Ah, the greenhouses. This was familiar territory for Annie, and despite all the posted warnings about asking permission before entering greenhouses four through seven, the Headmistress felt above all that. She ruled this school, after all, and had once taught Archie's subject. She would go into whichever greenhouses she pleased.

Greenhouse Five caught the redhead's eye on her morning stroll amongst the dewey grounds, and she unlocked the door to it with a little hum to herself. Anastasia left the door unlocked as she went in, leaving it slightly ajar as she moved into the warm and familiar glass room. She inhaled the scent of the beautiful plants and vines, greenery and shrubbery, and best of all, the warm earth.

Spotting a particularly colorful, leafy plant, the Headmistress drifted over to it and gave it a pat-pat. "Do you need a watering, dear?" she murmured to the plant, stroking one of its pink and green leaves. Yes, she thought it did. The Herbologist nonverbally started a sprinkling charm with her wand, content to watch the droplets fall onto the plant's roots.

Professor Thompson had mention that Herbology was a subject to focus on for his future plans. And since he was already working well with classes, Ben decided to explore the greenhouses one day when he had some free time and the autumn weather was still holding up to a decent temperature. The first three greenhouses allowed the students almost free reign with the others needed permissions. Yet as he made his way down onto the grounds, he couldn't help notice that the door on one of the more secure greenhouses was open.

Had it been an accident?

Or was someone working inside?

Benny certainly was curious as to the answer and he figured if it had been accidentally left open, the groundskeeper and herbology professor would likely prefer it to be close. So the Gryffindor tentatively moved closer to the door, keeping his watch out. "Hello?" he called out as he stuck his head inside, taking a step or two inside to try and notice anyone there.

Because Professor Culloden had told her that Herbology was one of the important subjects for becoming a Potioneer, Lux was making her way down to the greenhouses. Maybe she could study some of the plants and ask the Herbology Professor questions. She hadn't had a chance to talk to him yet, so it would be nice to get to know him.

It was on her way to one of the greenhouses that she noticed the open door. Greenhouse Five was one of the ones that required permission to explore, so that was very strange. Curiously she made her way to the doorway. "Hello?" Peeking inside, she spotted Benny and figured that he was probably investigating too.

Bianca disliked Herbology, she even almost didn't pass her OWL before. She did plan to drop this subject but Herbology was a core subject and she's working her butt off to like Herbology, well at least passed this subject with an acceptable result. She cannot fail, Bianca was born to be a Rush and a Rush family member could not fail except she did know that her cousin failed Care of Magical Creatures.

Mr. Kitridge gave her a suggestion to talk to new Herbology Professor, Professor Millard. That's why she was here now, asking his suggestion how to ease her dislike about herbology and at least passed the NEWT. Walking to the Professor's hut, she did notice that one of the greenhouse was opened. Maybe Professor Millard was there? She didn't know.

Should she enter the greenhouse?

The Slytherin girl then walked to the door She spotted a Hufflepuff girl (Lux) was there. "Hello..." She tried to greet them. "Is.. Professor Millard there?" She asked the girl. The brunette girl then took a peek and noticed that there was somebody working there, along with a Gryffindor boy.

Adi was just walking past the Greenhouses because it was a nice coldish day out good thing, or he'd be getting even more brown if it were totally sunny and who would want to stay indoors on such a good day? Approaching Greenhouse five, he noted the door slightly ajar. Huh? Did the Herbology Professor accidentally leave it open?

Curious as always, the Hufflepuff pushed the door open wider then stepped in and looked around for a while. Oh looky! Benny! "Benny! What are you doing in here? Did you leave the door unlocked?" Well... most likely. His bestie was the only one there, right?

Soooo... "What's going on here?" Did he miss the memo about a Herbology meeting or something?

Cutty had a reason for being down there in the greenhouses. He wasn't looking for a space to sing this time so much as a tool of peace. Meaning he'd come collecting. Turning down the row of greenhouses, he notice the door to Greenhouse 5 left ajar. Maybe Professor Millard, who Cutty had yet to talk to much, had left the door open. What a careless and yes, indeed, HELPFUL man.

Quietly and silently he approached the opened door careful to keep himself hidden from sight of the occupant(s) inside.

Benny! What are you doing in here? Did you leave the door unlocked?

HA! Adi Rehman! Cutty stealthily drew closer and pounced onto the Badger's leadership. "Rehman!" He enthused. "What are yew doin' in here unsupervised?!" Cutty's hand drew down and swatted Adi's behind in a playful gesture of spankery.

