September 2nd, 1895 — Greenhouse #3, Hogwarts

With the introductory classes out of the way, Rory was rather excited to focus on his NEWT students. He’d spent a lot of time thinking over what they might find interesting as well as what, at this stage in their academic careers, might be the most beneficial. He’d poured over the previous curriculum notes, or what he could find of them in the aftermath, and eventually had settled on a hybridization. Now, with greenhouse #3 neatly tidied and ready for the impending arrivals, he was feeling rather more confident that he’d made the right choice.

Nodding once again to the students who greeted him, Rory waited by the front of the greenhouse and watched as they settled into their respective places. Once a quorum had amassed, he made to introduce himself. “Good afternoon, my name is Professor Carrow.

To kick off our introductions, we shall begin with a term-long initiative that will both help me understand where each of you are in your respective Herbological journeys, as well as improve your own personal understanding.” He grinned at them and pointed to a row of medium to large-sized terracotta pots all lined up along the back glass of the greenhouse. Inside, there were a variety of different types of magical plants, most ether adolescent or fully grown.

“Along the windowsill behind you there are a number of different species you may select for this assignment. The intention is to hybridize one of these plants such that, by the end of term, you have engineered a new beneficial trait. Examples include petals that glow or exploding seeds that plant themselves when watered.

It will be important to consider all of your herbological training up until this point and apply it to this assignment.” Rory’s expression twinkled a bit in excitement. “As for the logistics, greenhouse #3 will be dedicated solely for this purpose the remainder of this term. You may come and go as you please to tend to your assignments. I shall be here to provide assistance, oversight and to maintain attendance records at each of our regularly scheduled classes. Sometimes we may pause for a lecture that seems particularly beneficial to the group, and other times there may be a written assignment given out. It would be in everyone’s best interest to attend.” Rory felt his face go rather serious and stern so he shook it off and laced his hands behind his back.

“If there are no questions, you may select your starter and begin.”

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Greta Gillenwater, James Fletcher, Benedict Hunter, Yuri Podsnapper, Antelope Grace, Stella Dhan, Billie Farrow, Millie Potts, Cadogan Glynn, Gregory Fynch, Charles Whymper, Anne Moony, Hesper Gamp, Perdita Bloomfield, Hippolyta Pucey + anyone I may have missed!

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NOTE: This will be a two-part lesson; this thread introduces the assignment and will remain open until November. Part two will be each of the students presenting their final hybrids to the class, thread to be posted Nov/Dec. 20 Extra HPs to any student who completes a thread this term that has them working on the assignment (even if just in the bg) if you share it with me! (10+ posts, 3+ your own, etc.)

The following 2 users Like Ambrose Carrow's post:2 users Like Ambrose Carrow's post
   Antelope Grace, Millie Potts

Stella was eager to start the year off, and was perhaps most excited about Herbology. Sure, it hadn't been one of her best classes, but it was something she was passionate about (she blamed her E grade on the fact that she'd initially mistaken flitterbloom for devil's snare and shrieked). She took a moment to observe the plants on the windowsill, noting there were a couple more dangerous options — which was to be expected, they were NEWT students now — but she was definitely not going to be working with a venomous tentacula or a fanged geranium for that long, so instead, she chose the flutterby bush.

Perhaps she could make the flutterby dangerous. Maybe introduce a toxicity to he leaves to create an attractive barrier for one's garden. Not toxic to humans or domesticated pets, of course, but perhaps to gnomes...

The following 1 user Likes Stella Dhan's post:1 user Likes Stella Dhan's post
   Ambrose Carrow

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The Hufflepuff looked at the various options, she loved Herbology but had not quite made her judgements of the new professor. She would of course give him his fair chance, its not like he killed Professor Skeeter after all. And antelope was too nice not to be nice.

She thought for a moment, she had ambition and the gardens president wouldn't be too boastful to say she was one of the most skilled herbologists here. Perhaps she was being too bold, the scars on her neck and arm were still sore from her encounter with the Manchineel tree and would likely never leave her skin. But that tree had suprised her out of the book and had not been properly contained.

