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Post by Cashew Dumbledorable on Aug 3, 2007 3:47:52 GMT
Seeing that her work here was done, Cashew laughed heartily and slowed her spinning. "I hope that wasn't too much of a spectacle," she said demurely. Truth be told, Cashew had missed very much her work with the students and hoped she could still be of service to the school she so loved. Although Cashew's new collection of exquisite silver oysters, whom she had spent the last year coaxing along with the considerable volume of her undivided attention and love, would produce many a rare pearl for her campaign against debilitating skin rashes, the hogwarts healer could not help but feel nostalgic. Though she had no interest in abandoning even one of the numerous, oversized mollusks whom had become her charges of late, she hoped to again work with children. Surely the shiny fellows wouldn't mind? Perhaps they'd even like to help. The glowing philanthropist couldn't yet be sure but she decided to ask them as soon as she returned home. With that thought, and checking to see that no other student had been harmed, Cashew left the greenhouse with the light of her smile flashing behind her like an oddly comforting lightshow from the heavens themselves.
Only a very observant few noticed that a great many plants, upon seeing her leave, woke up and decided to grow legs in order to follow. Some, those more nervous about the prospect of a new life outside the greenhouse, took up their flower pots with them and scuttled like small, flowered hermit crabs from the building.
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Post by understanding on Aug 3, 2007 6:06:47 GMT
As a particularly earnest little bellberry bush darted past him, Oscar couldn't do much more than scratch at the back of his neck in surprise and still ashine with the Professor's assessment. "Well, if no one else is going to say it, I guess I will... that was weird. Extraordinarily beautiful, but still sort of weird." And hadn't it seemed so effortless? The table in front of him was spattered with the thin, highly reflective liquid which seemed to wink at him, throwing soft the sun that met its surface. Pulling off one of the work worn gloves, Oscar was not at all shocked to find that it was as the Professor had said, the texture of it warm and silky to the touch, clearly nourishing. In fact, its effects were made startlingly clear upon further examination of the hide glove in his hands. Wherever it had been stained, the tough leather had been rendered pliable and unnaturally soft for its age and make. Oscar knelt hastily to stow them in his intimidatingly deep satchel, having decided to save them to marvel at later.
"Oh no! She's leaving, hurry!" cried another little plant from outside the greenhouse.
Oscar straightened up, hoping he had been discreet. "The nurse did seem very nice" he remarked at last, the sound of the small herd's open adoration still plain to everyone present. Oscar stepped aside to let the curiously chipper l'Keitha pass, the dozing pirate suspended serenely above them both. He looked up in awe. Then turning toward Elijah conspiratorially, rubbing very vigorously the newly made lotion in to his hands and forearms, he whispered with barely controlled excitement. "Can you do things like that too?" Outside there was another wave of scurrying and little sighs of delight.
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Post by spaghetti231 on Aug 3, 2007 17:52:16 GMT
Zerrubabel was unconscious, caught in a dream world. Everything had felt so cold and crushing...He was on the icy sea, a sharp breeze cutting through his clothes. Ice and snow pelted his face, cutting him and tearing at his clothes. He stared into the darkness, trying to see the edge of the horizon and the shore that must be nearby. Then suddenly it all changed. The clouds cleared and the ship slowly rocked in the wake. Zerrubabel saw the shore just ahead of him, and he paddled to it in a small boat. There was a young girl in front of him, staring out to see, her hair blowing in the cool wind. She looked to be a few years older than him. Looking at himself, Zerrubabel noticed he was quite wet, his clothing still dripping from the storm that had ended so suddenly. He gave his most graceful bow to the girl, and she smiled at him... Zerrubabel woke up. He was cold and wet, but warming very quickly. It took him a few moments to remember what had happened. He looked up in time to see a small bush running out of the greenhouse, holding up its pot as if it were a pair of baggy trousers. Zerrubabel got to his feet warily, shifting his gave toward the front of the room to try to find the professor.
