"Yes, Cassandra?" Fabian murmured towards her raised hand.

"By Keratin?" Willow said tentatively.

Claudian put his hand in the air. "Keratin, sir?"

Ariana began to feel a bit better and wondered if she could speak without making that weird sound again. Clearing her throat she tried it, "Aren't they made up of a tough protein called keratin?" She pondered, amazed her voice stayed the same.

"Professor, did we skip the sense of taste?" She asked, sweetly.

Qaz raised her hand and replied, 'I believe that it's made of keratin.'

Rhiannon glanced over at Cassandra as she asked if they skipped taste. Yes. But the professor explained the sense, and why we weren't going to discuss it, she thought. Looking down at her notes, she noticed that she had added a drawing of the snake that had been projected in front of the room before Professor Clark had made it disappear. Hmmm. I'm drawing unconsciously now, she thought.

"I'm just curious to why is was dismissed so easily. I mean, I understand it can be lumped in with smell. I guess I don't understand and need further explanaition..." She said putting her hand down.

Roland at the back of the class quickly caught up. His hand holding his quill whizzed across the parchment and became a blur. Something of his magical ability lent something to the physical speed, it must be as there would have been no chance of a muggle writing this fast. Once he had caught up he listened intently.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Willow_Kovac

"By Keratin?" Willow said tentatively.

"Yes Keratin is the substance snake skin is made out of" Fabian murmured with a nod, "two points for answering correctly!".

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeerCassandraTrelawney

"Professor, did we skip the sense of taste?" She asked, sweetly.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeerCassandraTrelawney

"I'm just curious to why is was dismissed so easily. I mean, I understand it can be lumped in with smell. I guess I don't understand and need further explanaition..." She said putting her hand down.

"Yes. We covered taste very briefly since both taste and smell are always conjoint. We explained it fully under the sense of smell. Plus" he glanced at his wrist watch, "we need to speed or else we won't have time for the practical".


"Can anyone define the term molting Please? And what it does to snakes?"

Roland put his hand up and suggested "well, to chickens its when their feathers fall out isnt it? So to snakes would it mean when they shed their skin?" He wasnt completely sure it was right but hopefully explaining his logic in coming to the answer wouldn't make him look like a dolt if it was wrong.

Clifford slowly raised his hand. "Erm - Is that the thingy snakes do when all their skin just like, falls off?"

Grrr. He was so useless at explaining things.

"I'm not really sure why they do it though.." He added, unsurely. "They must get awfully cold with no coat."

"The shedding of scales is called ecdysis, or, in normal usage moulting or sloughing. In the case of snakes, the complete outer layer of skin is shed in one layer. It serves a number of functions - firstly, the old and worn skin is replaced, secondly, it helps get rid of parasites such as mites and ticks. Renewal of the skin by moulting is supposed to allow growth in some animals such as insects, however this view has been disputed in the case of snakes." Cassandra said.

"Is the periodical shedding and renewal of the outer skin, exoskeleton, fur, or feathers of an animal" Willow said, "In snakes it's when they 'shed their skin'"

Ariana ignored the scratching sensations and decided that if she could get through this calass she'd get some ointment for the scratching and see the nurse. There was no way she could deal with it anymore. She put her hand up and replied, " Molting is when the snake sheds its skin by rubbing its body on the ground. The skin usually ends up in one piece. It sheds its skin to make room for the new one." she said not really caring at this point if she got any points.

She was frowning, aggravated now and scowled slightly in no particular direction. She wondered what the practical portion of class would be and shuddered slightly. If she had to touch one of those creepy slimy things she'd leave class. Detention or no she would not go near one.

To shed periodically part or all of a coat or an outer covering, such as feathers, cuticle, or skin, which is then replaced by a new growth.


