SnitchSeeker.com - View Single Post - SEMINAR 2: Healer's Challenge :: Straining, Harvesting, & Pickling Murtlap Tentacles

Stefan · 02-20-2017, 02:26 PM

SPOILER!!: Individual Replies!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Artel

Sinead's lips compressed slightly in embarrassment as she realised her mistake- well, that was what she got for speaking on autopilot like that. Still, everyone had been there, right?
"Yes, thank you, Sir," she replied, trying to peer surreptitiously at his box- maybe the mist would be lifted in there and she could see what they were actually working on today? Whatever it was, it seemed a lot more exciting than last time, and she was glad she'd showed up.

This suspicion was only confirmed as he began to speak. She nodded along almost unconsciously to his words- she absolutely knew how to conduct herself around potions, even if creatures weren't her favourite. As soon as the mist lifted from the boxes, her face lit up with interest- she knew exactly what the creature was, and she'd read a bit about them in her Care of Magical Creatures textbook. Actually, healing was pretty interesting in general- she might have heard about them from some other source as well. Hand shooting up into the air, she spoke as soon as River indicated she could, face intent with recollection.
"They can have a dangerous bite, I don't think it's fatal, but it causes a reaction. And their tentacles are valuable, because they can be used for potions, usually healing potions for cuts? Can you use their venom for potions as well?" She couldn't remember reading anything about that, but she knew that plenty of animals' venom was useful in potions, so it kind of stood to reason that the same might be true of a Murtlap.

River rounded up his work station up front, and gestured his hand towards the Slytherin. "Dangerous in the sense that it will try to eat your feet if you accidentally stepped on one of them. They usually are harmless if left alone," River nodded his head as he leaned on his work station, "However, the reaction to their bites are more evident in muggles...causing their back end to produce flames." Not the most pleasant thing to feel...and witness. "Indeed, Murtlaps' tentacles are one of the most rare potions ingredient out there, however, we have yet to come across a study that a Murtlap's venom can be used in potions. What can be utilised is the substance...or the essence that each tentacle holds." The Healer gave the Slytherin a grin, "Good answer, Miss Dance." And moved on to the next student.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oesed

Levi would have told Declan that if his nervous system hadn't gone into shock during one of their super early morning workouts in which Levi had felt little better than an inferi--well, he doubted anything would. In the end, Healer Reed had moved to close the door and Levi had to settle for giving his brother a wide-eyed, incredulous look.

Murtlaps looked like overtly hairy rats, so Levi's feelings were half disgust, half clinical interest. "Dueling club members probably know this already, but eating the growth of a murtlap's back helps with resistance to jinxes." Eating too much of it COULD cause purple hair to grow out of their ears, too. But they could discover that on their own.

The Healer nodded at the Gryffindor in agreement. "It can, but everyone should bear in mind that it will only deflect minor jinxes. Good answer, Master Kenning." Still, they shouldn't depend too much on Murtlaps' tentacles. It pays to be vigilant all the time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by potterobsessionist

One of Carlton's favorite things about Hogwarts was when people called him 'master'. It had a very nice ring to it. And he beamed at the healer when he used that title for him. 'Master Lewis'. Not even his dad was called that.

When healer Reed lifted the SSM or the Super Secretive Mist; Carlton leaned forward in his seat.

WUT.

What in the world was that thing?!

Carlton looked up at the healer and then back down at the little creature. Murt-what now? He hadn't seen one of those in any COMC lesson and therefore he had no idea what kind of creature it was. Honestly, he was still questioning if the thing was real or not. And to answer the healer's question: Nothing. There was absolutely nothing Carlton could tell him about Murt-whatever. It looked like a naked mole-rat. But he didn't need to point that out, anyone with eyes could see that.

So, Carlton continued to stare at it and listen to the other students suggestions. Why they knew so much about this naked mole-rat was beyond him, but he was sure he would find out during the course of the seminar.

River's glance shifted from Levi, to Carlton who seemed to be a bit lost with the creature. That was perfectly fine, considering that not all students aren't into Creatures or Potions. He did bring his writing implements with him right? Taking notes wouldn't be a bad idea too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhoenixRising

At first Skylar was slightly disheartened to see that the next healing seminar was going to be inside, in a classroom, with desks. But she reckoned on some level it made sense since despite the poor insulation castle walls provided, it was still warmer than the grounds.

She'd of course claimed one of the seats near the front, because the closer to the healer and all, and the better to take in his features. Pressing her quill to her lips in deep thought as the Healer began the seminar, she listened as he introduced today's topic - murtlaps. She knew one thing for them, that they were good for healing cuts, as the one snake first year mentioned already.

What else could she say about murtlaps that would have been unique? Staring up at the tall pale healer, she felt her heart rate increase, as she simultaneously mentally berated herself.

No, don't go there. Don't do it.

But before she could stop herself, her hand was in the air, "My brand of amortentia smells like murtlaps." Because the healer was teaching them about the creature, and obviously it smelled like the healer, but that might have been too forward. Also, just as quickly as she raised her hand, her hand dropped and she sank a bit in her seat, cheeks feeling warm, wondering what in Merlin's beard had come over her.

The sight of a hand close to his face brought the man's attention to the front, almost surprised to see Miss Diggory there. Perhaps he was busy securing one of the glass boxes at the other side of the room when she arrived? Nonetheless, he was happy to see her in his seminar. It seemed that she's interested in Healing as well.

He hoped.

To be honest, there was nothing much to be said about Murtlaps considering how close they are to being classified as 'boring' creatures. However, Skylar's answer took him by surprise. Her...amortentia? Really? River gave her an amused and curious look, thinking that her choice of weakness was that of the smell of...murtlap essence, which by the way...didn't smell pleasant. Huh. Very odd...but very interesting nonetheless. "I see. I...do hope that the smell will not interfere with our activity later on." Of course he took the precaution of setting up various protective charms and barriers around the glass box, but that won't be enough if the participant was too distracted to handle the sensitive creature.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crayola

AWW, look, Healer Reed was apologising. At least, Daisy assumed he had been apologising and therefore grinned happily at him as she tied up her apron. "Don't worry, Sir! We can't run from Yetis all the time!" She waved off his apology and smoothed the front of her apron with her hand. Now THIS made her feel like they would be baking which would be much more fun.

Oh. No.

All thoughts of baking disappeared from her mind as Healer Reed revealed the Murtlap and the Slytherin made a gagging motion. They were so, so UGLY. Like weirdly naked rats with disgusting hair only on top. BLEH. She raised her hand, ready to share what she knew about the creatures (which, granted, it wasn't that much) but then her attention was taken by Skylar's answer. Amortentia? The fifth year gigglesnorted loudly at the answer given by her fellow Slytherin and then tried to pass it off as a cough.

Ahem.

We see you, Sky. We see you.

"It'd be wise to steer away from them, Sir. They have a tendency to bite once stepped on." She offered when she was called upon, still trying to fight the giggles. SEE, this lesson was improving already.

