After unlocking the other two common roooms with Leobald Sophia finally managed to head back to her quarters, showered and got changed. Yeah so they had to wait a little bit, she was not going to be tripping over her gown nor was she going to meet up with her other colleagues sweaty. Climbing those stairs had been quite a work out for her.

"Alright I'm here..what's happening?"

Even the appearance of Calista, Leobald and Sophia didn't perturb her. Nope. From the patronus she'd received earlier, the student at her door and now the note Hecate held... this was serious.

Search Party.

"Right... so I suppose we should form groups and start looking..." surely it wouldn't be that difficult to find. A big plant like that and all, from the sounds of it at least.
She offered Callie a sympathetic smile. Poor thing, locked up with the students, by herself. Dreadful.
"You ought to have a break, perhaps join the search party to get some fresh air, someone able to relieve her?" she asked, looking at the group, or would they just rely on the prefects to hold the fort?

"I say we need to stay in pairs at the least, as a precaution... though, additional help would be nice."

Herbology Task Force Assemble?!

Reading the note from the headmistress, Leobald knew that the situation was serious. While reading Calista, Sophia and Prefect Greingoth had assembled. Hearing what Calista had been doing Leo shot her a sympathetic smile. 4 hours trying to keep order amongst the kids without prefects or other professors to help. It sounded like a nightmare. He smiled at Hecate and simply said "You're welcome."

They needed to form a search party to find the plant.

Turning to Seren that seemed to be taking charge Leo said "I can stay in the Great Hall with the kids. There is probably a chance that the plant comes by here in its attempt to flee. We can't leave the student's unprotected."

Coming down from unlocking the Ravenclaw common room, all ready to give good news to the students, the look on the professor's faces made it seem as though they just couldn't get a break from the bad news today. Whatever the case, she came up to the group just as Leo spoke.

A plant?

"I can stay vith Leo and help vith the students."

What plant? And why was it such a great concern?

Isabelle followed Medea down the main staircase, happy they'd finally managed to get their task done. Her smile upon seeing Sophia and Leo also there faded slightly at the worried look everyone else had. And did someone say plant? "The common rooms are all open. I'm -- I'm going to announce it to the students," she said, slightly hesitantly. They could all go back to their beds now, although, yeah, sleepovers were fun. But...

"What's wrong? What's that?" Issy asked, gesturing to the parchment her colleagues had been reading. Must be what was making them anxious.

Callie's bad mood stopped abrupty as Hecate handed her a parchment left behind by the Headmistress. She looked at Prefect Greingoth before reading through through the stuff about the plant and covered her mouth in shock when she got to the part about it EATING Charity Burbage.

The woman had been so sweet and nice to her.

"We have to find this thing." She added just because she felt so horrible when Seren, Leo and Hecate mentioned search parties. She didn't push to see if it was a search and rescue for Burbage or if that was too late and it was to find the plant. *wibble*

Nodding at the idea for partners, Callie stood there ready to go wherever directed and with who ever. She passed the parchment to Isabelle as she mentioned the Common Rooms were open now. That meant they didn't need to keep them in the Great Hall. "Well since the Common Rooms are open, can't we just send those who don't want to help to them for safety and then we can all go searching?"

Leo stood impassive as the note from the headmistress changed hands to allow everyone who hadn't read it to learn its content. He was waiting for Seren to start giving orders but instead it was Calista who spoke up and suggested that they'd send the student's back to their respective common rooms.

Opening his mouth Leo started to protest. "No, sending all the student's back to the common room's now isn't good for their safety with the plant loose. It's easier to keep watch if all the student's not participating in the search were here in the Great Hall where they are easier to supervise."

"If we let them go back to the common rooms we have to assign at least four of us to go with them and I think we need as many staffers in the search party as possible." Looking towards Sophia, Medea, Isabelle and Hecate he hoped they'd back his point.

Remembering that Prefect Greingoth was still there with them Leo turned to her and asked."What would you like to do prefect Greingoth, join a search party or help with supervision of the younger students?"

