Angelina thought for a moment about the Norandola before raising her hand. After thinking that she has her answer she said, Professor is it because you need to look at the characteristics of the plant. Also what it would seem like under the moonlight?" Angelina never heard of Norandola so this was all new to her.

Kurumi decided to sit back and listen to the others' answers before offering up one of her own, hoping to build off of someone else's with the knowledge of the plant that she already knew. However, Kurumi found herself cocking her head to the side a bit as several students sort of just seemed to repeat what Professor Bentley had said in her brief introduction and describe the plant with what was already apparent. After all, hadn't the professor just said that it was the light of the full moon that revealed their true identities?

Glancing back at the plants again and then nodding her head in Gideon's direction since his answer was more along the lines of what she considered to make the plant unique, Kurumi raised her hand. "Norandola grow as a sort of reflection of ourselves," she said, avoiding mentioning anything involving the moon since that was sort of a given. "As was already said, they grow based on the person who handles them the most, that is...if the plant gets a real feel for the person. So it's important that they not be handled by too many people." Or else the poor thing would probably experience an identity crisis of some sort. "In order for the plant to really understand the person who is planting it, one needs to touch it with their wand." Which was sort of an amazing detail really and made Kurumi think about the conversation her and Professor Bentley had had during her one-on-one. Plants had feelings too. It had to be true, especially when one looked at Norandola bushes. How else would they be able to resonate differently with different people? "As you just mentioned, professor, in the light of the full moon they show their true appearance," she continued, nodding her head at the female and male versions of the plants in front of them. "To where all females look the same and all males look the same." Which raised a question in the Gryffindor's mind. "Professor, does this mean that the moon's light sort of...breaks the connection between a person and the Norandola bush? Since they each develop differently in appearance and, well, in every sense depending on who planted it, but in the moonlight they take on a uniform appearance?"

They had discussed the moon in great length last term, but certainly not in this light - no pun intended. This was much more tangible than moon planting. You could actually see the results this time instead of generic speculation.

Wrapping his hands tight round his mug, Spike had issued a small gasp when he saw the norandola. He'd never seen one in the moonlight before, and felt lucky that he and his classmates could see it now. They were an unusual sight, but certainly one to behold on a full moon. He sipped the hot chocolate, glad for it's warmth, and listened to Professor Bentley spoke.

"I don't know if it's unique," Spike said after a while, drawing his gaze from the norandola, "But they take on attributes according to the person who planted them, including gender. And it's more significant than just how it reacts to them, or the conditions they like best...but how they look - the colour, shape and form." He knew plants that would do certain things for their planters, say like his chiming bluebells, but not that physically changed so dramatically. Looking at these norandola, he wondered if Professor Bentley had planted them. From what he could see, it looked like it was mimicking a self-fertilising bush...and he knew how Prof Bentley liked flesh eating plants.

Laura looked at the Professor and smiled. "Well they can't talk and then drink water through themselves so that would be unique." Laura was sure that nothing else could do that. "And their seeds can go for miles." Laura wasn't sure if that is what the Professor wanted but well she'd guess.

This Gryffindor prefect (Kurumi)... She was the definition of a walking library! He had not remember one lesson that she didn't know anything about. Long, slender fingers tightened around the mug as he listened to the class with his eyes fixed on the bushes. Hades took a few sip of the delicious hot chocolate as he tried to figure out the uniqueness of the Narandola.

"If I'm not mistaken, ma'am, that the Narandola somehow needs to make contact with the planter's wand before it's planted. If it is correct, that is," he lowered his head, feeling eased at the aroma of the hot chocolate.

Amelia covered her mouth as she gave a huge yawn and then raised her hand. "There are a few unique things about this plant. As you mentioned there is the fact that they take on their true appearance during the full moon. Also they grow based on the person who handles them the most. They get a feel for that person, so it's important not to have too many people handle the plant. And for them to really understand the person planting them, they need to be touched with that person's wand." This was all very interesting for Amelia and she was glad that she was finally seeing these plants in detail because reading about them had interested her greatly.

Daichi yawned again, his mouth went wide open for a few seconds and he closed his eyes when he did so. Closing his mouth again, he rubbed his tired eyes and wondered why he hadn't taken a quick nap. Maybe because he was afraid he would be late? or oversleep?

