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Post by Prof. Charlotte Mandelstein on Feb 10, 2007 12:13:29 GMT 10
Professor Mandelstein was happy to be back at Koalingo. It has been quite some time since she taught here and the last time she did she was actually there teaching the position of Care of Magical Creatures. Though it was Herbology that she would ultimately specialise in the years following her five year stint abroad. She had come to find with time that it was safer sometimes to teach in a greenhouse with plants you knew what to expect from then to teach about animals that could turn on you at any moment that is why she was happy to take the position in the Greenhouses of Koalingo. Something she knew was a new addition to the Golden Halls of magical learning.
She was busy pottering around in the Greenhouses on this day. She was expecting a class to appear soon, knowing the bell was not far off and that her students usually arrived early rather then begin heading down here at the sound of the bell and ultimately being late.
She pottered about just a bit longer, today they were actually going to be tackling something interesting in the class, and she was quite eager to get started. All she had to do now was wait for the students to arrive.
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Post by Barnak Pengryffin on Feb 12, 2007 21:41:25 GMT 10
Barnak sat on a bench in the shadow of the greenhouses, waiting for class to start. He had made a habit of getting places early - he had found long ago that you could always learn something interesting when people weren't expecting you to be there - but he didn't know that he would much care for this particular class. Being covered in dirt and smelling like *cough* fertiliser was for /servants/.
He glanced at the time and stood, bag slung over his shoulder, and rounded the corner into the greenhouse doorway just as the bell rang.
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Post by Andreas Mark on Feb 13, 2007 18:39:32 GMT 10
“Watch out!” shouted Andreas as he pushed past the boy raised his wand and shouted “Relashio!” and sparks of flaming hot air shot from the end of his wand at a spiralling tentacle which had looped across the doorway. The plant, the venomous tentacular ripped its tentacle back towards the base of the plant where it began to pat itself tenderly as if it had been severely hurt.
“You should know it’s not a good idea to walk around a herbology greenhouse without watching where you are putting your feet,” he said to the boy in horror. He was standing in the doorway looking at the boy whose limbs he had possibly just saved. He didn’t expect gratitude though.
Turning he walked further into the Greenhouse “Good morning Professor,” he said as he took his space at the front of the greenhouse closest to where the Professor usually stood.
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Post by Barnak Pengryffin on Feb 14, 2007 22:01:21 GMT 10
Barnak's lip peeled itself back and he stared at the boy with a mix of rage and horror in his eyes. Had that boy actually just knocked him aside? Had he just told Barnak off in his snotty, irritating voice?
He stepped in through the doorway of the greenhouse and walked around to one side of it, choosing to stand as far away from the other boy as possible. His eyes never left the boy as he moved. He was visibly fuming.
While the other two were talking, Barnak forced himself to close his eyes and take some deep breaths. He turned to look at the plant, wimpering in its enormous pot, and he directed his wand toward it and uttered a soothing charm he had once heard his mother use. He didn't care if it had attacked him. He only cared that the boy had attacked it, and if he could encourage the thing to nurse that grudge, then he would.
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Post by Shane Moonraker on Feb 15, 2007 6:33:23 GMT 10
Shane arrived at the greenhouse totally unaware of what had just occurred. He didn’t even notice the air was thick with agitation as he moved into the greenhouse. As usual he was surrounded by three or four other Saphricorn’s from his grade whom also took the same class. They organised themselves the side of the long bench they assumed they’d be working at and continued talking excitedly under their breaths until the Professor called for silence.
“I don’t know. I’ve heard Lucius hasn’t even chosen the line up for Ruberagon this year, it might mean there just isn’t anyone good enough out their yet” was one of the snippets that rose above the babble.
“I heard there is a new first year buying his way onto the team because of ‘connections’ with a certain head of house,” was another,
“You talking about Godric of course? His dad is the head of Emeridyl” they all laughed, they had nothing against Godric, and they weren’t actually talking about him, but the subject had seemed so familiary already.
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Post by Alexandra Helcy on Feb 15, 2007 17:20:22 GMT 10
"Good morning, professor," Alexandra said.
Alex walked into the greenhouse and sat next to a Saphricorn. The other two students already there, an Ameraid and a Ruberagon, were busy looking at each other in daggers for her to talk to.
She looked at the plant nearby, which was busy crooning to another. Seeing as the professor was waiting for more students to arrive, she asked her a question.
