"Oh may I try please," asked Trixie. She grabbed a handful of sphagnum moss and slowly stepped up to the Auroch. It started eating it out of her head and Trixie smiled with delight. "It's such a magnificent creature," she exclaimed.

Sphagnum Moss?!
Right...and how exactly was she supposed to know that? Although it seemed that this time it was for once not due to her being an utter Herbology-moron as nobody else had guessed it either. Well, that was at least something right?

Whaaat??! They were supposed to walk up to that thing and feed it? But it was huge. And scary. And huge. Veeery huge. Enormous. And then there was this tiny little first year who volunteered to go first. Did she have a death-wish or something?! Although, Professor Morgan was a responsible person, right? So this thingy could not be that dangerous, right? Right?!

Nancy bit her lip as she watched some of her fellow classmates walking up to the thing and feeding it that moss-thingy all beaming like petting an aurochs was the one thing they'd always dreamed of doing. Okay, whatever. They had all survived their encounter with the huge scary thing though so it could not be dangerous. Still, Nancy decided to wait for a few more people to feed it. You could never know with those thingies...

What in the world of all things chocolate and moon pies was Sphagnum Moss? William would never have gotten that right but at least he had been close, which was more than he could say for how he was last term. Tilting his head at professor Morgan he stretched his legs out getting the feeling back in them as he heard her say they could actually feed Thor some of the stuff. This is what he'd been waiting for, a chance to actually be up close to this huge, slightly terrifying creature who could eat him with one bite. He wasn't particularily scared - no indeed he was looking forward to it.

Of course which is the case whenever a professor tells them they can do something nearly every student there jumped up before he could even blink. By the time he got up there Thor would be full - well that could be a good thing, right? Standing up he stretched his arms wide around his body to get the muscles working again and shuffled up to the line leaning over a bit so he could get a good look at Thor. Thor was a cool name, powerful and mighty with a hint of serenity to it. It seemed to fit the Auroch perfectly standing there all majestic-like.

Still, as the line went up, William couldn't help but have a tinge of nervousness in him as he approached the creature, taking a good long look at its feet. They were HUGE! Seriously the term 'squashed like a bug' fit perfectly into this scenario but he knew the professors wouldn't let anything happen to anyone. Finally moving to the front of the line he took a small piece of the weird Sphagnum Moss and held it in his hand feeling it's weird texture before smiling happily up at the massively huge beast. "Hello there Thor, you have an awesome name." He said bowing to the creature, but keeping himself far enough away from it in case it felt defensive. Holding out his hand flat, the Sphagnum Moss laying in the middle he took a few steps closer to him and watched as Thor ducked his head and began eating it from the palm.

He watched with wonder in hsi eyes, a bright smile piercing his lips as he finished eating and William stepped back. "Thank you Thor." He said, being nice before nodding his head in a polite gesture before backing up three steps and walking back to his cushion where he began writing down his thoughts.

Chris grinned at Professor Morgan as he stepped forward and took some of the moss from the bucket she was holding to feed the Auroch. "Like this?" he asked her placing it in his flat, outstretched hand. He walked slowly closer to Thor and then let him eat from his hand. When he finished he smiled and said, "That wasn't so bad." He thought it would eat his hand, forget being a vegitarian.

Sphagnum Moss? Now that was something Anna had never even heard of, but hey...you learn something new everyday. She sort of gulped when the professor mentioned seeing the auroch up close. Anna was still kind of convinced that it liked to eat people, too. It was just so big...and strong...and unusual looking. If it hadn't eaten Professor Morgan alive by now, though, she supposed it'd be okay to get near it. Besides, Professor Morgan always did know what she was talking about. Professor Lupa did, too. Oh, and hey, she'd even get to see that Sphagnum Moss stuff, too.

She moved to go stand in the line that was forming and waited her turn to get to see the auroch and feed it. As she stood in line, she carefully watched each student interact with Thor. As more and more students approached the animal, Anna began to feel more and more confident that she could, too. A few minutes later, she finally found herself at the front of the line. She stepped forward and grabbed a handful of moss. Keeping her hand flat, she edged it closer and closer to Thor, allowing him to munch on what only he would call a tasty treat. Hmm...well, that wasn't so bad after all, now was it?

"Students, why do you think that particular kind of moss is what makes the auroch so strong." She looked at the kids all slobbery with Thor's saliva on their hands.... She turned her head and covered her mouth trying NOT to throw up... disgusting. Taking a breath she said "Can anyone tell me?"

Vanessa thought for a moment before raising her slobberly hand, whilst trying to refrain fom wiping said hand on Clifford. "Well...doesn't the moss retain air and water quite well, and with the latter, well could it try to prevent dedyration."

Grace, who remained very silent through the class saw that it was actually time to move. But she again wondered what the 'Sphagnum Moss' was. She thought Aurochs ate grass too. Luckily, she didn't say a word and just observed, as she did when she couldn't know the answers. But if nobody could get the right answer, then this didn't make Grace 'unknowledgeble', did it?

