"Yes, let's ask. My broom has better uses than collecting dust in the corner of my room." Zekke chuckled and nodded.

"NEWTs studying is going all right. My father made me do extra studying over the summer as usual, and for once, I'm actually rather glad he nagged me to study. Sixth year hardly taught me anything new and I've run into a few... gaps in some of my classes. I'm trying to see if there are any study guides available for the exams. Even though I'm doing well enough in class, I think the NEWTs will be more difficult."

He scrubbed a hand across his cheek to wipe away a light sheen of sweat, smearing a light streak of dirt across the cheekbone.

"It's just a hunch. And yourself?"

"'Did extra studing myself," Nadia responded, leaning against the wall to rest a bit. "But this time I did it on my own, not at school at my homeland." She chuckled. "I stayed at London over the holidays, my first time. Got a job as secretary in the muggle world - a psychologist secretary. Everything went alright and I got to perform a couple of--

"Anyways, my studing went fine." She ended as she finished stripping herself from the digging attire and watched her finished work, most of the holes already digged.

"Perform a couple of...?" Zekke didn't miss a beat as he arched an eyebrow and then looked at their handiwork.

"I think we did a good job here, but what would I know seeing as how I did terribly on my OWLs," he chuckled. "Maybe we should talk to the professor now?"

ooc: Back in a few hours... class time and then I'll be home and HOPEFULLY my ISP is working now.

(ooc: *pets you*) Taking a leaf out of a friend's book, Nadia just ignored the question as if her attention was too caught in the second part of Zekke's speech. "Yes, sure--

"But, Zekke," and here she turned to him, "you said you wanted this extra work to help you work with plants and improve your grades, but you and Jaren had stayed with the manual work of the greenhouse caretakers. Come here -" she guided Zekke back to the watering section they had been at earlier, cleaning herself up with magic.

"The professor didn't seem to have a problem with us staying and the section needs to be watered constantly, so here's an idea. Let's do the watering again, and meanwhile, you will try to recognize each plant you water, deal? We will review the plants and their properties as we go."

She summoned two pitchers, cleaned them with Scourgify and went re-filled them with a watering charm. The feeding had been done so only the watering would do. She handed Zekke a pitched, and spared a look at Jaren to invite him over. "Let's begin then. This plant has a slender, irregular creeping rootstock covered with red scales, it sends up thin delicate leaves, each composed of three heartshaped leaflets, a bright green above, but of a purplish hue on their under surface."

She recited on as if taken from the very same book, "As you can see, the long slender leaf-stalks are often reddish towards the base. The leaflets are usually folded somewhat along their middle, and are of a peculiarly sensitive nature. Only in shade are they fully extended: if the direct rays of the sun fall on them they sink at once upon the stem, forming a kind of three-sided pyramid, their under surfaces thus shielding one another and preventing too much evaporation from their pores.

"At night and in bad weather, the leaflets fold in half along the midrib, and the three are placed nearly side by side to 'sleep,' a security against storm and excessive dews. It produces two kind of seasonal flowers, the first is formed somewhat like the Crane'sbills (to which they are closely allied) and the corolla is composed of five delicate white petals.

"The second flower's petals never open up." She stopped and waited for Zekke to give his veredict.

Jaren, seeing Nadia gesturing him to come over, finished up mopping to observe what she was saying about a certain plant...which he had absolutely no idea what it was. By the end of Nadia's speech, it was quite clear that his usual neutral expression masked another one of complete and utter confusion.

Not like he was about to admit that.

Perceiving the silence of them both, she added, "So, can you tell me what you think this plant is? The species... etc?"

She said and fell silent again, though in all honesty Zekke's silence seemed pensive while Jaren was downright staring at her and Nadia was in two minds if to think he was asking or glaring at her. "You know, as extra studing," she added.

In all honesty, if Jaren knew the answer to this he wouldn't have gotten a "Dreadful" on his practical OWL.

He resumed staring at the plant and its surrounding area, as if looking for a tag or label somewhere nearby that would help.

