Herbology: Lesson One - Pod One

"One, two.. Okay good."

The only good thing about this first lesson was that all the students were supposed to be first years. That made things a lot easier, they would all learn the same things and not one person would feel bored because they had already gone through it a previous year. The next classes wouldn't be that easy because they were all different years and some students probably hadn't even taken Herbology before this year. Maybe she was wrong, but it was something to keep in mind when she planned her lessons.

The young professor had gone through, for the millionth time, all the trifling eggs that she assumed she would need for the lesson. She looked at her class roster, one of the students signed up, Cynthia Steel, was in her house. She supposed it was good, the girl seemed like she was rather intelligent and she knew the Slytherin would catch on fast. Not that she believed the other students wouldn't, she couldn't be biased now, could she? Maybe a little bit, but not so much that she was being completely unfair to everyone else. A good professor didn't do that sort thing.

She had a few other Slytherin students taking her class, and she remembered a couple of them from when she was still at Hogwarts. They were competent, but she knew a couple of them were just lazy. It was good to know a little about some of the students, just so things they did didn't take you by surprise.

Yumi couldn't help but be nervous about the class though. She had never been good with little kids, so to speak, so this was going to be difficult. Although, something told her it wouldn't be too hard if she just let things flow. The eggs wouldn't hatch for another two weeks, if she was correct, so she couldn't let the first years take them out of the greenhouse. She knew it would disappoint a few of them, but she couldn't risk them being killed before they were even born. She wasn't too sure if they would be given their triflings today, either, it all depended on if the class went smoothly enough. She turned to write on the board behind her quickly,

"Lesson One - Trifling Care"

They'll be here soon. Her conscience reminded her, and the ex-Slytherin stood up straight and dusted her clothes off as though they were completely dirty. This would go well, she hoped.

Despite the events on their journey to Hogwarts, it seemed like everything was moving really fast. The school year just started and Chris was headed towards the Herbology Greenhouses for class. He had recently been sorted into Hufflepuff, and was content with the Sorting Hat's choice. But, the joy and excitement from being sorted into a house was quickly fizzling as reality set in. The reality connected to actually going to school, which was to start his new classes and learn new things.

Chris was excited to start class, too. After all, he did enjoy learning. But, with the current events souring the mood, the would probably be a bit harder to get into the swing of things. Nevertheless, the term was starting and their Professors were unlikely to go easy on them anyway. So, it didn't really matter much at all. It was certainly helpful that his Herbology class was with other first years. So, it was less likely that he would be terribly confused before classes even were fully in motion.

Walking into the greenhouse, Chris immediately took a seat near the middle of the room. "Hello Professor," he greeted the young Professor. He took out his parchment and quill, before noticing the board. Apparently, they were going to start learning about Trifilings today.

The clouds were thick and the air brisk as Ben made his way leisurely to the greenhouses.  Herbology was to be Ben’s first class ever at Hogwarts and Ben could barely contain his anticipation. He had glanced through his 1st year books and knew that Herbology had something to do with plants but other than that he didn’t really have a clue. The book he had been most fascinated with had to do with Magical Creatures and man were there a lot of them; dugbogs, erklings, fairies, fire crabs, flesh eating slugs, flying seahorses, gnomes, griffins, ghouls, hinkypunks… Ben’s head could hardly contain them all.

Now was not the time for magical creatures however, now was the time for plants and herbs. “Plants…” Ben thought aloud as he followed the stone path towards the greenhouses on the horizon. “Maybe there are giant monster plants that we have to attack and defeat in order to save some baby seed plants” Ben’s eyes widened and his imagination continued. Ben opened his Herbology book entitled “One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi” as he walked and thumbed through the pages in an excited and hopeful search for anything relating to giant monster plants. Once again, his mind's eye got the best of him as he proceeded along the stone route, getting unknowingly closer and closer to the greenhouse entrance.

It wasn’t long before a title at the top of one of the pages caught Ben’s eye:

“Devil’s Snare” he read aloud, only a few, oblivious feet away from the greenhouse now.

