"Could they be used as a trampoline or diving board?" Reid asked out loud. That seemed like it could be a more fun use rather than the practical ones he had come up with before.

So manyyy iiideaaaas.

Quill in hand and inkwell by side, Fyo quickly noted down all that the other students were saying. Water lily bean bags? Cool. And he definitely liked those raft and boat suggestions.

Which reminded him of some suggestions of his own.

"Professor, children could use them to play Rayuela and One-Leg Jump, too," he said, raising his hand again. "And I'm sure witches and wizards can make use of enlargement or size-reducing charms to utilize those lily pads as fancy carpets, and for ornamental or decorative purposes."

Personally, Fyo liked the carpet bit.

A LOTTT.

Hayley raised her hand, "Well Professor...If someone needed to escape to the other side of the, er, pond, and they had a stick, they could use them as a boat." Hmm....that would be nice right about now...escaping the terrifying hard stare of Professor Bunbury.

Hehe! This lesson was fun. As Miles stared at the gigantic lily pads, he came up with an excellent idea, which he was SOO going to try himself later if Professor BunBunz didn't let him. "Could you use it as a boat?" He asked with his hand raised, excitedly. "You could get your own paddle, and gliiiide along the river, or wherever. And just have, a relaxing time."

"And you could maybe use it as a shelter from the rain by tying it aroud your head if you didn't have an umbrella."Brandon said, hand slightly raised, as he jotted down the other answers. He was being half-serious with his answer, but everyone else had said the one's he'd have thought of.

Kevin raised his hand and said "They could be used as stepping things to cross from one side of the pond to the other"

Natka frowned, absent-mindedly doodling flowers on the corner of her parchment as she thought. What caould giant lily pads be used for? SUre, so they could support heavy weights...

"Perhaps they can be used as a substitute for rafts or boats?" she suggested, raising her hand. "So, for transport purposes... both of humans and, um, cargo, so to say. And as they float... oooh they could be used as mattresses in water, and to help people learn to swim. You know, you get someone to go deeper into the water and try to keep afloat, but if they get tired or something they can catch hold of the lily pad and have a rest or whatever.

They could also be used as material for... oh, what do you call them... those blown up rings or hoops you throw off ships to save drowning people," Natka elaborated, unable to remember the correct term for the object she meant. She knew it in Russian, buit that wasn't going to be of much help now.

Jane had been quiet all lesson. They had all gotten warnings about no PDA, no Victoria's Secret, no touching the lilies! She tried to think of something fun to do with the giant floatsies. She eyed them and wished she could just swim in the pond... and bring Danny-Boy there for a swim. Maybe he could rest on the leaf? Next to her freshly squeezed lemonade? Maybe they could...Jane shot her hand up into the air, waving it a little with enthusiasm.

"Professor Bunbury!!!!What if... we had an obstacle course!!!Like if there were suspending bridges, logs and wild,loud, swinging monkeys....."she took a breath before continuing.

"as obstacles...at some parts of the giant lily pond walk?"Oh, Jane was excited now. It was the only thing she could think of.

Herminny raised her hand and said, "You could use a giant Lily pad as like a resting point if a swimmer gets tired in the deep end, they could use it to rest on til they feel well fnough to coninue or mabe just laying on it and sunbathing on the water". Herminny was exited they were gonna be walking on giant lily pads in the water, almost seemed like walking on water and that concept seemed pretty cool to Herminny.

Sydney felt a little dull through out the class...maybe it was the spaghetti she ate before coming here. Shrugging, she started to jot down some interesting and weird ideas put forward by her class mates. "Ooo the obstacle thingy sounds good" Sydney said to the Gryffindor. If something like that was going to happen then she was all up for it. Sydney raised her hand..."Umm we can use the giant lily pads for fun like we can use it to ride around the pond and also for study purpose for example to examine the other pond habitat & surrounding structures" Sydney said as she bit her lower lip hoping that it made sense.

Barry raised his hand "You could sit on one and use it as a boat and if you put enough of them together you could make a platform on water. And have a party on it! But you could you know use it to help support a bridge or tower or something in construction." he said. Barry was trying too hard to be better then Plymouth, he was starting to speak like him!

