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It's a brisk but sunny Friday afternoon on the grounds of Hogwarts, but once inside Greenhouse Four, it will be dimmer and warm. This is a restricted Greenhouse, but you have permission to be here today for class (so if you've ever wanted to peek inside, this is your chance!)
Scattered around the room are small, round tables about the height of your waist (yours, not Professor DeVries, fortunately). Each one seems to have some sort of plant on it, but what kind of plants they are is currently unknown, for each table is covered by a neat muslin cloth. You can try to peek at them if you dare, but you won't be able to lift the cloths up, because these cloths have been fastened down by magic.
Professor DeVries is puttering around somewhere in the back of the greenhouse--if you listen closely, you'll here him rummaging around. So come in, take a seat, and get yourself settled. Class will begin shortly.
~ Mrs. Steve Harrington ~ It be like that sometimes.
Greenhouse Four on this nice, toasty afternoon had Ary super intrigued. Whatever could the students be dealing with today that warranted a lesson to be held in this particular Greenhouse? He was sure Drake was bouncing with excitement about this latest development.
Piquing his curiosity even further were the plants hidden under the cloths. Those were plants, right?; it was logical that they were. Hearing noises from the back of the Greenhouse, he saw DeVries seemingly on the hunt for something. Deciding not to shout a greeting, Ary simply took a seat. His attention was drawn to the closest covered plant, which he stared at as though hoping to see through the cloth. Obviously this was impossible as he did not possess X-Ray vision.
90 percent of the time, Phoebe walked around Hogwarts looking miserable. The other 10 percent of the time she was with friends, exploring the grounds by herself, or going to Herbology class. Herbology was the only class she was actually good at, and the one that reminded her of Stemp House the most. Phoebe loved plants, and they were one of the only things that pulled her away from the glum mood caused by health problems and a hard time making friends.
Phoebe had an uncharacteristically bright smile on her face as she entered the greenhouse and took a seat next to Ary. "Hi Professor! Hi Ary! We're in a restricted greenhouse! Isn't that exciting?" She pulled out her GREEN herbology notebook. "I can't wait to see our secret surprise plant!"
Rhibear ~ Madam Solo ~ Dark Brooding Girl ~ Accio Jedi ~ Gryffinclaw ~ Just a doll
Desiree was in a good mood today for two reasons. First, it was Friday afternoon, which meant that the weekend and a well-deserved break from her studies were just around the corner. And second, it was such a nice sunny day! The weather had her almost skipping down the path to the greenhouse,,, almost, but not quite. She was seventeen now, much too old to be skipping!
Instead she calmly walked into the restricted greenhouse, fully prepared for any dirt or liquid with a series of charms placed on her uniform to keep it clean. Nothing could dampen (no pun intended!) her mood quite like getting unexpectedly wet or dirty! Now where was Professor Devries? She could hear him puttering about but couldn’t see him. “Hello, Professor,” she called with a friendly smile and wave that she hoped he’d see, wherever he was.
“Hi, Ary! Hi, Phoebe!” she greeted the two first years with a smile as she took a seat behind them.
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Old voices I had thought long since dead whisper of another life I might have led If I could take that second chance, If I could make my life anew, If only dreams came true...
Tapio finally emerged from the back of Greenhouse Four. My, but some of those plants were being troublesome! That's why he'd only selected the more cooperative plants for today's lesson.
Quote:
Originally Posted by FearlessLeader19
Deciding not to shout a greeting, Ary simply took a seat. His attention was drawn to the closest covered plant, which he stared at as though hoping to see through the cloth. Obviously this was impossible as he did not possess X-Ray vision.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Atreyu-Rehman--ready for class? Tapio smiled at the way the boy was staring intently at the covered plants. Well, he'd find out soon enough.
Quote:
Originally Posted by astrocat
Phoebe had an uncharacteristically bright smile on her face as she entered the greenhouse and took a seat next to Ary. "Hi Professor! Hi Ary! We're in a restricted greenhouse! Isn't that exciting?" She pulled out her GREEN herbology notebook. "I can't wait to see our secret surprise plant!"