She eyed the creature again and wondered if he really ate any kind of meat. It would be a bit dangerous to approach then but many people could make it without any injury. So this creature was in fact very cute. Still, with that luck Grace had, something would definitely happen. Somehow she usually managed to end up in a worst situation than before. A talent many people didn't have...

She really considered going out of the line and again observe while she was taking some moss, but the line was moving and suddenly she found herself in front of it. 'No!' she thought, though she knew if she turned back and walk away, many people would laugh. Instead, she took some deep breaths and offered her palm to Thor in an alarm mode. If it tried to bite of something, she could run. At least she hoped so. She knew professors would never let such a thing to happen but still she couldn't help staying a few steps away.

Nothing happened though, she felt a gentle touch in her palm and next minute the moss was gone. She smiled then and moved a bit closer to pat the Auroch's head, while whispering "Enjoy your meal!" into its ears. No need to worry! She walked away happily and heard the professor's question. She didn't know anything about Sphagnum Moss, but through the students' answers about Uruz, she'd try.

She raised her hand, not very sure what to say. "I think Sphagnum Moss is very strong, and Uruz means strenght too. So as Aurochs are like Uruz, this particular food make them very strong..."

Alessia was losing her patience... "STUDENTS! I am going to take points from every one who isn't thinking!" She took a breath... calm down Less... it's just an animal... "Think RUNES, not Herbology... now... why would this particular kind of moss be what gives the auroch it's strength?"

William hesitantly raised his hand/ "Well Uruz means strength, and the Auroch is strong, and the Sphagnum Moss gives the auroch strength by giving it water and other nutrients." He paused before continuing. "If the Auroch didn't have this moss to eat it wouldn't be as strong as it should or could be?" He trailed off suddenly feeling like a little child being reprimanded by his mother

Abby raises her hand. "Does it have something to do with the Uruz Rune? The rune translates to Auroch, and Uruz means physical strength. Later translations of Uruz based on medieval translations from Icelandic and Norwegian versions of runic poems say the meaning is drizzle. The moss is very obsorbent and retains water. Could Uruz have some magical influence over the Sphagnum Moss?"

Why would that kind of moss give the auroch strength? Evangeline didnt know and wasnt sure why anyone would want that thing to have strength. It was just PLAIN SCARY and she really wanted to get out of here. Or soon enough she'd do a Plym and Clifford and snuggle them BOTH in fear.

So ... uruz meant strength ... and it also meant auroch ... which were strong because they ate that Sphagnum Moss thing. Bleh. But why that thing? Whyy the Sphagnum Moss? What did it have of so special?

In a desperate attempt, Evangeline flickered across the pages of her textbook, until something caught her attention. OH! This could be the answer. Hastily, the Prefect raised her hand. "I think I've got it, Miss!" Even if she didn't, it didn't matter. "Every Rune has a kind of herb associated to it, and Uruz's happens to be that Sphagnum Moss thing! So ... the reason why this particular kind of moss makes Aurochs stronger it's because it's what they're meant to eat." Well, duh. "And since it's associated with the rune Uruz, it's a good herb to make the Aurochs strooooong!" Chyeeeeah. That sounded correct enough for her!

Very articulated and all, you know?

Oooh. Lupa was going Loopy. NOT GOOD. Clifford raised his auroch slobbery hand in the air hesitantly. "Cos.. that freaky moss is full of awesome nutrients that make the auroch turn into a bog boy?" MEH. What did that have to do with runes?

"OOOH OOOOOH! Y'know runes have that herb thing, right? I remember Fehu was nettles, yeah? Well.. is that moss the herb for Uruz?" Could beee.

Abby raises her hand. "The plant that is associated with the rune, Uruz is Sphagnum Moss."

Chris looked fearfully at the outburst from professor Lupa and then raised his hand for an answer. "Um Professor, perhaps that particular type of moss is perfect for the Aurochs because it is the herb for the Uruz rune?"

Satine shot her hand into the air, "Professor, each rune has a variety of different items associated to with it, such as a herb or a plant, and this type of moss is associated to the rune Uruz thus creating strength." she hoped that made sense when it came out of her head.

"Take two points for Slytherin, Prefect Green..." she said taking a breath, "for being the first to answer what apparently was the hardest question in my class." She said and looked at the other students. "Alright, hopefully these questions won't be as hard. What color is associated with Uruz?"

Cela raised her hand, "It is associated with dark green, professor."

Herminnny raised her hand and said, "The color associated with Uruz is dark green."

"Dark green is the color associated with it Professor." He replied, his hand in the air and a frown on his face.

Daniel raised his hand, "Professor, because it have the element of the Earth its color representation is Dark Green." he said with a smile.

Two points? YAY! See, Green? Thinking paid off. Evangeline beamed at Lupa, before raising her hand once more. The question had already been answered, but oh well! "That'd be dark green, Miss."

Anna raised her hand high into the air. "Dark green, Professor Lupa," she answered.

Chris raised his hand "Well Dark Green is associated with Uruz. Does that have anything to do with the moss, Professor?" He asked curiously.

"Good, now... which tree is associated with Uruz?" She said stepping further back from the auroch.