Sipping from his hot chocolate , Daichi listened to the Professor as she confirmed what Kurumi had said and that it was a Norandola bush. Of course the Prefect knew that...she knows everything! Which was cool, yup. Moving a little in his seat, the Slytherin had no idea what Norandola bushes were but still, he wanted to try and answer the next question.

He looked at his surrounding and only now noticed that it was light outside despite it being night. He looked up to see the moon... full moon. Was it just a coincidence to have a lesson when there was a full moon or not? Vagualy remembering the joint lesson in Astronomy, Daichi raised his hand. "Maybe they only grow during....." another yawn escaped his lips and he held his hand in front of them. "During full moon?"

Can he go to bed now? He was tired.

Ella furrowed her brow, trying to remember what was unique about these particular plants. Thinking about it for a few minutes, she finally raised her hand. "Professor, I think I remember that these plants' appearances differ when they are planted by different people. So each one is pretty unique. Which is awesome!" Something about the plant taking things from the planter, traits or something...She wasn't certain but knew it was along those lines.

Belle raised her hand to answer the question. "Professor i have heard these plants are accustomed to only one touch by the person who handles the plant the most. It is a special plant because it will only grow for the one person who takes care of it the most." She mostly heard that story from her grandmother since she always wanted to grow these plants but it was hard for her.

As Lily sat sipping her hot chocolate, she started to look at the bushes closely. Why would a plant look different only under a full moon... what would be the purpose of that... But the ravenclaw just decided to listen to what the professor had said. She had no clue what mad the bushes special. So she wrote a title onto her parchment so that she could copy down notes about the plants.

Silvia didn't really know much about the Norandola bushes. She was familiar with the name, but not much else. But based on the reponses of the other students, they sounded very interesting. So she set her hot chocolate to the side for the moment and prepared to take notes.

These plants were...unique.

Professor Bentley had definately succeeded her mission to suprise them with things they had never seen before. August looked at his Head of House's face and then back to the odd plant. What else was unique about them?

After trying to remember what all he had seen about them in his Herbology textbook, it came to him. "Professor, isn't another quality of the plant that they can also take on the properties of other plants rather than just the people who come into contact with?" he had at least skimmed something related to that.

Emrys wrote his notes down furiously, squinting in the darkness. His eyesight might be bad in general, but it seemed worse in the dark, all the lights gaining little halos that obscured everything else around it.

He raised his hand tentatively. "Norandula is unique because of the ways it can be used. For example, if it takes on the form of a different sort of plant - like aloe vera - it can be harvested for that plant's uses, in my example, the sap of the aloe plant." And that was in addition to the fact that its pollen, on its own, was a potent potions ingredient.

Emrys could say one thing for the dark, as he lowered his hand. He was braver in it, because it was harder for other people to see him.

Professor aren't Norandola bushes unique because of their genders Oakey spoke up raising his hand to give his two knuts on the plants. Under a full moon a female Norandola plant will look vastly different from a male.

"Well done everyone," Seren said, clapping her hands together. Their knowledge of the plant was quite sound.

"The Norandola is unique and famous for their ability to in a sense mirror a persons attributes. This can be done in two ways. If the bean is exposed to a persons touch and company for an extended period of time, it will still be able to get the sense of the person. The second way, which is the most efficient way, is to imprint yourself on the bean using your wand. In the same way that the wand chooses the wizard, the wand then gives off a distinct impression of the person handling it."

She paused to take another sip of her tea before it went cold.
"The Norandola only takes on physical attributes, meaning it's appearance. The true Norandola which is what you see here, does not have the ability to talk, to move freely, to fly, and is not flesh eating. All Norandolas have the same scent ... which is, they do not have one."
This was a shame, particularly when one was tricked into thinking they'd come across a beautiful bush of aromatic flowers only to find they had to scent at all.

"Also August and Emrys raised an important point, the Norandola does not take on the attributes, or it does not mirror other plants. However, in the case that a bean does not make contact with a being or a creature, its appearance will then be determined by its parent plants. It will adopt a unique mix of it's father and mother bush and its gender is determined by chance."
Seren paused, taking a few more sips of tea, to allow students to take notes if they wished.

"Does anyone want to have a guess at how Norandolas reproduce?" After all, they were here for a reason.

OOC: The lesson will continue in approx 12 hours from the time of this post.WHEN I WAKE UP. Again, creativity is appreciated.