"Good afternoon, Miss Calypso, we are indeed! You'll all see the plants in just a little while." Now there was one who seemed to enjoy Herbology; Tapio hoped that would last.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MadMadamMalfoy
Instead she calmly walked into the restricted greenhouse, fully prepared for any dirt or liquid with a series of charms placed on her uniform to keep it clean. Nothing could dampen (no pun intended!) her mood quite like getting unexpectedly wet or dirty! Now where was Professor Devries? She could hear him puttering about but couldn’t see him. “Hello, Professor,” she called with a friendly smile and wave that she hoped he’d see, wherever he was.
"Good afternoon, Miss Marchand, glad to see you here."
Tapio thought most of the students were seated, so he decided to start class; they had a lot to cover.
"Good afternoon, class, and happy April Fool's Day! Though a word of caution--please save any fooleries for after class. Some of the plants in here might not take kindly to disruptions." Tapio looked around at everyone to make sure they looked like they'd heard him.
As you know, Greenhouse Four is usually a restricted access greenhouse and is available by permission only. That's because some of the plants here can be dangerous if you don't treat them right. Can any of you name a plant that is considered dangerous, and why?"
[OOC: Please start with just one plant a piece, to give others a chance. If you're just coming in, please feel free to join in as if you've been here all along (unless you really want to lose points, that is). Class will resume tomorrow night (9/13) after 9 pm CST.]
~ Mrs. Steve Harrington ~ It be like that sometimes.
Seeing Phoebe smiling that brightly made Ary mirror that smile. There was just something great about seeing one’s friends happy. “Hi, Pheebs.” He was grateful that she allowed him to call her by that particular nickname. “Exciting and rather curious,’’ he agreed, his attention more fixated on her enthusiasm. “I see you’re thrilled at the prospect of meeting some more-than-tame plants.” Hearing his name again, the Slytherin looked around. “Hi, Desiree.” The Hufflepuff got a finger wiggle-wave.
Ary was quite ready for the lesson the moment he stepped into the Greenhouse. So much so that he had quite forgotten about April Fool’s. This firstie, for one, would not be taking part in any form of mischief. That was more of Dynah’s thing.
What dangerous plants could he think of? Ary tapped his chin thoughtfully then raised a hand. “Vampiric vegetation could be thought of as dangerous because of their fangs.” The way to get around those were to remove them, if he recalled correctly.
Phoebe was SHOCKED that anyone would even consider April Fools pranking a PLANT. RUDE. She made an appropriately frowny face to show what she thought of that. Any potential pranksters should... get eaten! By a scary plant!
Phoebe raised her hand VERY HIGH, eager to answer the professor's question. "Mandrakes are dangerous," she said with way too much excitement. "Because- they are important for un-petrification- butalso... they can knock out or kill you with their screams!" Phoebe was so excited that her words came out all jumbled up and she started coughing like crazy.
WHEEZE. "Do we get to see-"cough cough."-dangerous plants today? Pretty please?"
Vera had filed in with all the others, finding herself a spot beside Desiree. She wasn't feeling much like class today, so she'd snuck in pretty quietly with the others, but considering the lesson was in a restricted area, how could she have actually skipped out? She listened as students listed dangerous plants, trying to come up with another one. Mandrake was the first thing that popped into her head, but the poor coughing student had already gotten that one.
Reaching into her bag, Vera pulled out an unopened water bottle before reaching over and tapping the first year on the shoulder - Phoebe - and offering it to her without a word. She then raised her hand. "The Devil's Snare is dangerous too. If you get caught in it, any movement can make it try to strangle you even faster. It doesn't like sunlight though so that's a good way to get rid of it if you can access your wand." You know, before death.
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Let them point and laugh at who we are, it's you and me here dancing from the start
What dangerous plants could he think of? Ary tapped his chin thoughtfully then raised a hand. “Vampiric vegetation could be thought of as dangerous because of their fangs.” The way to get around those were to remove them, if he recalled correctly.
"That is correct, Mr. Atreyu-Rehman. They have very sharp teeth and are therefore hard to handle. The solution for this is to de-fang them." Tapio had a few bites on his hands at the moment, because he had been finishing up some de-fanging before class started today. Nothing too serious, though; all in a day's work.
