Hallie's POV
Me and Shelby waved goodbye to Blair as she headed towards Transfiguration. We were heading to Herbology with Ibis. "That teacher was cute" I smirked at Shelby who rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, whatever. Blair seemed determined to piss him off." She said, laughing slightly.
"Oh, she didn't tell you? It's her goal to see how far she can push the teachers." I shrugged. It was typical of Blair to push her luck. I walked into the Herbology greenhouse and looked around. The room was magically arranged so that we would be sitting on large pillows in the middle of the room surrounded by plants. Me and Shelby took our seats, sitting crosslegged side by side. We sat chatting for a bit until our teacher walked in.
"First things first, this class is not for the squeamish, or faint minded! Plants can be dangerous beings, and in this class, they will be treated as such." She said. She was a tall dark skinned lady with her black hair up in a bun. "My name is professor Tatiana Fay, you can call me professor Fay. Herbology is the study, along with the use, of both mundane and magical plants. These may be for medicinal purposes, protective purposes, or purely educational are many uses for the knowledge one gains from the study of plants. It is important to be able to tell the difference between elder and holly, for example, when one is assessing the aptness of a wizard in spells of particular nature. Recognizing the wood of a wand can greatly impact the spell one chooses to use in a duel. Confuse a Lesser Celandine and a Marsh-marigold, and instead of curing constipation, one will be put into a very deep sleep." The class laughed and professor Fay smiled. "Each herb, fungi, tree, and flower, whether magical or "mundane" has a unique personality and gift, rather like each and every one of you. Respect the plants, and they will respect you." She said, walking to the front of the class where she had stuff laid out on a desk. With a wave of her wand, we all had clipboards, parchment, and a quill. "Now is when I recommend you start taking notes. Were going to start with the basic materials needed for Herbology, all of you should already have these as they were on your list. The first set of equipment that will be discussed is that which is for your own protection: Dragon-Hide Gloves, Earmuffs, and a Wand... The second set of equipment regards to the caring for plants and consists of Dragon Dung, Mooncalf Dung, and Centaur Tears. Protective equipment is vital when working with plants. As most of you surely heard as a child, "stinging nettle never fear, wear gloves when exploring the environment here." Some of you would have followed the warnings; however, others of you would have been stung, and someone would have placed a dittany on the wound. While I recommend a large supply of dittany, please take care to remember protective equipment. When working on a lab, it is also advised that you wear closed toe shoes, an apron, gloves, and sometimes a mask if fumes/scents noted to be dangerous. Over thirty thousand witches and wizards have had preventable accidents in the past year, and 81% of those mishaps involved forgetting/neglecting to put on Dragon-Hide Gloves. Of those incidents, 21% resulted in irrevocable damage.
Sometimes, common sense is the best tool under your belt as you deal with plants. Be calm in the face of all situations, as panicking has never helped anyone. Keep a cool head and this class will go smoothly for you." The only sound around me was the sound of students feverishly writing notes. "Let's talk about our equipment. Dragon Dung, retrieved from the stool of any fire-breathing dragon, can be used as a fertilizer for soil, as well as for compost in order to make a more organic fertilizer. The reason that Dragon dung works so well in breaking materials down relates to the acids found in dragon stomachs. These acids break all materials down to their most natural state (necessary for dragons that digest and consume a very wide variety of organic and inorganic substances). Another quality unique to dragon dung is that it is scentless, and will thus bother neither you nor the plant. The lack of scent found in dragon dung is reputedly due to the fact that the dragons use all odorous gasses in the production of their fire, although dragon keepers have never confirmed this as fact. Mooncalf Dung is also used as a fertilizer. As a gentler option, Mooncalf dung is preferred for the planting and care of more sensitive the other hand, Mooncalf dung does not have the strength and power of Dragon Dung. If the soil is worn down or does not have much of a vitamin content, to begin with, Mooncalf dung may not be powerful enough to contribute to what the plant requires to grow in a healthy manner. Centaur Tears are a favorite drink for most plants, which is why you will find healthy plants in abundance near any Centaur's dwelling place. More vitamin-rich than regular water, Centaur tears are capable of reviving a plant moments from death. While Centaur tears are a healthy watering option, some plants find them toxic. Never water a plant which grows in salt water with Centaur tears. ADDITIONALLY, it is important to note the controversy of ethics behind Centaur tears. Centaurs are known for their connection to astrology, especially when it comes to gazing at planets. These "beasts" as classified by the Ministry, are actually of above human intelligence. They take great care of the forests and lands in which they dwell, using their tears to care for the nature surrounding them. It is rare, but some very special people have been noted to form bonds with some Centaurs, notably Albus Dumbledore and Rubeus Hagrid. Such persons have been able to collect tears with the consent of the Centaurs, with the agreement that all the tears will be used for the betterment of plants. Due to the rarity of this, some witches and wizards will go out and try to obtain Centaur tears by means of stealth. Ministry laws protect Centaurs, but it is common knowledge among Herbologists that some sources are not as reputable as others to obtain Centaur tears from. These ethical issues are still being debated in the wizarding world, and how to handle the problem.