Hmmmhmmhmm, hmmmmm hmmmmmmmm hmm, Annie was quite enjoying this tune she was humming as she watered one plant and then the next. Oh! They were all so VOCAL this morning, talking to her, bending their leaves her way, rustling their stems so she would give them attention. She was so caught up in her gardening that she almost, ALMOST didn't hear the herd of students at the door.

But none of them were really good at whispering. "WHO'S THERE?" she called back to them, popping behind a particularly large Screechsnap in need of a pruning.

It seemed he wasn't the only one looking into the open door. Benny turned at the sound of a greeting only to spot Lux as she looked inside the greenhouse. Then there was the sound of another girl just out of sight until she herself moved. An older Slytherin he believed. And finally he was called by name as Adi joined the mix of students gathering at the doorway of the glassed-in room.

Boy what a sudden crowd.

"That wasn't me," he answered with a shake of the head. "I found it that way and came to investigate. " That was an innocent enough move...right? "I don--" the fifth year started to say he didn't know before he was interrupted by further sound of someone inside the Greenhouse. Someone who had obviously been there before he was, likely the one who opened it in the first place. Too distracted by the call that he missed Cutty's awkward greeting.

Why did that voice sound familiar?

"Professor?" he called back questioning, wondering if one of the woman professors was working out here. Benny moved slightly further inside to look for the person. And then it hit him and he swallowed as he corrected a possible title. "Headmistress?" Uh oh...if it was here, maybe they really should leave. But technically they already were caught so maybe it was best just to answer.

"Benjamin Atreyu...." he said indentifying himself. "Sorry...I just wanted to make sure no one had accidentally left the door open." It was the truth and surely could defend himself.

Where did this crowd come from? O_o

Turning back to the door, Lux saw Adi, Cutty, and an unfamiliar girl (Bianca). "Hey, guys." She smiled at her friends, glad that they were all having an adventure together, trying to figure out who was inside.

Hearing a voice, she was surprised that it was the Headmistress. "Hello, it's me Lux Carrington. I was just wondering who was inside." Who knew that the woman had a green thumb.

Before Benny could get a word out of his mouth, someone was calling Adi's name. "Mordaunt!" It was only fair to call his Slytherin friend by his last name, which was a first for Adi. "I should be asking you the same thing.'' And there was that swat. "If you weren't my favourite Slytherin, Cutty, I would put you in detention for that.'' Hehe. Of course, Adi had no power to do that but Cutty knew he was kidding. Something the Puffer did not realise was that he had told the other boy about him being his fave Snake. "How goes the business?"

Benny was saying something about the door being opened? So had allllll the persons he was now noticing- Lux being the first since her hair was so vivid- came in to check out what was going on in the Greenhouse? Hmmm. "Hey, Lux!'' The Badger grinned in her direction. "Wonder who left the door ajar in the first place...''

But now he was busily craning his head in the direction of the all too familiar voice. It was the Headmistress, right? Seems so... Benny apparently thought the same. "Adi Rehman's here too, Headmistress.'' He was quite comfortable in the woman's presence so he wasn't tooooo worried about being in a Greenhouse for which they needed permission to enter first.

"Can't help it." Cutty shrugged. "Yer joost so doggedly handsome." He said as if stating a plain and simple fact. "Fair, booht not like it was when Cambidge was here." Truth! The former Head Girl would clean him out on occasion.




They were not merely amongst themselves, but yet not with Millard. It was the Headmistress. Cutty took a moment to consider what Truebridge would think if she knew the nature of he and the girl he'd brought to her office not long ago. Best not to destroy her innocence. Annie's innocence, of course. Eden was completely guilty!

"The fabulous Cutty Mordaunt." He said sounding as if he took every syllable of this announcement very seriously. "Hello, Mistress Truebridge."

The brunette girl just smiled at the hufflepuff girl (Lux). And suddenly why some people were here (Aditya, Cutty) too? Seemed like they also wanted to meet Millard, huh? This Professor was a bit popular, she thought. If she could, Bianca would like to talk privately with Millard since her problem was kinda embarrassing to be heard by other people.

Then she heard a voice from the inside of greenhouse.

