"Milk," Jackie asks looking puzzled. She had never heard that term before. She cut her leaf, "DIFFINDO." It made a small cut. She felt pleased.

Watching the professor intently as he "milked the aloe vera," Vashti thought this would be helpful if she had a sunburn on her fingers. Y'know, 'cause then the plant gel would be doing its job and she'd be doing hers. Not that she was going to go try and get a sunburn. That'd be dumb. Simply a thought that ran across her random mind and made her giggle.

She took out her wand and spoke the "Diffindo" incantation, severing the edges of the leaf from the rest just as the professor had done. Then she cut it down the middle as instructed. Now time for the messy(-ish) part! She picked up one of the pieces, stuck her index finger inside the leaf, and scooped some of it onto her finger. Milked it. Heh.

William had been busy writing things down, amazed he was learning about something he had just used previously. He didn't know much about the aloe leaf sand, while he wasn't making another unction he was thrilled to be learning about the aloe. Taking a look at it, writing something else down before flicking his wrist, his wand coming out of the wrist holster and muttered "Diffindo." under his breath.

The spell wasn't very effective right now he thought trying again, "Diffindo!" he said a bit louder, his wand at the base of the leaf, severing it from the rest of the plant. Finally holding the leaf in his hand he carefully opened it fully using the severing charm once more, seeing the gooiness of the inside. The gel looked col he had to admit, sticking his finger in it gently scooping up a small amount. Holding the now open leaf in one hand, the gel on his finger on his other he looked up for more instructions.

Jacob had wiped away the yellowish sap that had come out after squeezing it a little. Then rubbed his eye a bit, why was he so tired. He looked up quickly after the professor said not to put your hand in your mouth. "Ummm.... What would happen if we did put our hands in our eyes after we touched the irritant liquid?" were his eyes going to get really irritated and burn, cause if they were he was not going to be happy.

He decided to go on with his work, but if his eyes started burning out, and he went blind in the middle of class, its the plants fault. Why wasnt he told about the irritant 10 seconds earlier. He turned the plant to its edge, "Diffindo" he said and the edge cut. Not so tough now, huh plant. Yeah sthats right, how 'em whos boss. The he 'Milked' the aloe. Hehe Milked.

Destiny leaned up in her seat, intently watching as the Professor showed them how to cut this aloe. If she was to take potion's class again this term, this aloe cutting business would be good to know. Perhaps the Professor would let them plant some of this stuff so they can KEEP it! She would ask later..

Nodding to herself when the Professor finished, she sat back in her seat and drew her wand. Pointing at the end of the aloe, and said a quick "Diffindo!" while directing the wand to slice. It looked like..a worm. She was waiting for the aloe to spring to life and start wiggling. Before it even had a chance, she repeated the step on the opposite end, and now the aloe would NEVER attack! Mwahaha! After cutting the aloe vertically, she picked up the aloe plant and making sure no one was looking, she sniffed it.

Ehh..It didn't smell bad...but she still didn't want to touch it.

Yeah.

Sidney takes the pot and carefully breaks off on of the leaves. Funny they had just used aloe vera in Potions class. She places the leaf on the table. Pointing her wand at the sides of the leaf, she says "Diffindo! severing both sides of the leaf. Sidney then cuts the center in half. The gel oozes out. She runs her index finger down the leaf collecting the gooey gel. Sidney runs her finger over the edge of the jar. The gel slides off her finger and makes its way down the side.

Sage paced around the room, observing the work of the students as they sliced up their aloe vera leaves. Very good. It appeared some of them were unwanting to touch the gel though. Some of them looked down right disgusted!

"This stuff is good for you!" Sage called to the class, giving his head a bemused shake. Sure, it looked a little icky and had a strange, goopy texture.. but it had so many good properties! Some people paid good galleons for some of this stuff!

"Make the most of it," he told them, digging his fingers into Selena's aloe vera gel and making a display of rubbing it into his hands. "It's moisturising!"

If they didn't want it, he'd have to hand a container around. He bet the Healer would appreciate it.

Uhm.

This lad had wiped the irritant into his eye? Sage bit the inside of his cheek anxiously. He knew about medicinal plants, sure. But he wasn't a Healer! Nor were their any plants around that cured irritated eyes. Eh.

"Rinse your eyes with lukewarm water," the Professor ordered, pointing to the lone basin in the far right corner at the back of the classroom. "And if your eyes feel itchy later, I think you'll need a trip to the Hospital Wing." A rinse ought to do the job though.