River slowly raised a brow at the coughing, but immediately waved it off mentally—ignoring the fact that he missed something. Was it some kind of code language for girls? He thought it was, and figured that it was best to let it pass. Daisy did not disrupt the session, so everything was good. "Prevention is better than cure, Miss Carden. Good thinking. However, you don't need to step away from it if you know how to handle Murtlaps." Knowledge was key!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ama

Murtlaps were awesome looking creatures. Of course, he still thought they had nothing on his favorite girl Charlotte, but they had their own brand of beauty. Mostly, he liked the little tentacles on its back. He resisted the urge to the tickle the wiggling things.

"You can also use its essence to treat some cuts and abrasions," said Declan with is hand raised. "I've used it on scraped knees before." Declan figured you could probably also use it for whippings and lashes but that seemed rather too gory to share out loud.

Ah, now they were going somewhere! "Very good, Master Kenning." He said pointing excitedly to the other Kenning offspring. He had a feeling that both boys have used the essence, given that Levi supplied the 'protection against jinxes' answer, while the older brother mentioned healing cuts and the like. Two sides of the same coin, perhaps?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Felixir

Fix...? Huh? What?

OH!

Moments later, Abey's hair was suddenly lovely and warm and dry, as was his uniform. Of course, Abey was no stranger to spells like these when he was at home with mama actually, or visiting his cousins (because aunts and uncles). He had always had something of a bad habit of getting himself into all sorts of mischief and mess, so was no stranger to such charms being used on him. He reached up to touch his hair, noting it was all smooth and nice and probably looked much better than when he had tried to 'style' it actually.

"Thank you!"

Soooooo, creatures AND potions then? That sounded like... they might be collecting potion-y bits from potion-y animals, didn't it? Easy question to start with, too, so Abey raised his hand (he was remembering!) and pointed at the creature in the box.

"That's a Murtlap!" And, just in case that wasn't enough information, he added, while wiggling the fingers of both of his hands as appropriate. "They have wriggly bits on them." See? He was demonstrating, but he didn't need to, because there was one here in class today too, actually, in case the Healer hadn't noticed. Even though actually he had already revealed the creature so it was likely that he had noticed it.

Well, yes. It is a Murtlap. River grinned at the Gryffindor and supplied him with the correct term. "We call it tentacles, Master Botros...the, uhm, 'wriggly bits'. Wriggly. He had a feeling Jordan would not approve of that, considering how much he loved creatures of all kinds and sizes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Suziella

Murtlaps. They were ugly little buggers but their tentacles had many healing properties. Juno raised her hand, and when called on replied, "Well, they are actually marine beasts, and basically look like a bald rat with tentacles that look like anemones attached to their backs. Also, they like to eat crustaceans." Everyone had already stated the healing properties, so she figured why not go with more basic description and eating habits.

Hopefully their Care of Magical Creatures teacher would have been proud she knew the answer.

The Healer called the Hufflepuff prefect next, and as soon as she offered her answer, River beamed at the young lady. "Correct! And it's important to note that their diet consists of crustaceans. I will elaborate on that later. Very good answer, Prefect Darcy."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lady of Light

Potions? Etta might have looked even more disappointed when she realised that this seminar was just going to be like every other class. She sighed and just hoped that it would be an interesting lesson, at least. At the professor's question, she frowned and tried to come up with something about murtlaps.. which wasn't much.

"Erm... they look like rats but they have a weird growth on their back. Those tentacles can be eaten to improve one's resistance, I think." ..... ugh, yes. Gross. How do people EAT that? She mentally shook that thought out of head and listened to all the other answers given by her classmates.

River moved on to the next student, and clarified Etta's answer. "It does improve one's resistance to minor jinxes, Miss Kramer. The sensation of eating the tentacle might not be a pleasant one, but the effect should prove useful, especially to Curse-Breakers because it gives them an extra layer of defense." Hopefully, she'd give the tentacles a shot.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FwooperOnYourLeft

Leon smiled as Juno came to sit next to him and he gently nudged her, not daring to do anymore in class. "Hey Jun.. " He said with a warm smile as he looked up at Healer Reed as he spoke about what they were going to be doing today. Hmmm, potions ehh? That sounded pretty fun actually! He was looking forward to whatever this was..

Until Healer Reed vanished the mists in the box and ewwww Murtlap., he was going to add a few facts but decided to go off the previous girl's answer..

"You can eat the tentacles, but eating too many may cause you to grow purple ear hair.. " So a general warning to everyone..

"Indeed." It would be a funny sight to see but, "Do you think it's worth it, in exchange for extra protection?" Maybe Leon would say no, especially if he had to date the prefect sitting beside him. Would Juno mind? River's eyes gave the Hufflepuff a quick glance and a grin before moving on to the next student.

Quote:

Originally Posted by emjay

Creatures, yes! Potions, not so much. Henry was growing more convinced that this was seminar going to be much more class-like than anything active, though he had already kind of guessed by the info on the noticeboard and the room's setup. Still, he was holding out hope that they might do something more fun than what normally might be done in Potions class as it certainly wasn't his best.

But his attention was soon diverted as the healer revealed what was in the mystery box - a murtlap! Sure, they weren't nearly as cute as a kitten, but they were cool in their own right, and Henry stared at the creature as he thought of something to contribute.

Yeah, he heard that people ate parts of them, but that seemed pretty gross to him. And he couldn't help but give Skylar a side-glance at her contribution to the discussion. He did not know what murtlap smelled like, but he was pretty sure that wouldn't have been part of his amortentia bouquet. Not that he'd feel so compelled to share that in class anyway.

Anyway.

As for an answer, he had nothing that was really different from what anyone else said, though he supposed he could expand and then ask a question. "I think when one eats murtlap tentacles, they're usually pickled," he offered as he raised his hand. "But.. can they be taken from the creatures without harming them?" Because the alternative seemed awfully cruel to Henry for something like jinx resistance.

River beamed at the Hufflepuff with great hair (like his own, ahem), and stuffed his hands inside his pockets. "It is often overlooked that the tentacles should be consumed after pickling. A very good observation Master Whittebrooke." The Healer nodded his head, and then tilted it to the side when he too offered a question. "Yes, it is possible. As long as you know how to properly harvest the tentacles, the Murtlaps will not be in danger, or in pain." And he will teach them a thing or two about it in a while.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetpinkpixie

Derf had arrived WELL before the start of the seminar and had even selected a spot aaaaaaall the way in the front but had chosen to remain uncharacteristically quiet - not even greeting the Healer - as he had made his way inside. He was still MIFFED about a FEW things, okay? Like the false advertising that had been the last seminar. Pffffft. But at least the healer seemed to have learned his lesson since this time the man had not put any label on the seminar other than 'healing' so...the Hufflepuff supposed there were a few brownie points earned.

Maybe. He would wait to see what the rest of the seminar held.

CREATURES WHAT?! REALLY?! FOR REAL THIS TIME?!

Potions...well..that left much to be desired with the first year, but at least that was not dependent on spellwork so there was more hope for a decent execution. Explosions were still very much a thing though. Oops in advance.

His bright blue eyes WIDENED when the murtlap was revealed and he was mouthing the creature's name just as the healer did - what a coinkidink!

What did he know? Weeeeeeeeeeell...since the man had asked so nicely...