Quote:
Originally Posted by astrocat
Phoebe raised her hand VERY HIGH, eager to answer the professor's question. "Mandrakes are dangerous," she said with way too much excitement. "Because- they are important for un-petrification- butalso... they can knock out or kill you with their screams!" Phoebe was so excited that her words came out all jumbled up and she started coughing like crazy.
WHEEZE. "Do we get to see-"cough cough."-dangerous plants today? Pretty please?"
Tapio smiled at the jumble of words. "Yes, Miss Calypso, mandrakes can be very dangerous, especially the fully-mature ones, because of their screams. That's why we only deal with immature mandrakes in Hogwarts classes. And you're also right, if I understood you correctly, that they are useful in restorative draughts for petrification. And in answer to your last questions...yes, you just might see, and even touch, some dangerous plants today." Tapio enjoyed building up a bit of mystery in class.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chelliephone
"The Devil's Snare is dangerous too. If you get caught in it, any movement can make it try to strangle you even faster. It doesn't like sunlight though so that's a good way to get rid of it if you can access your wand." You know, before death.
"Yes, indeed, Devil's Snare will try to choke its victims, and it doesn't like sunlight." My, but this year's students were a sharp bunch, weren't they?
"Those are all good answers." said Tapio, "And Miss Thanatos has happened onto the subject of today's lesson--the Devil's Snare. She has already told us two things about this plant--who can think of anything else regarding this plant?"
[OOC: Lesson is continuing with question two, and will resume tomorrow night (Tue., Nov.14) at around this same time. Feel free to join the class and/or catch up.
Wait, they were hanging out with some Devil's Snare today? Ve wondered just how up close and personal they were planning on getting with the plant today. Not TOO close, she hoped. Maybe they'd be sending a decoy at it? Or just... Shining some sunlight on it to see how it reacted? She was pretty certain there was another way to get one's self out of a sticky situation with the vine too, but considering she'd already said a fair bit about it - she figured she'd let someone else have a go.
Plus she couldn't remember anything else either so... It was good she'd already contributed.
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Let them point and laugh at who we are, it's you and me here dancing from the start
Rhibear ~ Madam Solo ~ Dark Brooding Girl ~ Accio Jedi ~ Gryffinclaw ~ Just a doll
SPOILER!!: catch-up
Desiree beamed as Vera sat beside her, greeting the younger Gryffindor with a friendly wave. The lesson began moments later, and she looked to the front, listening attentively. Dangerous plants? Well, that sounded ominous, but it made perfect sense given the location and the cloths over the plants.
Vampiric vegetation, mandrake, Devil's Snare… What else? She absentmindedly swished her quill back and forth as she thought back to the section in her textbook about dangerous plants. After a couple of minutes, she raised her hand and said, "There's the venomous tentacula. It has a venomous bite, spikes, and vines that grab its prey." A real triple threat, that one!
Oh, so today's lesson was on Devil's Snare? Desiree briefly glanced at Vera, giving a congratulatory smile for correctly guessing the subject. She considered the next question carefully. Off the top of her head, she remembered that Devil's Snare liked dark climates… but wasn't that already covered under "doesn't like sunlight"?
She also recalled the historical significance of the plant in the search for the Philosopher's Stone and later in the Second Wizarding War, but this was herbology, not history of magic! Wait, that just gave her an idea! She remembered reading about someone who was killed by a Devil's Snare in St. Mungo's because a healer mistook it for some other plant. Her hand went up, and she said, "The Devil's Snare looks similar to the flitterbloom. Both have tentacle-like appendages, but I don't think the Devil's Snare sways like the flitterbloom. Does it?" She wasn't 100% sure!
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Old voices I had thought long since dead whisper of another life I might have led If I could take that second chance, If I could make my life anew, If only dreams came true...
