Alex quirked an eyebrow. had Slade what? he thought to Erickson. "It's a trap to catch things where they shouldn't be. if you belong there you are most likly not going to be surprised by it grabbing you and relax. But if it caught you by surprise and you didn't know what it was you would struggle and then die."

Raising his hand again Nico spoke in a level tone,
"Because its prey would stop struggling when it is dead and The Devils Snare wouldn't need to expend any furthur energy trying to kill it- so in essence it is a way of expending only as much energy as necessary." He stared darkly into the corner where the Devils Snare sat and tried to relax.

Cale blinked. The more and more time he spent in this class, the harder he was finding it. ARG! It was slightly frustrating. He raised his hand after he thought out an answer, or what seemed to him to be a logical answer. "Well, maybe it didn't start out as a violent plant, and wizards used to cut it up or use it for something thousands of years ago, and over time it developed a habit of strangling anyone who came near it and attempted to handle it in a forceful way. But if something approached it and didn't make any attempts to harm the plant--or stayed relaxed--the plant wouldn't sense danger and wouldn't attack," he suggested. "Maybe that is one possible explanation for the plants behavior in the present day."

He knew his answer was way out there, and probably not right, but it was worth a shot, yes?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Draco Silver

Alex quirked an eyebrow. had Slade what? he thought to Erickson. "It's a trap to catch things where they shouldn't be. if you belong there you are most likly not going to be surprised by it grabbing you and relax. But if it caught you by surprise and you didn't know what it was you would struggle and then die."

Wondering if he talked with you. If he hasn't, he may have a proposition for you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NicoT

Raising his hand again Nico spoke in a level tone,
"Because its prey would stop struggling when it is dead and The Devils Snare wouldn't need to expend any furthur energy trying to kill it- so in essence it is a way of expending only as much energy as necessary." He stared darkly into the corner where the Devils Snare sat and tried to relax.

"Not quite, but very very close. A point for your answer."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lissy Longbottom

Cale blinked. The more and more time he spent in this class, the harder he was finding it. ARG! It was slightly frustrating. He raised his hand after he thought out an answer, or what seemed to him to be a logical answer. "Well, maybe it didn't start out as a violent plant, and wizards used to cut it up or use it for something thousands of years ago, and over time it developed a habit of strangling anyone who came near it and attempted to handle it in a forceful way. But if something approached it and didn't make any attempts to harm the plant--or stayed relaxed--the plant wouldn't sense danger and wouldn't attack," he suggested. "Maybe that is one possible explanation for the plants behavior in the present day."

He knew his answer was way out there, and probably not right, but it was worth a shot, yes?

"Good guess, but not quite."

"Let's put it this way: Devil's Snare is a carnivore, and that requires it to capture prey. If say, a rock touched a tendril, it would attack it. But as the rock will not struggle, it lets it go. It's obviously not prey. However it is the natural course of any creature to struggle against something that has a hold of it." He went back to playing with his own devil's snare, enjoying the light feel of it. "And so as a creature, which usually doesn't have the knowledge or the intelligence to relax in the grip of the devil's snare, is drug to the plant's mouth and consumed, live."

No, i don't think he has...

"So like a venous fly trap, don't move till it tickles and then snap and eat." Alex smiled, "i like it."

Ahh, that made sense. A lot more sense than HIS answer. That's what he got for thinking outside the box. Sighing once more, he leaned back in his chair, waiting for the professor to continue with the lesson. Maybe they were going to start taking care of the plants soon.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Draco Silver

No, i don't think he has...

"So like a venous fly trap, don't move till it tickles and then snap and eat." Alex smiled, "i like it."

Be prepared for it. "That's the basics." He smirked. "Now, I want you to line up and very cautiously approach the plant I've got here. This is a young devil's snare and not deadly to us, but it is still dangerous. I want you to reach in and feel around for one of its vines. It will wrap around you and I urge you not to panic, but just tug a little." He demonstrated by tugging harder than he had been, showing without revealing his hand to the light that the plant had a hold of him.

"You can play around a little, so long as you don't panic. When you are ready to be released, just slack your hand and it will release you. Do not force me to injure my plant just because you couldn't manage to relax around this baby."

Ooooh. It was time for more practical stuff! The practical stuff was fun - especially when it was with those cool plants. Teeheee. Eagerly jumping to his feet, Clifford approached the Devil's Snare first and bravely held of his hand. Hopefully the plant didn't decide to eat him.

How embarrassing would that be? Death by plant. Sooooo not good.

When the Devil's Snare snaked it's way around his wrist, it took Clifford alot of self-control not to squeal and struggle. He managed to stay calm. Just.

"Oooh. It tickles." He wrinkled his nose when the vine continued snaking it's way around. It was quite a strange sensation.

One he'd had quite enough of now.

"It better let go.." He mumbled, feeling slightly nervous as he slackened his hand and attempted to relax. "I need this hand." Could plants smell fear? EEEP!

Will watched Cliff as he waited for the plant to free him. He met Cliff's eyes with a panicked glance. The plant was clinging to him, holding hands with him as though they were teenagers in love. C'mon... let him go already... Will thought, mentally urging on the plant. Could plants do legilimency? Stranger things had happened. Let GO of Cliff! he thought.