"Murtlaps-s-s are found in the coas-s-stal areas-s-s of Britain - s-s-seashore dwellers-s-s - are are wicked us-s-seful!" he began after he had been called upon. "Fey like to eat crustaceans-s-s-s bes-s-st and fat growff on their back - the tentacles-s-s - can be pickled and eaten to improve your resistance to jinxes-s-s. Too much pickled murtlap growth will turn your hair PURPLE fough. ALSO! That growff...the tentacles? Yeah, FOSE! Fey are also used in Murtlap Es-sss-sssssssss-ssence. AND AND AND Newt Scamander kept one in his suitcase! OH! And their bites-s-s can be realyl REALLY bad if you have a s-s-serious reaction to fem. Fire out of your bum!"

And the incarnation of Newt Scamander has spoken. A bit textbook, but River accepted Derf's answer with enthusiasm. "I hope the rest took down notes, because this young man right here has summed up everything for us today. Well done, Master Derfael of the" ~~pine cones~~ "Chocolate Frogs." River smiled down on the first year before continuing. "I would like to reiterate however, that the 'fire-out-of-your-bum' reaction from the bite can only happen to some muggles."
----------------------------

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhittyBitty

Rosalyn had been here the entire time.

Maybe not the ENTIRE time, but she had situated herself in the room before students had finished coming in, greeting each in turn with a friendly smile and a nod. It was nice to see that so many people were excited to come here and learn something from River. Looking at the state of things as far as Bunsen burners were concerned, someone wouldn't be attending the seminar and she would miss his presence. Oh well, they would be seeing each other later.

As the first question was asked, Rosalyn remained silent. Even though she had things that she could contribute, it was always best to leave it to the students. This was mostly for them after all.

The Healer discreetly regarded Rosalyn by giving her a grin, and then moved on to the next student.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hey Ju

Matt was just sitting there, wondering why they were inside for a health and wellness seminar. Exercise was the number one thing for that, so WHY weren't they out there in the grounds running again?? WHY???

But Matt still had high hopes because Healer Reed had proved he could hold fun activities. The boy was trying to figure out just HOW sitting at a desk would be interesting and fun, but he'd had no luck so far.

He did smirk, though, when he saw the Murtlap. What did he know about them? Apart from the obvious. "They have this cool mohican going on." The fifteen year-old said, using his right hand to gesture the hairstyle over his own head. "Very fashionable, if you ask me." Lol.

"Not every one can sport the look though." River replied with a chuckle, and gave the young man a good pat on the shoulder as he moved around the room.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tegz

The thing with announcements about scheduling things was that Char absolutely didn't bother reading them unless they were about dueling. So for her, she had heard about the seminar through the Gryffindor grapevine, which hadn't at ALL focused on the part where there wasn't going to be any Yetis. Not that she needed Yetis in particular, but oh BOY the healer totally should have built up to that awesomeness because really, how DID you follow that?

With a sit-down lesson that required note-taking, apparently. She DID give him a big smile though, the healer. Just because she was somewhat disappointed, it didn't mean she wasn't going to at least TRY to learn something useful. Maybe something that would be helpful in dueling? That would be okay! Lets salvage the wreckage of her active-lesson dreams okay?

Foot silently bouncing (she was pretty good at this point in her life at fidgeting without disturbing anyone else), Charlotte perked up hopefully when the lesson itself began. Her own holidays had been pretty great, obviously. She had turned sixteen not too long before Christmas, so obviously her first Christmas as a sixteen year old had involved some very grown-up things. The novelty of said grown-up things was still new enough that she hadn't even been bothered about missing out on some of the childhood traditions that she was now expected to put aside.

She hadn't yet been able to forgive her cousin for certain things, which put a bit of a damper on the holidays for Char, but she wasn't mad anymore. Only the hurt part had continued to last for her, but at least she'd forgiven (and apologised to) her parents. She'd sort of taken out her hurt and upset on them a bit, because it was easier to do that sometimes. But it was okay now. Even with a new baby in the house, things at home still felt like HOME.

But the healer, meanwhile, was lifting the mist! And Charlotte was excited right up until the moment she recognized the creatures. Oh. Murtlaps. That was..... she'd hoped for tiny nundus or something, if she was being honest.

So what could she contribute while answers were being given left-right-and-centre? Char put her hand up.

"The ministry classification of murtlaps is xxx, which means 'competent wizards should cope'." Charlotte quoted the classification directly just so that there would be no confusion but she did add, "I think the part where it says wizards -aside from the fact that it should say witches too- is kind of telling, because muggles definitely CAN'T cope with murtlaps." Poor muggles. Charlotte thought she'd read somewhere that they were more likely to have an allergic reaction to their bites too, but she wasn't sure.

As for this business with resisting jinxes... was it really worth the potential purple ear hair? Though you could just take a potion for that, she supposed, it sort of felt like cheating or something, kind of dishonest. But that was just her.

The Healer picked Charlotte's hand next and crossed his arms across his chest as he listened to her answer. "The fact that most of us are prejudiced against rats in general make us look like ignorant fools. What's worse is that we are the same when it comes to our own magical creatures such as Murtlaps, resulting in our incapability to cope with seemingly strange but beautiful creatures." River loosened up and started to pace around the room again. "It's a sad fact, however, not all hope is lost because you and the rest are here to learn and defy such ignorance." The Healer gave Charlotte an encouraging smile, and hopefully his words didn't sound too deep. Sometimes, it was very hard to resist showing his Ravenclaw soul.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SilverTiger

The distraction on the healer’s part hadn’t bothered Elle overly much. Obviously he wasn’t just standing there waiting for them all to arrive, and his glance toward the window only gave her a minor sense of embarrassment. She’d had a lot to deal with lately, so the fact she had any sense of time at all was an accomplishment. Plus, he hadn’t pointed it out, so she hadn’t needed to be entirely embarrassed. That and he had agreed to her other request, even though she hadn’t said anything about what it was about. “That sounds perfect,” she said, settling at her seat, choosing to leave her reasons until the Great Hall later.

The seminar had begun anyhow, as he’d begun speaking about creatures and healing. Or more accurately creatures and Potions, but given the general focus of the seminar, she had put two and two together. Healing Potions, and she’d merely blinked as he’d dissipated the mist in the box to reveal a murtlap. That certainly made sense given her train of thought. Murtlaps and mandrakes, but the latter was a plant. Not a creature, exactly.

And she’d stayed quiet. She hadn’t been able to provide any information about murtlaps that hadn’t been said, so she hadn’t seen a reason to just repeat the things that were already established.

As he passed by Elle, the Healer too offered her a grin, and moved on to the next portion of the seminar.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Govoni

Fun holidays... Well, yes, if the Healer was truly wondering and concerning himself with the matter, Olivia had enjoyed a wonderful holiday. With their newly formed staff-student relationship, she found her body was allowing her to experience things and interpret her response to said things in a positive way. So, needless to say, the Gryffindor remained in high spirits. Dreamless sleep and regular meals were capable of working miracles, apparently. The headaches were less frequent, as were the dizzy spells. It was a far cry from where she'd been the last time... Having fainted and everything. Merlin, body, let's never do that again, yeah?

