct Katara's hand while helping her with her potion. She was a fast learner though and was the next to be finished.
After everyone had finished, Aang began to leave but stop when Iroh called him. "Aang, will you help me clean up?"
Aang turned to Sokka and Zuko. "I'll meet up with you guys later."
The two boys nodded before walking away. Aang walked up to Iroh. "What do you need help with sir?"
"I don't actually need your help Aang," Iroh said as he pulled bandages out of a cupboard. He sat down and pulled up another chair for Aang. "Sit down and give me your hand."
Aang slowly sat down and held out his hand. Iroh began wrapping the bandages around the young boy's red hand. "I apologize for the wolfsbane question. I ask those questions every year so it was out of habit."
"Why do you ask them every year?" Aang asked.
"I do it to see who read ahead in the book, the ones who already know what they're doing. Only those who did would know the questions."
"So...you know about my...condition?"
Iroh smiled. "Of course I do. I'll be brewing your Wolfsbabe potion." He patted his hand once he finished wrapping it. "All done."
"Thank you professor," Aang said as he stood up.
"One last thing," Iroh said as he stood up himself. He went to the cupboard again and pulled out a knife and handed it to Aang. "I think this will work better for you." Aang carefully took it and didn't feel any pain. "It's fake silver."
Aang hugged him as tears formed in his eyes. "Thank you."
Iroh hugged him back. "You're welcome."
Aang pulled away and ran to put his new knife with his supplies before running out of the classroom to catch up with Sokka and Zuko.