Lesson 1:1--Introduction (First years)

[Robert Shaw]

Another term another set of lessons and another batch of possible future Herbologists. The greenhouse was a pleasant end of summer temperature of seventy degrees Fahrenheit, the sun was shining, and Robert was actually in a pleasant mood. While he knew by now that the first years were generally the least attentive, form what he could observe from the sorting feast they seemed like an alright bunch. A bit nervous perhaps, but alright.

Robert stood at the front of the room, while numerous plants large and small, colorful and bland lines the sides of greenhouses. Flowers and ferns, shrubs and saplings, all were vital to sustaining both wizarding and muggle worlds. This lesson would be just the beginning for them.

Now, if they would just show up.

[emmaashford]

After coming from one of her other classes, Emma made her way outside. She knew she had Herbology next, which was a relief for her as she wanted to get out of the castle for a bit. The young girl pulled a drink out of her bag and drank a bit as she walked. She had made it out of the classroom before the majoity of the other classmates, so there wasn't anyone to follow. She knew where the greenhouses were...she just didn't know where they needed to enter at.

Emma made her way down all the steps, careful not to overstep and trip. She continuously looked at the greenhouses for any sign of where they were to go. She saw a side door and decided to at least try it. Her hand clasped the handle as she gently pushed it open, peering inside.

"Hello?" she inquired, as she came fully in and saw a man standing at the front of the room. He looked a bit older and with a moustache. He looked like a professor. She sat near the back of the classroom, a nervous grin finding it's way to her face before it quickly ran away. He wasn't smiling. Oh, Merlin, please send more students soon.

[brittanyh]

Brittany's second favorite class. She knew Tristan hated this subject with a passion. She couldn't wait until she got in the classroom. As she finally made it in she found a man who stood infront of the class. She smiled at him and just sat anywhere she felt like. She looked around and only saw Emma. "Hi Emma," she said greeting her.

[michelle]

Michelle was not liking Herbology class at all. The directions she had recieved from older students to the greenhouses was helpful but it still didn't tell which greenhouse the first years would be learning at.

Her only solution to the problem at the time was to try every single door and see if her class was being held there. It wasn't like she was going to go all the way in, just a little peep and then she was outta there.

She had now tried at least eight other doors and none led to her class.

If she hadn't seen a Gryffindor girl head into a greenhouse she hadn't tried yet, she would have given up completely on her search and went back to her dorms.

Quickly she headed over to the greenhouse door and walked in taking a seat in the very back. There was no point in sitting up front in this class. She had a feeling she wasn't going to pay to close attention. Plants just weren't her thing anyway.

[flora]

"Ah! No! There is more zan one greenhouse!" Flora exclaimed in her thoughts. It looked kind of like a maze but who knew which one was the greenhouse they would be using. "No vay! zer is no vay I'm going to check out all of these doors!" she thought stubornly. If it wasn't for the fact that she saw a raven's robes whip around the corner, then she would never had found the class.

Running to catch up to the girl, Flora turned at the corner to find that the raven was Michelle. Going through the door, she sat in the back with Michelle. "Zat had to be ze hardest class to find, at least for me." she said breathing hard. Now all to worry about was how herbology class would turn out.

[kyleh]

Kyle didn't mind plants, but he wasn't very thrilled at the idea of learning and plotting and pruning them in school. And the idea of him being graded at that wasn't any more exciting to him. Oh well, nothing he could do about that, might as well take it easy.

So that's why he had a pleasant smile on his face when he walked in. "Emma," he slided into the seat beside her. "How are you doing so far?"

[michelle]

Michelle turned to Flora, "Tell me about it!" She shook her head. "I don't know if I'll like this class too well. I mean, it's plants. How important can they be really?"

She didn't even lower her voice when she said what she did. She sort of wanted the Professor to hear her. Maybe he could explain the whole 'plant importance' to her at some point.

[jasmine]

Sabrina hated gardening and as far as this was, she concidered it gardening. She hated digging in the dirt. If it was any other class. I mean really. she thought. And to help her more, she was lost again. How many stupid halls and classrooms were there in this huge school? she kept saying as she walked through the school. I probably don't want to know the answer to that question. she finally figured out after a while of walking. This is taking too long. she thought. I'm just gonna pick a greenhouse and walk in. I hope its the right one. She closed her eyes and picked one out. I hope this is it!
when she opened the door, she was so happy that it was the right one. She walked in and took a seat near the back of the class.

[michelle]

Michelle waved at Sabrina as she entered the classroom. "Hery girlie, what's kickin'?"