Shifting from one foot to the other, Liv took another gander at the sparse classroom and her peers. Not to offend any of them, but this whole thing was beginning to get incredibly repetitive. Lessons everyday with the same people. Dare she even think... That it would be nice to see some new, unfamiliar faces? Surely that wasn't a true Liv!thought, given that it was something the old Olivia might want. Or perhaps she was just burned out on the routine of it. Before, she'd have knowingly caused anarchy if she fell into this sort've rut. What the Gryffindor wouldn't give for a more practical lesson right now. Just work through whatever mild frustrations were there. She felt better, yes, but there were still some grievances. Unavoidable.

And... while she normally would've sneered at having to do too much writing for her lessons, Olivia felt it was probably best to simply jump right in with the note-taking. She had grade to maintain, after all; even if this was a seminar and not truly a lesson. With the potions theme, surely anything she learned today would assist her down the road. Was it possible for any knowledge to be useless? She didn't think so... But that was just one woman's opinion. There were probably loads of things that others found a waste of brain space... Heh... It was nice to see that her mind was doing that thing again. You know the one... Where it ran away with unimportant thoughts... Merlin, was she actually getting distracted right now?.......... Was it because she felt bored? That had definitely been an issue from the before time. But thankfully, her mind hadn't drifted to more unpleasant things... As it had been known to do with other subjects. Cores ones, at that.

Heh. Okay. Focus, brain.

Murtlaps. They were discussing murtlaps. Of course, everyone was probably aware of the creature and the very helpful remedy made from it's parts. Being a girl who always got more than her own fair share of cuts and scraps, it would've been impractical to not point out that particular fact. Even though, everyone was spilling forth with their own answers. Some were repeats. Others, not so much. Eh, it was the same thing with every lesson, however. Nothing too surprising.... Merlin, HER BRAIN WAS DOING IT AGAIN... F O C U S.

"Murtlap Essence, made from murtlaps bits is probably one of the most helpful 'everyday cures' to ever be created. Right up there with Dittany. Especially if you have little ones, who get hurt a lot." They fall down, bump their heads... Liv was a renowned babysitter in her hometown community, so she was very experienced in that regard. "It smells just awful, by the way." Not that she had to tell him, probably. They were about to work with them, after all. Also, she was 100% convinced that it smelled so bad, because it was a sea-type creature. Strange, given they lived in water, which was good for baths.

Shifting her gaze down to her glass box, she frowned deeply. Eh, at least they weren't getting physical today. Potions were a safe activity for her. "Sir, do you agree with it's Ministry rating?".. And yes, Olivia realize she was being talkative today. Apologies.

River let out an inconspicuous sigh of relief when Olivia started to talk. He knew she was making good progress, and he was proud of what he was seeing. They still have a long way to go, but to see her getting curious over –should he daresay—boring information, made some of his worries go right out of the window. Olivia was clearly helping herself get through her issues, and River encouraged her further by sticking to the discussion and exploring her answer further. "It truly is a handy remedy...and it does smell awful." River's mind wandered back to Skylar's answer, and wondered what the smell reminded her of? "Although Essence of Dittany is also an important remedy solution, it should not be used for shallow cuts and wounds, considering that the Dittany plant is extremely rare, and hard to bottle. It makes it very expensive and impractical to use in minor wounds." River nodded, and smiled down at the Gryffindor.

And they were back to the Ministry Classification thing. "I agree." He said without having any second thoughts as he gave Charlotte a quick look, then back to Olivia.

The Healer clapped his hands once, and rubbed them together as he took quick strides towards the front of the classroom, and magically rolled down the blackboard behind him, tapped his wand against it and the following words were shown on the board.

Quote:

MURTLAP
Aquatic rats found in the coastal areas of Britain

Has tentacles on its back resembling a sea anemone

Tentacles can be pickled and consumed by magical folks to resist minor jinxes

Strained and pickled tentacles produce the Murtlap's Essence

Murtlap's Essence is used to cure minor wounds and scratches

Rated 'X X X' by the Ministry (Competent Wizards & Witches should cope)

"Now that we have gathered the Murtlaps' basic information, we can now move on to our Mini-Activity for today." River moved closer to his work station and began to line up several sealed mason jars, each containing five Murtlap tentacles floating in a yellow solution. The man picked a random jar and showed it to the class. "By the end of the session, each and every one in this room will get to pickle Murtlap tentacles by making the solution...and of course, harvesting the tentacles from the Murtlaps on your work stations. But before we begin with that, I will get you started by learning how to properly strain these pickled tentacles." The man started off by cleaning his tools and hands with a cleaning spell, and went on to don his dragonhide gloves and safety goggles.

"The pickling solution is made up of spirit vinegar, or white vinegar as what our American brethren would call it, sea salt, sal ammoniac, sulfur vive, and distilled water. This composition is of hospital grade, because of the presence of ammonium chloride and sulfur vive—the same key ingredients you will find in the remedy called Panacea or what alchemists would call the perfect medicine." The Healer began to unscrew the jar and continued, "Those two ingredients are optional, however, it will make your tentacles and essence more potent." River fished a single tentacle from the jar, and held it at both ends. "Straining a tentacle is very simple. You just have to hold it at both ends like this, and wring the tentacle until the juice comes out letting the essence drip in an empty jar. You would know that the tentacle is completely dried out when it's all wrinkly and flat." He said showing the shriveled tentacle. "Collect the remains of the tentacle in a clean bowl...and we will hand those to Professor Myers to fertilize his healing herbal plants. The solution however can be stored to preserve other creature parts...preferably those that isn't edible." River finished straining his tentacles, placed all shriveled tentacles to one side, and labelled his bottle of essence before showing it to the rest of student body. "The first challenge starts here. Come forward to retrieve one jar of pickled murtlap tentacles, strain them in a vial...and label them with these." The man then moved away from his work station to give room to the students, tapped the blackboard once more and the key steps to straining murtlap tentacles appeared.

Quote:

STRAINING MURTLAP TENTACLES
Make sure your hands are clean before doing the activity.

Wear your aprons, safety goggles, dragonhide gloves

Hold the tentacle at both ends

Wring the tentacle and let the essence drip in a clean vial

Set aside shriveled tentacle (can be used as soil fertilizer for healing herbal plants)

Label vial properly

Store in a cool dry place

"ALSO!You are allowed to eat one tentacle from the jar. You all know what would happen if you consumed way too much. You've been warned." River added with a smile. "If you forgot your protective gloves, I have a few pairs here...I believe, that these were from a former Herbology professor." he said showing the class several pairs of bright pink gloves.

So. Who's going to step up to the challenge, hmm?