Alyssa thought of the many ways that Norandolas could produce. She remembered how Nerfball, her Pygmy Puff behaved when he met a female. She raised her hand and attempted an answer. "Uh Professor, since there are male and female plants, do the male plants bounce on the female plants until their pollen falls on the female plants' flowers which pollinates them, creating new baby seeds?"

Laura looked at the Professor and smiled. "Well maybe they sing a song." Laura had no idea how they would so she guest.

Kurumi wasn't sure if she was fascinated or utterly confused by everything that had to do with this plant. It certainly seemed to be the most complex of plants they had studied thus far - not that all of them had been straight forward either. So, Kurumi attempted to take diligent notes on everything Professor Bentley was saying, taking a moment to flash both August and Emrys a quick smile.

And Emrys had been worried about his ramblings and overall awkwardness. Heh.

Kurumi cocked her head to the side and studied the two plants in front of her for a moment, looking for some sort of clue that would perhaps help explain how these plants, erm, reproduced. Nothing in nature was ever an accident. There was a reason for everything down to leaf shape and coloration. So, naturally, her eyes feel on the two defining features of the two bushes: the star filled capsules and the crescents.

Just as she was about to answer, she found herself temporarily silenced by Alyssa'a answer. Plants...jumping on top of one another? Merlin did she hope that wasn't the case because that seemed like a really awkward thing to witness. Anything was possible though...she supposed. Kurumi rather hoped that baby seeds would just be delivered by stork though. Just like human babies were.

Attention back to the two bushes, Kurumi fully raised her hand now. "Professor, does the, erm, process have something to do with the stars and crescents?" She even sort of pointed at them to emphasis. "I know that symbolism doesn't really coincide with Herbology, but the two shapes just reminded me of Sumerian iconography. Namely...that the crescents represent the moon god Sin and the stars with Ishtar, who is essential the Sumerian version of Venus." There was a point to be made here, honestly. "The genders are reversed in the plant's case, but perhaps the crescents attract the stars to it?" Like moths to a flame? Wait, that was sort of too morbid for such a pretty looking plant. "Or is it more of an abiotic pollination process?"

How they reproduce? Ella shrugged. That was a tough one. She knew from working in the garden with her mother that sometimes bugs helped the process but wasn't sure what kind of bug would be out in the moonlight for such a thing. Maybe it was instrumental that the wizards help? "Professor, do the plants need our help to reproduce? To transfer pollen or something from one to the other the same way bees sometimes do in other plants?"

Raising his hand, Jory made an attempt at the question. "Er, well they reproduce by transfer of the pollen grains from male to female like many other plants? And perhaps they'd need help in the transferring like from the wind or animals.''

Sophie was shocked by the fact her mother had never shown her a... what's the name again? Norandola plant before. She had never even heard about such thing and it sounded all so fascinating!

Completely forgetting about her hot chocolate, Sophie just sat there and listened wide eyed and with her mouth half opened. It was all so... brilliant!

Amelia... had no idea how these plants reproduced. o_O She raised her hand. "Do they do it with the same process that other plants use? I believe it's called abiotic pollination? She knew that bees also worked to do pollination, but she had a feeling that they didn't do the work for this plant. "Or maybe it's related to the stars and crescent moons in some way?" She honestly was not in the least bit sure here, trying to rack her brain about anything she might have read on this subject.

Harvey listened to the professor closely as she talked about the Norandola.. it was an interesting plant just like others were as well.. it was becoming hard to choose a favourite plant.. IF he was ever asked.. he thought about the question.. well there were a few ideas out there already.. but he couldnt think of anything new.. so he waited for the professor to give the answer so that he could write it down on his parchment.. Herbology always surprised him each time

How does a Norandola plant reproduce? Isn't that kind of question better suited for a Biology class. Ummm don't most plants reproduce by having their pollen transfer from one plant to another. Wouldn't that be how a Norandola plant reproduce as well. Oakey remembered back when he was little Granny Gunter scolded him for squishing a bumble bee in her garden because they helped Granny with her Gardening. He had to hold a burial for the bee while Granny Gunter watched.

Annabelle raised her hand but wasn't sure if her answer was right. "Professor don't plants reproduce asexually? Or do the pollen grains transfer from the male plant to the female plant?"