The second year girl stared in awe as Bunbury stood on the big 'ol lily pad hoping wondering if it would cause her to fall into the lake....but it didn't. No surprise there really, maybe a little disappointment, but no surprise, considering she'd said that the humongo lily pad could support a human's weight.

Woah. She hoped Bunz wasn't going to make them do that...no matter how awesome it looked when she was doing it. Water was one of the one things she was scared of. That and spiders...How convenient that was....her last class involving spiders and this one the liquid in lake-form.

Melanie's hand shot up in the air and Bunbury asked them a question. OoOoO she knew this one. The preeeeeetty big leaves surely had some good uses. "You could wear them as a hat or you could sit on top of it instead of standing and make it like a little canoe ooooor if you couldn't swim you could glue em' to your arms and you'd just float around...." Oh, of course, she'd come up with that one. Not that she'd ever do that... Water was OFF limits...UHHH-huh. "And they look a bit squishy...I wonder if they would make good pillows or something..." she provided, eying the green floating plants. She wanted to touch one...

Oh this was so easy. Plymouth's hand shot up. "Professor B, I know EXACTLY what I'd use them for. See... some plants... like the puffapods we planted last year? Or the flutterbys? They have to stay in their pots.. in the greenhouse... ALL the time, right? Potted plants don't really get to get OUT there, you know? Experience the world??? But THESE lilies, they get to float around and mingle with fish and frogs and waves." Plymouth was getting to his idea, he was, "It's OBVIOUS to me that these lilies could be a vehicle for the sheltered potted plants of the world! We could go get some pots now and let the greenhouse flowers have a fun day at the Bunbury's Lilies Amusement Park .. Er Pond."


Plymouth daydreamed of sitting indian-style on one of the giant lilies, a big pink puffapod in his lap... wind blowing their hair/leaves/petals as they rode across the pond... Plymouth pointing out the marginal plants...Ah...

Practical and ingenious uses of a giant lily pad? Whoooa. Clifford, who had been a little confused perked up when he noticed Professor Bunbury was actually STANDING on a giant leaf. That was so cool! He definately did NOT want to try that though. The seventh year wanted to say they'd make a pretty awesome boat thingymabob, but loadsa people had said that one already. Bleh.

"I think they'd make awesome like.. stepping stone things.. 'cept they'd be stepping leaves," Clifford started, hand in the air. "Y'know, instead of having bridges to get across the water, you just hop along it on those! It would make crossing water all the more fun.." Not that that was HIS idea of fun.. not being able to swim and all.

Jane listened to Plymouth's idea. He always had some really weird ones. But they were entertaining, at least. She giggled in her seat. She wondered if the Puffluttas will actually like that feeling. Floating on another plant... in water! They'd probably be soo afraid of drowning and whimper on the lily pad. She thought. Just then, another thought occurred to her. What if, the flutterby bushes and Puffapods were to joust...each other on the lily pads, just for fun? She shuddered, thinking of the after-effects. Mrs Puffa, mad that she lost her flower and Mr Flutta, complaining that Mrs Puffa had broken his twigs. All the drama the students had to cope with afterwards. She didn't like that.

Abby thinks Plymouth has a great idea. "Couldn't we have a party in the Student's Garden and use the Victoria Lily? Like Plymouth said, we could put potted plants and candles on the lilies to decorate and light the garden. Do you think if we pulled the lilies out of the pond and place them in individual holes with pond water, that we could use them as tables? Oooh, that sounds like fun."

Mariel continued her staring at the lillies as she thought of and listened to ideas about what they could be used for. She was thinking boats herself, having not been able to forget her visions of spinning around in them herself, but several had already said that. And while she was okay with stating the obvious in class, she was not okay with continued repitition so she did not offer that idea but another exciting one popped into her brain. "Oooh, we could use them to have a Giant Lily Boat Race!" she exclaimed with her hand held high. Sure, not as fun as broom racing, but she was sure it had to be almost as good. And, the third year remembered Professor Bunbury saying that maybe they could test out their ideas. Mariel looked up hopefully at the professor then grinned back down at the floating lillies. She'd be the first in line for that.

Scarlett was quiet throughout the lesson.But suddenly she thought that she had to answer this.
"What if we use them like a life jacket professor?Or like a support for new swimmers.Or maybe,they could be piled up to make artificial floating islands!Or...what about a rescue ferrying during flood?"