OOC: For the Mini-Activity, just follow the steps above and complete it in 1 post. Your character has the option to eat one tentacle...but if s/he chooses not to listen to the Healer you may. Just remember that when consuming all the tentacles would result in bushy purple ear hair. XD You have 20-24 Hours to complete this task. (21 February, 2:00 PM GMT). IF YOU NEED RIVER/ME PLEASE LABEL YOUR POST(S). Thank you! ^^

02-20-2017, 02:26 PM	#37 (permalink)
Stefan Abraxan Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Under Blueprints Posts: 25,495 Hogwarts RPG Name: Mackenzie Alistaire Mordaunt Slytherin Fifth Year Hogwarts RPG Name: Yoji Christopher Reed Ravenclaw First Year x12 x12	Jedi Master•General Iroh•Java Junkie• King ♛ Stefan •Mycroft Holmes•Dragon Lord•Druid Boy SPOILER!!: Individual Replies! Quote: Originally Posted by Artel Sinead's lips compressed slightly in embarrassment as she realised her mistake- well, that was what she got for speaking on autopilot like that. Still, everyone had been there, right? "Yes, thank you, Sir," she replied, trying to peer surreptitiously at his box- maybe the mist would be lifted in there and she could see what they were actually working on today? Whatever it was, it seemed a lot more exciting than last time, and she was glad she'd showed up. This suspicion was only confirmed as he began to speak. She nodded along almost unconsciously to his words- she absolutely knew how to conduct herself around potions, even if creatures weren't her favourite. As soon as the mist lifted from the boxes, her face lit up with interest- she knew exactly what the creature was, and she'd read a bit about them in her Care of Magical Creatures textbook. Actually, healing was pretty interesting in general- she might have heard about them from some other source as well. Hand shooting up into the air, she spoke as soon as River indicated she could, face intent with recollection. "They can have a dangerous bite, I don't think it's fatal, but it causes a reaction. And their tentacles are valuable, because they can be used for potions, usually healing potions for cuts? Can you use their venom for potions as well?" She couldn't remember reading anything about that, but she knew that plenty of animals' venom was useful in potions, so it kind of stood to reason that the same might be true of a Murtlap. River rounded up his work station up front, and gestured his hand towards the Slytherin. "Dangerous in the sense that it will try to eat your feet if you accidentally stepped on one of them. They usually are harmless if left alone," River nodded his head as he leaned on his work station, "However, the reaction to their bites are more evident in muggles...causing their back end to produce flames." Not the most pleasant thing to feel...and witness. "Indeed, Murtlaps' tentacles are one of the most rare potions ingredient out there, however, we have yet to come across a study that a Murtlap's venom can be used in potions. What can be utilised is the substance...or the essence that each tentacle holds." The Healer gave the Slytherin a grin, "Good answer, Miss Dance." And moved on to the next student. Quote: Originally Posted by Oesed Levi would have told Declan that if his nervous system hadn't gone into shock during one of their super early morning workouts in which Levi had felt little better than an inferi--well, he doubted anything would. In the end, Healer Reed had moved to close the door and Levi had to settle for giving his brother a wide-eyed, incredulous look. Murtlaps looked like overtly hairy rats, so Levi's feelings were half disgust, half clinical interest. "Dueling club members probably know this already, but eating the growth of a murtlap's back helps with resistance to jinxes." Eating too much of it COULD cause purple hair to grow out of their ears, too. But they could discover that on their own. The Healer nodded at the Gryffindor in agreement. "It can, but everyone should bear in mind that it will only deflect minor jinxes. Good answer, Master Kenning." Still, they shouldn't depend too much on Murtlaps' tentacles. It pays to be vigilant all the time. Quote: Originally Posted by potterobsessionist One of Carlton's favorite things about Hogwarts was when people called him 'master'. It had a very nice ring to it. And he beamed at the healer when he used that title for him. 'Master Lewis'. Not even his dad was called that. When healer Reed lifted the SSM or the Super Secretive Mist; Carlton leaned forward in his seat. WUT. What in the world was that thing?! Carlton looked up at the healer and then back down at the little creature. Murt-what now? He hadn't seen one of those in any COMC lesson and therefore he had no idea what kind of creature it was. Honestly, he was still questioning if the thing was real or not. And to answer the healer's question: Nothing. There was absolutely nothing Carlton could tell him about Murt-whatever. It looked like a naked mole-rat. But he didn't need to point that out, anyone with eyes could see that. So, Carlton continued to stare at it and listen to the other students suggestions. Why they knew so much about this naked mole-rat was beyond him, but he was sure he would find out during the course of the seminar. River's glance shifted from Levi, to Carlton who seemed to be a bit lost with the creature. That was perfectly fine, considering that not all students aren't into Creatures or Potions. He did bring his writing implements with him right? Taking notes wouldn't be a bad idea too. Quote: Originally Posted by PhoenixRising At first Skylar was slightly disheartened to see that the next healing seminar was going to be inside, in a classroom, with desks. But she reckoned on some level it made sense since despite the poor insulation castle walls provided, it was still warmer than the grounds. She'd of course claimed one of the seats near the front, because the closer to the healer and all, and the better to take in his features. Pressing her quill to her lips in deep thought as the Healer began the seminar, she listened as he introduced today's topic - murtlaps. She knew one thing for them, that they were good for healing cuts, as the one snake first year mentioned already. What else could she say about murtlaps that would have been unique? Staring up at the tall pale healer, she felt her heart rate increase, as she simultaneously mentally berated herself. No, don't go there. Don't do it. But before she could stop herself, her hand was in the air, "My brand of amortentia smells like murtlaps." Because the healer was teaching them about the creature, and obviously it smelled like the healer, but that might have been too forward. Also, just as quickly as she raised her hand, her hand dropped and she sank a bit in her seat, cheeks feeling warm, wondering what in Merlin's beard had come over her. The sight of a hand close to his face brought the man's attention to the front, almost surprised to see Miss Diggory there. Perhaps he was busy securing one of the glass boxes at the other side of the room when she arrived? Nonetheless, he was happy to see her in his seminar. It seemed that she's interested in Healing as well. He hoped. To be honest, there was nothing much to be said about Murtlaps considering how close they are to being classified as 'boring' creatures. However, Skylar's answer took him by surprise. Her...amortentia? Really? River gave her an amused and curious look, thinking that her choice of weakness was that of the smell of...murtlap essence, which by the way...didn't smell pleasant. Huh. Very odd...but very interesting nonetheless. "I see. I...do hope that the smell will not interfere with our activity later on." Of course he took the precaution of setting up various protective charms and barriers around the glass box, but that won't be enough if the participant was too distracted to handle the sensitive creature. Quote: Originally Posted by Crayola AWW, look, Healer Reed was apologising. At least, Daisy assumed he had been apologising and therefore grinned happily at him as she tied up her apron. "Don't worry, Sir! We can't run from Yetis all the time!" She waved off his apology and smoothed the front of her apron with her hand. Now THIS made her feel like they would be baking which would be much more fun. Oh. No. All thoughts of baking disappeared from her mind as Healer Reed revealed the Murtlap and the Slytherin made a gagging motion. They were so, so UGLY. Like weirdly naked rats with disgusting hair only on top. BLEH. She raised her hand, ready to share what she knew about the creatures (which, granted, it wasn't that much) but then her attention was taken by Skylar's answer. Amortentia? The fifth year gigglesnorted loudly at the answer given by her fellow Slytherin