Isabelle frowned and looked at Callie as the woman gave her the parchment to read. Scanning the document, her eyebrows raised and her mouth dropped open. So that's what Prefect Gert's patronus had been about - a plant had taken Professor Burbage. "Search parties, yes," Issy said, rather absentmindedly as she went over the details in her head.

She did look up when Leo spoke though. "I don't know, Leo. We can always ask the older students to keep an eye out when they go back. There's as much chance of this - plant - going for people here or there. If this is anything to go by," she said, holding up the parchment. Then again, safety in numbers so... "But you might have a point. We definitely need some help for the search parties though. Hang on." Taking out her wand, Issy pointed it at her throat, and began to speak.

"Can I have your attention please everyone! I have some good news and some bad news... Plus a request. Firstly I am pleased to inform you that the common rooms have been successfully unlocked, however we ask that you remain in the Great Hall for the time being. This is due to the fact that Professor Burbage has, apparently, been kidnapped by a plant." That sounded ridiculous even to her, but anyway. "Search parties are being set up to look for the Astronomy Professor and the plant, so if you would like to join in and help, please make your way here to us at the entrance. Those of you that don't, please stay where you are and someone will remain with you. Thank you!" Okay, well hopefully that got their attention.

Laura didn't like the fact that the Astronomy Professor was missing, the lesson had just been getting interesting. "Can I help try and find the Professor?" Laura really wanted to tell the Plant off for even attempting to kidnapped a Professor, she just hoped that the Professor was okay.

There wasn't even any time to get comfortable. One minute she was setting up her sleeping bag in the Ravenclaw sleeping area because there was no way she would be sleeping with the Gryffies after the Professor got taken when there were some wonderfully smart Claws just a little ways off and the next she was hearing the loud voice of the Transfiguration Professor.

It didn't take very long after the announcement for the little lioness to bolt to the entrance where she found a few of the Professors waiting; some looking a little more anxious than others. Oh. And there was Laura...pity the girl hadn't been the one to be abducted...

"I wanna help too!!" She could be plenty helpful when she put her mind to it. Yup.

Penelope, of course, heard the announcement and felt a quick change in emotions over it. The common rooms were open, which was awesome because it meant she could finally see her cat Spot again, but then they were told to stay in the Great Hall, which she frowned at. And it was because of Professor Burbage being kidnapped by that plant...or eaten by it, as she remembered some people in the lesson had assumed. She wasn't sure if they were right...but they were going to be able to help and search if they wanted to?

Penelope definitely wanted to do that. The more people searching, the sooner they'd find out what was going on, and the sooner they could go back to their common rooms, yeah?

So she got up from her spot on her sleeping bag in the Great Hall and walked quickly over to where the professors and Alexa and Laura were. "I wanna help."

"I'll stay with you Bentley..." She said nodding to the woman. Nothing better than being with the Herbology teacher when hunting a kidnapping plant...

There was much a fussing and a chatting but at the stage not much searching, it pleased her when Isabelle stepped up. Student's were rather good at being nosy, so surely those talents would be put to good use when looking for something, someone, some plant... yep.

Seren offered her two Lions a small smile, given the situation this wasn't exactly a happy easter egg hunt.

She gave Hecate a brief nod, "Good good... where should we start?" If it was last seen in the castle, there was a chance it would still be in here right?

After reading the parchment and being fully informed on what was going on, Sophia frowned...and frowned some more and her frown eventually turned into a scowl.

She didn't read this in the job description and Leo got a scowl from her too! Abandon-er! We see you Leo.

But fine...fine she looked around at the professors there trying to find the one she thought would be most functional. Well Lafay was with the herbologist so maybe she could get two professors hmm?

"Leave the students in the Great Hall?" She asked the general gathering. "What are we spreading an all you can eat buffet for this plant thing?" She agreed with Isabelle, maybe the common rooms would be safer. They were just opened and there was no way the plant thing could get in but fine...fine she'd roll with it. Maybe when the plant had eaten it's full it would be so stuffed it couldn't be able to move that quickly, then they could catch it. Actually that was a good plan..sort of.