"Professor, what is the name of this plant?"
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Post by Lakasha Shocanis on Feb 15, 2007 17:58:48 GMT 10
“It’s a plant,” Lakasha said to the girl looking unimpressed, “What more do you want to know? We’ll be getting dirty touching it, does that excite you?” she wasn’t particularly nice to the girl as she gave her a look of agitated seventh year. Young students annoyed her. They were so disgustingly inquisitive.
She saw a Ruberagon in the class she’d not met before, though she didn’t address him, this was not the place for introductions, that and they were not in the same year. What would Lucius think if she were to talk to him? She didn’t even think about it, as she moved to a position not far from the young Ruberagon, but not altogether close.
She sighed mournfully, ‘plants and dirt, this rubbish is for servents, or farmers, or is there even a difference between either?’ she thought as she stood idly waiting for the beginning of the class.
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Post by Barnak Pengryffin on Feb 17, 2007 21:20:25 GMT 10
Barnak's irritation, though still largely directed at the Ameraid boy, shifted slightly as the Saphricorns entered the greenhouse. 'Oh great,' he thought to himself. 'The frat pack have arrived.' He looked across at them with disgust. Their mouths were hanging open as always, but as to what hot air they were blowing out he didn't care to listen. The corner of his mouth did upturn slightly at the Ruberagon's comment, however.
He didn't know when she had come in, he was too busy being annoyed at the others, but he was quickly learning that it was always enjoyable to see a Saphricorn put in its place. He nodded at her politely as she sat nearby, but didn't offer any conversation.
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Post by Prof. Charlotte Mandelstein on Feb 17, 2007 21:42:54 GMT 10
“Ok, you lot, settle down,” the Professor said as she turned from what she was doing and headed back towards the class brushing the dirt off from where it had collected on her apron. She had been doing something that had little to do with this mornings lesson, but was, after all still something that needed to be done. The plants did not take care of themselves… well someone of them did; she reminded herself as she looked towards the plant which had attempted to snag one of her students.
“Well done Mr. Mark, and you are quite right to warn the others, five points to Ameraid,” she smiled as her eyes locked onto the girl that had asked her the question, “And a brilliantly timed question that is,” she said to Alexandra Helcy as she moved around to the plant which was purring again rubbing its vines in an almost cat like gesture of self cleaning, “This,” she started gesturing to the plant but still remaining a little ways away from it, “Is a venomous tentacular, and is about as dangerous as plants can get in these green houses, unfortunately anything more dangerous is not allowed on the school grounds,” she said as she moved her wand in a scooping movement and some of the soil around the base of the tentacular rose in a grainy clump.
“It smells tremendous,” she said as she breathed in the scent coming from the soil, “The soil that composes a lot of the gardens and lawns here on Koalingo is quite rich owing to the fact that it has not suffered harsh, natural elements since the times of Koalingo being controlled by wizards,” she said knowing full and well that once upon a time the castle was actually in control of giants, something she hoped the class were fully aware of.
“For this reason more dangerous plants are not welcome, there is no telling what can flourish in such perfect soil, especially if it is quite capable of flourishing in the harsh and arid environment beyond the walls,” she finished as she started moving away from the tentacular, “Returning to my original statement though, while you are in this green house you will need to remember there is a tentacular in here with us, only one of course, one is all we are allowed for study, but one is enough to tackle any unsuspecting victim, population control of this plan is crucial, therefore should you see it sprouting,” she said lifting a large tear shaped seed of deep burgundy around the size of a mango from her pocket, “You should take it from the ground as soon as possible, and see that it is handed directly to me, this plant could cause any number of damage if its population got out of control,”
“But enough on that,” she bustled back to the head of the bench which stood in front of all of the students, “What, if anything, can any of you tell me about the magical herb Alihotsy?”
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Post by Barnak Pengryffin on Feb 19, 2007 20:54:22 GMT 10
'Well I can tell you one thing,' Barnak thought. 'It isn't as interesting as the seeds I'm going to start collecting.' He eyed the burgundy pod in her hand and then looked back at the sulking tentacular. 'How wrong you can be, Pen,' he mused quietly, turning his attention back to the rowdy group of Saphricorns and the snivelling Ameraid who would be repaid sooner than he'd hoped. 'And you thought Herbology would be useless drudgery...'