Nadia looked at Jaren, then at Zekke, the sighed and seemed left, but soon came back holding a bag of hers where she had brought her extra needed clothes. Soon she moved a thick looking book towards them that displayed the letters "Botanical" and then resumed her activities of watering.

"Check whenever you have doubts," she said, a bit uneccessarily. (Visual help )

Seeing that Professor Virohsa was now leaving with Alex, she assumed that the plant didn't need any extra additives to its soil. She continued on gently re-potting the plant began to hum.

She began to notice a soft humming & suddenly realized that her pygmy-puff, DeeDee, was sitting on her shoulder enjoying the surroundings. "Oh hi DeeDee. I didn't even realize that you were there sweety. I suppose that you're going to help me mop the rest of the floor eh? It's a good thing to, I can use the help." She petted the small creature softly & picked up the newly potted plant.

She headed back to the area that she had been mopping & set the plant back on it's shelf. She quickly finished mopping the small section that she had left to do & went back to the main greenhouse area to survey how her enchanted brooms were doing. Seeing that the floor was now cleared she smiled & cast the Finite charm on the constant-sweeping brooms. They immediately ceased their work & she returned them to the broom closet.

Deciding to check over the work list once again before leaving, she realized that the pitchers needed to be checked. She quickly went around & gathered any unattended pitchers that she found in the various areas & took them to one of the large utility sinks to begin washing them.

Zekke quietly recited some things to himself and examined the flower and then the leaves. He peered anxiously at the plant and then peered at another one.

"It looks like a clover plant because of its leaves..." He began and gently touched a stalk and outlined its heart-shaped leaves. "But clover blossoms don't look like that, do they?"

He pursed his lips as his mind filed through some other plants he had learned, trying to recall other plants that had such unique leaves.

"No," Nadia said, titling her head, "but it's a good guess. The idea of having two flowers might have thrown you off. Pay attention to the leaves, it might give you a hint," she assured him and encouraged him to guess more. "So try yourself, Jaren," she said, mechanically.

As Jaren was being quizzed, he levitated the botany book over to them and opened it up and started cross-referencing the leaves and the sort of flower to possible plants.

"I would guess and orchid, but I don't recall those having magical properties," Jaren said finally.

"Well, it's of interest to Herbology those plants which have medical properties over magical properties, but too including animated plants which can only be explained with magic. Orchids Salep is very nutritive and demulcent, and it forms a diet of especial value to convalescents and children, being boiled with milk or water, flavoured and prepared in the same way as arrowroot.

"It's said a decoction flavoured with sugar and spice, or wine, is an agreeable drink for invalids and to allay irritation of the gastro-intestinal canal, it is used in mucilage made by shaking 1 part of powdered Salep with 10 parts of cold water," she stopped, noticing she was rambling. "Anyways, it's not an orchid but it's a good guess. Orchids are darker in color and doesn't have the leaves shape."

Now she was positively teasing, "So you want to try another time or should I tell you?"

"It's a sorrel plant!" Zekke exclaimed as he matched leaf descriptions. "Errrr... isn't it? Wood Sorrel, also known as Oxalis rubra? Or is it the atropurpurea one?"

As he eyed the plant critically, he muttered, "I still say it looks like a clover plant."

Nadia clapped her hands together, "YES!" she said without containing the enthusiasm from her exclamation. "Wood Sorrel indeed! It's known with anotehr names, like Fairy Bells, and Hallelujah!"

She laughed at this, even though she felt she was going to be the only one. "Very good. Now," she kept on watering the plant until finished, "do you want to review the properties of this plant or do we jump directly to the recognition of a new one? I guess recognition might be the thing you might be most interested."

"Let's do recognition. We can ask you for a review later," Zekke nodded then reconsidered.

"Or maybe we should review to you and you tell us if we're right or not. Like for this plant, the Wood Sorrel, it's considered a 'shamrock' plant by the Muggles and Fairy Bells. It's easily recognizable by its leaves, which come in three heart-shaped leaflets per leaf. Unlike the clover plant, it has a purplish hue to the underside of the leaves and its blossom has five petals and is purplish raspberry in color."