"I'd like the venomous tentacular please sir, I think I might be able to make it less aggressive." it was a risk, but the plant was young, barely even flowering yet and contained in a special jar to prevent trouble occurring. She would try, and hopefully she would succeed.

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Ambrose Carrow

The following 3 users Like Antelope Grace's post:3 users Like Antelope Grace's post
   Ambrose Carrow, Anne Moony, Eun-Ho Rang

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Her name is pronounced similarly to Penelope

It was very odd to be having a professor who wasn't Skeeter standing before them. He chose one of the Screechsnaps, not yet having a full idea but having a variety of idea sproutlings. He would ponder the logistics and possibilities of each of his ideas before committing to one. Maybe something to do with the plants ability to indicate its personal pain and pleasure.

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The following 1 user Likes Gregory Fynch's post:1 user Likes Gregory Fynch's post
   Ambrose Carrow

Anne looked at Antelope with blatant disappointment on her face. Making the plant less dangerous didn't seem so fun at all. If Anne was going to be trapped in two more years of Herbology, she wanted it to be fun. Granted, she wasn't sure that plants could be fun on their own.

Anne considered the new wizard before them and wondered if anyone but former Hufflepuffs liked to play in the dirt. She did feel bad about the loss of Professor Skeeter. He was kind, even as Anne found his class far too slow for her liking. She was old enough to give this new wizard a chance. He might even be interesting.

Anne tuned out the rest of her classmates and turned her attention to her notebook. If she was going to be stuck with these plants, she had to pick something interesting. She needed something that connected to her interests. She started sketching, letting her mind work through the possible combinations in front of her. The answer hit like a punch. Of bloody course, she could improve on a potion!

Diving into her bag for her potions notebook, Anne was almost giggling when she raised her head again. Punching her hand in the air, Anne's momentum nearly took her out of her seat. "I want to hybridize shrivelfig and a fireseed bush. I'll call it Pyrofig." The look of nearly maniacal glee on her face made clear Anne wouldn't be changing her mind.

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The following 1 user Likes Anne Moony's post:1 user Likes Anne Moony's post
   Ambrose Carrow

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MJ about made me cry with this one!
Thread Log | Help Anne Blame the DJ

It was with narrowed eyes that Billie watched the new professor. She had quite liked Skeeter. Clearly, her opinions on the newbie were up in the air currently.

When the assignment was explained, however, she beamed and very carefully skimmed over the options. Dirigible Plum? Nah. Snargaluff? No... Gillyweed? Hmm...possibly.

When Anne spoke, she was pulled out of her reverie, and she full on snorted at the girl's look of glee. She gave her a very approving nod and, likely, would have said something incredibly off color as some sort of encouragement, but she didn't want to make a terrible impression with the new professor. At least, not, yet.

"Puffapod and Bouncing Bulb," she stated, sounding decisive. "Might be a good defense plant. Throw 'em and they bloom, but all--BAM! they grow fl--really tall! Have a whole lot of 'em blooming and growing and bouncing at once, and it would be a real good way to keep something away so you can run. Might be good if there are any creatures chasing ya."

The following 1 user Likes Billie Farrow's post:1 user Likes Billie Farrow's post
   Ambrose Carrow

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MJ, yet again working her magic.  <3 <3 Thank you

Greta tried and failed to hide her smile behind her hand at Anne's proclaimation of a Pyrofig. That was Anne all over. Of course she would be suggesting something like that. She bet it was going to explode as well - she could already picture flaming fig fragments being shot into the sky to fall on the earth and start sprouting into more flaming fig plants that would then later explode and repeat the process. They've be overrun in days and lose yet another Greenhouse. Billie's Puffapod and Bouncing Bulb combo only added to the imagined chaos.

