Hearing another set of footsteps wandering around the greenhouse, Anastasia assumed it was just Chris moving around. Maybe he was working on something, that would be nice. She was still utterly distracted by the problem child, Torin.

Yeah suuuuure he didn't stalk Bunbunz. One minute, Reese says he admires her, and then next he has an obsession. Well, which was it?

"Let him down easy....hmm...." she rubbed her chin as if she was actually considering the Slytherin's suggestion. HA. Since when did Annie ever make anything easy? She really had no problem with admirers, but students.... obsessed students... that was getting out of hand.

"I'll think about it and just play it cool, you know, see if Torin tries anything, then I can always tell him off..." Annie decided at last. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and then headed back toward the bouncing bulbs. "Thanks for the ah, tip-off though, Reese dear." She patted the girl on her shoulder as she strolled by. "You're a good source." Wink wink. They could both keep this secret and then nobody's feelings would get hurt.

Reese smiled. "Thanks for taking the time to listen, Professor," she said. "And, I think I'm just going to get going now." She followed Bunbury back to Chris and the bouncing bulbs. "It was nice seeing you again, Chris," she told the fourth year. She gave them both a little wave, then she headed out of the greenhouse and back to the school.

As Chris watched the little balbs excitedly, he heard a gasp from Professor Bunbury. He wondered what Reese had said to her to make her so surprised. As soon as that was over he turned to see another student walk in . It was Torin, the Hufflepuff that had saved Bunbury's hoes at the Flooding incident in her office. He knew he had seen him there. He was going to wave to him but he moved into the rows of plants to quickly. So he turned back to the pot he was keeping watch on.

Then only a moment later, Torin ran back out the door clearly upset. 'Yikes I wonder what happened? I didn't hear any yelling.' he thought to himself. maybe he would find out when Bunbury and Reese returned.

Chris waved good-bye to Reese as her and the Herbology Professor came back. "Well Professor the balbs seem to be doing well. They jumped more when I talked to them, why is that?" He wondered to himself if he should mention Torin or not. Probably not.

Bunbury nodded as Reese left and then turned back to Chris. She peeked into the pot with the wriggly, hyper-like bulbs and almost giggled at the sight of them. Ahh, happy plants. Happy, cute, non-stalkery plants.

"Well they like interaction with people. They can kind of sense your energy, if you know what I mean," she explained vaguely. "Kind of like the flutterbies. If you breed the bouncing bulbs with honking daffodils and a flutterby bush --- ooh, I've been meaning to try that...."

Annie picked up her gloves and started to reach for a bulb. Then she remembered the prefect. The professor paused and rested one hand on her hip, staring the kid down for a long moment. "Now did you have an issue you wished to discuss Chris? Or have you been having a jolly good term writing in to that Aparecium gossip rag?"

Mmhmm, she hadn't forgotten.

Chris listened as the Professor talked about how the plants like interaction with people. "That's neat." On her idea to cross breed them with a flutterby and honking daffodils he said. "Ooh that would be really cool, that would."

Chris smiled and said. "Nope no issueses here. Just came to see how you were now, and offer you any help that you may need, because of the flooding incident that left you office-less." He then heard her next question, which wiped the smile of his face. 'Crap!'

"Umm..well you see I didnt post it to mess with you or Professor Lawson, it was just some stupid gossip. I disn't know at the time," he thought about the more recent publishings in the rag, "that they would start blowing everything out of proportion. Not only the mess with you, and Professor Lawson and Avalon, but also with publisizing the break-ups of Plym and Cela and Evangaline and Clifford. I think it's pretty rotten of them. Professor Bunbury, Im deeply sorry for sending in that story. I had no idea at the time, of how every thing would be taken, and the paper become so dodgey." he finished sincerely. Despite how others felt about her, Chris thought very highly of Bunbury. She was one of his favorite Professors and he loved herbology.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanialRadFAN01

Chris listened as the Professor talked about how the plants like interaction with people. "That's neat." On her idea to cross breed them with a flutterby and honking daffodils he said. "Ooh that would be really cool, that would."

Chris smiled and said. "Nope no issueses here. Just came to see how you were now, and offer you any help that you may need, because of the flooding incident that left you office-less." He then heard her next question, which wiped the smile of his face. 'Crap!'

