Popping out Plants

Annie and Kerry hurried to the Charms Center, hoping to catch Professor Douglas. They entered the long rectangular room and saw all the desks had been arranged as before, pushed up against the sides. This time in the center of the classroom was a long wooden table, on top of which a rainbow of brightly colored feathers sat.

A few fourth years were practicing Depulso, while others were trying their hand at Accio. Feathers are probably a good idea to start practicing those spells with, Annie thought, as she looked around the classroom for their professor.

"Do you think she's here?" Annie asked, not sure if she was somewhere in the room or at lunch.

"Well, we could look around," Kerry said. "I don't remember seeing where her office was on the Atrium Directory." He watched the students with the feathers in the room. "What are they doing?" he asked. Kerry tried hard to visualize the directory . . . it was right there . . ..

And then he saw it. "Her office is here," he said. "So if she's going to be anywhere, it's here."

“It a summoning charm and its counter, the banishing charm. Both charms are very useful for getting things that are too far to reach or for sending things away.

“I’ve seen my father use it a few times for a new broom while out on the pitch.” They made their way past the students and to the Professor’s office door where Annie knocked three times.

Wednesday heard the knocking and assumed one of the students blew up another feather.

"Come in," she yelled, picking up a huge bag of feathers from the floor beside her and plopping them down on her desk.

"This time, take a few extra..." She stopped when she saw the two first years walk in. "Oh," she smiled at them both and stood. "Well, you two won't be needing feathers for a while. What can I do for you both?"

Smiling at the thought of getting some feathers to play with, Kerry said, "Sorry to bother you, Professor Douglas, but we were wondering if you might be able to help.

"We have an assignment in herbology, and we were wondering if . . ." He thought about what they did the other day, then asked, "Orchideous could be used to create Fire Seed Bushes." He shuffled his foot just a little. "And if so, could you help us with a place where we could conjure them?"

Wednesday blinked at the boy. Holoc had been giving that same lesson to his first years for the past three years and in that time—only three others had come to her with the same request.

A slow smile spread across her lips. “You know,” she said, crossing in front of her desk to join them at the door. “I believe you two might be on to something. Follow me.”

She left her office and took them back out the way they had come. Leaving the classroom, they walked down several hallways until they reached an archway with a gold plaque labeled, TO DUNGEON, mounted above.

“This way, students,” she said, descending the staircase rapidly. The room was dank; stale air hung heavy. Wednesday got to work lighting the torches and motioned them to follow her.

She walked further still, leading the pair about twelve meters east when the vastness of the dungeon broke up into a series of specialized rooms. Wednesday took her wand out and unlocked one of the rooms.

“This room is dedicated to practicing spells that utilize fire. While inside, you will not be able to set anything alight, except your Fire Seed Bush…should you both manage to produce one.” She smiled at both of them and ushered them both inside.

The small room was chilly. Two bare bulbs hung in the center. Other than that, white walls and a pitched ceiling were the only interesting things to look at. Once they were all inside, Wednesday closed the door.
She flicked her wand once at the wall and instantly a diagram for the spell they would need appeared before them.

“Now, in order to create fire,” she flicked her wand once more and another diagram appeared next to the first. “Incendio must be used. It is a second year spell, but most first years are usually able to produce enough fire to make a small flame.”

She looked at both students and smiled. “I’m thrilled you two are so eager to try your hand at this. I always say, you’ll never know unless you try. Anyway, do you guys have any questions for me before I run back up to the fourth years blowing up my feathers?”

Shaking his head, Kerry said, "No, Professor." He reached into his backpack for his wand. "You've been a great help."

Wednesday winked at the boy. “Ok, then,” she said, opening the door. “You have an hour. I hope you both remember how to unlock a door. If you finish before your time is up, please come to my office before leaving and let me know. If I haven’t seen you both by the end of the hour, I will be down to collect you both.

“Good luck.” She pointed her wand at the lock on the door. “Alohamora,” she said clearly and quietly, she slipped out.

Kerry had the wand in his hand and was stepping to one side of the room. If I do this right, he thought, a big old burning bush is going to come out . . . no, that was wrong. The bush would come out, but they would have to set it aflame, if what they read in the book was correct.

"So we create a bush and then light it up," he said. Kerry felt the excitement filling him again. No pressure to do this other than they had an hour to create a bush--or two--and burn them. And then unlock the door and leave.

He looked over the Incendio charm first, hoping to get it right in his mind before creating the bush. Might need to flame this right away, so it would help to know it. There wasn't much to practice on--but that was what the bushes would be for.

"Let's give it a shot," he told Annie, then held the wand out and chanted, "Orchideous."






Kerry Malibey carried out 1 launched of one (D100.) :

99

With the large bush erupting from his wand and dropping to the floor Kerry had to suppress the urge to laugh. He thought he might have to give the charm a couple of shots to make it work this time, but, no: as with the other three times he produced flowers--or, in this case, a pretty big bush, he thought as he moved it to the corner of the room.

Now this would be a little more difficult; they'd never used this charm--but it's only the first week! He had to keep reminding himself of that. As he stepped back about a meter, he looked to Annie and said, "Lets see what happens," then did his wand movement and said, "Incendio!"