Copernicus raised his hand. "Or we could study their buoyancy and how they work to help develop better technology for floating structures... like houses. It would solve that whole Muggle overpopulation thing." He rubbed his chin, but he was watching Plymouth. That boy was going to take a flying leap onto a lily pad anytime now.

:: Adzuki sat and listened to all the obvious ideas. She yawned and tried hard to think of a less obvious idea. Can you cut these up? Would they still float? I wonder what happens when you eat one?

She jotted a picture of herself walking on water with the lilly pad as shoes. Of course she also drew a cap on herself that looked like a frog and a cape. ::

Victoria put her hand up again, "Professor, can frogs lay their eggs on them?"

Sarah scribbled down every suggestion that the class made,but for the life of her she couldn't think of something different to suggest herself.Everything seemed to have been covered....lilo's,stepping stones,mini rafts.Mariel's idea for a raft race was a fantastic one.She would love to hop on a lily pad and use a paddle to race,although the pond might not be big enough.
The life raft seemed sensible to her,and she voiced that to Bunbury. "I agree with....uhhh someone,Professor," she said,putting her hand in the air "...that they could be used as a new version of the muggle life boat/raft.Much easier to store on ships I would think."
Although they couldn't very well test that out here in the student pond.....

Anastasia had to give the kids props; they certainly could come up with some interesting ideas. Ideas she might have thought of already, of course, because she already knew everything about anything, but these ideas were admittedly good as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cedricdiggory

Cedric raised his hand after a few minutes of thinking."Oh Professor,Maybe people can take a seat there and relax or picnic I bet."Cedric answered wackily then he laughed a bit then turned to serious look."and maybe they can be use in Potions and some other stuffs like that."

"I bet they could, Cedric," she agreed, tilting her head slightly at the boy's odd laugh. "The thing about these, is, you have to be careful. You can puncture the leaves if you have pointy shoes on and it's often smart to charm the leaves if you can before you attempt to walk on them."

Of course she had taken the initiative and already done that, plus she was wearing wedge heels as opposed to stilettos, but that went without saying.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ash Love

"Professor, people might be able to use them as stepping stones across a pond, or as a napsack or I bet if you pluck them you could string them together and use them as a roof for a shelter Ash said looking at the leaves

Ahhh, exactly. "Yes, stepping stones is what I was thinking. And if you can pluck them, I suppose that would work as well." Knapsack. She'd keep that in mind for any future exotic vacations.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SenoritaMaxie

Giant water lily pads?

WhoaCOOLLL, dduuuuddde!

Fyo decided he might, just might, have to change his opinion about this class. Because, you know, giant-lily-pads-that-could-support-humans were just.. plain awesomeness.

His already wide eyes widened at Professor Bunbury's question. This was followed by their lighting up in their usual, dreamy sorta way - which, in turn, was followed by that, oh-so-thoughtful expression they sometimes assumed.

Giant lily pads. How could you use them? His mind wandered through its usual world of dreams and Neptunes, and shiny things and fuzziness, as he tried to think of something. And not just anything - something creative.

Waiittt.. He had it!

He raised his hand. "Professor, couldn’t we use them as construction material?” An odd use, yes, but a use, nevertheless. “I think a giant lily pad would make an awesome, hut roof – and it would be perfect if the place is hot or summery because, being a plant, it can keep the insides of the hut cool. It could also make some really exotic door and window curtains.”

Heyy.. He WANTED a giant lily pad-roof.

"Yes you could. If you were stranded in the rain forests of the Amazon these would make an excellent roof. You just have to be careful because the underside of the leaf is oh-so-very spiny..." But more about that later.

Quote:

Originally Posted by marla_khulet

What could be practical uses of a giant water lily? Hayleen thought hard. "Oh! Oh! They could probably be used as a bed or something like a bean bag", only this case itll be called a water lily bag. haha

"Possibly, if you're really out of other materials..."

