Nathan Xavier
June 30, 2023 9:19 PM
Advanced: The Willow that Whomps by Nathan Xavier
Nathan stood outside of Greenhouse Two. The advanced class was the first Herbology class of the day, before the greenhouses started really heating up, so they'd been able to return to inside work much earlier than the beginners and intermediates, who both had afternoon classes. He had however, saved one study for a nice fall day, to get outdoors one last time before winter kicked in and nobody wanted to be outside anymore.Today was one of the nice ones, sunny, not too hot, not too cold, and a perfect day to be outside and enjoying the weather.
"Hello," he greeted each Advanced student individually as they arrived. "Go on in, but don't get too settled, we're taking a walk today." He had no homework to return as they were working on a longer paper for their current unit: Deadly Defensive Vegetation, which would be due next week, comparing and contrasting at least three different defense mechanisms plants could have. Once he had the full class, he marked down attendance and started the lesson. "Hello, everyone, today we are going to be visiting the Whomping Willow that we have growing on school grounds. We will be going into a restricted area of the gardens, so do stay together and don't get too close to the edges of the path, and don't touch any of the leaves." This precaution was mostly for an outbreak of poison ivy they were still trying to get under control in that area, but it was good advice generally for the restricted areas.
"As always, robes are optional in this class, and you can chose to leave them and your bags here, as we will be returning for the formal lecture about how to care for young trees, how to tend to its injuries, and which charms and enchantments can be used to get close to it without being harmed. In the meantime, let's get a first hand look at a real Whomping Willow. Bring your wands." He encouraged them toward the door and back out into the gardens.
As he led them through the labyrinth, he gave them a little background information and cautions about what they were about to see. "The Willow was planted here as a sapling about fifteen years ago," he said, remembering that it had been his second year as a professor. "It's a dangerous tree, so we put it in a restricted area of the labyrinth. Obviously, we don't want anyone stumbling upon it by mistake, but that does mean we have a bit of a hike to get to it." They walked for some minutes, Nathan getting each of the students to tell one fact they knew about Whomping Willows as they crossed the garden, until they came to a gate across a hedged arch. A sign warned "Authorized Personnel Only". He used a spell to unlock the gate, then pushed it open and encouraged them all to follow him through it. "Last one through, please close and latch the gate," he called out to the back of the group.
They walked several more minutes (Nathan looked back to make sure he hadn't lost anybody quite frequently, especially since Billy and Oz were in the class) and eventually they came to another gated arch, this one labelled "BEWARE OF WILLOW - Enter at your own risk". He unlocked and opened this one, too. This gate opened up into a large clearing, with an impressive looking willow tree growing in the center of it. It wasn't any older than any of the students here, but it had grown quite well over the course of Nathan's teaching career. He was rather fond of it.
"Stay along the side of the hedge," he advised as he waved his students inside. "Don't get too close to the tree."
"This," he said, once everyone could see what they were studying today, "is a Whomping Willow. As you know, they are . . . quite violent. They will attack anyone and anything that comes close enough to hit with its branches, and needs no provocation at all to do so. They are considered sentient, and they are quite rare, and quite restricted, as obviously, they should not be grown anywhere near any populated areas where people might get hurt, or even wilderness areas where non-magical people might stumble across them. They are most often cultivated as a means to keep people away from areas they should not be allowed to go. This one was grown for educational purposes."
"Today, you're going to see its defensive attacks in action. You should all be able to transfigure or charm an object to be able to move about under its branches. See if you can get your object to the tree's trunk." He handed out a rock to each student. "You will find smaller items will have an easier time of avoiding the branches, but feel free to charm or transfigure it into something larger for a full understanding of just how powerful this tree is. I have more rocks for anyone who needs them."
Subthreads: Nice tree, good tree by Iris Cobb
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Nathan Xavier
Advanced: The Willow that Whomps
28
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Iris Cobb
July 02, 2023 4:43 PM
Nice tree, good tree by Iris Cobb
Iris really, really didn't like having classes with Billy. That was fine though, after this year he would graduate and then… well, she didn't really know, but with luck he wouldn't be her problem any more. They could go their separate ways, if she could figure out a way to go. She wanted off the mountain, but it was the only place she knew and had any level of support. Anywhere else, she'd have nothing and know no one. Even if she stayed, she couldn't stay with her family, she would need to live isolated in the house. With the ghost.She arrived at class and greeted the Professor. Iris liked learning about the plants of the magical world, and this one was particularly interesting because if things went as she pictured they might, her brother may wind up in the hospital wing due to his own foolishness. Once they were ready to go, Iris kept her robes and made sure to have her wand.
Along the way she was sure to make sure she didn't touch anything as the professor had instructed. When asked for a fact about Whomping Willows along the way, she responded with the fact that they were considered sentient. An odd trait for a plant in her mind.
She had a few questions about the Willow, but it didn't seem like this was a question and answer time. Perhaps that would come later in the lecture back at the greenhouse. So Iris looked about for a small stone to levitate around the tree's branches. Upon finding one she brought it to her and looked at the tree to find a good place to send it.
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Iris Cobb
Nice tree, good tree
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