He pondered for a moment longer then added, "The plant is also sensitive to light and since the flower seems to be bell-ish shaped, I wonder if that's why they call it Fairy Bells."

Nadia nodded, but stopped to hear Zekke talk, finally grinning. "Very nice, really! One wouldn't know you had any troubles at Herbology, Zekke." She beamed at him, patting his shoulder.

"Now, Herbology has to cover several areas. Maybe the most practical is recognition. Then general knowledge, to know it these or that plant are poisonous. Then the parts used, in this case the leaves and herb, and finally cultivation. But the last isn't that much asked unless you become an especialist."

"We know this isn't poisonous so, the uses. A decoction made from its pleasant acid leaves is given in high fever, both to quench thirst and to allay the fever. Also catarrhs, haemorrhages and urinary disorders, excess should be guarded against. Wood Sorrel is more effectual than the true Sorrels as a blood cleanser. The juice used as a gargle is a remedy for ulcers in the mouth, and is good to heal wounds and to stanch bleeding. What else..."

She shrugged. "Well, let's switch plants. This one," she moved over a pale looking one and brought the pitcher along. "See if you recognize this one, it's used for a potion." (Visual help) "The leaves are almost like the leaves of the parsley, but later on become more jagged, almost like the leaves of Fumitorie, but a great deal smaller and tenderer. The flowers are white and grow in round tassels like Dill. Rings a bell?"

Laurasia couldn't help but jump a bit when she heard Zekke exclaim what sounded like "sorrel plant" from somewhere behind her. She turned to see what appeared to be a lesson given to Zekke & Jaren by...Nadia. Laurasia chuckled & let a smile sweep across her face.

The three of them were so close & such a joy to have around & work with. "I wonder what next term will be like without them here?" she thought to herself & the smile faded. She watched a bit longer as they laughed & worked together. Slytherin House & Hogwarts itself simply were not going to be the same without these three around. Laurasia was certain of that. She let out a long,deep sigh & turned her attention back to the pitchers that she was cleaning.

Alex walked quietly in Greenhouse #17 and noticed a few Slytherins in there. The Slytherins were taking over everywhere, form what she had noticed. With a small nod, she kept walking until she reached Greenhouse #24, where she was told to go by Professor Virohsa for extra lessons.

Laurasia was just finishing up with the pitchers that she was cleaning when she noticed Alex walk past her & heading towards another, smaller greenhouse.

She quickly dried up the last pitcher & set it on the proper shelf before turning to ctach up with Alex. "Alex? Alex?"

She had gone into the other greenhouse before Laurasia could get her attention. Sighing Laurasia entered the smaller greenhouse, which she noticed was labeled "24".

Professor Virohsa walked inside and headed quickly towards Greenhouse #24.. with hope of finding Alex and giving her the name of the book she would need.

Nadia walked though the doors of Greenhouse number 17, remembering the last time when trying to help the boys with their problems at Herbology. There was only one conclusion to reach from that and that is, Nadia made quite a lame teacher (and that's no news really).

True, she was pretty good at Herbology, looking better than those two were, and guess she could help with whatever she coud. If she could. Sighing, Nadia rubbed her hands together to keep them warm. For a second, she gathered she could take the chance to visit greenhouse 20 for a couple extra classes herself.

Well, why not?

Nadia poked her head into the entrance, with no really an invitation nor a date-time for the extra classes Virohsa mentioned, looking around and stepping inside looking for an sign saying when they were to meet and such.

~*~

Nadia walked back and for some hand works for the greenhouse some time later. She stayed on the spot, waiting for other people to come over.

Professor Virohsa, after handing Alex the note, saw Nadia standing about. "Well, hello dear", she said politely.. yet.. in her usual cold voice

"Hello, professor Virohsa," Nadia responded. She thought that she was finally growing out from her apprehension with the professor after last meeting in her office, but still that cold look she always wore was an inviting to a conversation like a bitting plant was to a hand dripping meat blood... ugh, nice mental image.

Nevetheless... "Things going well for you with the extra Herbology classes?" she asked, conversationally. Fingers-crossed behind her back hoping not to get on the women's bad side.

And they said Jaren trademark look was scary.