Taylor leaned against the front gate. She messed with a vial, thinking of who to ask. Tay glanced around and sat down, waiting to meet up with her brother... maybe he would do it.

Maxwell walked down the the gate, he agreed to meet Taylor here, she needed help for potions...he was awful at potions, why would she ask him for help of all people. "Hey, Tay.." He said walking up to her. "What can i do?"

Tay hugged her brother, "Hey." She held up her vial pf truth serum, "Can you take this truth serum and let me ask you a question? It is strictily for class." Taylor gave him a puppydog look, "Pleeeeaaaaseee, Max?"

Maxwell hugged her back and then sighed. "Sure....as long as you don't ask me anything too weird..." He said hoping this worked the right way..

Tay smiled, "Thanks... you are the best!" She hugged him and kissed his cheek. Taylor held the vial out to him. "What should I ask you?"

Maxwell laughed. "Yeah, i know...i'm awesome.." He said and took the vial..I don't know something you don't think i've been truthful about...but nothing too embarrassing...okay?" He asked taking the potion.

Tay nodded, "Okay." She watched him take the vial. "Ummmm okay let's see... what do you really think about our parents getting married and do you still have harsh feelings against me?" Taylor figured that he had been truthful about it but she just wanted to know for sure.

Maxwell felt strange, he wasn't sure if he liked this feeling. And then she asked him a question, he was compelled to answer as honestly as possible. "Mom and Dad...I'm happy for them, they're perfect for each other and Dad's happy so that all that matters, plus we have Alice out of it.." He said and then shook his head, but he didn't feel like he was the one shaking it. "No, no harsh feelings....i think sometimes you're foolish and you don't ever listen when i'm trying to help you but...that's all...you're my sister and i love you."

Tay couldnt help but chuckle and smiled. She hugged him, "Love ya too, bro. Thanks for helping me with my homework." Taylor smiled at him and slipped the empty vial into her bag as she jolted down notes for Lafay.

A thin tendril found itself inching along the grounds, careful to avoid any mishaps from students stepping it....

.... slowly inching up toward the winged boar....

With the other two professors and the students in tow, Sophia marched her way out unto the ground and towards the entrance gates, wand at the ready. She couldn't believe her heart was pounding this hard over a plant..a bloody plant!

Even though this one plant could hardly even be classified as normal, it did eat a professor after all.

Her eyes combed the ground for any suspicious looking plant. Nothing....until a rustling plant caused her to shoot a reducto charm at it, blowing the plant to bits....

Just a normal plant...man, she needed to hold her nerves together. She was about to suggest going back inside when a tendril caught her eyes..a moving tendril.

"Professors I think I see something!" She raised her wand to blast the thing but then she remembered the Astro professor..blasting was perhaps not the best thing to do.

Isabel made careful almost soundless steps behind the professor.At any moment the plant could up and decide to make a meal out of any one of them.

Deciding that it would probably be a good idea to get out her wand ,even though she was still in her first year she could still use the wand for physical defense.

Grabbing her wand out of her boots,she scans her surroundings it looked clear.she couldnt wait to go home and tell her brothers about this

Why was the Professor moving so quickly? Didn't she know that the child had short legs and couldn't go as fast? It was a good thing she didn't have a problem keeping up with the others or she might have been left a sitting duck; you know, the one kid in the back that gets grabbed and no one seems to notice. Poor kid....that was usually the one that had a bright future ahead.

On the whole walk she kept her eyes glued to the floor. The plant would most likely be there . It had a knack for latching on to people by the ankle and she was trying to catch it in the act. If she could spot it then she could go all Gryffindor on it or something; teach it a lesson for taking Millie and Professor Burbage. The bloody thing was just lucky it didn't touch Felix or she would have seriouly put a hurtin' on it!

She looked up when the Professor said she saw something. GASP. "THAT'S THE PLANT!!!" She'd never forget a thing that hit her in the face and stole the wombat!!. She got up next to the Professor as she gawked at the single tendril that was making its way towards the winged boars.

Surely it didn't think it could eat that too. "Where do you think the rest of it is...?" And how soon could they torch it?

Okay, yes, front gate was just as good. They could do the other floors afterwards.

As Sophia had taken charge and rushed off, Isabelle ushered the kids along and stayed behind them, just in case anything snuck up that way. With her wand out, and taking the occasional glance backwards, she strode along trying to keep up with her colleague. Although she was slightly glad she was a bit far back, especially when a plant went kablooee thanks to a spell from the Charms Professor.