Jacob looked from the professor to the basin, and back to the professor. and with out stopping to think he quickly got up, hit his knee on the chair. The chair fell back and almost sprinted towards the basin. He washed his hand to make sure that nothing else was on his hands, and then his eyes.

Moveing back to his seat, a few drops of water sliped from his face every noow and then. Jacob picked up the chair off the ground and sat back down... with a small "sorry". Then Jacob scooped the gel ot of the leaf and used the moisturizer.

Yes, she was going to be sick. The Professor was rubbing that stuff onto his hands. No one did that! And if they did, then they were weird.

Dropping the two leaves onto the table, and possibly pushing them closer to Destiny, she wiped the aloe off of her fingers and onto the table before looking for some other place to wipe her hands off. There was still a little bit on her fingers. Pssh. Her hands didn't need moisturizing. They were perfect as they were! In her eyes at least..

After listening to the professor, Dianna accepted an aloe from the pot. She carefully placed it in front of her and muttered "diffindo" on one side.
"Ouch.." although successfully removing the spiky edges she accidentally presed her hand on one causing it to bleed.
"Nevermind.." she said not minding the pain as she continued to cut the aloe into two and waiting for the professor for further more instructions.

Milking the aloe vera was pretttttty disgusting and gooey and goopy, Fletcher observed as he proceeded to use the severing charm to (not so neatly) slice the aloe vera leaf open. The boy grinned slightly as he finally sliced it open and then stuck a finger inside the goop.

"Awesomeee," he murmured as he spread some of the cool gel on his cheek. Nice and moisturizing, sweet and sticky. Hmm, how would this taste.............?

Sage had been close enough to hear the 'ouch' that came from a nearby student. A quick inspection of the area and he spotted the casualty. Another inspection and he was glad to see the girl hadn't cut off a finger or something. Seemed she'd caught herself on one of the small spines.

"You okay?" He asked softly, nodding at the small wound. It didn't look bad enough for a visit to the Hospital Wing, but he had to check.

Jessica was happy to do some aloe vera stuff.. She knew that Aloe Vera is not that dangerous.. "Professor, I often put some on my hair, Sometimes i used it as a moisturizer, exactly what you've said."
Jessica used the extract to her hair when she was still in the muggleworld. It is really effective though she did not enjoy it's smell..

Sophia got an aloe Vera leaf. "Diffindo!" Afterwards, she milk the aloe vera. That part was.. uhhh.. ODD. When she heard the Professor saying that it's a moisturizer, she rubbed it in her hands. "This is cool!"

"Oh! I'm fine professor." Dianna said as she pulled of the spine from her hand.
"Just a small cut, that's all."

Taking the aloe Vera leaf out of the basket, she pulled her wand to do the spell the Professor had said to use. "Diffindo." when the leaf was cut she did as the professor had said and how waited to see what was next. She wanted to be a healer in the worst way and didn't want to miss anything.

Maddie pulled out her wand and pointed it at the aloe vera leaf
'Diffindo!' she said, and the cuts appeared. Scooping up the gel stuff, she put it in a little container that used to have her cupcakes in it. It was a good moisturiser, she knew that.

After listening to her professor..Noir took an aloe vera from the pot..Gently she put it on her table and then she pulled out her wand and said the spell that Professor Dodson had said to use "Diffindo" and then she saw the gel is encased inside..Noir put her wand back on the table and looked back to Professor Dodson ready for next instruction

Nancy was sitting right in the middle of the classroom, which proved to be the place where she was furthest away from all the planty stuff. Why she had chosen to attend this Herbology class in the first place she had no idea. Straaange.

And now they were supposed to 'milk' this leaf-y thing?! The 17 year old stared suspiciously at the leaf on her desk as if it was about to attack her or something. Well, at least they weren't supposed to touch i-Crap! Or so she had thought. Cause now Professor Dodson was actually TOUCHING the leaf. Eek! Where they supposed to do that too? She liked cutting the leaf open and all but actually touch it...

Chewing on her lower lip absentmindedly Nancy slowly pointed her wand at the leaf and with cut it the sides off with a non-verbal diffindo. Now, onto - YAY! - cutting the leaf apart! Hehe. With a swift movement of her wand she cut the leaf into two almost symetrical pieces. Noooow..."Erm...Professor Dodson?" The Prefect raised her hand, the one which was not holding her wand. "Is there a way to extract the liquid...well - " Without actually touching the plant-y stuff. "-magically?" She ended up saying with a small half-hearted smile for the professor.