Whoa, they were actually going to touch a Devil's Snare? Cool! Slightly more interested, Cale got up and stood in line behind Clifford, waiting his turn. Even though he wasn't very interested in letting a young Devil's Snare try and yank his arm off, this had been the most interesting thing that had happened to him in class in a long while. This totally beat Arithemancy and Care of Magic Creatures. He watched as Clifford kept his hand in there for a bit...was that a good thing or a bad thing? It was hard to tell.

Clifford gulped when he sensed someone waiting behind him. ACK! Why hadn't this bloody thing let him go yet?? A light sweat broke out on his forehead, and Clifford gulped, trying his hardest to remain calm and not yank his arm out.

After what felt a bazillion years, the vine seemed to loosen it's grip, and Cifford quickly pulled his hand away. That had been a close call. He swore he almost lost an arm!

"Plants sure are stronger than they look." He mumbled to the Gryffindor Prefect, as rubbing his sore wrist, he stepped away from the Devil's Snare.

Cale chuckled nervously as Clifford's arm was finally released after what looked like a slight struggle, and suddenly, he was next. Faced with the plant, it suddenly seemed scarier than it had been five seconds ago. Oh geez. Suck it up Newell! Be a man!

Stepping confidently forward, he did as the professor had instructed and reached inside, feeling for a vine. The vine found his arm before he could find the vine, and it wrapped tight around his wrist, causing him to jump a little. Eewww, it was all gross and slimy! And it was grabbing him REALLY hard.

Barry watched the plant attack clifford and smilled but when it attacked Cale he wasn`t happy he would go in he would so he got into the line

Cale closed his eyes and sighed. Ok, it was time for him to relax his arm. This thing was starting to cut off the circulation to his wrist. First he relaxed it, and finally just let his arm slack, dead weight. The vine seemed reluctant to let go, but once his arm had completely relaxed it let go and the vine slunk back into the depths of the plant. There. That wasn't so bad!

"Good luck," he said with a grin to Barry as he walked back to his seat.

James walked over to the Devil's Snare. Finally a hands-on experience.
He stood in line behind the other boys waiting for a chance to let the vine grab him. He smiled at the reactions made by the first few students.

Barry was nervous but that made him want to do it more he walked up to shivering and then it scooped him up and pulled him in Barry waved his hands around "That hurts" wait relax and Barry tried to focus his mind on oceon waves with his eyes closed.

Having already faced and DEFEATED the dangerous, man-eating plant like the brave, strong man he clearly was, Clifford stood back to watch as the other boys tried.

Aaaah. Barry Weasley, second year Ravenclaws turn.

And it looked like the Devil's Snare was ready to eat him.

"I think you need to relax a little harder, mate." He warned with a small smirk. "That plant suuuuure looks hungry."

Barry laid back brething softly and not moving thinking about being on holiday and the plant spurt him out "Eew thats discusting even if I was relaxed" he said and he half walked-half limped to the back of the room

Erikson watched the children, ready to expose the plant to the light if the kids got too close. Barry, apparently, was nearly as small as the plant, as he'd gotten swept in by it. He shook his head quietly, figuring he got whatever he deserved if he was walking into darkness with a devil's snare.

James felt a bit bad for the boy who'd just gone. However, he realized it was his turn to face the Snare.
Stepping up to it he held out his arm and brushed a vine hanging loosely. Instantly, it wrapped up his arm. It felt similar to a snake coiling around his arm. He tried pulling back and noticed the tightening of the vine and it recoiling back towards the rest of the plant.
James laughed a bit, and let his arm hang free. The vine slowly let go and soon enough, he was free of it.
"Great!" he said and walked back to the other students.

Finn stepped up. It seemed a bit odd to try and let this dangerous plant capture you.

He extended his arm and grabbed at the closest vine. Shortly after, he felt the uncomfortable feeling of being pulled toward the plant. Perhaps he had pulled a bit too hard. For a moment, he thought of trying to yank his arm out, but he remembered the professor's warning.

Thinking of someone who made him smile helped him to relax and he allowed the snare to feel his calmness and he felt the release of the vine. Soon, he was able to retrieve his arm safely.

He walked quickly away, glad to be away from the vine.

Jason being a proud Gryffindor, walked close to the plant, looked at it andwalked away unscathed.

Erikson rolled his eyes at the young Gryffindor who apparently was brave enough to approach the plant, but not enough to actually touch it. "Has everyone gotten their experience with the Devil's Snare?"

"Yes, Mister Professor Erikson, Sir." Clifford nodded at the man as he made his way back to his desk. He'd encountered the deathly Devil's Snare.. and walked away unscathed! He really was quite proud. And feeling stronger and braver than ever. Perhaps Cooper's wasn't so bad after all. Heh.

Cale nodded, "Yes sir," he replied. Huh. Jason hadn't even touched the plant. That was strange. Cale couldn't blame him for wanting to keep his hands away from that thing, though. It was a gross feeling, to say the least.