Jumping a bit, Issy, she gripped her wand tighter and her eyes darted towards something moving along the ground. Just as she was about to mention it, Sophia spotted it to, and Alexa felt the need to shout at the top of her lungs. So that was the plant. And it was going. Ohhh no. "It's heading towards the winged boar," Issy hissed, moving a bit closer, but keeping all the kids within sight. "I don't know, Alexa, but if there is a chance Professor Burbage is alive, we can't risk angering it. Clearly it's a meat eater..." It wouldn't just take a wombat and human for fun now, would it?

The boar was so close, did it taste as good as the Abraxan did?

The tendril of the Umbrella Vinora was reaching just at the hind end of the creature/statue and was uncurling a rather deadly looking vine when Professors and children came close to the Gate. The tendril shot back into it's rolled up original form and retreated from the area.

Fleshing eating, huh? Then wasn't it official? Burbage was most likely eaten and when she thought about it so was Millie. This thing didn't deserve them to be nice to it!!! But the Professor would know best she supposed...even if she thought it didn't matter any more. Right. So no hurting the plant. "Shouldn't we at least find a way to make sure it doesn't leave--it has a habit of disappearing."

Then as if the plant heard that last statement of hers it just shot back and disappeared.

NUUUUU!!!

"Quick! We have to follow it before it gets too far!!!!" Lex was already bouncing, just itching to bolt after the thing. She would have too but then the Professors might not have appreciated her leading the search...

Come on, come on, come on! Off to burn the plant!

Cassia followed the professors and Alexa to the front gate. She wasn't really thinking that they'd find anything. She just volunteered to go and wander around and see how searching is done. Maybe have fun with Lex too. However, the moment they neared the gate professor Belliar said that she saw something and Magnusand Lex assured that. Cassia felt her heart skipping real fast. She didn't think that they'd acyually find the thing that EASILY!

"What do we do now?!" Cassia said and she was surprised that her voice wasn't shaking or anything. It was level and normal. From where did she gain this courage. Maybe from Lex? She took a step closer to the lioness.

Then the plant looked like it's leaving or something. Cassia nodded at Lex and then turned to the Professors. "Shouldn't we follow it! We can run fast!" She said taking one step forwards but not taking another until the Professors gave them a permission to follow this thing. She also took out her wand and enclosed her fingers aruond it, "We can use our wands right?" She said and now she felt her voice shaking from excitement and a bit of fear. She had no idea what spels she'd use.

Isabel stopped looking around and turned to the other slytherin that had said the most outrageous thing.
Don't be daff or worse be a gryffindor you know nothing about this thing and i doubt you could do anything to stop it even if you caught up to it.so be quiet and stay with the professors Isabel could hardly believe the girl was in slytherin she certainly didn't sound it.maybe it had to do with that Alexa girl she was nothing but trouble.Isabel turned around and whatever it was it was clearly fatal and there was nothing any first or second year could do it before being another victim on its hit parade

Cassia was so excited and ready to be told to take off after the plant until someone spoke. Cassia glanced at the other girl in the searching group and frowned. Did this girl just talk like that to Cassia. "Excuse me..Firstie.." She said lowering her wand. "I happen to be one year older than you meaning I know more than you." She said proudly. "And I am NOT a Gryffindor!" She gasped at that. Oh wait Lex who happens to be a lioness was standing right next to her. Cassia glanced at Lex and sent her an apologetic look meaning no offence,we're still friends.

"So don't worry I can handle myself and watch out when there's danger." She said waving her hand dismissively at the younger girl. "In fact you could hide behind me if anything bad occurred." She lied. And was hoping that the girl wouldn't actually believe because Cassia was only saying this to look brave and courageous. Did it work? Hopefully. Though the second-year was likely to flee whenever her life turned out to be at risk. She surely wasn't going to risk her own self for the sake of an old Professor and a plant. Alexa was more likely to do so considering she is a Gryffindor and all. The Slytherin was here out of curiousity and because it was cool to join searching parties. Nice story to tell to the coming firsties next term. Mhhmm...


Turning back at the Professors Cassia said urgently. "So do we run after the plant or NOT!" She said shifting her weight from feet to feet. She so shouldn't have eaten candy before coming here. Sugar was not so good for her.

