An active, character-driven Hogwarts experience set in the early 2000s. Unique items, plots, and features. Non-canon; this isn't Harry Potter's story, it's ours.
This class is intended to be read by 4th years and above only.
As the 4th years approached the greenhouses, wondering which one they'd be using today, it became clear that the answer was "none". There was a large tent set up across the lawn -- somewhat distant from the permanent greenhouses, yet still in the vicinity. The tent looked airy and spacious, but that didn't meet their expectations once they entered through the self-sealing flap.
Inside was stuffy, which explained a bunch of hangers and storage boxes near the entrance -- for robes, scarves, and even sweaters /vests if need be. There were no counters or workspaces. In fact, there weren't even any plants or pots. Just a doubled row of some sort of rectangular water troughs, lined through the middle of the tent. The troughs were clearly the focus of the lesson, yet only contained water.
Professor Sprout stood off to the side, checking several levitating thermometers; the raised temperature had to be in a very specific range. She vaguely gestured students to line on either side of the troughs, much like they would counters in a normal greenhouse. If anyone dared to touch the water, though hopefully few were foolish enough to do so without an explanation of what they were dealing with, it would just feel like very warm water.
There wasn't much else to do than chat, theorise, and wait. In the meantime, Professor Sprout quickly made use of a Pepperup Potion; still rather sleepy, despite the Breakfast commotion having helped wake her up a bit.
Please refer to the Standard Classroom Layout for a visual guide of the classroom -- including full details regarding seating, class expectations, noise level rules, and any changes.
Post by Kody Ashworth on May 18, 2023 20:46:06 GMT 10
Kody wasn't his usual, energetic self as he walked towards his Herbology class. He had the copy of the Daily Prophet in his hands. He was confused and worried about what this meant.
He tried to remember what his grandpa had said in his letter -- their mum had already heard the news and she was locking herself up in her art studio. A moment later, he let out a soft sigh. Her reaction was expected but Kody felt like he understood a bit better how she felt.
Part of him wished he could find some place in the castle to hide away and not face anyone else for the rest of the day.
But he couldn't do that. He had classes and practice later and he had to write back to his Grandpa. Kody shoved the (already very crumpled) paper back into his bag and looked up. He hadn't been expecting a tent set up on the lawn. He paused and wondered if that was for his class... It had to be, right?
This made him perk up a little as his curiosity got the better of him.
Kody peeked inside and frowned at what he saw. No counters, workspaces, plants or pots. What? There were water troughs...? The tent seemed very humid and warm so he removed his robes and scarf, leaving them in one of the storage boxes. He debated over removing his sleeveless vest and did so a moment later.
At the gesture of his Professor, Kody stood next to one of the troughs to wait for her instructions (or an explanation about the lesson). He couldn't resist, however, and ducked his hand into the water. It was pleasantly warm.
Post by Cynthia Rushton on May 18, 2023 21:27:54 GMT 10
Cynthia had woken up late, one of her least favorite things. It always made her heart pound in her ears and her chest, and her brain feel like it had been fried around the edges, staticky in the corners. She hurried to dress, ran a comb through her hair and sprinted out to the greenhouse--
Except apparently not precisely the greenhouse. The tents sent up made her veer off her path, noticing the one other student there already- he didn't quite look like Cyn remembered him from previous years or from Quidditch tryouts. He looked more contemplative than cheerful.
She chewed her lip for a second, then slid into place next to him.
"Hi-" And then she frowned and paused; it was muggy in here. She peeled off her robe and scarf, leaving her class things by the through as she abandoned her outerwear in one of the containers before returning to the boy's side.
"That's better. Hi! You're Kody, right?" She stuck a hand out, a grin on her face. "I'm Cynthia." Sure, they'd had classes together for three years, but she'd never really bothered talking to him before, not a lot anyways. It was only once she reached out that she really processed that Kody's hands were in the water...
Post by Kody Ashworth on May 18, 2023 21:50:34 GMT 10
Yeah -- Unfortunately for Cynthia, a rather wet hand was now shaking her own.
But Kody always felt a bit grown up when someone wanted to shake his hand.
It was always nice when someone tried to befriend him, even if they were from Slytherin house. He knew a lot of people wouldn't approve but his own sister was in Slytherin and Kody thought they were okay! Boo to house rivalries.
"Yup, that's me. I remember you from the try-outs... You got chaser right? Congrats!" Anything about Quidditch was exciting to Kody. He was glad they had that to bond over while waiting for class to start.
"Do you have a broom yet? Slytherin have their practice this morning after classes, are you nervous? What's it like having Amara for a captain, is she as scary as everyone lets on?" Cynthia would probably regret engaging Kody in conversation after this.
He couldn't help him and besides, it was a good distraction from worrying about what had been in the paper. Had Cynthia read about it? Would she ask him about it? Kody felt a knot in his stomach and he hoped she wouldn't.
Last Edit: May 18, 2023 22:11:42 GMT 10 by Kody Ashworth
Post by Cynthia Rushton on May 18, 2023 23:52:42 GMT 10
Cynthia's eyes grew wider and wider as Kody rocketed on, word after word spilling over his lips. His hand was wet and clammy but Cynthia couldn't think of a way to graciously extricate her hand.
