Care of Magical Creatures- Lesson1- Flobber Worms

[Katrine Leaves]

THIS CLASS WILL BE CLOSED ON THE 20th of OCTOBER, AROUND 7AM, AUSTRALIAN EST

Professor Katrine Leaves poked her wand towards a soft patch of grass. Suddenly springing to life it became rows of benches. Professor Leaves herself stood out the front, with a large bird perched on her arm. As the students filed in she spoke loudly, “Please make sure you have your textbook! It will be crucial to this year’s curriculum.”She tousled her purple hair, the thick electric blue streaks reflecting the beautiful sun.

She decided that she would start her class now. “Class!” She said in a loud voice, “Settle down.” Her voice was commanding enough for them to obey even though she was rather young for a teacher. “I know you are all going to hate this, but today we are going to be doing Flobber Worms. I assure you, this will be the most boring and mundane study this year. I just want to see where you are at with safety procedures.” She smiled with a dangerous glint in her eye, “If you finish that quickly, I can show you something much more enjoyable.”

She walked towards the closest desk and placed the Peregrine Falcon of her arm on the grassy table. “Now can anyone tell me what these little suckers eat?” She asked, pulling on a glove and holding a worm up to the class. She noticed the slightly frightened look up the face of the student who was caught staring into the predator-like eyes of the Falcon. “Don’t mind her, she won’t bite. She gestured to lowest branch on the tree closest to them. “Nor the snake.” A thick python was curled around it. Kat smiled, “So… Any ideas?”

ooc: Textbook can be found at
www.freewebs.com/mhcomc/index.htm

[Marina Roeswood]

On this particular day, she found herself lagging just a bit behind her usual schedule. Her throat had been rather scratchy this morning and she really hadn't been feeling particularly well, having caught a cold from one of the other students in her classes, though she couldn't pinpoint who. In any case, she wasn't feeling horrible, so she was most certainly well enough to attend the class. Marina looked a tiny bit frazzled, her hair loose and frizzy about her face, which was more pale today than usual.

She beat the clock by just a few moments, taking a seat near the center that the other student had failed to occupy. As soon as she spotted the Professor, with her brightly hued hair, she somehow got the feeling that this class would at least be somewhat entertaining, which it didn't even have to be in the first place. Marina had a really useful ability to pay attention even in dull situations, and sometimes it came quite in handy.

Nina stifled a groan, along with many of her classmates, as the topic of study was announced as flobber worms. They were definitely dull and rather nasty creatures, though, the falcon was definitely interesting to look at, and while she digested the words that the teacher spat out, her visual attention was kept by the magnifiscent bird.

As soon as the Professor asked the question, Marina's hand was up in the air higher than any other. Her expression looked somewhat smug as she waited to be noted as someone who wanted to answer the question.

"Flobberworms eat all sorts of vegetation, but they like lettuce best." Her voice came out somewhat congested but still confident, and she smiled weakly as the rest of it came out of her mouth. Looking satisfied with herself, she settled back into the bench, falling almost deathly silent as she waited for her answer to be confirmed as correct. She looked happy enough with the topic of the class, as it would be easy, at least. And if she moved things along, perhaps, she might learn something new...

[Ribbon Valedrawn]

Ribbon observed her latest professor from behind curious, brown eyes, the teacher's apperance was far from normal but, at the risk of creating a paradox, that truly was the norm at MH. She had been watching the beautiful example of a peregrine falcon until she noticed the large snake. After Marina had answered about what flobberworms ate, she raised her hand as well, "You can't tell one end from the other because both ends secrete a thick slime, which is sometimes used to thicken potions." She felt vaguely proud of herself for remembering that information despite the fact that she had grown up a muggle.

[Imlosiel]

Imlosiel, or Immy as some called her, listened as the answers were given. All the while her eyes were fastened onto the disgusting worm. Immy had always wanted to take the Care of Magical Creatures class, but she had always hoped Flobber Worms wouldn't be one of them. They were reasonably harmless, at least that's what Immy had heard. She had never been near or even seen one before. It was different looking than what she imagined. Immy gulped and turned her gaze to the snake. She had seen pythons before, and actually liked them. Too bad the lesson wasn't on them...

Immy regained her focus on the worm and waited for the teacher's next words. She didn't know anything about Flobber Worms, so she held her peace.

[kilik]

Kilik knew this one he raised his hand and stood up, and he started to recite what he knew.

"Flobberworm, they live in damp ditches they are thick brown worms that can reach up to 10 inches in length,its olmost impossible to tell one end from another and moves very little, both of its side produces a mucas whick is sometimes used to thicken potions. The Flobberworms preffered choice of food is usually lettuce, but it will eat almost any vegitation.'

Smiling at his work he sat down.

[Megan]

She sat down and listened to what was going on real interested. Care Of Magical Creatures was her favorite class.