YesJess! | Captain Goggles | Mama Badger | Eva's Soul Sister | An OG™ | It's all in the Numbers
Emma wasn't sure about Herbology class. She liked Professor DeVries well enough and the fact that he was her head of house improved of likeness of the subject. Although she was taken aback by today's lesson being in greenhouse four. Plants that were considered dangerous .... would it be keen to say 'poison ivy'? It was a mundane plant but technically it was dangerous. Although it seemed they were going to be working with a different plant in today's class.
She'd heard of Devil's Snare.... and was about to comment about it being similar to flitterbloom but Desiree already mentioned that so perhaps something else ? Vera had mentioned the light thing and that movement causes it to strangle you faster... "Doesn't well... this might be a given since it's averse to light, but it's normally found in dark and damp environments?" Wait, they weren't going to be working with one today, right? Were they going to have to simulate remaining calm while being strangled?
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___________________You should take your littlefinger and just point it in the mirror. ________________________________________Baby, maybe you're the problem✯
~ Mrs. Steve Harrington ~ It be like that sometimes.
Ary almost snorted at Phoebe’s response. Not because he found her answer funny but because whenever anyone mentioned Mandrakes, his mind automatically went to his guy bestie. The thought of Mandrake Beery being a danger was hilarious. But… Devil’s Snare. An interesting plant and not one that he wanted to have in his garden when he was older, if he ever got around to having a garden or greenhouse.
He kept his hand patiently in the air until he was called upon. “Some witches and wizards use Devil’s Snare to guard their valuables.’’ As Ary lowered his hand, he amused himself by thinking of how the family Reserve would look with the plant at strategic locations to protect the dragons and griffs. Nope, that wasn’t something that would happen now nor ever, even when he took over the place in the future.
Phoebe took some notes on her classmates' responses, thrilled by the idea of getting to touch dangerous plants. In most other classes, she rarely said anything or responded to questions, but she participated all the time in herbology. "It can strangle your limbs, and it will constrict you more harder if you resist!" She was very pleased and proud of herself to know this, even though Vera had already said it. Honestly, she hadn't properly heard all that because she was busy thinking about what it would be like to be trapped in Devil's snare. She paused for a moment. "Does that mean if you relax, it won't get you?" Would relaxing help? Phoebe didn't trust her magic to get her out of a situation like this. "How much do you have to touch it for it to get you? Do you have to sit on it or can you just poke it?"
Tapio smiled and nodded at Vera for a moment, acknowledging her correct guess, before turning to the rest of the class.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PhoenixRising
"Doesn't well... this might be a given since it's averse to light, but it's normally found in dark and damp environments?" Wait, they weren't going to be working with one today, right? Were they going to have to simulate remaining calm while being strangled?
"Indeed, Miss Montmorency, the Devil's Snare is known to prefer the dark and damp, and therefore is often found in caves." He was glad she'd mentioned this; 'adverse to light' covered the dark part, but not the dampness, which was also important.
Quote:
Originally Posted by FearlessLeader19
He kept his hand patiently in the air until he was called upon. “Some witches and wizards use Devil’s Snare to guard their valuables.’’
"Correct, Mr. Atreyu-Rehman, that is something that has been tried by some, although it is not advisable. Besides what should be the obvious reasons, it is also illegal in the wizarding community to use Devil's Snare in that way." Tapio could not imagine anything so important that one would resort to such a dangerous method of keeping it safe.
Quote:
Originally Posted by astrocat
"It can strangle your limbs, and it will constrict you more harder if you resist!" She was very pleased and proud of herself to know this, even though Vera had already said it. Honestly, she hadn't properly heard all that because she was busy thinking about what it would be like to be trapped in Devil's snare. She paused for a moment. "Does that mean if you relax, it won't get you?" Would relaxing help? Phoebe didn't trust her magic to get her out of a situation like this. "How much do you have to touch it for it to get you? Do you have to sit on it or can you just poke it?"
"That's correct, Miss Calypso. And you don't have to get very close at all--the tentacles of the Devil's Snare actually have some sense of touch and can feel anything moving near it. And although relaxing your body can cause it to loosen its hold momentarily, that's not a real method of escape. If you "play dead," the plant will actually start to try to grow roots into you, and, of course, the moment you move again to get away, it just tightens up again."
