Gabe paused - the circle flaring green as it completed, then subsiding to a slightly opalescent line on the surface of the workbench - and pointed his wand (not threateningly! just indicatively!) at Gerard. "You are totally going to show me. That is awesome."
That established, he turned back to the business at hand, took half a step away from the workbench, and tapped the cork of the bottle with his wand, quickly pulling his hand back. The cork shot out, bounced off the ceiling, and disappeared down the back of a shelf with a rattle, but far more interesting was what was happening with the bottle; the liquid grew cloudier, and cloudier still, until the snake could no longer be seen even in silhouette. A few wisps of heavy smoke boiled out of the bottle, slinking down the sides, and then a sleek head rose from amongst them, forked tongue tasting the air before the cobra undulated forth, coiling around the bottle like a helterskelter until she reached the bench. The blunt head swung, jewel-bright eyes reflecting the light that also glinted off her wet scales, and her hood spread menacingly as she rose up. Gabe, leaning forward in appreciative observation, flinched back as she struck out; the wardline glowed forest-green as she hit it, and slumped back.
"Maybe we'll, ah, start with the vodka," Gabe noted, sliding open a drawer and pulling out a heavy bottle, and then a small box, from which he pulled a small, unmoving lizard. He tossed that into the warded circle, and the cobra flicked her tongue at it. "The wine can wait until she's feeling a little happier. It's cool."
They had all afternoon, anyway. Gabe, for one, was planning on a long, and highly enjoyable, session. Plenty of time for Sassy to join them. Gabe rattled the lid off the vodka, and grinned at Gerard. "Let's get playing."