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Ticklish Truffles
Author: Marzipan
Date: 09-24-07 09:00
Rain splashed against the windows of the greenhouse while Marzi set up for her first year class, in which they would learn about the ticklish truffle. She had a dozen tiny square flower pots with one of the mushrooms inside, eleven of which were reserved for the first year students. She set the last one at her own place.
When the first years finally came into the greenhouse, Marzi took roll. They were all accounted for, except Demetrius Whitmore whom Marzi learned had a bad cold and had spent the night at the Hospital Wing.
She set her roll book aside and smiled at her students. "Good morning, class. I'm glad you braved the foul weather to learn about ticklish truffles today. I assure you, today's class will be a real treat. Can somebody tell me why ticklish truffles have their name?"
Several hands went up into the air.
"Yes, Charisma?"
"It's because they actually are ticklish," she said. She stuck out her index finger and lightly stroked the stem of the tiny mushroom in front of her. It quivered and made a high-pitched, cute giggling sound.
The whole class laughed, and several more students tickled their mushrooms.
Marzi smiled and held up her hands. "Wait a moment, please. And well done, Charisma. Five points to Gryffindor.
"Ticklish truffles are ticklish, which makes them fun to handle, as you've already discovered. Today's assignment will be to repot the truffles into bigger containers so that they have more room to grow. Who can tell me how large ticklish truffles get on average? Yes, Ramona?"
"Their tops can usually grow to be six inches in diameter, though the largest recorded was ten inches across."
"Five points to Ravenclaw," Marzi said, nodding. "Will somebody volunteer to pass out the larger pots? Thank you, Kate. Three points to Hufflepuff."
Kate got up and collected a stack of flower pots, which she handed to each of her classmates. The last one she gave to Professor FitzRoy, who them demonstrated how to repot the ticklish truffle.
A ghost to the rescue
Author: Cailyn Spicer
Date: 09-24-07 14:08
It was about ten a.m. in the morning and Cailyn stood alone in the hallway staring at a huge painting. The painting was of a beautiful lady dressed in a beautiful Victorian period outfit. She had didn’t move like the other paintings on the wall did. Instead, she only stared at Cailyn silently. As if she was steadying Cailyn, the way Cailyn would steady a book. A smile crossed the woman’s face and she nodded her head. She opened her mouth to say something. But the minute she was about to stay something a boy, Cailyn didn’t know, shoved her up against the wall.
“I don’t remember that non pure lovers where allowed to walk down this hallway. Do you, Axel?” The boy asked another boy who walked up to Cailyn.
“No I do not.” The boy named Axel said with a wicked grin on his face. Cailyn glared at the two boys who where around her age. “ I think we should teach her a lesson. Don’t you Eoin?” Eoin by now had his wand pointing directly at Cailyn’s neck.
Cailyn wiggled a little and glared at Eoin. She wished that she could reach her wand. She tried to move her hand down to her pocket, but Eoin grabbed it.
“That’s enough!” A firm woman’s voice said that Cailyn didn’t recognize. Eoin suddenly, dropped the hand that had his wand down to his side and he dropped the other hand that was on Cailyn’s hand.
Cailyn looked up to see the ghost of the woman in the painting with a wand pointed directly at Eoin’s back.
“Good. Now back up slowly. That’s a good boy. All right, you may leave. And if I see either of the two of you bothering this girl again, I shall personally make you wish you had not.”
Eoin and Axel had by now slowly backed down the hallway a few paces from Cailyn. The ghostly woman lowered her wand. The boys turned around and the woman raised her wand. She flicked her wand a little, and Eoin and Axel ran down the hallway. The woman gave a silvery laugh as the boys disappeared down the hallway.
“You had better get to class Dear. You do not want to be late to your defense against the dark arts class. Good day.” With that, the ghostly woman disappeared leaving Cailyn alone in the hallway.
Cailyn stood still for several minutes staring at the spot where the woman had been. Suddenly, she gasped and ran down the hallway. It was as if she had just realized that she still had a few minutes to spare before she was late for class.
Rain, Lovage, and Centaury
Author: Lawrence Masterson
Date: 09-24-07 21:08
Lawrence loved the rain and couldn't help but wish that currently he and Ariella were curled in his flat talking about anything and everything, listening to the rain against the windows. However, that was not the case. She was currently in Yaxley's DADA class, no doubt bored out of her mind. Yaxley did not exactly strike Lawrence as the most stimulating of the new professors. Then again he was basically Snider's bull dog when it came to enforcing policy. He'd heard the rumors through his students, knowing well that he favored using quills like that he'd promised Ariella he'd never use again.