Cassia was thinking just like her! They needed to go find that plant and stop it before it got to anyone else! It had gone too far now and she was worried about the safety of the kneazle she'd so brazenly left in the Great Hall. She looked to the girl for a moment, hardly able to contain herself.

But then...

Lex eyed the other Slytherin girl that had joined their party. She remembered her from that day in Diagon Alley and then when she followed them up the front of the train. Her eyes narrowed at the girl. "And just what is that supposed to mean you spineless, miserable excuse for a person? There is NOTHING wrong with being a Gryffindor--Daring, nerve and chivalry all sound better than what you have." Don't go dissing Gryffies; the last she checked a lion could tear a snake apart in second if it wanted to. This girl had some nerve.

Her attention jumped back to Cassia when she gave her own response and needless to say she was offended. Yet another person hinting that being a Gryffindor could be compared to contracting the plague or something. Ugh!

Wait...apologetic look received. Okay. So maybe Cassia was just trying to prove a point; a point she didn't appreciate very much mind you but Lex would let it slide because it helped her tell of that ruuude snake who felt she was better than anyone else. Her eyes widened at Cassia's offer. "Well you can't hide behind me! I'd happily feed you to the plant!" She would. The girl deserved it.

Aaaaannnd back to waiting on a response.

Isabel smirked to herself it seemed she had ruffle the gryffindors feathers.common mistake of all you gryffindors you seem to think throwing yourselves head first into a dangerous situation without thinking means your daring as you say or have nerve.do not make the mistake of confusing chivalry with stupidity.whats wrong with being a gryffindor? EVERYTHING.

Now for the next one,Isabel sent a condescending look over to the 'slytherin' As for you what exactly could you do to the plant before it gets the chance to wrap its tendrils around you ? nothing.yes your older than i am but your in the same position,there would be no point in hiding in behind you.odds are you would go running back to the castle with your tail between your legs the minute you even see the plant

It was a rare occurrence but rare occurrences did happen from time to time..but Professor Bellaire agreed with Alexa. They definitely needed to keep up with this plant and standing around gawking at it while it disappeared wasn't helping them with that fete.

"You're right Miss Cambridge, we'll follow it. All you students stay behind me and in front of Professor Magnus." There would be no picking them off one by one on her watch.

Wand at the ready, Sophia charged off behind the retreating plant but then she stopped studenly and turned to glare at the two students bickering behind her.

"If you two don't cut this out right now I will feed you to the Vinora as bate. At least you'll be some use then."

Right back to running.. follow the tentacles!

Oh, bicker, bicker, bicker. Was that all these children could do? They were on the hunt of a man-eating plant, and they stopped to discuss the merits of being a Gryffindor. It was entirely unhelpful.

"If you three don't shut up and get moving, as Professor Bellaire has asked us to do, I will let her feed you to the plant." Although she wouldn't really. But they didn't know that. The accompanying glare she gave the girls was hopefully enough to convince them she meant it.

"Go, move, mush, shift it." Issy ushered them off after the Charms Professor with a wave of her free hand - wand still in the other in case the tendril came back to attack them. To the greenhouses!

Cassia was so flattered when Lex stepped in and stood up to her against that other Slytherin firstie. Though the second-year never imagined herself teaming up with a student from a different house against a fellow house-mate. But it turned out that indeed not all Slytherins were nice and cool. Cassia made a mental note of agreeing with Serenity about this because they had argued about this before.

So she stood there her arms crossed over her chest triumphantly while Lex took the responsibility of dealing with that girl. And Cassia had to give it to Lex, the girl knew how to make people shut up! Mental note to have Lex teach her some techniques because she actually was standing there not so cool. Then Alexa started listing her houses features which Cassia couldn't understand most of them but she wasn't gonna ask. She nodded absent-mindedly until the Lions-lecture was over. Then back at the other firstie. "Oh you'd be surprised of what I could do when that thing gets near me." Cassia lied putting her best effort in this certain lie. "And I changed my mind..You can't hide behind me when something bad happens." She said tipping her chin up. "I'll be busy making sure Lex is all safe and all." Ehhh..She'll try save professors if she remembers anyway.

Cassia then turned to the professors who started shooting threats. Her eyes winded hearing that and decided to drop it for now. UNLESS the girl insulted her or underestimated her.

"Okay we shall go." She said obediently. After all the Professors are the real people who are going to save her if anything bad really happens.

And she followed the group to one of her least favorite places. THE GREENHOUSES.