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Post by basilembry on Aug 3, 2007 18:02:26 GMT
The first year scurried into the greenhouse, his books and quills almost spilling out of his knapsack.
"Is... is this Charms?" he asked the room, panting. A quivering Flutterby Bush ran by, knocking the bewildered Gryffindor over. "Wotcher!" he snapped.
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Post by Prof. Eithne l'Keitha on Aug 3, 2007 18:10:45 GMT
"So, Mr. Jones, have a good nap?" the professor asked, her gaze piercing. "I suspect you will be feeling mightily refreshed and your skin greatly moisturized quite soon."
With some complicated maneuvers, Professor l'Keitha fired hot air from her wand, melting the remained bulbs and drying off the floor. "Looked like you had some dream there, Mr. Jones."
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Post by spaghetti231 on Aug 3, 2007 18:24:11 GMT
"Considering the circumstances, I am feeling quite alright. It was an awkward experience, to say the least. It seems to happen a lot when I am around you in the greenhouse," said Zerrubabel to the professor. "As far as the dream is concerned, it was a version of some raid that my father carried out years ago. We had been sailing around the west coast of Ireland when we made an attack on a small village on Inis Oirr. I had rowed to shore first to see if there were any inhabitants, and I met this young girl. I am having trouble remembering her name. She didn't take to kindly to me when she found out I had a group of savage pirates in tow, but i managed to convince her to hide in some rocky outcroppings so she wouldn't be harmed. Never knew what happened to her..." he said, trailing off into silence. He smiled at the professor and apologized for his raucous behavior, yet again, in herbology.
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Post by Prof. Eithne l'Keitha on Aug 3, 2007 18:32:16 GMT
If the professor's tightened lips had gotten any smaller, they would have disappeared. Crossing her arms, hands still gloved, she stared at Zerrubabel. "Inis Óirr?" she asked in a mockingly light tone. "Young girl?"
"I'll have you know, I was - and am - still a good seven years your senior!" she gritted. The umbrella sized flowers on the greenhouse ceiling simultaneously snapped shut into tight green buds the size of a football. Some plants that had just made it to the door stopped dead in their tracks and disappeared beneath the soil in their pots.
"So YOU were that cocky little rogue! 'Oh, m'lady, permit me to greet you - 'tis a fine afternoon... for pirating!'" she continued, mimicking Zerrubabel's pre-pubescent tone. "The nerve! Whatever happened to me? I hexed nearly half your unsuspecting crew! Thought Inis Óirr was full of simple muggle folk..."
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Post by spaghetti231 on Aug 3, 2007 18:40:06 GMT
Well if my luck isn't going to be good, at least it is consistent. Thought Zerrubabel. There really wasn't a whole lot he could say at this point. "Ummm...er...well...sorry. We had to make a living somehow I guess, and it wasn't my idea. I had to serve three years with my father so I could go to school, then four more after my third year. One year of service, one year of school. I didn't have much of a choice. For what it's worth, it wasn't personal." Zerrubabel was extremely sorry, and he looked it. Now he remembered why the professor had stuck out in his mind when he came to school, there had been something he couldn't place about her. At least that part of the puzzle was figured out. He was surely to receive a detention now...maybe he should hold off on killing her monster plant. Zerrubabel continued to apologize, but had a feeling it was all in vain. He looked to the professor for her reply.
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Post by basilembry on Aug 3, 2007 18:52:43 GMT
Basil looked at the enraged professor, then to the oddly dressed student dripping with pearly water. With a squeak he scurried out of the greenhouse, leaving a trail of owl treats and parchment scraps falling from his bag.
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Post by Prof. Eithne l'Keitha on Aug 3, 2007 19:15:56 GMT
"You attacked my village!" Professor l'Keitha exclaimed. "I mean, how am I supposed to feel about that? You pillaged and plundered us!" ~~~~~~~~~ It had been years since she was back on Inis Óirr, but she remembered the day vividly. Her father, a muggle fisherman, was out on the water, when the ships came bearing Jolly Roger flags enchanted to move and speak. "Arrrr! Land ho!" the skulls had said. "Thar be the Treasure. The Treasure!" Eithne's father had no ides what was going on and was trying to row back to shore as quickly as possible.