and then tried to pass it off as a cough. Ahem. We see you, Sky. We see you. "It'd be wise to steer away from them, Sir. They have a tendency to bite once stepped on." She offered when she was called upon, still trying to fight the giggles. SEE, this lesson was improving already. River slowly raised a brow at the coughing, but immediately waved it off mentally—ignoring the fact that he missed something. Was it some kind of code language for girls? He thought it was, and figured that it was best to let it pass. Daisy did not disrupt the session, so everything was good. "Prevention is better than cure, Miss Carden. Good thinking. However, you don't need to step away from it if you know how to handle Murtlaps." Knowledge was key! Quote: Originally Posted by Ama Murtlaps were awesome looking creatures. Of course, he still thought they had nothing on his favorite girl Charlotte, but they had their own brand of beauty. Mostly, he liked the little tentacles on its back. He resisted the urge to the tickle the wiggling things. "You can also use its essence to treat some cuts and abrasions," said Declan with is hand raised. "I've used it on scraped knees before." Declan figured you could probably also use it for whippings and lashes but that seemed rather too gory to share out loud. Ah, now they were going somewhere! "Very good, Master Kenning." He said pointing excitedly to the other Kenning offspring. He had a feeling that both boys have used the essence, given that Levi supplied the 'protection against jinxes' answer, while the older brother mentioned healing cuts and the like. Two sides of the same coin, perhaps? Quote: Originally Posted by Felixir Fix...? Huh? What? OH! Moments later, Abey's hair was suddenly lovely and warm and dry, as was his uniform. Of course, Abey was no stranger to spells like these when he was at home with mama actually, or visiting his cousins (because aunts and uncles). He had always had something of a bad habit of getting himself into all sorts of mischief and mess, so was no stranger to such charms being used on him. He reached up to touch his hair, noting it was all smooth and nice and probably looked much better than when he had tried to 'style' it actually. "Thank you!" Soooooo, creatures AND potions then? That sounded like... they might be collecting potion-y bits from potion-y animals, didn't it? Easy question to start with, too, so Abey raised his hand (he was remembering!) and pointed at the creature in the box. "That's a Murtlap!" And, just in case that wasn't enough information, he added, while wiggling the fingers of both of his hands as appropriate. "They have wriggly bits on them." See? He was demonstrating, but he didn't need to, because there was one here in class today too, actually, in case the Healer hadn't noticed. Even though actually he had already revealed the creature so it was likely that he had noticed it. Well, yes. It is a Murtlap. River grinned at the Gryffindor and supplied him with the correct term. "We call it tentacles, Master Botros...the, uhm, 'wriggly bits'. Wriggly. He had a feeling Jordan would not approve of that, considering how much he loved creatures of all kinds and sizes. Quote: Originally Posted by Suziella Murtlaps. They were ugly little buggers but their tentacles had many healing properties. Juno raised her hand, and when called on replied, "Well, they are actually marine beasts, and basically look like a bald rat with tentacles that look like anemones attached to their backs. Also, they like to eat crustaceans." Everyone had already stated the healing properties, so she figured why not go with more basic description and eating habits. Hopefully their Care of Magical Creatures teacher would have been proud she knew the answer. The Healer called the Hufflepuff prefect next, and as soon as she offered her answer, River beamed at the young lady. "Correct! And it's important to note that their diet consists of crustaceans. I will elaborate on that later. Very good answer, Prefect Darcy." Quote: Originally Posted by Lady of Light Potions? Etta might have looked even more disappointed when she realised that this seminar was just going to be like every other class. She sighed and just hoped that it would be an interesting lesson, at least. At the professor's question, she frowned and tried to come up with something about murtlaps.. which wasn't much. "Erm... they look like rats but they have a weird growth on their back. Those tentacles can be eaten to improve one's resistance, I think." ..... ugh, yes. Gross. How do people EAT that? She mentally shook that thought out of head and listened to all the other answers given by her classmates. River moved on to the next student, and clarified Etta's answer. "It does improve one's resistance to minor jinxes, Miss Kramer. The sensation of eating the tentacle might not be a pleasant one, but the effect should prove useful, especially to Curse-Breakers because it gives them an extra layer of defense." Hopefully, she'd give the tentacles a shot. Quote: Originally Posted by FwooperOnYourLeft Leon smiled as Juno came to sit next to him and he gently nudged her, not daring to do anymore in class. "Hey Jun.. " He said with a warm smile as he looked up at Healer Reed as he spoke about what they were going to be doing today. Hmmm, potions ehh? That sounded pretty fun actually! He was looking forward to whatever this was.. Until Healer Reed vanished the mists in the box and ewwww Murtlap., he was going to add a few facts but decided to go off the previous girl's answer.. "You can eat the tentacles, but eating too many may cause you to grow purple ear hair.. " So a general warning to everyone.. "Indeed." It would be a funny sight to see but, "Do you think it's worth it, in exchange for extra protection?" Maybe Leon would say no, especially if he had to date the prefect sitting beside him. Would Juno mind? River's eyes gave the Hufflepuff a quick glance and a grin before moving on to the next student. Quote: Originally Posted by emjay Creatures, yes! Potions, not so much. Henry was growing more convinced that this was seminar going to be much more class-like than anything active, though he had already kind of guessed by the info on the noticeboard and the room's setup. Still, he was holding out hope that they might do something more fun than what normally might be done in Potions class as it certainly wasn't his best. But his attention was soon diverted as the healer revealed what was in the mystery box - a murtlap! Sure, they weren't nearly as cute as a kitten, but they were cool in their own right, and Henry stared at the creature as he thought of something to contribute. Yeah, he heard that people ate parts of them, but that seemed pretty gross to him. And he couldn't help but give Skylar a side-glance at her contribution to the discussion. He did not know what murtlap smelled like, but he was pretty sure that wouldn't have been part of his amortentia bouquet. Not that he'd feel so compelled to share that in class anyway. Anyway. As for an answer, he had nothing that was really different from what anyone else said, though he supposed he could expand and then ask a question. "I think when one eats murtlap tentacles, they're usually pickled," he offered as he raised his hand. "But.. can they be taken from the creatures without harming them?" Because the alternative seemed awfully cruel to Henry for something like jinx resistance. River beamed at the Hufflepuff with great hair (like his own, ahem), and stuffed his hands inside his pockets. "It is often overlooked that the tentacles should be consumed after pickling. A very good observation Master Whittebrooke." The Healer nodded his head, and then tilted it to the side when he too offered a question. "Yes, it is possible. As long as you know how to properly harvest the tentacles, the Murtlaps will not be in danger, or in pain." And he will teach them a thing or two about it in a while. Quote: Originally Posted by sweetpinkpixie Derf had arrived WELL before the start of the seminar and had even selected a spot aaaaaaall the way in the front but had chosen to remain uncharacteristically quiet - not even greeting the Healer - as he had made his way inside. He was still MIFFED about a FEW things, okay? Like the false advertising that had been the last seminar. Pffffft. But at least the healer seemed to have learned his lesson since this time the man had not put any label on the seminar other than 'healing' so...the Hufflepuff supposed there were a few brownie points earned. Maybe. He would wait to see what the rest of the seminar held. CREATURES WHAT?! REALLY?! FOR REAL THIS TIME?! Potions...well..that left much to be desired with the first year, but at least that was not dependent on spellwork