"Calista, you should come with me..maybe you can predict where the plant thing is, that's what you do right? We'll put your inner eye to use." Inner eye..oh brother. Well maybe they'd get lucky and that eye would actually work."Magnus you should come with us as well." You know because three was better than two.

She looked at the students who had come to offer their services. Very well.

Cat Lady to the rescue! Katrina felt very helpful at the moment that she wanted to go help in finding Burbage. Even though she hated Burbage for being too happy EVERY lesson. Too much happiness is not normal and is so... annoying. Nobody is that happy. What planet was Burbage from anyway? Whatevs.

The Slytherin half-skipped half-skidded to the Entrance of the Great Hall. Meh, there were lots of people in there but Kat didn't mind. Her main goal was to help find Professor Burbage and exterminate that evil plant. "I volunteer to help find Professor Burbage," Kat said. BEAM.

Noise? Why was there so much bloody noise? Weren't they supposed to be going to bed, why is everyone just mulling about making a racket?

And what's with all the talk about a missing Professor? Did she think it was okay to just walk out on them? Teachers, always so unreliable. Alice got up from her spot and made her way over to the loud, inconsiderate Professor, just so she could know what was going on. So far she understood that people were volunteering to find the missing woman. It didn't surprise her to see Alexa there. Okay, she guessed she would help too... But only so they could stop being so annoying.

"I'll help too..."

Ethan had just walked down towards the Great Hall from his daily OWL study session in the library.. when he heard Professor Magnus' voice booming through the ground floor. Wiggling a finger in his ear to try to get the ringing out, he stopped in his tracks to listen to the announcement. Oh good, common rooms really were opened now, just like he had heard they might be.. But, what? Yes.. he knew about Professor Burbage, having witnessed the event in class. And he had wanted to try to help her then, but was too leery to go out on his own. They still hadn't found her? His face fell visibly at this revelation.

Approaching the entrance to the Great Hall, he saw quite a few professors assembled there - which was only slightly intimidating - as well as a handful of younger girls. "I'd like to help too.. if I can," he offered to the collective. He did know a fair amount about plants.. not that he was much fond of flesh-eating ones and he figured this one to be.. and he did witness this plant kidnap the professor. Perhaps he could be of some assistance. Although, if they hadn't found Burbage by now.. he didn't think things looked good for her...

Minerva made her her way to the group of staff and students that had gathered, A search party was a good idea, but Minerva wasn't being to hopeful at the moment of finding he astronomy professor. She had tried to help find Millie with no success. Getting closer she came up beside Ethan and smiled taking his hand and squeezing it. She knew he would feel better being with her on this search.

"Professors, I want to help search as well. I've seen it a few times, so hopefully that can help if we come near it." She was hoping there was a plan and that they would at least find this plant once and for all. No more worrying about it, she wanted to see it chopped up. At that moment she had to smile thinking about what Professor Newlin said at the forest.. Pitch forks.. Yes that's what this group needed, torches and pitch forks for this plant.

Cassia stepped in the entrance and looked around her seeing students and professors. She was debating with her own self on whether she was going to join the search parties to search for the probably-eaten professor. And then she decided that yes she was! But that of course wasn't because she wanted to rescue the old lady. She didn't come to Hogwarts to rescue professors and besides she wouldn't know how to rescue someone. The reason behind her brave and awesome gesture is that she wanted to make sure that evil vicious ,mean plants got what they deserved. She was going to demand avenging for the old lady. And the plant must be got ridden of. As the young Slytherin herself once was attacked by a plant when she was five. And she needed to make sure that this won't happen again to her inside those walls.And also she was curious about how search parties function.

She walked towards the huddle and stood there. She spotted familiar faces which made it easier. "I'd join the searching." Cassia said out of the blue with no introduction. That's what they needed to say right? Right.

So she now waits to see what the olders will decide and where to search.