For several days before a snake molts the eyes appear bluish or cloudy,
the pupil cannot be seen, and they are said to be blind. This is because
of air under the outer coverings of the eyes which are shed as part of the
skin. Luring this period snakes do not eat but hide away as if they felt
insecure. Molting is hastened by wetting. The skin around the lips
loosens first and is slowly forced back over the head, neck and body,
inside out, as the snake crawls over rough surfaces and through narrow
crevices. The snake now is shiny, the colors bright, and the eyes clear.

Roland listened to the others answers. In particular Cassandra's. He raised his eyebrows impressed. He could hardly doubt that she was right. He did wonder however, looking at the snake, how it could have mites or ticks. He usually thought of creatures with fur or feathers being susceptable.

Joseph raised his hand, this time he was absolutely sure he knew this answer. "Molting is the process in which a snake shed's it's skin in order to make room for it's ever growing body. Because reptiles never stop growing really, they must molt a lot in their lives."

"Correct!" Fabian murmured "Snakes shed their outer skin during the molting process. This processes commences when the scales wear down or from inflicted injury. The snake's Epidermis creates new cells in order to separate the new developing skin from the older. New cells start to liquefy to soften the outer the later, when the outer layer is read to shed. The snake starts scraping against a hard surface until the outer layer folds out completely. A complete molting processes takes about fourteen days. It can be repeated starting any time from a few days after".


Uncrossing his arms and stretching them out for a moment, he continued, "this brings us to the end of our lesson, but to the beginning of the practical session. The purpose of the practical is to learn more about snake feeding, and how to handle them. If you'd kindly follow me to the edge of Park sixty one".


Picking up a stack of sheets on his desk, Professor Clark stood at the edge of the door passing a Practical Exercise Sheet to each exiting student, "this sheet has all the information you need to run your practical".

Mallory collected her belongings and quickly stuffed them into her knapsack. As she walked out the door, she was handed a sheet of paper by Professor Clark. Swinging her knapsack over her shoulder, she quickly scanned the paper, following the other students and Professor Clark to Park sixty one.

Ariana was finishing her note taking, feeling slightly better. She hadn't scratched in five minutes, a new record for her. She looked up, her skin turning a lighter shade as Professor Clark told them to go out to towards Park 61 and go to the snakes. She gulped; if a projected snake hissed at her for no reason, what would a real snake do? As if on cue the itchness started again and she hastily thought of a reason to skip this part. Rubbing her face she put her hood up and stood, looking nervous now as she picked up her bag.

She didn't want to draw attention to herself, so she wanted to leave before anything else happened, something bad. Stopping beside Professor Clark, she looked at him and said in a slightly nervous voice, "Um, Professor? Can I talk to you please?" She asked, her green eyes hidden behind her dark glasses.

Willow took notes of everything Professor Clark had said about the snakes. Snakes were definitely not her favourite animals, but they were so much better than cats. Hideous Cats!

Taking the Practical Exercise Sheet that the Professor was handing, she mumbled thanks, put her school bag on her shoulder and followed her classmates to the Park sixty one

Fabian eyed Ariana's sunglasses intently, he never understood why kids wore them inside the classroom when it wasn't.. very sunny. "Sure you can" he murmured with a smile, "got any questions about today's class on you?"

She saw him eye her closely and she flinched, almost as if he touched her, and shook her head replying, "Um not exactly no. I just don't really want to go near the snakes in case something happens Sir." yeah like me wanting to... she shook her head, "I know I was acting weird Professor, and I don't know why. I think I may..." she frowned, stopping in mid sentence.

There was something on Clarks robe. Something that appeared to be moving. Something that looked quite delicious to Ariana for some odd reason. She had this instinct to reach out with her hand and grab it, to eat it."Professor, is that a beetle on your robe Sir?" She asked out of nowhere, pointing to a small black object on the mans shoulder.

Sana got up and asked Prof. Fabian, "Professor, Can I touch the serpent, behind you?"

she giggled, "Nothing, just your shirt is wrongly buttoned, Finn" she said in a low tone.