Theory of herbology lesson 1

Professor covert walked into the greenhouse, pointed his wand at the dusty blackboard in the corner by the compost pile and had it write:

"mandrakes.

-Caring for your growing mandrake
-time to reach maturity from a seed
-uses for a mandrake

"This class will be broken up into two parts. Theory and practicality." He said looking over the crowd. For this class time to begin our first lesson with the theory bit. Before we start our discussion on this, I want you to do some research on the mandrake, specifically," professor covert points to the board, "these three topics. Now, off you go young ones." Professor covert pulled a potted tentacula off of a bench, pulled out a copy of the daily prophet, and began to read.

Rachel wrote down her homework quickly and then she pulled her books in her bag. She needed to ask Professor Covert some questions. Rachel walked up to him. " Excuse me professor, i hope i do not interrupt your reading but i had a few questions." Rachel spoke as polite as she could, she didn't want to get into trouble and let her father hear about it.

"It's about a potion named Wiggenweld Potion. I'm brewing potions in my dad's classroom whenever i'm free and i wanted to make the potion but my father doesn't have the Moly and i saw it in the Herbology book so i thought you could help me with it. What does it look like and how can i use it in a potion?" Rachel fired the questions at him. She really wanted to know so she could make it for the healers in the hospital wing.

Professor covert looked up from the paper he was reading at Rachel and put on a small smile. "Such ambition you have for potions. Who is your father? Snape I'm guessing?" Professor covert set the paper on the floor next to his chair. "Let's make this a little learning experience for you." Professor covert stood up and went over to a small bookshelf and took off the standard textbook for the herbology class. He held it up and pointed at it and continued speaking. "If you saw this specific plant that you are looking for in your textbook, then you read it's description. I want you to go through the greenhouse and select a plant or two that you believe to be the plant you're looking for."

Rachel smiled and nodded at his guess who her father was. He was the first one who didn't make a comment about her and being a teacher's daughter which was very relaxing. She grabbed her bag and pulled out her textbook as well and opened it on the right page. She settled it down on the table and then she looked up to listen to him.

It was very interesting and Rachel was eager to start the search of the plant but as she was told she started to read the description of the Moly. After she read it, she left the book and searched for the plants. She stood for a difficult choice, those plants were still young. Rachel grabbed two plants and brought them to the table and settled them down and she walked back and grabbed another one and put them on the table next to the other ones. She looked at them and turned to her book. "It is such a difficult choice. I mean it is obviously a flower but they are not grown out. I think i come very close with these three plants." Rachel told the professor, agreeing with herself.

Professor covert looked at the three plants that Rachel had presented to him. " look for the pods that the flower will emerge from soon." professor covert said with a pondering tone. "only two of the three plants you have brought me will bloom into flowers, the third will have no flowers at all. out of those two that will bloom, one is the plant you are looking for, and the other is a common tulip." professor griffin told Rachel while gesturing to each of the three potted plants one at a time, each in turn. "now, tell me, which one of these will not give off a flower at all first. remember, look for the pod from which a flower will bud from."

Rachel listened carefully and looked at the pods of the plants, one at a time. She knew exactly which one would not bloom at all. She grabbed that plant and put it aside. She turned back to the other plants and looked carefully.

Rachel then put one aside as well and looked at the professor. "I think this one is the flower i need, i know that because the tullip is a common plant, i had them in my old classroom on my muggle school at home." Rachel explained to her professor. She liked his way of explaining things, she likes him as a teacher very much.

Professor covert smiled and scratched his chin before speaking. This girl is very smart he thought to himself. "Yes you are correct. This is indeed the flower you are looking for. However," professor covert paused to pick up the plant, "you must wait a few more days for it to be mature enough to bloom." He then handed the pot with the plant to Rachel

Rachel smiled as she had guessed it right. Professor Covert explained her that she had to wait a couple of days. "Okay, i can do that. So what should i do, i mean do i give it water or something special, does it need special care? Or do i find it in my book?" Rachel asked, she looked at the plant she got handed from him. She would like to take care of it.

"Just some water every day and plenty of sunshine." Professor covert explained. "Trim off the dead leaves as they appear and fertilize once every two or three days until it blooms" he continued on. "This isn't really a hard plant to care for. It will be a good little project for you."

Rachel wrote down the things the professor mentioned about the care for the plant. When she was done she looked up at smiled at him. "Yes, i think so too. I'm really excited about it and i will take good care of it, professor Covert."

Rachel packed her stuff in her bag and grabbed the pot with the plant carefully. "Thank you for letting me have this little project, professor Covert. I guess i'm going to make that homework you assigned."Rachel said to him.