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Post by Shane Moonraker on Feb 22, 2007 19:55:21 GMT 10
Shane listened with interest as the Professor discussed the damage that could be caused by the venomous tentacular and wondered why they would even keep one in the school, he could name several students who might think it was something of a laugh to collect the seeds and start planting them and he was a little disturbed by the possibilities.
When the Professor asked the Question though, Shane could not answer it, he had never heard of the plant before and had wondered if it was a commonly used plant. He very much doubted it of course, it had an interesting enough name, but being that he had not heard of it when he had battled all kinds of unwanted plants from the vegetable patch on the Saphricorn plains, he thought it was something probably as sinister as the venomous tentacular… maybe.
And so he said nothing while he waited for someone else to say something, he didn’t really ever offer input, unless of course he was really very possibly one hundred percent sure of the answer, in which case he didn’t mind showing anyone up.
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Post by Alexandra Helcy on Feb 26, 2007 4:42:31 GMT 10
Alex narrowed her eyes at the Ruberagon. She might not be as material-rich as they are, but she sure knew she was far more richer in heart compared to them. Curving her mouth a little, managing something between a sarcastic smile and an angrily upturned mouth, she kept silent. Her mother had taught her one thing; never lose your head. So Alex turned her attention on the professor instead, ignoring the approval another Ruberagon was giving the rude girl just now.
Alex loved nature, plant and animals were her friends. Naturally, she wouldn't expect these -she looked at the Ruberagons- people to understand.
Alihotsy?
"Umm, professor?" she said, raising her hand. "As I recall, eating the leaves would cause hysteria," she answered. Her grandmother was something of a medicine woman in her village. Alihotsy was well-known where she came from.
Alexandra waited for confirmation from the professor.
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Post by Elouise Sullivan on Feb 27, 2007 15:07:01 GMT 10
Elouise watched everything unfold as she had been in the class the whole time and had simply not drawn attention to herself, which was very unlike Elouise, but there you have it. She smiled when the Professor asked the question but did not say anything in reply. To be quite honest, she had no idea what Alihotsy was supposed to be, and was glad when somebody else did.
She looked at the Saphricorn with a smile on her face, ’who is this girl?’ she thought to herself in silence, she didn’t remember seeing her around, but knew this could only be out of not looking more then the girl not being there, surely she had been around for a while.
Elouise looked to the Professor to see if the answer was correct, ’Causes hysteria… that might be interesting… in a warped kind of way,’ she thought to herself, suddenly interested in the herbs in the tray in front of the Professor; in case that might be them.
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Post by Alex Zander on Mar 16, 2007 12:54:24 GMT 10
“Alihotsy can also be used as a drug,” Alex spoke up knowing this because his parents were doctors. And while both his parents practiced medicine as muggles, they were both magical peoples and had been studying the magical compounds in Alihotsy to see how they could introduce it to the muggle market. It then end they had decided against it. That or the ministry had put a stop to their experiments.
“We probably use it here in the school actually, as a… well magical morphine?” he said thinking about the time when he had seriously injured himself as a child and went to the magical hospital to be better mended then what muggle medicine could offer. That and whenever someone tried to stick a needle in him all the light bulbs in the area would explode and his parents thought that might seem a little suss.
“When I was ten I broke my legs, both of them, jumping off the room of our house to see if I could… well never mind, the point is they used Alihotsy in a liquid form to take away the pain. It has very strong affects on the mind, though some people use it for other things,” Alex finished as he looked at the Professor to see whether she would expand on the stories he knew about abusers of the magical substance,”
“It can also be quite additive,” he added, though anyone who knew anything about morphine would know that it was as addictive.
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Post by Andreas Mark on Mar 16, 2007 15:36:36 GMT 10
Andreas hand, which had been up the whole time, began to waver when he heard the Emerindyl boy talk. He didn’t know anything the boy had been saying about Alihotsy and was wondering where it was written. It seemed hardly fair the teacher was asking a question about something Andreas had read in no schoolbooks.
He lowered his hand after Alex had finished speaking, deciding that he had nothing to add. All he actually knew about the plant was that it could cause hysteria. Nothing more was found in any of the books he had ever read, and so he assumed it was not a very interesting plant.
Andreas looked on from this point to see what the professor would say regarding the matter. He also pulled out a length of parchment and quickly wrote down everything that was said. In case it came up in an exam later on.
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