[Rose Arcana]

Since 3 people in the class already answered the question about the flobber worms, Prairie Rose thought she would mention something else about the flobber worms but there really wasn’t much else to say, "It has been said that they can take on a red tint as well and they are one of the only animals to receive a rating of only 1X for their risk assessment."

[Katrine Leaves]

Professor Leaves smiled slightly, one side of her mouth curling into a smirk as she dropped the worm onto a desk. “Well done, well done,” She said slowly. “I’m pleased to see that some people know the basics, no matter how boring.”

She clapped her hands together, startling the bird, “Now.” She cleared her short hair away from her shaded eyes, readjusting her sunglasses. “I would like a sketch and a short paragraph about Flobberworms. Then,” She pointed at the stack of textbooks again, “I’d like another paragraph on Mooncalves. We will be studying a specimen next lesson.” She placed a single worm on each desk, walking slowly around the class.

Her smile became genuine as she pulled her gloves off and retrieved the thick snake from the tree. “Any questions related to the topic or otherwise, are now welcome.”

[Rose Arcana]

Rose took out her quill and parchment and began the assigned task:


Rose Arcana
Slytherin
Care of Magical Creatures

The flobberworm inhabits dark, damp ditches and prefers lettuce but will eat any vegetation. The broad brown to reddish worm reaches about ten inches in length and has no exceptional features. You can not tell where it ends or begins, because both ends discharge the mucus from which its name is derived. The mucus is virtually odorless and is used as a thickener for many potions. It is one of the few creatures to be rated as a 1 X for the danger rating making it one of the safest creatures known to the magical world.

Sketch:

One end [============================] the other end

Mooncalfs

Mooncalfs are very shy nocturnal. They only come out of it burrow during the full moon. They have a large cow-shaped body, four spindly legs with flat feet, and they can perform complicated dances believed to be mating rituals. Their feces has special magical properties, as long as it is collected before sunrise. Some of the magical properties include the ability to make plants grow at an accelerated rate, and has been known to be used in rare potions. They can be found world wide but are usually thought of as aliens by muggles.


She immediately rolled up the parchment and handed it in to the professor, then returned to her seat.


9/10
8/10
=17/20

[Imlosiel]

Immy smiled, happy to be given an assignment. She stared at the snake, wondering if she would sound too 'firstyearish' if she asked to touch it. She pulled out her quill, a textbook on magical creatures (which she meant to look at during the summer), and three pieces of parchment.

Imlosiel Yuki
Hufflepuff
Care of Magical Creatures

Immy stared at the Flobberworm and began to draw one the best she could. When finished it looked more like a jellyroll.

Now to the paragraph on Flobberworms.. Immy opened her textbook and flipped the pages until she found the one on Flobberworms. She picked up her quill and began to write.

Flobberworms: Flobberworms are thick brown worms that can grow to ten inches in length and live in damp places. They don't move much and prefer to eat lettuce over other vegetation. Their ends look alike and produce a mucus that is sometimes used in thicken potions. (Immy pretended to gag a little)

When she was done with that, Immy flipped her book to information about Mooncalves. She had never heard of them before and was hoping her book would have a picture. It didn't, only lots of text. She sighed and scanned over the information.

Mooncalves: Mooncalves are shy creatures that live in burrows. They only come out on the night of a full moon.
It is pale and gray, has four spindly legs, and bulging eyes on its head. They perform dances in the moonlight. If their silvery dung is collected before the sun rises and is spread on magical flower and herbs they can grow really fast.

Immy stared at her paragraph. Bulging eyes, spindly legs, silver dung? I was hoping they were more like silver cows that sparkled at night...

Immy remembered about Professor Leaves saying that they could ask a question. She decided to save her first question for later and ask her second now. Immy slowly raised her hand into the air.

"Professor Leaves, are your other animals magical too?"

8/10
8/10
=16/20

[Katrine Leaves]

After receiving the first parchment, the Professor smiled. She looked forward to marking the first batch of work. She noticed a girl with a raised hand, and nodded. “No, I have to admit neither Peta or Vipera have any fantastical properties,” She gestured to the falcon and constrictor in turn. “I have a pet Crup though, Lucas. Apart from that all the magical creatures I have are for teaching purposes.”<br>
Her smile widened as she approached the girl and added she sheet to the stack. “I have found myself in a lot of trouble for referring to certain creatures, mostly class four or five under ministry classing, as mere pets.” She fixed her glasses again. Vipera now quite unsettled after first being lifted away from her sunny spot in the tree and being walked around the class, lifted her head. With amazing agility and mobility the snake curved its neck in the air; bring itself to perfect eye level with Immy. It hovered for a few moments, watching her eyes closely; then stuck its long tongue out tasting the air.

“Are you making friends, Vipera?” Professor Leaves laughed.

