"Jaren," he replied shortly, out of formality. If he wasn't a Prefect, he probably could have gotten away with not introducing himself under the eyes of Virohsa.

In any case, he wasn't paying the girl any heed.

Zekke looked up from where he was - coincidentally right next to the aisles where Virohsa had instructed the NEWTs students to do some extra observations - and headed to the supply closet to get the food for the biting plants. Maybe if those plants were satiated first, then the greenhouse would be calmer in general? Ahh who knows.

He made sure to stop by the sink on his way to wash his hands and clean them thoroughly and scourgified himself as well. No need to have plants trying to snap at him.

"I'll feed the biting plants," he called out and waved from where he was as he opened the supply closet next to Section 33. He had grabbed a flat on his way from the sink and now started to pile a small pile of meats onto it.

Once finished with that, he started at the front of the Section 33 and started levitating the food to the awaiting plants. He had watched Nadia do this and he had made careful note of the necessary amounts and had read the labels and such as well.

Apparently, the plants were quite hungry today and they snapped at the food eagerly when the levitated food neared them...

"Professor? Are the biting plants anything like animals in regards to their reaction to the colder weathers? Do their metabolisms slow down or speed up or anything like that?" He called out after he had fed the first little column of biting plants all the while keeping a sharp eye for any mischievious plant... appendages or maws... or... yeah.

Professor Virohsa nodded, "It is quite possible. After all, they probably want to retain energy in colder weather". She gave him a small smile as she saw him being careful.. which reminded her of Erica. She quickly scanned the area looking for the girl with allergies. "Are you coming with me to the Poison Cell?", she asked her.

Erica nodded, completely in agreement with Virohsa's judgement that she would have to give up her sample of the marigold petals and pick them again. She wasn't in doubt that she definitely had to make up for her careless actions and hearing the professor's strictness on the matter was calming, if anything. It was only when Erica looked up and saw Virohsa smile at her did she get unhinged again. After all, Virohsa never smiled before. Not at her, anyway.

If anything could've served as viable punishment it was the idea that Virohsa would have to accompany her to the Poison Cell. Erica just didn't want to be near the professor at the moment and in the Poison Cell, no less. She had already seen the massive stock of poisons laid out and another little shiver went down the back of her spine. Virohsa seriously had too many poisons for a Herbology teacher. She hoped that this wouldn't end up taking long as she started down to the Poison Cell after the professor.

"Liquid? Uh, no. I didn't see any liquid in that sample, but there was a very strong scent that the marigold petals were giving off when I got really close. Actually made me quite lightheaded for a second there. I had to sit down for a couple of minutes it was so strong, but it was an amazing scent, Professor. I felt so much better once I recovered from the dizziness. I think it might be part of the restorative effects of the plant, though I didn't realize it would end up having such a massive effect."

Seems her rather clumsy performance became less attractive to scold than to those who had been unluckier than her. That Nadia thought while she walked back in from the Classroom, her hands empty because the containers were on her rather big pockets.

She walked to the poison cell and left her load in there before Virhosa and Erica walked in, one by one but rather quickly. Just stopping to take the occassional piece of parchment that had become attatched to the container that was on her pockets. Nonetheless, rather smooth for her an activity.

As she was walking back, she noticed the place had quickly filled up with people. Some new, some old anti-social ones. Speaking of the latter, as he was being approached by a Ravenclaw girl... Nadia stopped mid-chuckle. Which sounded rather strange like she was choking in fish spine, but never you mind. Something seemed to avoid her, about Jaren's behavior - something unthinkable inside her head. A look at the young Ravenclaw's face and her emotions gave another turn.

And she stomped away, going to work in another area of the greenhouse. Grind stones it was. She took the purple stones, the moltar and pestle and grinded, fast and hard, as if wanting to get over with this task as soon as possible.

Zekke nodded at the professor's answer and asked, "If that's the case, then do we need to alter the amount of food we give to the plants since it's getting to be winter?"

He eyed the plants with a critical eye and fed another little cluster of plants as he waited for an answer.

From what he could see, most of the plants were still hampering for food - a lot of food if what he sensed was right - most of the plants except...

"Professor?! Do plants ever... ever..." He swallowed, hard, and set down his flat of plant food somewhere safe and out of the plants' reach.

"Ever eat one another?"

All he could do was stare for a moment at the sight that greeted his eyes in the back of the row. It looked as if a cluster of plants had begun to... to... feed on one of the smaller plants in the cluster. Leaves were shredded and some of the veins were dripping a bit of plant sap.

He quietly sent a quelling charm over the small cluster of plants and levitated that one ravaged plant out of there.

Cradling the plant in his arms, he looked a bit lost and unsure as to what to do.

"It's one of the smaller plants," he commented to no one in particular.

"Well, Zekke," Nadia said as she passed by carrying on her hands a heavy looking jar filled with purple-blue water, "when dry leaves fall, they become nutrients for the living plants, so in fact, all plants eat each other."