Quote:

Originally Posted by dingDong

Cam watched in amazement as Bunzz--and the water lilies! It was just toooo awesome. He wanted to ride on one of these babies right awayyy. Maybe she'd let them, maybe she won't but he was... desperate perhaps? But of course, not too desperate to jump on one and then ride it across the pond. Nooo that would be PREPOSTEROUS. He raised his hand up high. "OOOOH! The giant lily pad could be useful for alootttta things like just relaxing and all. Maybe a teaaa party or just looking at the clouds, maybe," he said, "Maybe even gaaames such as hopscotch aaand... I heard it collects A LOT of sunlight so maaaybe even a tanning bed!" There were a lot of maybe's.

Bunbunz liked this Slytherin, he always had good answers to every question. "Yes, it could, couldn't it? You'd probably want to strengthen it with a spell or charm to solidify it a little first though." She smiled at the thought of tanning on a lily pad. Ahhhh yeah. Tanning was always fun.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Esme

"Well since they seem sturdy and would naturally be able to handle water, being water plants and all we could maybe use them as a boat or a raft if ever we were stuck in a situation where we had no other material. They could also be used as a bridge to the other side of a river or something just like stepping stones and fallen logs are." Reid volunteered trying to think sensibly and realistically.

"Yes to the bridge idea but no, not really to the boat thing," Bunbury shook her head. "I mean, if you were really desperate you would want to sever the leaves from the roots and such but I'd prefer we not do that here. Not yet."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Celandine

Celandine raised her hand. "Well, I think they'd be great as umbrellas professor. Or plates for giants with table manners. Or because it has an edge, you could use it to play dice games when you are stuck in the amazon with nothing better to do."

Cela always had interesting ideas, didn't she. "Plates for giants with table manners..." Annie chuckled slightly. "Yes, you try that one out, Miss Toussaint, and let me know how it turns out. But they could make an umbrella maybe if you put the prickly underbelly of the leaf up?" She kind of wanted to test that one now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lily_snape

"If they can support a human's weight standing, doesn't that mean you should be able to hang from them? So if you're stuck on the bank of a river, you could tie them all together and swing across. Although, it would be much simpler to use them as stepping stones ...

I suppose you could tie them around your feet, and wear them as shoes, too. The leaves are fairly durable and should not wear down for a while."

Hmm....the Slytherin had a few interesting ideas. "Yes, maybe if you're a really resourceful and...naturally crafty person that could work." Not her though, nuuuh she wouldn't put anything but the absolute best on her feet. Or else go barefoot.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dan arjay

Daniel raised his hand, "Professor, I think we can use those water lilies as floaties, that can be used for sunbathing in the middle of the lake. Or perhaps boats that we can use to travel to the different part of the lake." he said looking as if wanted to try the water lilies for himself.

"Floaties?" Like those Muggle arm things? "The boat idea is okay but I really don't want to move these around right now, see, they're arranged in a very aesthetically pleasing way at the moment."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Esme

"Could they be used as a trampoline or diving board?" Reid asked out loud. That seemed like it could be a more fun use rather than the practical ones he had come up with before.

"I don't think they're tough or sturdy enough for that, right now, and the pond isn't deep enough for diving," Bunbury stated loudly, shooting a look at the Slytherin as if to say 'don't even think of trying it.'

Quote:

Originally Posted by SenoritaMaxie

So manyyy iiideaaaas.

Quill in hand and inkwell by side, Fyo quickly noted down all that the other students were saying. Water lily bean bags? Cool. And he definitely liked those raft and boat suggestions.

Which reminded him of some suggestions of his own.

"Professor, children could use them to play Rayuela and One-Leg Jump, too," he said, raising his hand again. "And I'm sure witches and wizards can make use of enlargement or size-reducing charms to utilize those lily pads as fancy carpets, and for ornamental or decorative purposes."

Personally, Fyo liked the carpet bit.

A LOTTT.

"Probably! Excellent idea, have a point," Anastasia blinked at this one really hadn't yet occurred to her. "Mixing magic and mundane, I love it. I have heard of local Brazilian and South American wizards using them for decor...although I didn't notice any on my last visit there...." erm, but she had been distracted by other things on that vacation.

"You could research the influence of these giant lilies in Amazonian wizard culture, er...yes..." you...whatever his name was, she wasn't sure. "Anyways."