"Umm..well you see I didnt post it to mess with you or Professor Lawson, it was just some stupid gossip. I disn't know at the time," he thought about the more recent publishings in the rag, "that they would start blowing everything out of proportion. Not only the mess with you, and Professor Lawson and Avalon, but also with publisizing the break-ups of Plym and Cela and Evangaline and Clifford. I think it's pretty rotten of them. Professor Bunbury, Im deeply sorry for sending in that story. I had no idea at the time, of how every thing would be taken, and the paper become so dodgey." he finished sincerely. Despite how others felt about her, Chris thought very highly of Bunbury. She was one of his favorite Professors and he loved herbology.

Of course the bulbs were neat and cool; did Anastasia ever waste her time on anything or anyone that wasn't? Mmmhm.

She returned Chris' cheery reply with her infamous diabolical smirk. "That was rather generous of you to wander all the way out here," Bunbury mentioned, snapping her gloves on and starting to line the bottom of an empty pot with some gravel. "Did you take a ladder out or a chute?" She was thinking of testing out the chutes for fun, later, but that meant climbing into the castle first and Merlin knew she wasn't too fond of ladders.

And her trademark evil smile widened all the more at the boy's obvious discomfort regarding Aparecium. GOOD then, he must have felt guilty for spreading lies about her and Lawson. Who cared about Avalon.

"Good. I hope your guilt, then," for that's what she was assuming Chris felt, "will keep you from gossiping about professors in the future?" He could write in about Plymouth and Cela and Cardeen all he wanted -- she was the only important newsmaker here.

Chris shook his head in agreement, "Well your welcome, it was no problem. I was coming down here anyway." He then smiled. "I took a ladder," he said in a dramatic voice, "I wanted to take a shoot but it was coming out another window and I didnt see it til I was already down. I hate laddders." especially tall, long ones, going up a few stories, built by the grondskeeper and not a professional carpenter.

Chris looked at the ground for a moment avoiding her glare, he did feel guilty about what he had done. "Professor I am very sorry, and I am not ever sending anything to that gossip rag again. I dont like it." he said firmly. He really wanted her to accept his appology because he really wanted on her good side like Lyra Norr was. He thought Bunbury was pretty cool and she dressed pretty nice too. And he loved her attitude towards others, it was great seeing some of their reactions, it amused Chris.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanialRadFAN01

Chris shook his head in agreement, "Well your welcome, it was no problem. I was coming down here anyway." He then smiled. "I took a ladder," he said in a dramatic voice, "I wanted to take a shoot but it was coming out another window and I didnt see it til I was already down. I hate laddders." especially tall, long ones, going up a few stories, built by the grondskeeper and not a professional carpenter.

Chris looked at the ground for a moment avoiding her glare, he did feel guilty about what he had done. "Professor I am very sorry, and I am not ever sending anything to that gossip rag again. I dont like it." he said firmly. He really wanted her to accept his appology because he really wanted on her good side like Lyra Norr was. He thought Bunbury was pretty cool and she dressed pretty nice too. And he loved her attitude towards others, it was great seeing some of their reactions, it amused Chris.

A ladder, oooh. Anastasia started adding some soil to the pots and nodded along with Chris' story. "Well well, you are a Gryffindor for a reason. It certainly takes some courage to scale an untrustworthy ladder, especially if that glorified gardener groundskeeper man built them."

She shook her head and looked back at the Prefect, letting his apology hang in the air for a few long, very, very quiet minutes. "All right then, I appreciate your apology." Annie would have done some nice gesture like... slapping the kid on the shoulder or something, whatever you were supposed to do when you accepted apologies, but instead she just went back to her pot. More soil.

Chris smiled and chuckled a bit. "Yeah I guess so. Im just lucky I didn't fall and die. I don't trust those ladders, I would prefer stone stairs, but I not in the mood for a swim anytime soon."

Chris smiled brightly as Bunbury took his appolgy. "Thank you Professor Bunbury." he then changed the topic to something else. "So are you just going to plant those Bouncing balbs or are you going to try and cross breed them like you were thinking before?" he moved closer to the work table she was at and peer into the pot as she covered them up some.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanialRadFAN01

Chris smiled and chuckled a bit. "Yeah I guess so. Im just lucky I didn't fall and die. I don't trust those ladders, I would prefer stone stairs, but I not in the mood for a swim anytime soon."