[Imlosiel]

Immy stared into the snake's eyes. She was surprised that Professor Leaves was bringing one of her animals so close to her, also surprised that the snake was allowing herself to be at Immy's eye level. A smile widened onto Immy's face. Vipera, pretty name! She's so beautiful. She giggled a little when Vipera's tongue stuck out into the air and remembering about what Professor Leaves said about getting into trouble about referring to a Crup as a pet.
Snake's had always fascinated Immy, one reason why she was surprised that she wasn't in Slytherin. She was glad where she was though, Faye, another Hufflepuff, was so kind to her when she first came to MH. So, she was glad that they could be in the same house.

"Hello, Vipera." she said softly.

Immy smiled real big to Professor Leaves and looked back at Vipera. Vipera looked like a glistening gem to Immy. Only, it was smart and had feelings. Immy held her hand up cautiously, wondering if Vipera or Professor Leaves would let her touch Vipera. She didn't want to cross the line, but she hoped that it would be okay.

[Eleanor]

Eleanor was occupied with her sketch and paragraphs, managing to overcome how boring the Flobberworm was with busying herself with the assignment. Her sketch turned out to be little more than a rounded rectangle with bulges at each end - close enough to the real thing, she decided, to move on to the assigned paragraphs.

Flobberworms and Mooncalves
Eleanor Sel'shea
Hufflepuff

Flobberworms are about ten inches long, and a brownish-green. Their front and rear ends are indistinguishable; though mundane, their ooze is frequently used as a potion thickener. Flobberworms are most likely to be naturally found in damp ditches or any place where there is ample moisture and vegetation.

Mooncalves are nocturnal creatures that look a bit like a large, silvery cow with spindly legs. They are very shy and come out of their dens only during the full moon to dance complicated rituals that are believed to be for mating. Their dung can make plants grow extremely quickly if spread over soil, but this effect is only useful if it is collected before the sun rises. Mooncalves live all over, but are rarely seen due to the afore-mentioned shyness.

Eleanor shook the piece of parchment after the last word had been penned; she had found it an excellent way to dry the ink without worrying about her breath blowing it all over the page. Hoping that her Flobberworm sketch was at least halfway acceptable, the Hufflepuff quickly made to hand it to Professor Leaves.

9/10
9/10
=18/20

[Ribbon Valedrawn]

Ribbon pulled out one of her many unused pieces of parchment and began the picture of the flobberworm, she found it boring and lifeless but couldn’t do much about it so she sketched a rough drawing of the mooncalf to cheer her up. She would go back and put more detail after the essays. She propped her book open to the appropriate page and began to piece her words together.


Ribbon Valedrawn
Slytherin

Flobberworms


Thick brown worm, about ten inches long and has no distinguishing features. It is impossible to tell one end from the other. Both of the worm’s ends produce the mucus that it is named for. The mucus is often used as a potion thickener.
The worm likes to inhabit damp, dark ditches and eats mostly lettuce but will eat any plant life.

Mooncalves
Mooncalves are extremely shy and highly nocturnal, only coming out of its burrow during the full moon. It has a large, cow shaped body, and flat feet on the ends of four spindly legs. They perform complicated dances only by moonlight and in isolated areas. It is thought to be a mating ritual. The signs have often been seen by muggles as 'extraterrestrial'. Their dung, collected before the sun rises, has amazing properties. It causes plants to grow extremely quickly and is used in a few uncommon potions. These lovely creatures are found all over the world.

After checking her words over briefly she turned back to the pictures and filled in the details for the silver cow and watched her unsmearable ink dry before her eyes. The words filled in as much detail as she was given and she felt that even for a spindly legged, flatfooted cow, her drawing made it very nearly cute if not graceful. Rolling the parchment she handed in to the professor and walked back to her desk to flip absently through the pages of her text.

8/10
9/10
=17/20

[Neewaska]

<Boy, I sure am happy I took a look through my textbook...>She thought as she pulled out a bottle of green ink, a black quill pen and a peice of parchment, thinking for a moment before uncorking her bottle and scribbling down:
Neewaska Hope, Slytherin House,Care of Magical Creatures,
The Flobberworm is a brownish red slug that usually lives in damp dark places, its next to impossible to tell one from the other. Its favourite food is lettuce but will eat almost any vegetation.
The Flobberworm produces a thick, oderless mucus which is often used in thickening potions.
Sketch:
www.gardensafari.net/english/75java.htm?/english/snails.htm
Nee paused and took a break to think and dip her quill before begining the next paragraph:
The Mooncalf
The Mooncalf is considered to be a very shy creature that only leaves its burrow only at the time of the full moon, and prefers to liver in isolated areas.
The Mooncalf's Dung has some interesting properties if collected before sun up as a ingredient in some complicated potions.
Some muggles think that the Mooncalfs are extraterrestrials.
Neewaska rolled the parchment up and handed it in, hoping for the best.


7/10
8/10
=15/20