so there was more hope for a decent execution. Explosions were still very much a thing though. Oops in advance. His bright blue eyes WIDENED when the murtlap was revealed and he was mouthing the creature's name just as the healer did - what a coinkidink! What did he know? Weeeeeeeeeeell...since the man had asked so nicely... "Murtlaps-s-s are found in the coas-s-stal areas-s-s of Britain - s-s-seashore dwellers-s-s - are are wicked us-s-seful!" he began after he had been called upon. "Fey like to eat crustaceans-s-s-s bes-s-st and fat growff on their back - the tentacles-s-s - can be pickled and eaten to improve your resistance to jinxes-s-s. Too much pickled murtlap growth will turn your hair PURPLE fough. ALSO! That growff...the tentacles? Yeah, FOSE! Fey are also used in Murtlap Es-sss-sssssssss-ssence. AND AND AND Newt Scamander kept one in his suitcase! OH! And their bites-s-s can be realyl REALLY bad if you have a s-s-serious reaction to fem. Fire out of your bum!" And the incarnation of Newt Scamander has spoken. A bit textbook, but River accepted Derf's answer with enthusiasm. "I hope the rest took down notes, because this young man right here has summed up everything for us today. Well done, Master Derfael of the" ~~pine cones~~ "Chocolate Frogs." River smiled down on the first year before continuing. "I would like to reiterate however, that the 'fire-out-of-your-bum' reaction from the bite can only happen to some muggles." ---------------------------- Quote: Originally Posted by WhittyBitty Rosalyn had been here the entire time. Maybe not the ENTIRE time, but she had situated herself in the room before students had finished coming in, greeting each in turn with a friendly smile and a nod. It was nice to see that so many people were excited to come here and learn something from River. Looking at the state of things as far as Bunsen burners were concerned, someone wouldn't be attending the seminar and she would miss his presence. Oh well, they would be seeing each other later. As the first question was asked, Rosalyn remained silent. Even though she had things that she could contribute, it was always best to leave it to the students. This was mostly for them after all. The Healer discreetly regarded Rosalyn by giving her a grin, and then moved on to the next student. Quote: Originally Posted by Hey Ju Matt was just sitting there, wondering why they were inside for a health and wellness seminar. Exercise was the number one thing for that, so WHY weren't they out there in the grounds running again?? WHY??? But Matt still had high hopes because Healer Reed had proved he could hold fun activities. The boy was trying to figure out just HOW sitting at a desk would be interesting and fun, but he'd had no luck so far. He did smirk, though, when he saw the Murtlap. What did he know about them? Apart from the obvious. "They have this cool mohican going on." The fifteen year-old said, using his right hand to gesture the hairstyle over his own head. "Very fashionable, if you ask me." Lol. "Not every one can sport the look though." River replied with a chuckle, and gave the young man a good pat on the shoulder as he moved around the room. Quote: Originally Posted by Tegz The thing with announcements about scheduling things was that Char absolutely didn't bother reading them unless they were about dueling. So for her, she had heard about the seminar through the Gryffindor grapevine, which hadn't at ALL focused on the part where there wasn't going to be any Yetis. Not that she needed Yetis in particular, but oh BOY the healer totally should have built up to that awesomeness because really, how DID you follow that? With a sit-down lesson that required note-taking, apparently. She DID give him a big smile though, the healer. Just because she was somewhat disappointed, it didn't mean she wasn't going to at least TRY to learn something useful. Maybe something that would be helpful in dueling? That would be okay! Lets salvage the wreckage of her active-lesson dreams okay? Foot silently bouncing (she was pretty good at this point in her life at fidgeting without disturbing anyone else), Charlotte perked up hopefully when the lesson itself began. Her own holidays had been pretty great, obviously. She had turned sixteen not too long before Christmas, so obviously her first Christmas as a sixteen year old had involved some very grown-up things. The novelty of said grown-up things was still new enough that she hadn't even been bothered about missing out on some of the childhood traditions that she was now expected to put aside. She hadn't yet been able to forgive her cousin for certain things, which put a bit of a damper on the holidays for Char, but she wasn't mad anymore. Only the hurt part had continued to last for her, but at least she'd forgiven (and apologised to) her parents. She'd sort of taken out her hurt and upset on them a bit, because it was easier to do that sometimes. But it was okay now. Even with a new baby in the house, things at home still felt like HOME. But the healer, meanwhile, was lifting the mist! And Charlotte was excited right up until the moment she recognized the creatures. Oh. Murtlaps. That was..... she'd hoped for tiny nundus or something, if she was being honest. So what could she contribute while answers were being given left-right-and-centre? Char put her hand up. "The ministry classification of murtlaps is xxx, which means 'competent wizards should cope'." Charlotte quoted the classification directly just so that there would be no confusion but she did add, "I think the part where it says wizards -aside from the fact that it should say witches too- is kind of telling, because muggles definitely CAN'T cope with murtlaps." Poor muggles. Charlotte thought she'd read somewhere that they were more likely to have an allergic reaction to their bites too, but she wasn't sure. As for this business with resisting jinxes... was it really worth the potential purple ear hair? Though you could just take a potion for that, she supposed, it sort of felt like cheating or something, kind of dishonest. But that was just her. The Healer picked Charlotte's hand next and crossed his arms across his chest as he listened to her answer. "The fact that most of us are prejudiced against rats in general make us look like ignorant fools. What's worse is that we are the same when it comes to our own magical creatures such as Murtlaps, resulting in our incapability to cope with seemingly strange but beautiful creatures." River loosened up and started to pace around the room again. "It's a sad fact, however, not all hope is lost because you and the rest are here to learn and defy such ignorance." The Healer gave Charlotte an encouraging smile, and hopefully his words didn't sound too deep. Sometimes, it was very hard to resist showing his Ravenclaw soul. Quote: Originally Posted by SilverTiger The distraction on the healer’s part hadn’t bothered Elle overly much. Obviously he wasn’t just standing there waiting for them all to arrive, and his glance toward the window only gave her a minor sense of embarrassment. She’d had a lot to deal with lately, so the fact she had any sense of time at all was an accomplishment. Plus, he hadn’t pointed it out, so she hadn’t needed to be entirely embarrassed. That and he had agreed to her other request, even though she hadn’t said anything about what it was about. “That sounds perfect,” she said, settling at her seat, choosing to leave her reasons until the Great Hall later. The seminar had begun anyhow, as he’d begun speaking about creatures and healing. Or more accurately creatures and Potions, but given the general focus of the seminar, she had put two and two together. Healing Potions, and she’d merely blinked as he’d dissipated the mist in the box to reveal a murtlap. That certainly made sense given her train of thought. Murtlaps and mandrakes, but the latter was a plant. Not a creature, exactly. And she’d stayed quiet. She hadn’t been able to provide any information about murtlaps that hadn’t been said, so she hadn’t seen a reason to just repeat the things that were already established. As he passed by Elle, the Healer too offered her a grin, and moved on to the next portion of the seminar. Quote: Originally Posted by Govoni Fun holidays... Well, yes, if the Healer was truly wondering and concerning himself with the matter, Olivia had enjoyed a wonderful holiday. With their newly formed staff-student relationship, she found her body was allowing her to experience things and interpret her response to said things in a positive way. So, needless to say, the Gryffindor remained in high spirits. Dreamless sleep and regular meals were capable of working miracles, apparently. The headaches were less frequent, as