Quote:
Originally Posted by MadMadamMalfoy
Her hand went up, and she said, "The Devil's Snare looks similar to the flitterbloom. Both have tentacle-like appendages, but I don't think the Devil's Snare sways like the flitterbloom. Does it?" She wasn't 100% sure!
"Yes to the first part, Miss Marchand, although I"m afraid the Devil's Snare does also sway, which is one reason the two plants are often confused. The Devil's Snare tentacles don't sway in quite such a pleasing manner as the Flitterbloom's; in fact, some have compared it to the deadly movements of a snake.
"And that brings us to the other part of today's class--the Flitterbloom. We will be looking at that plant as well and comparing it to Devil's Snare, so that you will hopefully be able to avoid confusing the two if you encounter them in the future.
"The Devil's Snare grows in a mass of soft, springy tendrils and vines and it's snakelike, swaying tentacles are soft to the touch. Its tentacles actually possess some sense of touch, which helps it to seek out and grab its prey. It prefers a dark and humid environment, using its magical properties to photosynthesize in low light. It produces no seeds, but can be potted from cuttings. It's quite deadly, wrapping around and choking its victims. Relaxing your body can cause it to loosen its grip, but is not a lasting defence, as I've said. The plant does, however, shrink from sunlight and from fire.
"The Flitterbloom, on the other hand, is a harmless and decorative plant which can be grown indoors or out. It is particularly popular among amateur gardeners because it's easy to grow and is a very hardy plant which can be revived even after significant mistreatment. It's rather bush-like, growing several long dark-green tendrils from the main growth, which sway in the air even without a breeze. It is known to attract butterflies if it's about to flower. As has been said, it's very similar to Devil's Snare, though Flitterbloom tends to have a bit more form and a less menacing sway. And, of course, it won't try to kill you."
Tapio paused a bit to give everyone a chance to write down notes and take all this in. Then he waved his wand and moved a large whiteboard over to the center of the room. "Now in a little bit we will be examining a number of plants in this room, and your assignment is to try to identify them. They will be either Flitterblooms, Devil's Snare, or a third plant called Clinging Vines. These are a hybrid of the common Muggle English Ivy and Trumpet Vines which were enhanced by magic by wizarding botanists in the 19th century. They look very similar to the other two plants, but they are leafier. They don't reach out to get you, like Devil's Snare, but if you touch them, they will cling gently to your hand. They're easily pulled away, however, so no need to worry.
"But, before we begin, I want to make sure everyone is familar with conjuring Bluebells Flames. This is a magical cold fire that you can hold in your hand, but which can still radiate heat. You may need to use this if you get a little too close to a Devil's Snare. I want everybody to practice this until you can conjure a flame, and if you see any of your fellow students, particularly the first years, get into any trouble, please help them out. I will also be watching closely, and since these are young plants, they won't be able to do much damage before we take care of them.
"So, this is the incantation*..." and here Tapio wrote it on the whiteboard as he said it:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Whiteboard
Flammae Caeruleum
"That's pronounced 'FLAM-my' (like the word 'my') 'Ki-ROO-lee-um' (and that's 'Ki' with a long 'i', like in 'ice')."
Tapio stepped back from the board so everyone could see it. "Now, everyone say the incantation a few times until you think you've got it. Then add the wand movement--you just wave your wand in the direction you want your flame to go and speak the incantation. I've got some ceramic dishes here if you don't feel comfortable conjuring it on your work-stands or in your hands, but the flames are cool and they won't hurt you or the furniture.
"Then, to put it out, you wave your wand again and say "Extinguo"--that's 'x-TING-woh'" Tapio added that word to the board as well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Whiteboard
Flammae Caeruleum Extinguo
"All right, then, everybody try it, and I"ll be walking around and helping if you need it." Tapio stood to one side and kept an eye on the students' progress. This spell could be very important for the ones who wound up working with the Devil's Snare.
*Thanks to former Professor Gaston Marchand ((MadMadamMalfoy), who introduced this incantation in Charms class back in Term 49
[OOC: Okay, here's a mini-activity. I was going to go on after a day, but it's more complicated than I realized, so probably we'll continue some time early Thursday (Nov. 15) afternoon with the main event]
~ Mrs. Steve Harrington ~ It be like that sometimes.