His first years were currently talking amongst themselves as he'd not yet started the lecture. However, it was time. "Alright ladies and gentlemen, it is time to start today's lecture on lovage and centaury. Can someone please hand out these two diagrams? Thank you Polly. Five points to Gryffindor for your being so helpful." He handed Polly the diagrams and she passed them out. "The first is centaury, the second is lovage."
"Now, who can tell me names that are synonyms to centaury and lovage?" He asked, having the need to move, he would be moving about the greenhouse watching the students as several hands went into the air. "Aleydis." "For centaury, one of the synonyms is filwort. For lovage, one is Cornish lovage."
"Very good. Five points to Hufflepuff. Can anyone else provide any other synonyms?" Several more hands went into the air. He studied the faces of the anxious first years before him. "Bianca." "Centuary, century. Lovage, ligusticum levisticum."
"Again, very good Bianca. Five points to Slytherin. Alright, one final time. Any other synonyms for these two herbs?" He paced through the tables. "Roger." "Centaury, Christ's Ladder. Lovage, Italian lovage."
"Fantastic. There are a few others, for each, but those provided are very good. Five points to Ravenclaw." He checked the hourglass on his desk, it was nearly ten thirty. "Alright. Your homework assignment is a labeled sketch of both lovage and centaury, as well as one half scroll, each, on a point of interest for each herb. Have a good day."
He had a few minutes before his second years came in, so he took the time to set up the class room for their lesson which would be on tinder bracket and puff-balls.
It's Ten Thirty. Do You Know Where Your Friends Are?
Author: Charisma Stone
Date: 09-24-07 21:45
Isma, 'Della, Eric and Blake all left Herbology at the same time. Congratulating Isma on earning five points for their house with her answer to the question that Professor FitzRoy had posed about Ticklish Truffles. "Well, since we are all free for the rest of the day, what do you want to do?" 'Della asked the rest of the quad as they strode across the grounds.
"Look Bianca. Four pathetic little mud-bloods thinking that they actually have the freedom to do something." Taran's voice cut through the conversation of the four, and brought all four sets of eyes to rest upon Taran Tremaine and Bianca Bonfamille. Both of the first year Slytherins had just come out of the green house where Professor Masterson taught his Herbology lessons. Both were pureblooded and there for in the eyes of -most- of the new professors could do no wrong.
"We could hex all of them, or we could play a game of duck, duck, hex. See which unlucky little mud-blood will be hexed for the rest of the day." Bianca's raspy voice held a malicious intent as she drew her wand from a robe pocket.
Isma glared at the pair of Slytherin. "Why don't you go away? We have just as much right to be here as you do. Blood status has little to do with who should receive a good education. All witches and wizards, no matter their blood status should be allowed access to the same education, the same treatment." Conviction drew applause from her three friends, however made her the unlikely target for a pair of hexes. One from Bianca and one from Taran.
How Bianca had learned to cause a Stinging Hex Isma barely had a moment to contemplate this as the stinging began in her. She glared at Bianca, which gave Taran just the amount of time he needed to cast a Knee-Reversing hex upon Isma, whose knees instantly turned backwards.
"Vat is going on here?" Theodosia Batuti's voice cut through the commotion as she was heading toward the castle from the Quidditch Pitch, presumably to meet with Professor Snider or go to her quarters.
"They hexed Charisma Professor Batuti, for no reason other than they are pures and we are not." Eric said, quite glad to rat the couple out who had targeted his friend simply because she had stood up to them.
"The three of you get her to the Hospital Ving and for the two of you. Detention vith me for two nights this week after dinner. You vill be helping me make certain all the quidditch equipment is ready for the Gryffindor versus Slytherin game this weekend. Ten points from Slytherin for poor behavior and ten points to Gryffindor for the strength in friendship and convictions."
With that 'Della, Eric and Blake helped Isma to the Hospital Wing, while Bianca and Taran grumbled and headed most likely to the Slytherin Common Room or the Pures Only Commons.
Break Between Classes
Author: Oreileah McCoi
Date: 09-24-07 22:44
Orei sat in the great hall, close to the purple line with Madeline Miller, Artemis Fitzgerald and Titus Fitzgerald. Titus only had Charms that morning, and had a more spread out and erratic schedule than Orei, while Orei had the bulk of her classes today and Thursday. Artemis still had Arithmancy today, and that was at the same time that Orei would be going to potions.
"I can not wait until this weekend. Hopefully Brett will be able to make the game, though I don't know because I know work has him busy. I got an owl from Aidan Lynch. He and Troy are coming to the game this weekend. I am all sorts of excited." She in truth, probably wouldn't sleep much the night before the match...she'd loved the private workshop she'd gotten with the Ireland National Team over the summer.
"Wait. You got to meet Troy and Aidan Lynch..." Artemis said, blinking in disbelief at Orei.