Chris smiled brightly as Bunbury took his appolgy. "Thank you Professor Bunbury." he then changed the topic to something else. "So are you just going to plant those Bouncing balbs or are you going to try and cross breed them like you were thinking before?" he moved closer to the work table she was at and peer into the pot as she covered them up some.

"Very lucky, indeed." Bunbury paused in spreading the soil around the pot and glanced back at the Prefect, her brow wrinkling slightly as she imagined someone losing grip on the ladders. "I'm starting to think that perhaps the uh, water problem is more than just a leak, if you know what I mean.... if someone DID fall off those ladders we'd probably have to shut the school down too. You agree, I'm sure," she added in an almost confidant tone. He was a prefect, a usually trustworthy kid. Prefect Potter probably had some theories on the flooding too.

"I think I'll just plant them for now so I'll have more growing in time for our next class," she answered his question. "IF we end up using them.... people will probably be messing up, not handling them properly and squishing them and such.... hmmph." And then it would be useful to have more growing already.

The Flooding the BIG topic at the school this term. "Well yes I do agree. A major injury like that from the ladders, plus all the flooding, I would have to agree with you. But Im am pretty much certain its not just a leak. If it was then how do we explain how the water stayed in your office when the door finally opened when we were saving you. Or when it had risen into the Great Hall and not gone out the windows. Or the fact," Chris was starting to talk a little fast as he got on a roll and was slowly loosing breath, "that the water even made it higher than the dungeons. Since when does water defy gravity? We aren't in a sinking ship." he finished looking at Bunbury. He wondered what she would say at his Shelock Holmes moment. "Sorry I was mostly thinking out loud."

The Prefect listened as she explained her intentions with the balbs and looked shocked. "If there is any chance that some idiot student would squish one of these little guys," he looked at the happily bouncing balbs, "then planting is definately best."

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanialRadFAN01

The Flooding the BIG topic at the school this term. "Well yes I do agree. A major injury like that from the ladders, plus all the flooding, I would have to agree with you. But Im am pretty much certain its not just a leak. If it was then how do we explain how the water stayed in your office when the door finally opened when we were saving you. Or when it had risen into the Great Hall and not gone out the windows. Or the fact," Chris was starting to talk a little fast as he got on a roll and was slowly loosing breath, "that the water even made it higher than the dungeons. Since when does water defy gravity? We aren't in a sinking ship." he finished looking at Bunbury. He wondered what she would say at his Shelock Holmes moment. "Sorry I was mostly thinking out loud."

The Prefect listened as she explained her intentions with the balbs and looked shocked. "If there is any chance that some idiot student would squish one of these little guys," he looked at the happily bouncing balbs, "then planting is definately best."

Pushing one last bulb into the pot she was working with, Anastasia took a step back and tugged off her gloves. Hmm, Chris Potter had some good logical points there that she hadn't really thought about.

"The water must be enchanted somehow, or by someone then, right?" She waved a hand because his talking out loud was actually coherent and intelligent, unlike some rambler students. "And we AREN'T the Titanic, good point! It makes no sense that water's moved up through the Ground Floor already. AND my office." Bunz made an angry face. "I swear it knew exactly where my shoe closest was and filled that up first. Absolutely outrageous."

When she found out who was behind the flooding, oh boy she was going to make them pay. PAY, with galleons and physical harm, mmmhm.

Annie glanced back down at the planted bulbs and then shared a rare smile with Chris. "Glad you agree. They just need a little water now and then I'm going to experiment with some seeds ah, a good friend gave me."

Chris nodded his head, getting more and more excited as Bunbury agreed with him. "And however it got all the way to the grumpy caretaker's hut." It had done the same as her office had. "Im sorry about your shoes." he said sympathetically he knew she was devistated by the fact of gross, murky water touching her shoes. "Did you manage to save much?"

Chris then snapped his face up to Bunbury's for a second. Did she just smile at him. He smiled back, about how they shared the same views about the bulbs. he then heard something about seeds and was curious. "Ooh Professor what kind of seeds?"

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanialRadFAN01

Chris nodded his head, getting more and more excited as Bunbury agreed with him. "And however it got all the way to the grumpy caretaker's hut." It had done the same as her office had. "Im sorry about your shoes." he said sympathetically he knew she was devistated by the fact of gross, murky water touching her shoes. "Did you manage to save much?"

Chris then snapped his face up to Bunbury's for a second. Did she just smile at him. He smiled back, about how they shared the same views about the bulbs. he then heard something about seeds and was curious. "Ooh Professor what kind of seeds?"

