HM Hendrik smiled at the vast amount of responces.

"5 points to both Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. Francis, your guess of Chimaera is partially correct. This is a Chimaera pup, or juvenile Chimaera fish. Not to be confused with the Chimera fish that the Muggle scientists have named. This one is far more deadly!

Serena, your answer is partially correct as well. The dorsal spine is very poisionous and they are located at great depths...even the comment about it being called a "Ghost" is somewhat correct. The young Chimaera fish or pup can turn itself invisible when threatened or feels it's in danger. It's dorsal spine contains a highly venomous neurotoxin. A mere brush of this spine and the victim's entire nervous system shuts down. At that point, the pup can either escape or feed upon it's prey. Notice the long snout like appendage. If you look closely you will see what appears to be tooth like projections along the perimeter. These are infact hardened bits of cartilage used for foraging on the sea floor. As the Chimaera fish matures, it looses the long protuberance and is replaced with a jaw full of razor sharp teeth. Both the young and adult Chimaera fish retain the 'ratlike' tail. Also notice the immense black eye(s). It is mostly all pupil due to the lack of light at such great depths. Adult Chimarea fish are seldom seen by witches or wizards and I know of no recorded sighting by Muggles. This pup must have been sick to allow itself to be caught by Muggle scientists. Though natural disasters, much like the terrible tsunami that recently occured, could have injured this specimens as well as the rest of the ones that I have to show you.

Now are there any questions before I go on to the next creature?"

::Erica noted down all of what the Headmaster had said and waited for the next creature.::

kasnadr awrote this all down in her note book..she had no questions and was ready for the next one

Selena copied down a few notes

kasnadra was rather impaintent today..and wanted to finish as soon as possible
"um..can we move on...no ones asking any questions"

*raise hand* "Does it go by another name? I don't seem to find Chimaera in my text book, professor. Or at leats, if it's speling problem, not especifically the water-chimera."

Selena was wondering the same thing and turns to Nadia "does your book have the Chimaera as a monster with a lion's head with wings?"

HM Hendrik gazed around the room for a moment. Not seeing any questions, he waved his wand at the board again.

Blackboard

"This next creature is found living in and around lava vents on the sea floor. Most of the time, these Fire Lobsters do not surface at all and remain submerged in molten earth for their entire life. I'm afraid the recent tsunami disturbed a colony, which is the reason for one to have been caught by Muggles. As you will notice, it appears to be somewhat faded in color. In reality, they are a very bright red and tend to glow like hot ambers when not foraging for food in hot lava. They only come to the surface to lay their eggs, which are a Class A Non-tradeable good. Fire Lobster eggs are a black market item in Sri Lanka and the MoM in India levy's heavy fines and imprisonment to those who are caught dealing with them.

These eggs can be cooled with simple Freezing Charms and used in a number of potions, the main being an extremely dark and deadly potion. Before the Indian MoM placed regulations on Fire Lobster eggs, the Maut Potion was heavily used to remove high ranking officials, and anyone else for that matter, from their positions of influence. The Maut Potion was extremely dangerous because it could be dried and used as an airborn cloud of death. It's results were instantaneous. The Maut Potion, both in it's power and liquid form are un-noticable and kin to the Killing Curse."

Jaren's hand flew across the parchment as he took down notes, his eyes alternating from the blackboard to his notes but never to the Headmaster's face.

"I'm sorry Nadia, I didn't hear your question before. Most of the creatures I'm covering in this lesson can be found in What Lurks Beneath by P.H. Athoms. Though some of the ancillary information comes from my own experience and knowledge of the subject."

Lee sat there, thinking and writing atthe same time. His headmaster intrested him greatly with all he had to say. Lee finsihed copying hisnotes andawaited the next part of the lesson to begin.

"oohhhhhhh" noddin

Evy continued taking notes. That fire lobster is a cutie, she thought, amused.

Serena was fascinated with the lobster. She had never seen one that looked like this before. It didn't have claws like some, nor feelers like others. She liked to go diving, but had no desire to do it near a volcano.

She finished taking notes and waited for the Professor to continue.

"Ah," Nadia said and seeing she had no information on the atter wrote down the name of the book as well as notes from class. she will need it later.

Rosa took notes and tried sketching a fire lobster. it was a waste of time. it looked more like a teapot.

Francis wrote notes down quickly. Wondering about those deadly poisons and potions, she raised her hand to ask a question, "Is there.. an antidote for that poison?".

"Hmm..." She sat thinking about what it could be. Then she raised her hand, "Could it be a Shrake, Merpeople, Dugbog, Kappa, or a Kelpie?" Asked Tori.

Ivana takes down some notes and thinks...

::Erica took down some more notes. This was an interesting creature, she thought. She raised her hand.::

"Professor, how are the wizard scientists (ooc: are there such wizards?) able to study these lobsters if they're submerged in the lava for their lifetimes?"

Terry took notes and pondered what Professor Hendrik had said. The muggle press had extensively covered the Christmas Tsunami, and it's effects on the muggle population. She had never given pause as the what effect it could have on both the magical and muggle marine life.

*raise hand* "Poison then?" was Mercurio's simple question. His vocabulary wouldn't allow him more of it. But what he was asking was quite plain.

Evy raised her hand.

"I'm sorry if that sounds stupid, but can these lobsters be eaten like the regular ones? Not because I'm a lobster maniac or anything, I'm just curious..."

Evy blushed.

Nadia felt something brush her arms and thought it was some kind of insect. Absentmindly, she tried killing it, when she felt the texture of it. Frowning she performed finite incantatum, almost at the same time hidding it under the table, on her lap. She was all too enthusiastical in taking her quill next. She inscribed back and forth, both on the table and under it, opening a book at her lap next which helped as base. She only paused to bit her quill... Finally she took her wand out again and seemed to tap the book, twice, and re-acomodate her hair out of the way. She didn't dare look back to see if she had suceeded, and looked at the front again, both hand supporting her head as she listened.

as quickly as she could, munnie copied down the notes and waited for more of the interesting facts the Headmaster was giving them. 'i wonder when we're going to have homework' she thought to herself in excitement.