Quote:

Originally Posted by TMHFPolska

Hayley raised her hand, "Well Professor...If someone needed to escape to the other side of the, er, pond, and they had a stick, they could use them as a boat." Hmm....that would be nice right about now...escaping the terrifying hard stare of Professor Bunbury.

"Only in the need of emergency would I want my water lilies reduced to a form of transportation," Anastasia sniffed loudly. Sure, 10 other students had mentioned that idea ahead of her but Bunbunz had taken to disliking this poor Slytherin. Poor lass, she was bright though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hollister

Hehe! This lesson was fun. As Miles stared at the gigantic lily pads, he came up with an excellent idea, which he was SOO going to try himself later if Professor BunBunz didn't let him. "Could you use it as a boat?" He asked with his hand raised, excitedly. "You could get your own paddle, and gliiiide along the river, or wherever. And just have, a relaxing time."

"Again, the boat thing, I suppose you could but no one is trying that out today. HEMhem." Bunbunz cleared her throat and took to staring down all the students who wanted to go on a boat.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hermione1994

"And you could maybe use it as a shelter from the rain by tying it aroud your head if you didn't have an umbrella."Brandon said, hand slightly raised, as he jotted down the other answers. He was being half-serious with his answer, but everyone else had said the one's he'd have thought of.

She almost chuckled at the boy who suggested...putting a lily pad around his head. "Erm, riiiiiiiight," she answered slowly. "Only, like I said, that probably wouldn't be comfortable with the underside of the lily pad being so...prickly..."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saz Hale

Kevin raised his hand and said "They could be used as stepping things to cross from one side of the pond to the other"

"Yes Kevin, yes, I like this idea best."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paintbrush

Natka frowned, absent-mindedly doodling flowers on the corner of her parchment as she thought. What caould giant lily pads be used for? SUre, so they could support heavy weights...

"Perhaps they can be used as a substitute for rafts or boats?" she suggested, raising her hand. "So, for transport purposes... both of humans and, um, cargo, so to say. And as they float... oooh they could be used as mattresses in water, and to help people learn to swim. You know, you get someone to go deeper into the water and try to keep afloat, but if they get tired or something they can catch hold of the lily pad and have a rest or whatever.

They could also be used as material for... oh, what do you call them... those blown up rings or hoops you throw off ships to save drowning people," Natka elaborated, unable to remember the correct term for the object she meant. She knew it in Russian, buit that wasn't going to be of much help now.

Rafts...oh, is that like the floaty thingies? "Perhaps they are used for that kind of...purpose..." Anastasia tilted her head and considered the idea, one she wasn't exactly keen to try but one that perhaps was possible. "Good one. Have a point."

Quote:

Originally Posted by geraldinechang

Jane had been quiet all lesson. They had all gotten warnings about no PDA, no Victoria's Secret, no touching the lilies! She tried to think of something fun to do with the giant floatsies. She eyed them and wished she could just swim in the pond... and bring Danny-Boy there for a swim. Maybe he could rest on the leaf? Next to her freshly squeezed lemonade? Maybe they could...Jane shot her hand up into the air, waving it a little with enthusiasm.

"Professor Bunbury!!!!What if... we had an obstacle course!!!Like if there were suspending bridges, logs and wild,loud, swinging monkeys....."she took a breath before continuing.

"as obstacles...at some parts of the giant lily pond walk?"Oh, Jane was excited now. It was the only thing she could think of.

"That would be......intense, Jane." Bunbunz stated simply, blinking at the girl as she imagined it. "Perhaps that would be ah, an interesting attraction, with a little bit of magic to make the lily pads more durable when people jumped on them in their haste to finish the course, yes?"

Quote:

Originally Posted by Herminny

Herminny raised her hand and said, "You could use a giant Lily pad as like a resting point if a swimmer gets tired in the deep end, they could use it to rest on til they feel well fnough to coninue or mabe just laying on it and sunbathing on the water". Herminny was exited they were gonna be walking on giant lily pads in the water, almost seemed like walking on water and that concept seemed pretty cool to Herminny.