Ben continued to read; “Devil's Snare is a plant with the magical ability to constrict or strangle anything in its surrounding environment or something that happens to touch it. Struggling or resistance to Devil's Snare will cause the plant to exert a greater force of cons….”

“SMACK!”

Bens book fell to the ground as his head recoiled off one of the glass panes of his classroom. He squinted and scrunched his face in a fit of momentary pain, rubbing his head furiously.

He groaned in mild agony and picked up his dropped book, placing it indiscriminately under his arm, now holding a newly formed lump in the middle of his forehead.  Ben continued into the opening of the greenhouse which was located just to the left of the new smudge mark where Ben’s head had hit….

“Plants…” Ben thought again as he haphazardly selected a seat at random, hand still firmly pressed against his noggin.

Ciara had decided to take Herbology lesson. Since she was first year student she could learn how to take care of miniature deagon. It sounded so much fun so she had to take that lesson for sure. She also liked plants and she could always learn more about them too. She didn't know much about magical plants.

She walked into greenhouse where that class was held. She saw there professor and two boys, who she didn't know yet. She knew only that they were first years like her and she could even tell by uniforms a house too but no names couldn't rememver yet. Soon she regonized one, it was boy who she mer in common room once. She greeted all of them there now too. She even did smile there.

She was very excited about this lesson. She really wanted it to grgan but they needed to wait for others.

Ben glanced up from his fading pain and noticed that he had sat across from another 1st year he didn't recognize. It wasn't really a surprise to Ben that this particular 1st year was unfamiliar because Ben had not exactly had the opportunity to make many new friends. Hogwarts was already off to a chaotic start and today was only the beginning.

The boy in question seemed to be a Hufflepuff 1st year and already had his parchment and quill at the ready for the start of the lesson. Ben took a break from nursing the knot on his head to extend a fist towards the unfamiliar classmate in greeting.

“I’m Ben” he offered his welcome the best way he knew how, hoping to make a new friend.

As he did so, another first year came into the greenhouse, another Hufflepuff but this time a girl. Ben again, did not recognize her  however she offered greetings and a smile to the room at large and Ben decided she looked friendly enough.

He threw his other hand in the air in an effort to invite the new arrival to his table. Hopefully the boy sitting across from him wouldn’t mind this girl sitting with them. Ben's head still tinged with pain.

Ciara looked around the greenhouse and then saw one boy waving at her. She didn't know him at all and then that other boy wasn't really that familar either. She wondered if she could go and sit with them or not.

Soon she walked to them and took seat there now. "Hey," she said with a smile now to them. "I'm Ciara," she decides to introduce herself now to them. Girl wasn't sure what else to say there now to them. She waited them to answer now aomething. They needed topic too. "What you guys think about miniature dragons?" She askes then something after long silence time. It has came inti her mind now. Basically they will learn how to take care of them and so on soon.

Poppy had actually gotten lost on her way from the Great Hall to the greenhouse. What she remembered was some older student telling her to take a right when she left the Great Hall.

What she found was the boathouse--way on the other side of the grounds. And that had been frightening to find herself so far off course and so alone. She could see the castle still, though, so she had run back to the castle, asked directions again of some grown up who had taken the time to walk with her to the greenhouse.

"You're alright, you know," he had reassured her. "Take a breath. Gather your wits. You're here because you belong here. It's alright to be afraid in a place as big as this."

He had reached down and pulled a stray autumn leaf out of her hair. He showed it to her. It actually was a pretty bright red orange color. It momentarily fascinated her.

"Its a kind of maple leaf," he smiled. She tucked it into her Herbology book. "You look ready. Go on with you now."

"Thank you," she said softly. She opened the door to the greenhouse, looked back to catch one more glimpse of the man who'd been kind to her, but he was already gone. She didn't see him anywhere. She went into the greenhouse and saw the others looked like they weren't much bigger than she was. Surely they were first years too.

"Hello," she said nervously.