She commented, not a clue just how out of context she was sounding and really not looking anywhere but where she was going. Hence how she was surprised to find the plant in the boy's hands when she was coming back. "What happened to that one?"

Nadia frowned, then watching Zekke's action and-- "Zekke, that's one of the biting plants!" and she pulled his sleeve, dragging the bigger boy away the most she could.

Alex nodded once Professor Virohsa had finished telling her and checked the PH levels. They were around 6.5, which meant just right. Glancing at the board, the girl checked what was the next thing on the list.

Sandbags? Heavy sandbags at that. Scowling slightly, she walked over to Section 4 and took one of them, slowly dragging it through the Greenhouse and outside in the yard, while trying to be careful and not to trip over plants at the same time.

Done washing the pitchers, Jaren noted that the water tanks had been dealt with, and therefore decided to haul the sacks sand outside the Greenhouse as he had done the previous time he was here. He hefted one up over his shoulder with a grunt and carried it outside.

Professor Virohsa nodded at Zekke's comment. "Yes, they do require more food.. and they will eat the ones that are dead", she explained. Nodding, she excused herself and walked towards the Poison Cell.. with Erica folllwing.

She listened to what she had said and nodded. It seemed that Erica was doing allright. Perhaps, that smell dealt with her allergies... which would have been convenient.

As they arrived. she saw the pile of containers. She opened the Poison Cell and walked inside. "Come in, child. And close the door", she ordered. The Poison Cell was, afterall, a small and cold room. While she waited for Erica to walk inside and close the gate (ooc-see picture), she started looking for Erica's containers.

Erica followed Virohsa and obediently closed the door behind her, surveying the contents of the Poison Cell with interest. There were many bottles of different sizes and contents scattered all around. Sure, she was nervous being in such a cramped room with Virohsa and surrounded by things such as poisons, but it held it's mystique. She found it very tempting to just go a bit closer and examine the bottles more in depth, but she decided to keep her distance. She already broke one thing today, there was no need to repeat the performance, and with such dangerous items as well.

Instead, Erica focused all her attention on the pile of containers the volunteers brought from the class and sorted each of them out until she found the container that held her sample. Holding it out for the professor to examine, Erica sighed and spoke.

"Here you go, Professor. This is my sample. Spent so much time on it, too. Pity I had to go and lose it in such a careless way."

luna was sweeping through sections 1-10 and noticed it was slightly warmer than it was earlier she checked the thermostat and it was hotter than it was supposed to be, she changed the temperature back to normal, luna looked around everyone was busy with their work so she whent back to sweeping, she wished she knew some of the people helping out but the only people she knew were marvolo, nikki and adz, she sighed then continued sweeping

Upon finishing dragging the first sandbag outside, Alex wandered back inside the Greenhouse and grabbed the second one. She was walking backwards because she didn't want any plants knocked over from it.

But at the same time she didn't realiize that there were still plants behind her. Way to state the obvious ... and before the girl even had time to react, the vines from the plants had already twisted around her ankles and pulled her to the floor.

Muttering curses under her breath, she aimed a Severing Charm at the plants and stood up quickly and started dragging the sandbag once again.

Today she was NOT in the mood for any incidents involving plants.

Ashlie worked into the Greenhouse for the Out of Class work for the first time in her life. She paused for a few moments, and decided to take off her cloak. She left it outside the building before walking inside. She came to a stop at a checklist of what to do.

"Sweeping?" she asked in disbelief. Didn't Viosha just magic that all done? Then... extra credit meant extra work.

She sighed heavily and took hold of a broom and headed off for section eleven, of the average weather. She wasn't in the mood for extreme heat. As she walked, she gazed around at all the plants around her. Rows and rows of strange, odd looking things. She had to beat off one plant with the broom as it reached out to her with long vines covered in sickly looking purple thorns (What in the world?!)

She glanced around the Greenhouse to see who all was around, but found herself in front of a wall of vines and leaves.

"Stupid plant," she muttered, raising her broom again as the thorned vine tried to reach for her again.

She moved down a few more feet to begin to sweep the loose dirt and dead leaves upon the ground.

ooc - Sorry for the absense guys. My computer monitor shorted out last night before I could get on the site. I have a new one now though.

Laurasia had been digging the holes necessary for the new plants in the cold areas for quite some time. She looked over her work. A dozen holes. She wasn't sure how many the professor needed though. She sighed softly. She headed back towards the main greenhouse area, checking to be sure that there was no ice or snow built up between the rows on her way out.

Once she reached the main greenhouse she quickly shed her winter gear & placed it in her bag. She looked around for the professor, but was unable to find her. It was then that she noticed Alex & Jaren lugging out those heavy bags. She remembered how the last time that they were in here Jaren had moved all of those heavy bags alone. She resolved that he would not do so again.