But picturing everyone else’s botanical mayhem wasn’t helping Greta solve her own lack of a project idea. She wished Herbology wasn’t required for most of the hospital roles she’d been researching. Over the summer, she’d decided to become a Healer - following in her older brother’s footsteps, much to his annoyance. Annoying him was, after all, one of the perks of being the younger sibling. She could just imagine walking into the hospital each day and his annoyed sigh. Maybe he would even have to ask for her help. He said she'd never become a wizard and she was never going to let him forget it. She was going to be the best damn wizard she could be.

Their father, a doctor she’d never known, would surely be proud to see both his children pursuing a profession built around helping others.

That probably meant it would be beneficial if she came up with some sort of hybrid that would be of use to people and help others as well.

She scanned the list of available plants.

Gillyweed? Absolutely not. She quickly passed by that one. She would not be creating any sort of hybridisation with Gilleweed.


If she did and James Fletcher - who was right there with his stupid face - found out, she’d never hear the end of it!

She practically heard the word pronounced in his stupid voice as he called out to her and his stupid smirk as she turned around knowing he was calling her. Cause she knew he was calling her even though her surname was Gillenwater which was completely different. Stupid James Fletcher and his stupid smirky face. Stupid James Fletcher who was back this year despite the fact she severely doubted that he'd received good enough grades to earn a scholarship for his NEWTs. Anne had been worried and she had academic parents and what did James Fletcher even have? She wondered if some Quidditch official was bankrolling him because despite everything he could fly, somewhat decently, and the both of them had flown Gryffindor to victory to earn the Quidditch Cup two years in a row and if they were lucky they would for the next two years as well.

If he had she felt mildly offended that she hadn't been offered one. Not that she needed it. But the offer would've been nice.

Speaking of which - she made a mental note to reserve the Quidditch pitch for tryouts when she went to reserve pitch time for the Flying Club because she doubted Jimmy Stupid Face Fletcher had gotten around to it and if she left it up to him the team would be short one beater come game time. She suspected that Charles Hutton from Flying Club was a shoe in for the position - Pip Manwaring was another one from Flying Club she suspected might make an attempt at it but as he had yet to grow into his limbs yet or figure out how they worked togther he was so bad at flying that somedays she felt worried enough to packed her first aid kit just encase he accidentally collided with the goal post. Or the stands. Or fell off his broom 30ft up in the air.

First aid kit. That brought her back to the assignment.

Maybe she could create something useful for that she could use as stock in her kit—Dittany for wounds and scarring, Hellebore to calm someone down, Rue to counter toxins. Puffapods to help with propagation? Her head was starting to ache. She was definitely overthinking it.

"What are you going to do Millie ?' " She asked hoping to get out of her own head and maybe talk it over with the more plant minded girl. She most certainly wouldn't be doing something so spectacularly showy as Anne's flaming figs or Billie's gigantic defensive blooms.

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Tag Millie Potts you are it. Sorry for the missive.

The following 3 users Like Greta Gillenwater's post:3 users Like Greta Gillenwater's post
   Ambrose Carrow, Cadogan Glynn, Millie Potts

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Thanks go to the marvelous MJ for her sensational set.

Clubs: Flying, Charms, Potions and Transfiguration.
NEWT Subjects: Charms, DADA, Potions, Transfig, Herbology, Ancient Studies, Alchemy.

Cad hadn’t been sure if he’d wanted to continue Herbology for the next two years, but somehow he’d found himself in the greenhouses anyway. That answered that, he supposed. While he’d liked Skeeter quite a bit, he was eager to give this new professor a chance – he seemed nice and his lessons were interesting, so far at least.

He’d listened carefully as Professor Carrow explained the assignment before he turned his attention toward the windowsill, where he carefully looked over each one. He wanted to do something beneficial for more than just himself, although even then he wasn’t sure what that would look like. “I’m going to try these two,” Cad said. “Flitterbloom’s all swish and no bite, Devil’s Snare’s the opposite. Seems only fair to balance them out.” They were practically cousins and everyone mixed them up, so he might as well give them a proper family resemblance.

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The following 2 users Like Cadogan Glynn's post:2 users Like Cadogan Glynn's post
   Ambrose Carrow, Greta Gillenwater

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