"Yep, good ideas, both already mentioned. Thank you, Herminny." She nodded at the Gryffindor.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tristin

Sydney felt a little dull through out the class...maybe it was the spaghetti she ate before coming here. Shrugging, she started to jot down some interesting and weird ideas put forward by her class mates. "Ooo the obstacle thingy sounds good" Sydney said to the Gryffindor. If something like that was going to happen then she was all up for it. Sydney raised her hand..."Umm we can use the giant lily pads for fun like we can use it to ride around the pond and also for study purpose for example to examine the other pond habitat & surrounding structures" Sydney said as she bit her lower lip hoping that it made sense.

"Study purposes, there, that would be the only good reason to use them instead of a normal boat," Bunbury stated loudly. What was with people wanting to go on a boat?!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danny Boy

Barry raised his hand "You could sit on one and use it as a boat and if you put enough of them together you could make a platform on water. And have a party on it! But you could you know use it to help support a bridge or tower or something in construction." he said. Barry was trying too hard to be better then Plymouth, he was starting to speak like him!

"Construction, interesting, that's something to keep in mind...all-natural bridge...you'd definitely need some magic to hold it up. Thank you, Barry."

Quote:

Originally Posted by moonyroxs

The second year girl stared in awe as Bunbury stood on the big 'ol lily pad hoping wondering if it would cause her to fall into the lake....but it didn't. No surprise there really, maybe a little disappointment, but no surprise, considering she'd said that the humongo lily pad could support a human's weight.

Woah. She hoped Bunz wasn't going to make them do that...no matter how awesome it looked when she was doing it. Water was one of the one things she was scared of. That and spiders...How convenient that was....her last class involving spiders and this one the liquid in lake-form.

Melanie's hand shot up in the air and Bunbury asked them a question. OoOoO she knew this one. The preeeeeetty big leaves surely had some good uses. "You could wear them as a hat or you could sit on top of it instead of standing and make it like a little canoe ooooor if you couldn't swim you could glue em' to your arms and you'd just float around...." Oh, of course, she'd come up with that one. Not that she'd ever do that... Water was OFF limits...UHHH-huh. "And they look a bit squishy...I wonder if they would make good pillows or something..." she provided, eying the green floating plants. She wanted to touch one...

Er.....this Hufflepuff was another odd one, yes, Miss Lockhart was. "Riiight, gluing things to your arms is always a good idea," Bunbury nodded sarcastically. "You should try that sometime. But not in class, not now." Heheheh.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mad Eye Touz

Oh this was so easy. Plymouth's hand shot up. "Professor B, I know EXACTLY what I'd use them for. See... some plants... like the puffapods we planted last year? Or the flutterbys? They have to stay in their pots.. in the greenhouse... ALL the time, right? Potted plants don't really get to get OUT there, you know? Experience the world??? But THESE lilies, they get to float around and mingle with fish and frogs and waves." Plymouth was getting to his idea, he was, "It's OBVIOUS to me that these lilies could be a vehicle for the sheltered potted plants of the world! We could go get some pots now and let the greenhouse flowers have a fun day at the Bunbury's Lilies Amusement Park .. Er Pond."

Plymouth daydreamed of sitting indian-style on one of the giant lilies, a big pink puffapod in his lap... wind blowing their hair/leaves/petals as they rode across the pond... Plymouth pointing out the marginal plants...Ah...

AHA now here was an idea Bunbury really liked. Really really liked. "Why Mr. Morgan, that would be so nice for the potted plants. How thoughtful of you." She positively beamed at the boy. "Maybe we can test that out in the spring, hmm?"

Quote:

Originally Posted by Waterloo

Practical and ingenious uses of a giant lily pad? Whoooa. Clifford, who had been a little confused perked up when he noticed Professor Bunbury was actually STANDING on a giant leaf. That was so cool! He definately did NOT want to try that though. The seventh year wanted to say they'd make a pretty awesome boat thingymabob, but loadsa people had said that one already. Bleh.

"I think they'd make awesome like.. stepping stone things.. 'cept they'd be stepping leaves," Clifford started, hand in the air. "Y'know, instead of having bridges to get across the water, you just hop along it on those! It would make crossing water all the more fun.." Not that that was HIS idea of fun.. not being able to swim and all.