She thought that it wasn't Millard's voice. That voice was quite familiar. Wait... Was that the Headmistress? Why in the world she was here? "Good day, Headmistress Truebridge.." She greeted her politely. "I'm Bianca Rush, Slytherin. I.. actually I'm looking for Professor Millard. I thought he was here..." Because the greenhouse was opened, so she thought that the Herbology Professor was there working with the plants.

Oh... well! Look at all of them! This was more of a crowd than Annie had anticipated. She counted their Houses as they all peeked in: Gryffindor...Hufflepuff...Hufflepuff....Slytherin. ..Slytherin... she nodded to all of them, coming around from behind the plants, and gestured for them to come closer.

"Well then, good to see you all exploring the grounds." And even better, the greenhouses. "Come on in and I'll put you to work... unless of course, Miss Bianca, you want to go to Mr. Millard's hut? It's still on the grounds since he is splitting duties this year." See, she was kind enough to excuse the girl.

But for the others... Bunz smiled devilishly at them and tapped her wand on her free hand. "Let's see... you'll need gloves from that cabinet there," she pointed to the corner, "buckets from the opposite corner... and then gather here and I'll put you all to work." That was what they got for exploring. But on the bright side, the Headmistress was an accomplished Herbologist and hard work was always rewarded around her.

Doggedly handsome? Adi knew he was handsome because it was something AJ told him all the time... though she said it in different words... something about 'hot'. "Thanks, man. I got good genes.'' Hehe. "You got any sour candy? Hey, when you've got the time, show me the candy that you've got. I need more chocolatey stuff.'' And one order of sugar overdose. Hmph. This boy needed to cut it with the sweets.

Oh looky! A Slytherin girl Adi had seen around. So many people... and the Headmistress. "Hello,'' Adi told her. She was putting them to work? What would they be doing? Greeeat from wanting some free time to taking care of plants. Oh well. It might come in useful for OWLs. "Come on, guys. Let's go get those gloves and buckets. Some can grab buckets and some can grab gloves.'' Adi took off towards the gloves side of the Greenhouse.

Ben listened as they all indentified themselves for the woman's sake, briefly wondering if it would simply turn into a list of those who would now be in trouble by her. If that was the case, he had been the first person to throw himself into the fire. Leave it to the Gryffindor to be the one to do so so might say. Oh well, he supposed, at least he'd have his best friend there with him. A best friend who currently seemed to be having something to do with the Slytherin and candy.

Him and his sweets.

As the Headmistress finally revealed herself, motioning them to move closer to her and speaking about work, it didn't seem all to bad. The fifth year had come down to the greenhouses for possible activity anyway. If only her look their way as she gave out duties didn't give off some sense that things might not be as they seem. Benny didn't exactly need Adi's prodding, the Gryffindor deciding to move to retrieve some buckets for the two or more of them before heading back to where they were to begin work.

So, Professor Millard wasn't here.

Bianca was given an excuse to leave the greenhouse seemed the Headmistress wanted them to do.. something. Well, should she leave? The brunette Slytherin girl now was torn. Yes, she needed to see Millard and consulted about herbology NEWT but but.. Working with the Headmistress was a rare chance!

Leave, Join, Leave, Join...

Well, she could meet Millard later, right? Just like what she'd said before, working with Headmistress was like one of a kind experience and it was RARE. She might not have that opportunity at the next day. So, Bianca chose to stay. Coming closer, she'd asked her permission if she could join her too.

"Ma'am, if you don't mind I uh.. I'd like to be here, working with you and the others." Maybe from this activity she could learn how to like Herbology and of course, passing her NEWT. The brunette girl then grabbed the gloves and buckets. Wonder what would the Headmistress asked them here.

Miss Rush was staying then, was she? Good. "The more the merrier," the redhead agreed pleasantly, slipping on a pair of gloves as soon as the boys were back and taking a few steps closer to the line of Screechsnap plants in their individual pots.

"Now then, you all, we're going to go ahead and prune these sentient shrubs for Professor Milliard. You know the flipnsnipwitit charm, correct?" She looked at Adi and Benji. "That's what we'll use to trim off any dead leaves. When you're done with that, put the trimmings in a bucket and transport them to the compost pile. Then we'll also spread some manure on these lovely babies and give them a good watering." She stroked a leaf of one of them, to which the plant responded with an audible sigh.

"Any questions?"

Adi got the gloves while Benny got the buckets for everyone. Once he was back, handed out a pair to everyone except the Headmistress since she had a pair of her own already. Okay so they'd be pruning. Adi replied to Trubridge's question with a cheery "Yes.'' It was obvious that the woman was very fond of the plants or plants in general.

