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sweetpinkpixie · Yesterday, 11:40 PM

Nyle visibly relaxed further at Professor Hawkins' response, some of the tightly wound apprehension in his posture easing now that neither the acorn nor his answer seemed to have earned any sort of quiet scrutiny. Not that the professor had given indication she had done so in the past either... and yet he couldn't help but brace for it like an inevitability. The affirmation settled awkwardly yet warmly in his chest, unfamiliar enough these days that he almost did not know where to place it and couldn't find it in himself to deflect either.

His gaze lifted toward the blackboard as the looping script unfurled itself across the surface. The words sat there with a strange sort of weight to them when some were coincidentally grouped together like that. Less like instructions and more like... dispositions, requirements not only for Herbology, but for tending to anything living properly. Including the self.

Nyle's brushed along the edge of the table some more as Professor Hawkins continued, his attention fixed carefully on her explanation. There was an ease to the way she spoke about the work — not simplifying it, but honoring the quieter parts of it most people overlooked in favor of dramatic blooms or dangerous magical properties. Groundwork. The pun ― intentional or not ― earned the faintest twitch at the corner of his mouth.

The Hufflepuff's thoughts immediately began turning over possibilities the moment Professor Hawkins mentioned the focus being a tool they had not yet listed yet. Not sunlight. Not water. Not patience or observation or any of the softer skills already written across the board. His gaze drifted instinctively toward the equipment scattered throughout the greenhouse before dismissing most of it almost immediately. Gloves, shears, dragonhide aprons — too literal. Too simple for the way she'd framed the question and discussed the follow-up.

A technique, perhaps.

His thoughts regrouped as the lesson moved along, and he hesitated only briefly before lifting a hand again, though this time there was less uncertainty in his tone as confidence slowly began slipping back in, squaring his shoulders more as well.

"Senescence," he offered. "Which I think people sometimes have the tendency overlook because they associate it entirely with dying, but it's actually a very active and necessary stage of a plant's life cycle." His gaze drifted briefly toward the greenhouse windows, thumb really working the edge of the table, as he organized the thought. "Leaves changing color in autumn, for example, is partially the plant breaking down chlorophyll and redistributing nutrients inward before dormancy. Some flowers also become more fragrant during senescence to attract late pollinators before seed production concludes. And certain plants can only germinate properly after exposure to decay, smoke, or fire conditions. So even deterioration ends up participating in renewal eventually."

Which was a rather comforting thought.

"And ― erm ― would Toby, perhaps, like something to gnaw on, professor?" he inquired with a gentle nod towards the snapping plant. He also hadn't quite realized how spritely Professor Hawkins was... more so than himself. He likely would have ended up with a bunch of his robes caught in Toby's mouth.

Yesterday, 11:40 PM	#14 (permalink)
sweetpinkpixie SSRPG Admin Gladrags Mod Quibbler Mod Minister for Magic Alley Proprietor Sea Serpent Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: The Paths Posts: 41,375 Hogwarts RPG Name: Professor Cox Ravenclaw Graduated Hogwarts RPG Name: CJ Miller Gryffindor Third Year Hogwarts RPG Name: Nyle Harden Hufflepuff Sixth Year Hogwarts RPG Name: Iris Harden Ravenclaw Sixth Year Hogwarts RPG Name: Calliope Barrington Slytherin Fifth Year Ministry Department Head: Charles Hollingberry Minister's Office Ministry Department Head: Airey Flamsteed Mysteries Diagon Alley Proprietor: Victor García Massey Ollivanders x12 x12	astronomizzle ♧ gryffinDORK \| & the rest is drag ♣ #badluckDerf Nyle visibly relaxed further at Professor Hawkins' response, some of the tightly wound apprehension in his posture easing now that neither the acorn nor his answer seemed to have earned any sort of quiet scrutiny. Not that the professor had given indication she had done so in the past either... and yet he couldn't help but brace for it like an inevitability. The affirmation settled awkwardly yet warmly in his chest, unfamiliar enough these days that he almost did not know where to place it and couldn't find it in himself to deflect either. His gaze lifted toward the blackboard as the looping script unfurled itself across the surface. The words sat there with a strange sort of weight to them when some were coincidentally grouped together like that. Less like instructions and more like... dispositions, requirements not only for Herbology, but for tending to anything living properly. Including the self. Nyle's brushed along the edge of the table some more as Professor Hawkins continued, his attention fixed carefully on her explanation. There was an ease to the way she spoke about the work — not simplifying it, but honoring the quieter parts of it most people overlooked in favor of dramatic blooms or dangerous magical properties. Groundwork. The pun ― intentional or not ― earned the faintest twitch at the corner of his mouth. The Hufflepuff's thoughts immediately began turning over possibilities the moment Professor Hawkins mentioned the focus being a tool they had not yet listed yet. Not sunlight. Not water. Not patience or observation or any of the softer skills already written across the board. His gaze drifted instinctively toward the equipment scattered throughout the greenhouse before dismissing most of it almost immediately. Gloves, shears, dragonhide aprons — too literal. Too simple for the way she'd framed the question and discussed the follow-up. A technique, perhaps. His thoughts regrouped as the lesson moved along, and he hesitated only briefly before lifting a hand again, though this time there was less uncertainty in his tone as confidence slowly began slipping back in, squaring his shoulders more as well. "Senescence," he offered. "Which I think people sometimes have the tendency overlook because they associate it entirely with dying, but it's actually a very active and necessary stage of a plant's life cycle." His gaze drifted briefly toward the greenhouse windows, thumb really working the edge of the table, as he organized the thought. "Leaves changing color in autumn, for example, is partially the plant breaking down chlorophyll and redistributing nutrients inward before dormancy. Some flowers also become more fragrant during senescence to attract late pollinators before seed production concludes. And certain plants can only germinate properly after exposure to decay, smoke, or fire conditions. So even deterioration ends up participating in renewal eventually." Which was a rather comforting thought. "And ― erm ― would Toby, perhaps, like something to gnaw on, professor?" he inquired with a gentle nod towards the snapping plant. He also hadn't quite realized how spritely Professor Hawkins was... more so than himself. He likely would have ended up with a bunch of his robes caught in Toby's mouth. __________________ We broke into a million pieces, and we can't go back......................................... But now we're seeing all the beauty in the broken glass..................................... The scars are part of me, darkness and harmony My voice without the lies, this is what it sounds like