Arya pulled put her wand and twirled it between her fingers as she watched the professor 'milk' his aloe leaf. It seemed like fun, the one thing she did like about Herbology was that they got to cut things. Picking the leaf, she tilted her head to the side and studied it for a moment before placing it on the table.

Pointing her wand at the aloe she murmured, "Diffindo." Carefully she cut the edges of her leaf off. The she murmured the spell again and cut the plant open. Putting her wand down, she ran her fingers over the aloe gel, and played with it between her fingers.

Simon looked at his wand and smiled, he watched as the Professor 'milk' his aloe leaf and wonder about doing it, he didn't want to get his hands messy but he knew he had too.

"Diffindo." Simon said as he carefully cut the edges of her leaf, he said that again as he cut the plant opened, he then put down his wand on the desk and looked at the gel on his fingers.

Selena sighed. She guessed there was no other way to get rid of this stuff. 'At least it's good for the skin...' Selena thought as she took out the goopy gel and placed it on her hand. It felt weird. Her mother used it all the time though... so how bad could it be?

Sage nodded, satisfied with her response and glad that she wasn't the squeamish sort that fainted over a little blood.


ANOTHER one that didn't want to touch it? Sage sighed just a little. Had they not understood that the think gel-like substance they'd discovered inside the leaf was good for your skin? And this student looked like one of the older lot too!

"It's full of nutrients that are great for you," he said one last time, realising he was fighting a losing battle. Strange kids. "But if you don't want to touch it, there are some spoons in the cupboards," he pointed to the work cupboards at one side of the room which he'd filled with various useful tools. "Just scoop it out and put it in here," he said, handing around a few clear vials. Couldn't let it go to waste now, could they?

ooc: a little back in time

Ivory had her stool a little closer to Arya and given her a little playful nudge as she removed her new Herbology journal out of her mokeskin storage belt. Flipping to the first blank page, she had listened attentively to everything the new professor said and even wrote his name somewhere in there- just in case she forgot and called him Bunz.

When he'd mentioned the healing aspect of magical plants, Ivory couldn't have helped the an instant smile and the automatic motion to sit up straighter to look around her.

Oooh there were so many plants here! Surprisingly there were even quite a few she recognized. So busy was she straining to look around other taller students, that it wasn't until the basket of aloe vera leaves was right in front of her that she zoned back in.

Smiling apologetically, she took a leaf that seemed the most fattened with goop and placed it on her workstation. Intrigued she held it up to the light.
She'd only ever dealt with removing the gel having one of her mother's special scooped knives. Since she couldn't really bust out her wand during the summer, she'd never tried it with magic.

Shrugging her shoulders, she smiled down at the leaf. Oh well there was a first time for everything.

Holding it steady, she reached into her robes and removed her wand from its holster. Immediatly upon her skin coming in contact with the aged wood, the ever present blue flame appeared at its tip and she smiled. Her wand's unique wand core never failed to have that effect on her-at least for a split second. But now was not the time to stare into the harmless flame's depths. No-now was a time of action. Of Herb action!

Her tongue sticking out of the corner of her mouth as she angled her wand accordingly, she pronounced the incantation as confidently as she could.
"Diffindo, diffindo."

Almost as if an invisible knife were at work, the spiky outer edges of the plant leaf fell away revealing the oozing gel the wanted to be let out. Preparing her wand once more, she cast again this time aiming down the middle.

"Diffindo!"

Aha! There it was. Placing her wand back in its holster, Ivory excitedly brought her hand forward and scooped some of the gel with her index finger. Feeling the cool goop drip down her hand over her wrist, made her almost immediately begin rubbing it in, as it was a good moisturizer. Which well technically speaking it was!

Giggling to herself, she brought up her finger and drew on two lines on her cheeks as if it was war paint before during to her friend, her finger raised menacingly.

Okay, oops...the professor looked a little irritated by her question. And it seemed for the completely wrong reason too. "Yes, I know...it's not the liquid I don't want to touch." Okay, now he would probably think she was a complete lunatic for coming to this class in the first place. Somehow she had hoped for somekind of teamwork where she just had to do the spell-part and the other person(s) did the 'holding/touching-the-plants'-part. Meh.

And just to prove that she didn't have anything against the 'full of nutrients' liquid Nancy carefully poked the leaf with the tip of her wand, and therefore squeezed out a little bit of the thick liquid which she then carefully as to not touch the leaf scooped up with her finger. "See? I like the liquid." She bit her lip slightly before smiling up at the professor, raising her finger a little so he could actually see it. Err.