Ary made quick notes about Devil’s Snare, dividing his notes under the headings of ‘appearance’ and ‘other facts’. Being organised like that helped with studies for exams later on. It of course also helped that DeVries went into such details in how to differentiate the plant. More notes were made even though Ary was sure that his textbook would have just as many details. Then it was on the Flitterbloom plant - the Slytherin found this just as interesting. Perhaps, however, it was the Clinging Vines that was most interesting. He had heard of these but hadn’t much knowledge prior to the lesson today.
He appreciated that DeVries was looking out for them by ensuring they were all able to conjure the Bluebell Flames. The good thing about the spell was that it was a Charm, and Charms were what he excelled at. And so the practice began, with Ary feeling excited to master another charm. “Flam-my-Ki roo-le-um. Flam-my-Ki roo-le-um. Flam-my-Ki roo-le-um. Flammae Caeruleum.”
Now, because of the confidence Ary had in himself when it came to Charms, he opted to give the spell a go in his non-dominant hand. “Flammae Caeruleum,’’ he said smartly with a wave of his wand towards his right hand. It only took him three tries to accomplish the goal and he spent a good minute or so admiring the blue flames that were dancing in his palm. Said flames were indeed cool and harmless.
“Extinguo.” With a wave of his wand, the flames disappeared. Ary couldn’t help but grin in happiness at his success.
Phoebe's eyes widened at the idea that Devil's Snare could sense people even if they weren't touching it. Scary! But also, she wanted to touch it so bad. "Has anyone ever been murdered because they got a fake flitterbloom that was actually a Devil's Snare the whole time, professor?" Because that would be pretty smart.
Flitterbloom, Devil's Snare, and Clinging Vines!!! FUN. Phoebe eagerly got started with the wandwork so she could have lots of practice. "FLAM-mye... kyROOleeum. FLAMmae CaeRUleum. Flammae Caeruleum!" It took her quite a bit of work, but eventually she held a little ball of fire in her palm. ooooh. NO, she did not want to put out her Bluebell Flame Bestie! But she did for the sake of learning. "x-TING-woah... xtingwoh... Extinguo."
“Flammae Caeruleum,’’ he said smartly with a wave of his wand towards his right hand. It only took him three tries to accomplish the goal and he spent a good minute or so admiring the blue flames that were dancing in his palm. Said flames were indeed cool and harmless.
“Extinguo.” With a wave of his wand, the flames disappeared. Ary couldn’t help but grin in happiness at his success.
"Very good, Mr. Atreyu-Rehman, I think you've got it now," observed Tapio, noticing that the young Slytherin had successfully conjured the blue flames in his hand. This one seemed to have no qualms about holding a fire in his hand; he should have no trouble with it, if needed.
Quote:
Originally Posted by astrocat
... It took her quite a bit of work, but eventually she held a little ball of fire in her palm. ooooh. NO, she did not want to put out her Bluebell Flame Bestie! But she did for the sake of learning. "x-TING-woah... xtingwoh... Extinguo."
"Good, good, Miss Calypso. Yes, know it's hard to let it go sometimes," he added, noticing her reluctance to extinguish her pretty new flame, "but remember, now you can conjure it up anytime you want. Comes in handy for warming your hands at outdoor events, too."
Quote:
Originally Posted by astrocat
..."Has anyone ever been murdered because they got a fake flitterbloom that was actually a Devil's Snare the whole time, professor?" Because that would be pretty smart...
Ah, yes, unfortunately several people have tried that in the history of the spell, and some were successful. It's hard to preosecute unless someone could identify who gave the plant, and even then, the culprit could claim ignorance and get away with manslaughter. One of the more publicized cases was during the second wizarding war back in the 1990s. An auror--I can't recall his name off-hand--who had damaging information about the Deatheaters was sent a Devil's Snare in hospital when he was starting to recover from a coma, and the hospital staff didn't spot it until the poor man was dead. So it's very important to be able to tell them apart."