"I've got no questions.'' For now anyway. The Hufflepuff got his wand ready, sticking the gloves in his pocket for the time. Using the Trimming Charm didn't require their use. Adi stepped closer to Screechsnaps. These would be looking much better by the time the group was done.

Benny mirrored his friend's movements, offering buckets to the others that were sticking around to help. The boy keeping one for himself before accepting a pair of gloves from Adi in exchange. "Thanks," he said quietly as he turned his attention back to the Headmistress as she explained what she wanted them to assist with. Pruning was a simple enough task and he nodded to the affirmative about knowing the spell. It was only one way they had been taught to do so over the five years they had been at Hogwarts.

As for questions..."Neither do I," he answered, it all sounded straight forward enough. Coming beside his own Screechsnap bush, Benny slipped his wand from his pocket before waiting for the final approval noticiing Adi hadn't begun either.

They were being put to work now, and Lux supposed that was totally okay when it was the Headmistress calling the shots.

Finally feeling comfortable about being in a generally off limits greenhouse, Lux made her way inside before grabbing a pair of clean gloves so that she could get to work helping out. Grabbing a bucket, she made her way over to where everyone else was gathered.

So they would be pruning using flipnsnipwitit. That seemed easy enough. "I don't have any questions," she said with a smile. She was so ready to get to work with her wand. Hehe, she was getting better at this whole pruning thing because sometimes her parents let her help look after the garden at home. Shame she couldn't use magic there, but that would change in a few years.

Patiently Lux waited for the go ahead.

Good, they would all be helping! Anastasia gave the three who'd spoken up a sharp nod, and then stepped up to her own Screechsnap to start trimming. She looked over at them just standing there with a small laugh.

"Well, what are you waiting on, kids? Let's get to work! I find that a bit of humming helps...." With that, she started them on a cheery refrain.

Receiving the go ahead from the Headmistress, Adi moved closer towards the Screechsnap plants and taking the bucket with him which he set down on the ground next to his feet. The first screechsnap was infested with dead leaves here and there. "Flipnsnipwitit! Flipnsnipwitit!'' The Puffer collected the leaves as they fell off and then dropped them into the bucket as was instructed.

He continued on to the plants to his left, repeating the steps as the number of leaves in the bucket climbed steadily. At this rate and with everyone working, they would be manuring and watering soon.
....................

Back at the Greenhouses (for what seemed like the millionth time but this time at Greenhouse two), Adi searched through the many potted Talking Toadystools from the previous Herbology lesson. He gently pushed a few pots aside as he looked for his.

"Lux... Benny... Dante... Angel... AJ...Tobias... Cutty... mine!'' The Hufflepuff seized his potted toadstool. "I'm off to get you planted but I'm not sure which part of the grounds as yet.'' He paused a bit. "Have you got any suggestions?" Because Adi was all ears. Hehe. But the fungus seemed not have an opinion. That or the Silencing spell still seemed to be at work.

Anywaaay. Time to go wander the Grounds to look for that ideal planting spot.

Angel walked towards the greenhouse ready to get her toadstool, she walked into the greenhouse and stopped dead. "ADIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!" Angel spoke like she hadn't seen him for years, she missed him. "How are you bro?" Angel thought she might as well ask.

Angel then looked around the toadstool, trying to find her own, she followed the names on the plants until she came up to the one with her name on. "You want to plant ours together?" Angel thought she might as well ask. "Well not close to each other obviously, we'd have to leave a gap otherwise the Professor will got cross and the toadstools won't grow." Angel wished they could just plant them together but alas they weren't allowed.

Awesome, they could get started. Once the Headmistress had given her official approval, Lux set about getting to work.

Bucket in hand she made her way towards one of the Screechsnap plants that had a ton of dead leaves. Poor little plant, she would make it look pretty again! "Flipnsnipwitit! Flipnsnipwitit!" Hacking away at the dead bits, Lux collected them in the bucket.

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Wanting to get started on her Herbology homework early, Lux made her way down to Greenhouse Two where all the adorable little Talking Toadstools were being held.

Now where was hers? Making her way along the line of them, she checked each label until she found her name. "There you are little guy!" Happily she picked it up and snuggled the pot against her chest. She loved her little plant babies and this one needed a nice home.

Time to find a place for her toadstool to call home.