When the wizarding pirates came ashore, shouting things in German or some Slavic language that Eithne didn't understand, they headed straight passed her cottage. Only fifteen at the time, she was hotheaded and impulsive, throwing hexes at the men who rushed passed, unaware that there were at least two witches on the island.
"Enny, Enny! Give me that!" her mother had shouted at her, grabbing the wand away and apparating the two of them to a cliff on the other side of the coast.
~~~~~~~ "What were you looking for?" the professor asked Zerrubabel suddenly, more confused than angry.
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Post by spaghetti231 on Aug 3, 2007 19:29:13 GMT
Zerrubabel shrugged. "We were after gold I expect, that's all we were usually after. I'm really sorry professor, I mean, I really couldn't have had that kind of foresight. You know?" Zerrubabel gave a weak smile, "If there is anything I can do to repay you, or make amends, please tell me."
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Post by loony on Aug 4, 2007 0:07:10 GMT
"Did you know that pirates actually eat the gold they plunder?"
Luna had been sitting in the back of the green house silently. At the start of the argument she had settled down with a deep breath and taken out a book to read. The statement was delivered from over the book, which of course was upside down.
She closed the book, at the odd glances she was getting from people. Luna starred right back with her foggy glance of silver eyes. "It is a common misconception that they bury their treasure. But why would you bury something so rich in vitamin C?" Luna said. "It helps keep away the flying Pockmonks that cause Scurvy."
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Post by Prof. Eithne l'Keitha on Aug 4, 2007 1:35:06 GMT
"Too much Vitamin C can wear down the enamel of one's teeth as well as cause diarrhea or kidney stones," the professor said pointedly without bothering to find out who had made the absurdly ill-informed declaration. "Anyway - Mr. Jones, I would not be so sentimental or irrational as to hold you accountable for the past. In fact, I do recall your trying to warn me about the impending attack - quite chivalrous of you really, though nearsighted to assume I was a muggle lass."
She turned to her class. "Well, now that our lesson has melted into the earth, what shall we learn next?"
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Post by understanding on Aug 4, 2007 2:11:43 GMT
What was a flying pockmonk?, Oscar wondered to himself sadly, too startled by the girl's interjection to catch much else of what she had said. There was still so much he was ignorant of here and how could he ever catch up? His whole lifetime of airports and fancy bottles of seltzer water had never seemed more irrelevant.
He turned back toward the Professor who, despite the last five minute's sudden revelations, was standing again at the head of the class, the very picture of cool composure and expertise. Hoping this would not come too close to home, Oscar began again, "What are some notable plants native to Ireland? Are there many so temperamental as the Gelidus Verre?" Someday, he hoped to be so collected as that.
Just out of sight, he gripped his barely used wand and felt within it the comforting suggestion of unlimited possibility.
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Post by spaghetti231 on Aug 4, 2007 5:30:27 GMT
Very relieved that he would not be held accountable for his past actions, Zerrubabel eased back into his chair, a sigh of relief escaping his now moisturized lips. He allowed himself to simply go limp for a few moments, resting his eyes as he thought about the last few moments. He then sat upright and picked up his book, using the index to find a section on plants native to Ireland. What a strange day it had been, but to be honest, a normal one at Hogwarts. He glanced back at the greenhouse door, seeing a few of the plants that had scampered after his healer slowly returning. They looked downtrodden, apparently they had not caught up with the radiant and bright eyed Ms. Cashew. Beggars can't be choosers he thought to himself with a smile. Now that he knew that professor l'Keitha was indeed the young girl he had met over a decade ago, it only heightened his admiration for her, as well as her intrigue.
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