When Tapio was satisfied with the students' progress, he called for their attention. "All right, class, most of you seem to have the hang of the Bluebells Spell. But now we need to get on with class. And this is the moment you've been waiting for!" (Or not, in some cases) Tapio turned and waved his wand toward the covered tables and all the covers flew at once up to the top of the greenhouse, and then over into a far corner, where they fell in a tidy heap. There are now nine small, round tables spaced around the center of the greenhouse. Each one contains a dark, green plant, roughly 9" to 12" in height. Each plant has a number of long tendrils, or vines, with leaves on them. But if you look closely, you might see that not all the plants are exactly alike.
"Here are the plants you'll be working with today. There are Flitterblooms, Devil's Snare, and Clinging Vines. You can work singly, or in pairs, if you feel more comfortable with a partner. What I want you to is to approach a table of your choice and examine the plant there. You can do this by looking carefully at it and also by touching it. I'd suggest you do this last gently, though. Write down your observations on a piece of parchment and also put down your guess as to which plant it is--all the plants are numbered, so note down which number you're describing. If you finish, you can go on to another table. If you think you have encountered a Devil's Snare, you can use the Bluebells Spell to drive it off. And if you get into trouble, just shout out my name and I'll come over right away.
"All right, then, please start!"
[OOC: Okay, the main event is starting and will continue until Sunday morning (Nov. 19). I will be rp'ing the plants and their responses. Here's how this will work (I hope): Your student approaches a table and you post the number you've selected (from 1-9), and any interactions you have with the plant. (If you could put the plant number in the subject line, it would be very helpful). I will post what the plant looks like. I'll also post how the plant responds, based on what you do (or don't do), Your student evaluates what they've learned and makes a guess on which plant it is. You can go on to a new plant as time allows. I will try to check in multiple times a day and keep up with this. Hope it will be fun!
~ Mrs. Steve Harrington ~ It be like that sometimes.
Phoebe’s question was a little… dark. But Aryan was not judging; why should he when it was a good one? DeVries’ answer did not surprise him but rather doubled his determination to learn the differences between the two plants so that he could stay far away from Devil’s Snare. The praise he earned for his practice had him smiling happily. “Thanks, professor.” Encouragement always went a long way.
When the cloths were removed, Ary took a moment to inspect from afar the nine plants. Look at them sitting there so harmless but secretly a few might want to strangle a student or two. The instructions were easy enough to understand so the minute DeVries gave the go ahead to begin, the firstie slithered headed over to table number five where he first squinted suspiciously at the plant. A short time after, he reached out his quill to tickle it. And yes, Ary did have his wand at the ready just in case
... the minute DeVries gave the go ahead to begin, the firstie slithered headed over to table number five where he first squinted suspiciously at the plant. A short time after, he reached out his quill to tickle it. And yes, Ary did have his wand at the ready just in case
The plant on table 5 was a mass of soft, springy tendrils and vines, swaying hypnotically back and forth. When Ary's quill touched a tendril, it immediately stretched forth along the table toward the source, wrapping around the quill and making its way searchingly toward the hand that held it.
~ Mrs. Steve Harrington ~ It be like that sometimes.
Ary had about a second more to take a good look at the plant, taking in the tendrils and vines, before it stole his quill and before it started trying to snag him. What a rude plant! He wasn’t panicking because already the little Slytherin had identified the offending flora: Devil’s Snare. Thank you for the earlier descriptions, professor.
With interest, Ary watched as the plant coiled itself along a hand of his. It was sort of fascinating how it wound around his hand like that, but he hadn’t a death wish so he started to relax his hand’s muscles while raising his wand. “Flammae Caeruleum.” With confidence, his wand was pointed to the Devil’s Snare. In no time, there was a small Bluebell Flame was conjured.
Ary had about a second more to take a good look at the plant, taking in the tendrils and vines, before it stole his quill and before it started trying to snag him. What a rude plant! He wasn’t panicking because already the little Slytherin had identified the offending flora: Devil’s Snare. Thank you for the earlier descriptions, professor.