were the dizzy spells. It was a far cry from where she'd been the last time... Having fainted and everything. Merlin, body, let's never do that again, yeah? Shifting from one foot to the other, Liv took another gander at the sparse classroom and her peers. Not to offend any of them, but this whole thing was beginning to get incredibly repetitive. Lessons everyday with the same people. Dare she even think... That it would be nice to see some new, unfamiliar faces? Surely that wasn't a true Liv!thought, given that it was something the old Olivia might want. Or perhaps she was just burned out on the routine of it. Before, she'd have knowingly caused anarchy if she fell into this sort've rut. What the Gryffindor wouldn't give for a more practical lesson right now. Just work through whatever mild frustrations were there. She felt better, yes, but there were still some grievances. Unavoidable. And... while she normally would've sneered at having to do too much writing for her lessons, Olivia felt it was probably best to simply jump right in with the note-taking. She had grade to maintain, after all; even if this was a seminar and not truly a lesson. With the potions theme, surely anything she learned today would assist her down the road. Was it possible for any knowledge to be useless? She didn't think so... But that was just one woman's opinion. There were probably loads of things that others found a waste of brain space... Heh... It was nice to see that her mind was doing that thing again. You know the one... Where it ran away with unimportant thoughts... Merlin, was she actually getting distracted right now?.......... Was it because she felt bored? That had definitely been an issue from the before time. But thankfully, her mind hadn't drifted to more unpleasant things... As it had been known to do with other subjects. Cores ones, at that. Heh. Okay. Focus, brain. Murtlaps. They were discussing murtlaps. Of course, everyone was probably aware of the creature and the very helpful remedy made from it's parts. Being a girl who always got more than her own fair share of cuts and scraps, it would've been impractical to not point out that particular fact. Even though, everyone was spilling forth with their own answers. Some were repeats. Others, not so much. Eh, it was the same thing with every lesson, however. Nothing too surprising.... Merlin, HER BRAIN WAS DOING IT AGAIN... F O C U S. "Murtlap Essence, made from murtlaps bits is probably one of the most helpful 'everyday cures' to ever be created. Right up there with Dittany. Especially if you have little ones, who get hurt a lot." They fall down, bump their heads... Liv was a renowned babysitter in her hometown community, so she was very experienced in that regard. "It smells just awful, by the way." Not that she had to tell him, probably. They were about to work with them, after all. Also, she was 100% convinced that it smelled so bad, because it was a sea-type creature. Strange, given they lived in water, which was good for baths. Shifting her gaze down to her glass box, she frowned deeply. Eh, at least they weren't getting physical today. Potions were a safe activity for her. "Sir, do you agree with it's Ministry rating?".. And yes, Olivia realize she was being talkative today. Apologies. River let out an inconspicuous sigh of relief when Olivia started to talk. He knew she was making good progress, and he was proud of what he was seeing. They still have a long way to go, but to see her getting curious over –should he daresay—boring information, made some of his worries go right out of the window. Olivia was clearly helping herself get through her issues, and River encouraged her further by sticking to the discussion and exploring her answer further. "It truly is a handy remedy...and it does smell awful." River's mind wandered back to Skylar's answer, and wondered what the smell reminded her of? "Although Essence of Dittany is also an important remedy solution, it should not be used for shallow cuts and wounds, considering that the Dittany plant is extremely rare, and hard to bottle. It makes it very expensive and impractical to use in minor wounds." River nodded, and smiled down at the Gryffindor. And they were back to the Ministry Classification thing. "I agree." He said without having any second thoughts as he gave Charlotte a quick look, then back to Olivia. The Healer clapped his hands once, and rubbed them together as he took quick strides towards the front of the classroom, and magically rolled down the blackboard behind him, tapped his wand against it and the following words were shown on the board. Quote: MURTLAP Aquatic rats found in the coastal areas of Britain Has tentacles on its back resembling a sea anemone Tentacles can be pickled and consumed by magical folks to resist minor jinxes Strained and pickled tentacles produce the Murtlap's Essence Murtlap's Essence is used to cure minor wounds and scratches Rated 'X X X' by the Ministry (Competent Wizards & Witches should cope) "Now that we have gathered the Murtlaps' basic information, we can now move on to our Mini-Activity for today." River moved closer to his work station and began to line up several sealed mason jars, each containing five Murtlap tentacles floating in a yellow solution. The man picked a random jar and showed it to the class. "By the end of the session, each and every one in this room will get to pickle Murtlap tentacles by making the solution...and of course, harvesting the tentacles from the Murtlaps on your work stations. But before we begin with that, I will get you started by learning how to properly strain these pickled tentacles." The man started off by cleaning his tools and hands with a cleaning spell, and went on to don his dragonhide gloves and safety goggles. "The pickling solution is made up of spirit vinegar, or white vinegar as what our American brethren would call it, sea salt, sal ammoniac, sulfur vive, and distilled water. This composition is of hospital grade, because of the presence of ammonium chloride and sulfur vive—the same key ingredients you will find in the remedy called Panacea or what alchemists would call the perfect medicine." The Healer began to unscrew the jar and continued, "Those two ingredients are optional, however, it will make your tentacles and essence more potent." River fished a single tentacle from the jar, and held it at both ends. "Straining a tentacle is very simple. You just have to hold it at both ends like this, and wring the tentacle until the juice comes out letting the essence drip in an empty jar. You would know that the tentacle is completely dried out when it's all wrinkly and flat." He said showing the shriveled tentacle. "Collect the remains of the tentacle in a clean bowl...and we will hand those to Professor Myers to fertilize his healing herbal plants. The solution however can be stored to preserve other creature parts...preferably those that isn't edible." River finished straining his tentacles, placed all shriveled tentacles to one side, and labelled his bottle of essence before showing it to the rest of student body. "The first challenge starts here. Come forward to retrieve one jar of pickled murtlap tentacles, strain them in a vial...and label them with these." The man then moved away from his work station to give room to the students, tapped the blackboard once more and the key steps to straining murtlap tentacles appeared. Quote: STRAINING MURTLAP TENTACLES Make sure your hands are clean before doing the activity. Wear your aprons, safety goggles, dragonhide gloves Hold the tentacle at both ends Wring the tentacle and let the essence drip in a clean vial Set aside shriveled tentacle (can be used as soil fertilizer for healing herbal plants) Label vial properly Store in a cool dry place "ALSO!You are allowed to eat one tentacle from the jar. You all know what would happen if you consumed way too much. You've been warned." River added with a smile. "If you forgot your protective gloves, I have a few pairs here...I believe, that these were from a former Herbology professor." he said showing the class several pairs of bright pink gloves. So. Who's going to step up to the challenge, hmm? OOC: For the Mini-Activity, just follow the steps above and complete it in 1 post. Your character has the option to eat one tentacle...but if s/he chooses not to listen to the Healer you may. Just remember that when consuming all the tentacles would result in bushy purple ear hair. XD You have 20-24 Hours to complete this task. (21 February, 2:00 PM GMT). IF YOU NEED RIVER/ME PLEASE LABEL YOUR POST(S). Thank you! ^^ __________________ "It didn't go quite as planned." \| The Underground Studio Translation: I may have caused irreversible damage on a monumental scale.