"All the way to Masterson's hut.... mmmhmm...." Bunbury continued her musing. She was still suspicious of the man --- his hut flood COULD have been a ploy to throw people off --- but Marcus had doubted it so whatever.

"Ah, thanks for the sympathy," the redhead sighed, watering the planted bulbs with her wand. "Torin Kane managed to grab a handful that we had waterproofed, but they still smell funny and the material's never quite the same after waterproofing, you know." He probably didn't know but she did. They'd all just need replacing after all.

Finished with the bouncing bulbs now, Annie dusted off her hands and returned her wand to its wrist holster. She walked around the work station to the pail on the other side and the few packets of seeds from Ethan. "Well, they're.... uh..." she picked up the packet and squinted at it to remember. "Oh yes, these are good-smelling hybrids with lovely colors," she set one packet out. "And those eat fish and fingers and like to be near a source of water," hum de dum, "and THESE," she tapped one last packet with a happy smirk, "they're kind of orange and ugly but you wouldn't believe the smell. Incredible."

Annie could've hugged the seeds, really, they brought back such happy memories of Peru. "But if it's nice enough out, I might just go plant these around the pond in the student garden." Sure beat pot planting.

"Yep all the way over there." he said thinking about what in the world coud pull something like that off.

Chris listened intently to Bunbury tell about each plant. They sounded very interesting. "Ooh the second one sounds very cool, it can eat fish?" he asked excited. "Well really all of them sound wonderful. I can't wait for them to grow so I can smell the incredible smell." she seemed to light it, he was curious as to what it smelled like too.

"Oh you were going to plant them in the Student Garden? Well im sure they would prefer the outdoors better and not being in a pot." he smiled. "Would you mind if I came along. I could help. Some manual work you know, I could dig for you or something."

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanialRadFAN01

"Yep all the way over there." he said thinking about what in the world coud pull something like that off.

Chris listened intently to Bunbury tell about each plant. They sounded very interesting. "Ooh the second one sounds very cool, it can eat fish?" he asked excited. "Well really all of them sound wonderful. I can't wait for them to grow so I can smell the incredible smell." she seemed to light it, he was curious as to what it smelled like too.

"Oh you were going to plant them in the Student Garden? Well im sure they would prefer the outdoors better and not being in a pot." he smiled. "Would you mind if I came along. I could help. Some manual work you know, I could dig for you or something."

"Yes, I've seen it sort of reach down into the Amazon and snatch a pirana right up," Bunbury told Chris very seriously. "It will take your fingers right off too, if you let it."

She nodded and picked up her gloves, a spade, and the seeds, tucking all back into the pail. "Sure, I suppose you can come. I could use you to dig the holes for the seeds."

Bunbury headed for the door with her pail tucked over her arm, expecting Chris to follow. She craned her neck to make sure Gingersnapple was still napping under a potted fern - he was - and then went out the door. Chris would be smart enough to close it behind him, surely.

Chris's eyes opened wide as she told him that. "Wow a carnivorous plant. Kinda like a venus fly trap but more dangerous?" he asked. "Oh don't worry Professor I won't give them the chance to bite my fingers off." he laughed.

He watched her gather up supplies "Ok im coming." and he followed her out the door.

Seeing that Professor Bunbury wasn't around, Torin carefully entered the greenhouses. He wanted to see the plants that she had. He loved plants. And he found greenhouses sorta peaceful in a way. He didn't mind the humidity. And he liked looking at the pretty flowers.

too bad the greenhouse with the pink glass was locked. He always wondered what was kept in there.

As it was, he just looked at the plants. Professor Bunbury kept a nice greenhouse, he thought with approval.

Then he saw that there were some weeds on the floor in a few places. That just wasn't right at all. Frowning, he got on his hands and knees and started pulling them out. It would make the greenhouse look even better.

Anastasia carefully made her way into greenhouse two, balancing the few pots of herbs and puffapods from her office in her arms as she walked to a workstation. Once the pots had been neatly set down and out, she pulled on a pair of pink dragon hide gloves to start inspecting them.

Suuuure that merprincess had said "everything would be restored" but water damage was ALWAYS irreversible when it came to plants. And root rot was so terrible, right? How could this magic infestation of lake water have NOT affected her plants.

Hmmph. She would see about that.