Thoroughly cheered by the idea, Bunbury nodded and smiled at Clifford too. "Yes yes, good one, Carden..."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrs. Weasley

Abby thinks Plymouth has a great idea. "Couldn't we have a party in the Student's Garden and use the Victoria Lily? Like Plymouth said, we could put potted plants and candles on the lilies to decorate and light the garden. Do you think if we pulled the lilies out of the pond and place them in individual holes with pond water, that we could use them as tables? Oooh, that sounds like fun."

"A party?" It was a good thing Bunbury was half-plotting Plymouth's idea and half-listening, because she didn't usually sanction parties. Not for children, anyways.

"Actually, THAT is very possible, Miss Wright. I wouldn't really want to pull the lilies out of the pond just to use them, since they're useful enough as a decoration...."

She tapped her chin and nodded. "But perhaps we could have a party at night and everyone could come see the water lilies' flowers bloom! Excellent! Have a point."

Quote:

Originally Posted by MsMorgan

Mariel continued her staring at the lillies as she thought of and listened to ideas about what they could be used for. She was thinking boats herself, having not been able to forget her visions of spinning around in them herself, but several had already said that. And while she was okay with stating the obvious in class, she was not okay with continued repitition so she did not offer that idea but another exciting one popped into her brain. "Oooh, we could use them to have a Giant Lily Boat Race!" she exclaimed with her hand held high. Sure, not as fun as broom racing, but she was sure it had to be almost as good. And, the third year remembered Professor Bunbury saying that maybe they could test out their ideas. Mariel looked up hopefully at the professor then grinned back down at the floating lillies. She'd be the first in line for that.

"No boats," Anastasia muttered once again, staring at the Ravenclaw before turning to the next student.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shreyasi das

Scarlett was quiet throughout the lesson.But suddenly she thought that she had to answer this.
"What if we use them like a life jacket professor?Or like a support for new swimmers.Or maybe,they could be piled up to make artificial floating islands!Or...what about a rescue ferrying during flood?"

"Good, good, yes, I suppose," she was still thinking of the water lily garden party. "But yeah, someone mentioned using them as life jackets...you have to be careful of the underside of the leaves though..."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cassirin

Copernicus raised his hand. "Or we could study their buoyancy and how they work to help develop better technology for floating structures... like houses. It would solve that whole Muggle overpopulation thing." He rubbed his chin, but he was watching Plymouth. That boy was going to take a flying leap onto a lily pad anytime now.

Of course Copernipanticus had such an academic answer. "Hmm, that idea could be an excellent research project, Mr. Kettleburn," Bunbury nodded. "With the aid of some magic, though, as these are just barely strong enough to support the weight of one human, Muggle or non."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mugglemad

Victoria put her hand up again, "Professor, can frogs lay their eggs on them?"

"Um, I suppose they can, Victoria, since they do like to lay them on submerged plants..." Bunbury blinked at the girl, wondering how this related to ideas for uses of the lily pads. "But the spines underneath the plants probably keep them away, like this."

She pointed her wand at the first lily she'd stepped on, the one closest to the edge of the pond and the class, and the edge of the plant flipped up just enough to show the spines.

"Do you all see that now? See how it's prickly? Keep that in mind when thinking up uses for the Victoria amazonica."

Quote:

Originally Posted by MeredithRodneyMcKay

Sarah scribbled down every suggestion that the class made,but for the life of her she couldn't think of something different to suggest herself.Everything seemed to have been covered....lilo's,stepping stones,mini rafts.Mariel's idea for a raft race was a fantastic one.She would love to hop on a lily pad and use a paddle to race,although the pond might not be big enough.
The life raft seemed sensible to her,and she voiced that to Bunbury. "I agree with....uhhh someone,Professor," she said,putting her hand in the air "...that they could be used as a new version of the muggle life boat/raft.Much easier to store on ships I would think."
Although they couldn't very well test that out here in the student pond.....

"Yes, good, that's been said," Bunbury nodded and then let the plant she'd been showing drop back into the water.


She tucked her wand back into the invisible holster on her wrist and then clasped her hands together. "But now, moving on, I do need a volunteer....just one, please, one volunteer who isn't afraid of water? Actually, make that four volunteers. One from each house."


ooc: it might be good if the volunteers will be able to get online the next few days too, mmmk?

Kevin raised his hand and said "I'll volunteer professor"

Herminny raised her hand and said, "I would love to vollunteer professor".