Kerry Malibey carried out 1 launched of one (D100.) :

84

Annie watched, open mouthed, as Kerry breezed through both the Orchideous and the Incendio charms. He made it look so simple that suddenly, she was dying to try it too.

“My turn,” she said, pointing her wand away from Kerry. She imagined the bush in her mind, its delicate fingerlike red petals poking out in small clusters. Perfect and petite green leaves arranged around each.

Finally, she was ready to try. “Orchideos…”

Annie Krum carried out 1 launched of one (D100.) :

22

When nothing happened, Annie giggled. She looked over at Kerry and poked her tongue out at him. "I guess we can both rule out me producing the flowers at our wedding."

She laughed and held her wand out once again. "Orchideous."

Annie Krum carried out 1 launched of one (D100.) :

59

Annie watched as a few leaves flew out from the end of her wand. Encouraged, she tried once again.

She held her wand a bit higher and spoke the incantation, "Orchideous."

Annie Krum carried out 1 launched of one (D100.) :

99

Annie jumped back as a perfectly formed Fire Seed Bush emerged from the end of her wand. She looked over at Kerry, stunned. "I did it."

She stepped up to the bush and felt the dainty flowers. "It seems a shame to set it on fire," she said and then stepped back and aimed her wand at the bush.

"Incendio ..."

Annie Krum carried out 1 launched of one (D100.) :

35

A few sparks came sputtering out of the end of her wand, but her Fire Seed Bush remained unlit. She turned to Kerry and smiled. "Do you suppose that means I'm not hot enough?"

She pointed her wand back at the beautiful bush and giggled. "Incendio."

Annie Krum carried out 1 launched of one (D100.) :

45

Once more her wand produced a few sparks before fizzling out. She looked over the chart once again, adjusted her wand height and sent the spell hurtling at the bush in front of her.

Annie Krum carried out 1 launched of one (D100.) :

52

Again, the tip of Annie's wand shot out a few sparks and nothing more. She felt her cheeks begin to flush, despite the cold temperature of the room. She focused all her energy into the center of her body, flames burning behind her eyes.

She stared down the bush and imagined the exquisite petals engulfed in a roaring orange glow.

"Incendio."

Kerry watched Annie try to start the flame--and have no luck. He didn't know if he should say this, but . . . "Annie, just a thought--" He looked down for a moment, wondering how to put this. "What would happen if you try pulling on your, um . . . 'dark witch', um . . . powers."

He felt his cheeks flush the moment the last words left his mouth. Jeez, I make her sound like she's an X-Man! But he thought it just might be what she needs. "Would that help?"

Annie could barely hear what Kerry was saying. Her heartbeat quickened and she started to sweat. She took a step back from the enemy and squared her shoulders. Something else took over as she raised her wand and hurled the spell across the room.

"Incendio," she said, her voice echoing back at her from the bare walls.

Annie Krum carried out 1 launched of one (D100.) :

82

Annie Krum carried out 1 launched of one (D20.) :

14

A few seconds after Kerry made his suggestion he saw something come across Annie's face. It wasn't like her face suddenly sunk into shadow and only burning red eyes poked out, but there was a subtle change he'd never seen before. Annie wasn't mad or pissed or upset--

But she was definitely channeling something.

And as soon as she uttered, "Incendio," fire shot from her wand and ignited the bush. And it was a heck of a lot more fire than he'd done; it was almost like someone flipped on a small flamethrower and shot it off.

There was a feel in the room. Something just a touch off. Something he'd felt before--

Something he'd felt after getting hit that second time with a Killing Curse.

"Great job, Annie," he said, smiling as he walked over to her and took her shoulders. He was happy they did this--and it also made him realize, a little in part, what Annie had been trying to tell him about her prior endeavors into Dark Magic--

Yeah, I got the Dark Phoenix for a girlfriend, he thought. At least I'm not a douche like Scott.

Staring wide eyed as the bush erupted into flames, Annie felt a peculiar combination of exquisite pleasure and complete panic watching the flames lick the petals of the bush. She collapsed into Kerry’s arms and hugged him fiercely.

“I’m not sure exactly what just happened, Kerry,” she whispered.

"Um, well . . ." How to put this so she doesn't freak out? "You reached down inside and pulled off the spell." He held onto Annie tightly, feeling her warm against his body, even though the rooms was starting to feel a little on the toasty side.

"Maybe we should go see if we can figure out how to gather the seeds on these things," he said. "I don't know we can move these. Unless the professor lets us keep them here."

Annie stayed where she was, clinging to Kerry until she was calm enough to reply.

“We can’t touch the plants or harvest the seeds while they are in this state,” she said softly. “The book says we need to cool it with the Glacius Charm.” Annie stared up at Kerry. “I don’t know how to perform the Glacius Charm. What should we do?”

"Well . . ." Kerry wasn't real sure about this, but . . . "This is the Charms Building, so I'm guessing that there are probably books on that." He hugged Annie as he led her towards the door. "There's probably some books up top. If not, we can take the tunnels back to the Great Hall and check out something in the Library."

He hesitated before opening the door, then figured it would be best to open it himself as he had an arm full. "After you," he said as the door unlocked.