Torin headed into the greenhouses with his poem in his pocket and a nervous smile on his face. He sure hoped that this went over okay and she didn't like.. pepper-spray him in the face or anything.

But where was she?

Then he heard a sound coming from one of the workstations. Heading in that direction, he saw that the Professor had been putting too pots on the table.

"Hello, Professor," he said as he approached her. "What's up?" Even though he could totally see what she was doing.

So the soil was at the exact right moisture, still, amazingly... hmm... no damage to the plant leaves as far as she could tell... all the pots looked... well... perfect.

Anastasia almost had her nose touching one puffapod's stem when she heard a voice right behind her. "Mr. Kane!" she exclaimed, snapping upright and whirling around to stare wide-eyed at the boy. Good thing the puffa had been back far enough on the workstation or it would have fallen right off.

"Nothing is... up." Teenager slang. Hmmph. "Is something up? What are you up to?" Not stalking me, please not stalking me.

"Are you alright, Professor?" he asked her, raising his brow at her startle. It asn't like he jumped out at her or anything.

"Mmhmm.. Okay. Though I'd be glad to help you if you need anything." He loved greenhouses and spending time with her.

Then he put his hands in his pockets, feeling the paper in one of them. "I have something I want to give to you, Professor." He also had a rose on him. But he was hiding it.

"Yes, I'm fine, thankyou," Bunbury answered, jutting her chin up proudly. "Don't need any help either," and definitely not from my stalker, "because, apparently, the plants are just fine."

She turned her head slightly and stared down a pot of peppermint, as if daring it to move a tendril, before turning back to Torin.

Oh no. He was going to give her something. Oh no no no no no, no, more bribery, and from a stalker!student too. And obviously she could never refuse a gift, because she was Anastasia R. Bunbury the narcissist who loved shiny objects and shoes.

"What is it?" she asked in a small, excited little tone, leaning just slightly to peek around Torin and see if he was perhaps hiding a shoe box behind his back.

"Okay, Professor," he said smiling at her.

He then pulled out the rose and the piece of paper and held them out to her. "This is to say sorry for any awkwardness I might have caused you this Term, Professor." He waited for her to take them from him.

SPOILER!!: poem

Strong as steel, soft as rose,
A store of wit, of humour, fun,
Full of will, she is to strength,
As gold is to sun.

On broomstick, faster than a bolt,
Of lightning whose power is great,
In face of trouble, daunted not,
She changes lives and fate!

An iron will, a teacher great,
Genius that does not need a test,
A gentle voice, enchanting laugh,
Better than the best.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whitterz

"Okay, Professor," he said smiling at her.

He then pulled out the rose and the piece of paper and held them out to her. "This is to say sorry for any awkwardness I might have caused you this Term, Professor." He waited for her to take them from him.

SPOILER!!: poem

Strong as steel, soft as rose,
A store of wit, of humour, fun,
Full of will, she is to strength,
As gold is to sun.

On broomstick, faster than a bolt,
Of lightning whose power is great,
In face of trouble, daunted not,
She changes lives and fate!

An iron will, a teacher great,
Genius that does not need a test,
A gentle voice, enchanting laugh,
Better than the best.

Sorry for any awkwardness? Oh right, like this wasn't going to cause any more awkwardness.... ah fantastic.

Quirking an eyebrow but saying nothing, Anastasia carefully took the parchment and rose from Torin. She held the rose up by her face and casually inhaled its delicate scent as she read the poem. The more she read, the more her face slowly started to match the rose in color.

Bunbury finished reading but hiked the poem's paper up to hide her face so Torin wouldn't have to see that she was both beet-red and embarrassed. Merlin merlin merlin. Reese said I had to let the boy down gently but now he's writing me LOVE POEMS!

"Well." Anastasia cleared her throat loudly. "You are a better poet than SOME Hufflepuffs I know, Mr. Kane." CoughDominicCough. Too bad Torin hadn't actually written that poem - but she didn't know that.

She cleared her throat again, took a breath, counted to ten, let the breath out, and then set the poem and rose down on the workstation. "However, I must inform you that while it is a lovely poem, it, it, it," it didn't outright say anything, so... maybe now was not the time to crush Torin's hopes and dreams? He was just a boy, after all, and she did like all the little compliments in the poem...

"It doesn't really help with the awkwardness, Torin," Bunbury sighed at last. "But it is lovely. I like it. Thank you."