"Thanks-" she managed to get out as the questions barreled on.
"I got a broom, I haven't flown it yet, I am a little nervous for practice-" and it was worse now since she had missed breakfast.
"-and she's. She's very, very intimidating." that was about all she could (or would) say about the older Slytherin girl. She didn't want anything to get back to her...she shivered a bit, then peered into the trough.
Post by Kody Ashworth on May 19, 2023 5:27:57 GMT 10
Kody let go of her hand after a few good shakes.
"Oh, which one did you go for? My grandpa has offered to help me out with buying mine, did your parents pay for yours? I'm hoping I can get the Moonclaw but I'm mentioned the Ironbark too, just in case." Kody explained.
His gaze went to the water and he shrugged, "Probably just water? They don't look very deep so I can't imagine there's something hiding in there..."
At least, he hadn't felt something in the water. Kody looked at it with more suspicion now, squinting to make it reveal its secrets to him.
"It's warm anyway." Which was probably a dumb comment considering how warm the inside of the tent was as well.
Post by Verity Ashworth on May 19, 2023 10:54:23 GMT 10
When Verity got to the tent after attempting a thorough analysis of the Daily Prophet for extra clues about something, anything, she found her cousin speaking with one of the Slytherins who had made it onto the Quidditch team. Probably they were talking about Quidditch, or maybe the fact that they were in a tent instead of a greenhouse.
Whatever it was, Verity didn't really care. She still had a copy of the Prophet in her hands and was combing through it for anything she might have missed, just in case the excitement of seeing some actual news about her family was overwhelming.
She let her eyes flick between the Prophet and the water, just in case there was something inside the water that would jump out and grab her arm. Verity wouldn't put it past some of the plants to be the grabby kind.
Professor Sprout smiled as students filed into the tent, occupying spaces along either side of the water troughs. It warmed her heart (or was that the hot air?) that several took the moment to greet her before setting about preparing for the lesson. She didn't play favourites, as that would be quite un-Hufflepuff of her, but it fondly reminded of her 5th years when they had this lesson last year.
'Good afternoon, 4th years,' she said in welcome. 'I do apologise for the stuffiness in here, but these are perfect conditions for today's subject. Now, the water in front of you is clean and fresh. It's warm, but not uncomfortably so -- unlike this awful air... go ahead, you can test it out.'
She nodded in encouragement, though said it casually enough that reluctant students were welcome to decline. Sprout also gave students a chance to take notes if needed or out of habit. It was something she hoped her class didn't forget; just because they were outdoors and dealing with more hands-on tasks, didn't mean they could skip note-taking.
'So, if this water was gathered from another source -- perhaps less clean or exposed to elements...' Sprout continued. 'Who here can tell me what we might expect to grow?'
She glanced round, hopeful for a raise of hands. Sprout nodded at each who did, awaiting their answer.
Post by Kody Ashworth on May 19, 2023 16:34:50 GMT 10
Noticing Verity come in, Kody waved excitedly at her but settled down as soon as the Professor began talking.
His gaze went to the water and, upon her approval, he dunked his hand in again. It was still nice and warm. Kody wiggled his fingers around.
The theory went a little over his head, however. Kody wasn't the best when it came to Herbology. Enthusiastic? Sure! He liked helping with the plants and taking care of them. Practical things were his favourite to do.
He kept his hand in the water, nodding as their Professor asked her question but he wasn't able to answer it himself. He didn't know if she meant before the water was cleaned or after the water was cleaned. How did she clean the water? Was that what their lesson was about?
Would they learn about some super water cleaning plant or was it a simple spell that helped? It was quite easy for his thoughts to get carried away like this.
Kody tried to refocus. He gave Cynthia a sheepish smile and whispered, "Do you have any idea?"
Post by Cynthia Rushton on May 19, 2023 21:19:13 GMT 10
More questions. More questions. How could he still have more questions? Cynthia opened her mouth to start answering them, but at that point Professor Sprout started speaking herself and she was saved!!
Sort of.
She dipped her right hand into the water, noting what Kody had already stated (that it was warm) and she couldn't really notice anything growing in it. So her left-handed notes started out very small and neat:
warm water in a trough.
Professor Sprout asked her question and Cyn thought for a moment, mind turning over two words, but....she'd learned that in science class back at her non-magical school. Surely that couldn't be the right answer...
Could it?
Kody looked at her curiously and she found herself blurting (without raising her hand, sorry professor)
Pierce was genuinely interested with the change of class location. That was until he entered the tent. The heat made his nose scrunch up in annoyance. He loved the cold. The crisp, and freshness; the way it made his mind alert.
Quickly he pulled off his robes and scarf, stuffing them in one of the storage containers before joining the class. He politely nodded to his fellow housemate Cynthia, as well as Kody and Verity. There wasn't time for proper hellos as the class started just as he made his way over to the troughs of water. He didn't particularly want to put his hand in, but he watched curiously as some of the others did.