She walked over to where the bags were & grabbed the end of one. Just as she was getting ready to start dragging it outside she noticed Jaren coming back in. "Hey Jaren, I figured that you might appreciate some help with these this time. By the way, do you know how many holes Professor Virohsa wants in the colder area? I dug 12 but I'm not sure if that's enough."

ooc: sorry I'm late. I was too busy to rp this weekend I'll just pretend I was here all the time

Rosa looked around. it seemed somebody was already checking the PH values of the water. pity... she looked at the checklist what else she could do. A lot of people were sweeping already and the water pitchers looked clean. She looked at the list to see what else she could do. Clear the snow? Rosa loved snow and it seemed nobody was doing that. it was -15 C, cold... so she put on her dragonhide gloves while walking to sections 25-30.
Then she started clearing the snow. At first it was funny to get the snow off the plants and- every once in a while- make a snowball of them, but it was really cold and shivering while doing the job, Rosa wondered why she hadn't chosen to check the water valves were working, or to sweep the floor.
When all plants were visible again, Rosa walked away intending to go to a warmer section, but noticed the floor was one big mess of snow heaped up and realised she wasn't finished yet. So she walked over to the front of the green house and got a broom, happy with the warmth. She rearranged her scarf and her cloack before heading back to sections 25-30 with the broom.

Patrick saw a Ravenclaw girl working in the cold section of the greeenhouse. As she got the broom he realized what she really needed was a shovel like the one they use to load dung in the wheelbarrows. He went and got two of them plus a wheelbarrow. He magically clean them so they could use the to remove the snow.

"Hey Rosa, I think you'll have better luck removing that snow with this," he suggested. He also held out a small vial. "A small sip of this will make you feel warm for about 30 mins. It's similar to a PepperUp potion."

Patrick had already take a sip so he didn't fell the cold. He scooped up some snow and began to load it.

luna finished sweping in the normal weather section, she decided to go and check on the hot weather plants, she checked the temperature and looked at the plants, many of the snapped at her, luna moved back into even more of the snapping plants "Ow" said luna as one of them had tried to take a chunk out of her back, she frowned at the plant as it curled back up apparently harmless

Jaren dropped the sack onto the ground and went back for another. "She didn't specify how many holes," he replied. "Perhaps we should find out the number of plants she wants placed."

Laurasia smiled as Jaren told her the professor hadn't expressed how many holes were needed. "Good, then I didn't just miss that part," she said with a laugh. "Id love to ask her, but I can't find her. You don't happen to know where she went do you?" she asked Jaren as she also grabbed another bag & take it outside. Unlike Jaren however, who was able to heave the heavy bags over his shoulders, Laurasia had to grab one end & drag her bag.

"Poison Cell," Jaren grunted as he hefted another sack over his shoulder and made another trip outside.

"It looks like it's dead," agreed Nadia at seeing the plant. Which made her little saving-move kind of ridiculous and finally dropped the boy's sleeve with certain embarrassment. With a nervous laugh and sheepish grin, she turned around to go back to work. Maybe back to the crushing...

Her eyes lingered in the professor and Erica as she picked what was going on, out of curiosity, and in that she wasn't looking where she was going and tripped on something. Poor Luna didn't know what had knocked her, surely. "Oh I'm sorry, you ok? My bad, wasn't looking --"

She looked up just to wave at Ashile who had just arrived, but was then distracted by vines who were wrapping themselves around Alex. Nadia tried to say something but was caught up, well, more or less the situation was in control not much later. The Ravenclaw Rosa and that Gryffindor boy were working together, and then she picked Laurasia's question.

"If you are looking for Virohsa, she is at the entrance at the Poison Cell," she informed her. And then... wasn't there something she was missing? Oh yes! Nadia went down and helped picking up poor first year Slytherin she had almost rolled over and kept appologizing at.

Professor Virohsa took the vile and took the name off it. "Very well. You will re-do yours.. Or be without it during your final", she said in her usual cold tone. She placed it on the desk and wrote on it - whoever is not Erica and is missing one. She placed it back carefully and made sure everything else was in order.

"Allright.. it seems like we are done", she told the child as she walked towards the gate.

They almost had the wheelbarrow loaded when Patrick scooped up a handful and playful tossed it at Rosa. He made sure it didn't endanger any of the plants when he did it. He waited to see if Rosa threw one at him.

Zekke had been so closely scrutinizing the plant that when Nadia pulled him away from the biting plants, he was startled into a surprised 'ACK!' before grinning sheepishly at Nadia and murmuring his thanks.

The plant, being dead, or dying, didn't snap at him or anyone else, true, but he realized how dangerous it was for him to pick up a biting plant.

"That was kind of stupid of me," he mumbled and carefully levitated the plant to the end of the row of Section 33 where there was some empty space.

He stared at the plant for a while, then returned to his duty of feeding the rest of the biting plants.

As he fed the plants, he noticed that the plants towards the back were straining towards the dying plant he had placed in the very back. He hurriedly fed the plants in the back in hopes to quell their hunger.