She gave Flora a sort of Confused look. She wasn't sure if there was a need for introductions or not. You never knew who people meet when they wander around schools this huge. Deciding that there wasn't a need for one, she looked over at Sabrina.

"So, is it not totally crazy how hard it is to find classes? At least now I sort of know where I'm going."

[jasmine]

"Yea i know!" she exlaimed. "I just totally guessed on which greenhouse to go in." she smiled. Actually she was very lucky in deed to have picked the right one.
She recognized the girl Michelle was talking to as Flora. Brina had seen her around, and Michelle seemed to always be talking to her. They must be really good friends. she thought. Its nice to know people can become such good friends after only a short time. I only met like one person so far. she laughed on the inside.
"So, do you guys like Potions?" she asked the two girls.

[Robert Shaw]

The first years remarks were making him internally cringe, how hard was it to see through glass and know which class was yours? There were always bound to be older students around they could talk to and inquire abut the classes location. But no, they had to be overconfident and too proud to ask. Oy ve this was gonna be a long year.

The man whistled loudly to get the youngling's attention, as it seemed nothing else would ever get them to stop talking spare an ice age. "Alright then enough bickering and whispering, first off my name is Professor Shaw and from now until my time at this school ends, or yours whichever comes first, I shall be teaching you the course of Herbology." He paused to study their faces a moment. He saw most of the same reactions as the year prior.

"Now that we're actually on a topic, what's the first thing you thought of when you saw this on your schedules, and be honest." Robert questioned, figuring he'd get mostly the same answers as last year. Plants, boredom, and sleep.

[michelle]

Before Michelle could get an answer out to Sabrina the Professor suddenly gave a loud shrill whistle. It immediately silenced the room.

Michelle glanced over to Brina and gave her the 'sorta' signal with her hand before turning her attention back to the front of the classroom. The teacher seemed more...'strict' than his outward appearance might have suggested. Michelle liked that. Mysterious people always made the top of her 'list'.

She listened carefully to what he had to say leaning forward in her desk so she was sure she would catch everything. When he asked his question, Michelle glanced around quickly. It didn't seem like anyone else was wanting to answer yet so she raised her hand.

"I kinda thought it was basically about learning how to take care of plants and learning which ones to avoid. Like the ol' this plant good this plant bad ordeal."

After she said her bit she put her hand back down onto her desk. Truthfully this subject wasn't something she considered very important. She figured if she was walking somewhere and there was a plant that had teeth and was trying to bite opposite a pretty plant full of sunshiny goodness, she would know which one would be a smart bet to stay closer to.

She thought for a moment. Maybe she should ask what was so important about Herbology. He did want total honesty.

After a few seconds she raised her hand again, "Why is Herbology so important? I mean, obviously it has to be if it is in our schedules. I don't think the school would just waste our times."

Michelle bit her lip as she put her hand back down again. Hopefully the Professor wouldn't take her last question to harshly.

[asap]

Asap listened to the other students chat while he sat silently as close to the back of the room as he could. After the professor had answered Michelle's question he put his hand up slowly and said, "I thought this class would be easy. Lost of hands on stuff and not much reading." He quickly withdrew his hand and dropped back into a stony silence. It was an interesting question, and he was quiet intrigued by it. He would have to pay careful attention to this professor to see what his attentions of asking such a thing were and what he had hopped to and had learned from it.

[jasmine]

Brina laughed on the inside. She was so proud that Michelle had the guts to ask a question like that. She would never be able to do that. She was way to shy.
This was the first time we heard this Slytherin kid speak. Her suspicions about him just being a nervous student were just that. When he looked around the room before he answered, it showed he wasn't up to anything. Or at least she thought so. Sometimes her assumptions were totally wrong.

[Robert Shaw]

It was like a mental game of drawing straws to see who would answer first, a game of will. They were all jumpy, all nervous and he could clearly see that. And eventually the Ravenclaw girl, Paul if he recalled the girl's last name correctly broke first. Tentative and cautious steps followed by a big question. They just might turn out to be a good bunch after all.

Both viable answers, though Mr. Tianebb I assure you this class will not be an easy grade. No class ever is in your first year. As to your statement and question Miss Paul,Good plant bad plant could end up saving your life, a very good answer. However, Herbology, Botany, if you'd prefer the more common muggle term, is used in many magical and muggle fields. Law Enforcement, Healing, and of course Environmental to name a few. This class, like many others is to give you a general idea of what you can do with your life, the knowledge you learn within these boundaries is at your virtual endless disposal." Robert replied, nodding slightly.

He was impressed, they'd both responded and asked quicker than his classes last year.

"Anyone else?"