"And the rest of the Ireland National Team this summer when Mum and I went to Kenmare this past summer." Orei said matter of factly and then proceeded to recount the story to both Artemis and Titus.
"Lucky witch!" Artemis said with a grin at her friend.
"I know. Mum had it booked before I even left school last term. It was a birthday present." Orei said, finishing the last bite of her sandwich.
"I'll definitely be watching the game, if I'm allowed to be on the pitch during the game." Maddie said. Hating the fact that she was the only non in their little group.
"I know Maddie. Well, if you can't watch I'll spend the day with you. We can play wizard's chess or whatever in the common commons." Artemis said with a grin and prodded Maddie over the vile purple line that kept them from properly sitting together.
"You know what. Meet me after the game if you can't attend. So that way the three of you can meet Aidan and Troy. Sound like a plan?" Orei suggested, highly doubting that Aidan and Troy would simply leave after the match, but stay and give her a few pointers and the like, especially since Aidan was Seeker for the Ireland National.
"Alright. I've got to get to potions and Artemis, you've got to get to Arithmancy. I'll see the two of you later in the Commons." Orei said as she and Artemis left the Great Hall and then went their separate ways Orei to the dungeons and Artemis the fourth floor.
Meeting Abby
Author: Scarlett Carwin
Date: 09-25-07 19:41
Scarlett stood on the outside of London, staring at the outskirts of the huge city. Her green eyes where searching the horizon as if she suspected that danger would be lurking on it. However, nothing was there just the sky and the land. Scarlett sighed.
Scarlett sat down in a cross legged position and closed her eyes. She focused her mind on her parents felt her body fly through time as memories came flooding into her mind like water flooding a field. She could see her mother’s face. See the kindness in her father’s eyes. She could smell her father’s cologne.
Just as the good memories came flooding in, so did the bad memories. Scarlett could clearly see the fire; she could feel the heat of the fire. She could smell wood burning. She could hear her parent’s screams. Silent tears came to her closed eyes…
“Hey.” A young voice said out of no where jolting Scarlett back to reality. Scarlett blinked and glared up at the voice that broke her concentration. Then, her eyes soften slightly as she realized the voice was that of a muggle teenager.
“Hey.” Scarlett replied her voice somewhat cold. The girl raised an eyebrow and looked at her.
“What where you doing? You seemed so intense.”
“Meditation.” Scarlett replied.
“Oh.” The girl said. “You didn’t look to happy.”
“How can one look happy during meditation?” Scarlett asked.
“I dunno. But you didn’t look happy. You’re dressed differently.” The girl observed suddenly. Scarlett frowned. Of course I am dressed differently. I’m a witch! Scarlett thought but didn’t say that.
“Really? I didn’t notice.” Scarlett said. She wished the girl would just leave her alone.
“Well, I like it. I mean it’s different but has a cool style.”
“I’m glad you approve.” Scarlett replied as she stood up. “Look, I have to go. I should have left hours ago.”
“Alright. It was nice meeting you. “I’m Abigail, by the way. You can call me Abby. What can I call you?”
Scarlett sighed. Knowing that it would be useless to tell the girl she didn’t want friends and she wanted to be left alone. “Scarlett.”
“Cool name.” Abby said.
Third and Fourth Years
Author: Illyria
Date: 09-25-07 21:05
Professor Moon declined on using the Astronomy tower, so Professor Jones jumped at the chance to use it. It might have been cold and unpleasant outside, but with any luck, her students would still get to see some of the stars in the night sky.
Angus McLeach had gotten to Illyria's classroom early to ask a few questions about last week's homework assignment. He offered to help carry the telescopes onto the observation deck when Illyria told him her plans to let them spend the class period studying the skies. He had to make multiple trips between the classroom and the tower top, but he didn't seem to mind. His cheeks were rosier and rosier each time he came into the classroom, either from the cold or the many stairs he had to travel. Illyria awarded him ten points for his help.
Illyria's third years were studying constellations. This evening's constellation was Pisces. She lectured briefly on the star pattern in the classroom and, after making sure everyone was dressed warmly, and even lending a few coats and scarves to those students who'd forgotten to bring something, they went up to the deck to brave the wind and rain.
Class ended quickly, which suited many of the students just fine. They were tired and also cold, though they all admitted they liked class a lot better when they were on deck and not sitting in the classroom. Illyria bid them all good night and then met the second class in the classroom. The fourth years were studying Mercury's orbit. They spent half of the class discussing the topic and then ventured upstairs to see if Mercury was visible.
She had to convince someone to help her take the telescopes back to the classroom at the end of the hour. Although somewhat reluctant, John Worsley eventually did take the bait. Illyria awarded him five points for his trouble. Then, after putting some order to her classroom, Illyria left for her own quarters so that she, too, could snuggle in her bed and get some shut-eye.