Cynthia answered before he had the chance and he nodded in agreement.
"Possibly mold as well?" He added his own answer with a tilt of his head. He knew mold needed moisture, but could it grow in deeper water and not just moisture? It's not like he had studied the subject much so he was curious to see what the Professor would say.
Post by Verity Ashworth on May 20, 2023 12:51:04 GMT 10
Verity returned Kody's wave with a smile. Then, she adjusted her robes. She'd drawn some little flowers on her wrists last night after Kody's tryout was over, and they were melting away in the heat. That was sad. Verity wrinkled her nose. She'd have to adjust that later.
When Professor Sprout started talking, Verity tried to pay attention, especially if something was going to jump out of the water. She knew all this stuff was supposed to be important for grades if not for Verity's own personal interest, but it was so warm in the tent that it was tough. She rolled up her sleeves and messed with the legs of her uniform.
"A kraken-plant?" Verity joked, though she was trying to gauge Professor Sprout's reaction to see how cool/dangerous whatever was in the water was. Her answer was less grounded than the Slytherin's, but she would maintain that there was always a chance of kraken-plants, and one could never be too vigilant.
Professor Sprout was pleased by those who rose their hands and attempted a guess. She was proud of them for trying, and wished it was fair to reward them all for their efforts. Everyone was on the right track, though she got a good chuckle out of Verity's answer.
She considered informing her that there were plants like that, but were far too big to fit in any Greenhouse... but it was a rather exciting topic (or at least Sprout thought so), and could derail from the one at hand. Plus diminish interest in their current topic when compared to something like those.
'Today's focus will be on algae. Specially, a rather unique variation known as Fast-Grow Algae,' she said. '2 points to Slytherin.'
She gave Cynthia a smile, for having guessed correctly, though wished she'd at least raised her hand first. But that was a small matter, so she moved one.
'Algae can grow almost anywhere, but require sufficient warmth and organic matter to reach their full potential,' Sprout explained, while checking the temperature of the water with her sleeveless elbow. 'Examples of this can be fertiliser, runoff water, agricultural land, and degradable matter -- such as decomposing lawn or leaves, and fecal matter from birds or various water-dwelling creatures.'
She gave them a chance to absorb the information, hopefully by writing it down.
'Now, Fast-Grow Algae in particular is rather unusual in its ability to grow and survive in any conditions or water, with minimal organic help. Their ability to purify and develop nutrients makes them quite edible, but also provides many uses in Potions-Making or survival situations.' Sprout searchingly glanced around. 'Ashworths -- hand these out.'
She indicated to two crates on a small, foldable worktable. They were charmed to be lightweight and protected from damage, as they contained two stacked rows of racks similar to those used to hold vials during Potions class. They were filled with tiny, stoppered vials of a grey and slimy-looking liquid. There were black dots that could be pepper, but likely wasn't.
Kody Ashworth and Verity Ashworth were to walk alongside a trough each, allowing every student to retrieve a vial. Sprout gave them a stern warning not to unstopper their vial until she says so. If anyone chose to ignore that or didn't hear her in time, the acidic-bitter stink would surely motivate them to re-stopper it.
Post by Kody Ashworth on May 20, 2023 20:59:49 GMT 10
A lot of his classmates ventured a guess so Kody felt a bit better about not taking part. He smiled at Cynthia whenever Professor Sprout picked her answer as the right one, giving her an encouraging nod.
Algae! Now that was something Kody was kind of familiar with, at least he knew about it. It was the green stuff that grew in ponds, right? He crouched to use his knees as a table and wrote down some notes. His handwriting was a bit sloppy since he wasn't using a proper table but he could re-write them later.
If he remembered.
Kody looked up at the mention of his name and grinned, "Sure thing, Professor!"
He tucked his notes away for now and went over to the crates. Kody picked one up and was glad it wasn't too heavy -- he could manage this. He waited for Verity to be ready as well and moved down the left side trough at the same time.
"Here you go~" He said to each classmate, passing out the vials. Soon his crate was empty so Kody hurried back to the front and left it back where he had got it from.
With his own vial in hand, Kody went back to stand next to Cynthia and resisted the urge to open it. Oh! But it was so tempting... No, he had to be good!
Post by Verity Ashworth on May 21, 2023 7:23:54 GMT 10
Algae was much more safe than a kraken-plant, so Verity breathed a sigh of relief. Plus, she made Sprout laugh, bonus points! Even if there weren't any house points involved. She drew some algae in her notes in different situations, and then drew a small amount of algae followed by a larger amount and then an arrow between them.
She picked up a crate, wondering if Sprout had chosen her and Kody because it was easier than saying Ashworth and then having to describe which one she had meant. Or maybe because she was planning to give them points for whoever was faster and the Slytherins had already got some points today. Or maybe she'd read the Daily Prophet and felt bad for them.
Whatever the case, Verity had no problem with picking up the crate and smiling at her classmates as she handed out the vials of liquid. It looked kind of gross. After she was done, she went back to her spot and looked at the vial, wondering if all algae was this slimy-looking or just the fast-growing stuff.
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