With interest, Ary watched as the plant coiled itself along a hand of his. It was sort of fascinating how it wound around his hand like that, but he hadn’t a death wish so he started to relax his hand’s muscles while raising his wand. “Flammae Caeruleum.” With confidence, his wand was pointed to the Devil’s Snare. In no time, there was a small Bluebell Flame was conjured.
That ought to do the trick.
As soon as the Bluebell Flame touched it, the plant tendril immediately and swiftly withdrew, almost like a person snatching back a finger that had been burnt. The plant seemed to huddle in on itself a bit and, though it gave an angry sway now and then, it made no further movements towards Ary.
Rhibear ~ Madam Solo ~ Dark Brooding Girl ~ Accio Jedi ~ Gryffinclaw ~ Just a doll
SPOILER!!: Mini activoty catchup
Desiree's cheeks flushed pinkish. So she was wrong about the Devil's Snare not swaying. That was mildly disappointing, but she'd rather learn that now than during an encounter with the actual plant. She listened intently, taking thorough notes on the differences between the Devil's Snare and Flitterbloom. There would be no more mistakes on that account this lesson!
Her mood improved when she heard the instructions for the activity. Ooh, the bluebell flames… she knew that spell! There was little chance of her making mistakes with that spell! Although she was confident she could cast the spell successfully, she still practiced the incantation on its own first. “FLAM-my Ki-ROO-lee-um,” she recited quietly. “Flammae Caeruleum, Flammae Caeruleum…”
Okay, that was enough of that! Time to cast the spell for real. Desiree moved her wand in an upward line over her open right palm and cast, “Flammae Caeruleum!” A neat little ball of blue flames appeared, hovering over her hand. It was so pretty, she almost didn't want to put it out!
But put it out she did. With a wave of her wand, she cast, “Extinguo!” And the flames disappeared.
Desiree extinguished her flame just in time to overhear Phoebe's question. It was rather funny that it should come up now, as she had just thought of that exact thing earlier. Like the professor, she couldn't recall the name of the unfortunate auror who was killed by the Devil's Snare, so she had nothing to add to the conversation.
She watched with a slightly intrigued expression as Professor Devries removed the cloths. At first glance, the plants on the tables looked similar to each other, but that was too easy! She knew they couldn't all be the same plant, even before she heard the instructions for the next activity.
So she was to observe the plants on the tables and try to guess which one was which… That sounded simple enough, though she hoped she wouldn't encounter a Devil's Snare! Picking up her notes, quill and parchment, Desiree moved to the table closest to her, which happened to be the ninth one.
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Old voices I had thought long since dead whisper of another life I might have led If I could take that second chance, If I could make my life anew, If only dreams came true...
~ Mrs. Steve Harrington ~ It be like that sometimes.
Ary’s lips curled into a cold smile as he watched the plant recoil. So, he had been correct in identifying the Devil’s Snare. The firstie could not be more pleased with himself. Apart from having his hand back, he was happy to have his quill too; not that he couldn’t easily have purchased one to replace it but he hated having his belongings taken or misplaced. He arched an eyebrow periodic sway from the Snare. To him, it was behaving as though it were a sulky child. Oh, well. That wasn’t his problem.
Aryan turned his back on Table number five as he tried to make up his mind about which to head to next. He eventually decided on table number one, to which he made his way over to. What plant did the professor have here?
So she was to observe the plants on the tables and try to guess which one was which… That sounded simple enough, though she hoped she wouldn't encounter a Devil's Snare! Picking up her notes, quill and parchment, Desiree moved to the table closest to her, which happened to be the ninth one.
The plant on Table 9 was bush-like with a lot of leafy, dark-green tendrils clustered nealy around it. They waved back and forth pleasantly, though there wasn't any breeze in the room.
SPOILER!!: Aryan and Table 1
Quote:
Originally Posted by FearlessLeader19
Aryan turned his back on Table number five as he tried to make up his mind about which to head to next. He eventually decided on table number one, to which he made his way over to. What plant did the professor have here?
The plant on Table 1 consisted of a lot of leafy tendrils clustered around it in all directions. It sat there peacefully as Aryan approached it.
Herbology Class: Devil's Snare 
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