It was nice to hear that Isabelle at least understood his point even if she totally didn't agree. Leo was going to say that getting more help from the students was a great idea when Sophia shared her views on what he had just suggested.

If it was one thing his best friend was good at, it was to voice her opinions and not sugar coat the words she used when she did so. Taking a breath Leo gave in. "Fine. If you think that taking them with us as we search for the plants is better then okay let's do that. Maybe moving around will make us less attractive in the plants eyes." Hmm.

Looking amongst his colleagues he saw how the group around them got larger and larger as student's gathered and offered to help. Turning to Medea he said "I guess we need to start searching for the plant too. Where do you propse we start searching for it, in the dungeons?"

Letting his gaze drift over the student's he asked "Who'd like to come with me and Professor Romanos?"

Laura looked at the Professor and smiled. "I would love to come with you and Professor Romanos." Laura hoped that the Professor would let her go with the DADA Professor because it would mean she had someone who she could trust, she also didn't want to have to stay with Alexa because that girl was just so annoying.

O____O

Professor Bellaire had quite a way with words...When she said it like that it made it sound far worse than it could ever be. Now she was agreeing with the woman entirely, though it didn't make a difference to her because she was already planning to help and the one person she wished would get hauled off was also volunteering. Meh.

She looked to the Librarian when he began to speak again. Hmmm...it would've been smart to go with the DADA Professor but for two reasons she would decline: 1. The Librarian man going with her wasn't a very caring guy; her candy was locked in and he didn't even CARE, 2. Laura already volunteered to go with them and she couldn't promise she wouldn't have tried feeding her to the plant if she got the opportunity. Ahem. So it was settled, she wouldn't be going with them for sure!

But then...who would she go with...?

Leaning over a little to glance at the parchment given to Isabelle, her frown deepened. Oh dear. Hands placed on her hips as she leaned back, a deep breath taken, Medea glanced towards the students who decided to join them in search of the plant and their astronomy professor.

Goodness, some of them were indeed a little young too.

The professor's gaze slowly turned to Leo. Oh? He was talking to her? "Yes, alright." she nodded, letting out the breath she had been holding. Her knowledge on plants didn't extend too far, but she did know that some didn't like sunlight. Perhaps the vinora was the same.

Of course, Laura volunteered to come with them. "Alright then." Medea sighed quietly with a glance to the entrance doors. "Vand at the ready, Miss Hyde." While she agreed that keeping the students together in one area was probably best, she also would have agreed upon keeping them away from any...windows. The plant, a PLANT, somehow got it's way up to the astronomy tower unnoticed.

Merlin...

Laura was delighted when Professor Romanos said she could go with her, that was awesome, she had someone she could trust not to feed her to the plant, she had this sneaky feeling that Alexa would do anything to get rid of her and she had no idea why, she wasn't that bad a person she thought she was nice.

Laura listened to the Professor when she told her to get her wand at the ready, she took her wand out of her pocket and made sure she had it somewhere, where she could fire a quick spell if she needed to, she then stood and waited for the Professor to tell her which way they were going.

Ethan stood, watching the little group talk amongst themselves, when he felt a warmth envelop his hand. He looked down at his hand, then to the person attached to the hand in his and he gave Minerva a smile as his fingers wrapped around hers. The boy was quite glad to see her there as well, feeling better to have her with him then to have them separated during what seemed to be a dangerous situation. Not that he really thought anywhere was safe at the moment, given what had earlier transpired..

He listened as the librarian spoke up, looking for volunteers to go with him and Romanos, and he turned to Minnie. "I think we should go with Bentley.. she's the plant expert," he said in a low voice to the girl next to her. And not only was she a Herbologist, but he also heard that she specialized in flesh-eaters. Though the DADA professor might be well-equipped to handle dark forces.. he still thought a plant expert was their best bet. Looking over at the Herbology professor, Ethan spoke up and said, "Professor Bentley.. might we go with you?" Her expertise was the one he felt safest with at the moment..