welcome to chimera!

Herbology is defined as the study of both magical and non-magical (known as "mundane") plants and fungi. The course is mandatory until fifth year, when it can either be dropped or continued at NEWT level; the latter, of course, requires one to achieve at least an E on their OWLS. In this class, students learn to care for plants that are grown and kept in the greenhouses, and to make use of their petals, pollen, sap, or roots; many plants, when harvested or concocted into potions properly, have medicinal properties. Some, of course, have magical effects in their own right, completely without human manipulation. Classwork also gives students the opportunity to learn about their magical properties in depth, and what they are used for -- or, on the other hand, just what to look out for. Students are required to bring dragonhide gloves and their wand to every lesson -- as well as their book, of course.




first through third year

These years are used as an introduction to Herbology, and involve learning about the various types of plants there are around Britain. While first year is almost entirely comprised of lecturing, the latter two are a bit more hands on -- though many students would still call them terribly boring. These include miniature field studies, during which students are expected to identify the mainly mundane plants across the grounds, as well as a few of the tamer magical ones. The students even have the opportunity to examine a few of the more dangerous magical plants up close, repotting or watering -- under the supervision of Professor Beery, of course. However, these years are comprised mostly of class work.

fourth year

This marks the first year that students are allowed (and even encouraged) to conduct extracurricular projects, given upon request. The lessons are mostly comprised of how to safely and effectively harvest parts of magical plants, and even include a fair bit of spell work. It is this year that Potions and Herbology begin to share a few common themes and chapters, culminating to a group-project that both professors will be giving them individual grades on toward the end of the term.

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fifth year

Mainly spent revisiting the previous four years, this is essentially a term spent preparing the students for their impending OWL exams at the end of the year. They also work almost exclusively with dangerous plants, mostly native to Britain and found commonly around Europe. As part of their OWL exam, they must sit a written exam as well as work practically with a wide array of plants.

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sixth year

No longer a mandatory course, the classes are much smaller and a bit more personal; each student is given much more individual and hands-on instruction. They are no longer doubled by house, and there are normally students from all houses present. Because it is a choice to take it, they are expected to be much more attentive, and adhere to a much stricter code of conduct. All of the plants they deal with are much more dangerous, and Potions are brewed during this class -- though most are used in an effort to cultivate and to manipulate the growth and properties of other plants and fungi.

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seventh year

During their final year in Herbology, students are not only prepared for their very in-depth and complicated NEWT exam, but they are introduced to plants and fungi from all around the world. Professor Beery, at his own expense, brings in several exotic plants, none of which are found around Europe. The class works at cultivating, maintaining and harvesting these plants, as well as studying and personally documenting their magical properties. This year, there is yet another joint Potions-Herbology project, which counts for a fair potion of their grade. Spell work plays an important role in this year's studies, and students are reminded frequently to be very careful; none of the plants they are studying are free of danger.

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If you have a student in Herbology, please reply with the following.

Name: Priscilla Brand
Year: 5th
Average grade/participation: Occasional participation, with usual comments having little do with the class itself. (And more who was on the cover of Witch Weekly.) With all the homework "help" she gets, I'd say ... Poor?


Name: Mila Svetkova
Year: 6th
Average grade/participation: Mila's grades would likely range around an E-O, though her interest in Herbology extends to their magical properties as they apply to Potions. UHM. She wouldn't participate a lot, and be more content to hide out in the back and answer questions as called on, but she would not talk or offer insight a lot. She's an ace with potions though, and that might come in handy?

Name: Darren O'Hare
Year: Seventh
Average grade/participation: I imagine he makes Os / Es (depending on how hard Beery Grades) and enjoys the class though not so much Beery. He's quiet and when called on inwardly sighs heavily too himself before even answering (IN MONOTONE!!!!). Darren is interested in medicinal herbology and is planning on training to go into research before the KENMARE KESTRALS PICK HIM UP!!! His essays to Beery are often times more about the philosophical sides of herbology and often times focus on the implications of using these plants rather than what they actually do. . . I imagine it's all very annoying.

Name:Derwent Shimpling
Year:Sixth
Average grade/participation:As/Es. Derwent here goofs of a lot and does dumb things with the plants (purple skin, oh where do I begin) to illicit laughs from his classmates but does know the answers when called on about 75% of the time. He stresses out about school a lot, though, so he takes way too many sick days due to his anxieties. Secretly Beery is his favorite teacher, mostly because he's the one he sees the most due to his excessive absences / detentions etc. . .

Name: Edmund Johnson
Year: Seventh
Average grade/participation: As/Ps. Edmund likes the grunt work that comes with Herbology, the moving and relocating plants, the digging etc etc etc and often times will come to beery secretly after class trying to act all nonchalant when he offers to fix the wobbly back table or something idek. He really doesn't know any of the specifics though and its a more broader type of knowledge / he refuses to do homework. So I imagine that's frustrating. But he likes the class and isn't a pest so atleast theres that!!! !! ! !!!

Name: Catriona McCormack
Year: Fourth
Average grade/participation: A's and P's. Her attention span is non-existent and she'll spend most of her time not doing the things she's supposed to, but her grades won't be as terrible as they are in most subject because at least there's a hands on element to Herbology. If by some miracle her homework is handed in on time it will have been done hurriedly the morning that it's due, and she's not going to be volunteering for any extracurricular projects. Headache, sup.

Name: Damocles Belby
Year: Sixth
Average grade/participation: O's. He'll consistently work hard, pester Beery with questions and go off on his own tangents. He'll excel mostly in the areas that cross-over with Potions, but he has a genuine interest in Herbology as well and it's probably his second favourite class. He'll be very interested in the different elements and uses of the plants they work with.

Name: Dangerous Llewellyn
Year: Seventh
Average grade/participation: A's and the occasional E? He's bright but he doesn't apply himself, and he'll be far too busy documenting just how dangerous these plants really are to pay attention to their magical properties. Constantly in need of new gloves and trips to Spleen, etc.

Name: Elizabeth Shacklebolt
Year: Seventh
Average grade/participation: Mostly E's and O's. Lizzie is passionate about Herbology, and this will be at its most obvious when they're in the Greenhouses. A great deal of work will go into her homework, but she's just not as passionate about written work as she is about the practical element. She'll also think that Beery is just fantastic.

Name: Morven Flint
Year: Fourth
Average grade/participation: A's or P's depending on what she has to do - her written work will be decent but when it comes to anything practical she'll just stand to one side with all the other Slytherins hoping that she won't actually have to touch any plants.

Name: Erasmus Diggory
Year: Fifth
Average grade/participation: A's and occasional E's, he's good at potions and also quite competitive, so if he thinks herbology will help bolster his potions grades there's a pretty good chance of him paying attention.

Name: Ignatius Prewett
Year: Seventh
Average grade/participation: He's started making an effort with his subjects, so E's. Still not great at getting his homework in on time, but oh well.

Name: Theophilius Kirke
Year: Sixth
Average grade/participation: A's with the occasional E. Theo likes to get his hands dirty and what not, and gets pretty enthusiastic when it comes to hands on work. Other than that, his book knowledge is a bit lacking. Still, he tries.

Name: Dietame Nettles
Year: 7th
Average grade/participation: E-O. Herbology is the ONLY class Dietame puts any effort towards. She loves the class, and would be chatty and definitely would contribute to lecture, etc.

Name: Druella Rosier
Year: fourth
Average grade/participation: She avoids failing, but rarely scores above an A. Druella is an unobtrusive presence in class, and is never terribly engaged with her studies, except for brief sporadic periods following Foras’ encouragement. Practical, dirty work she would not have the capacity for talent in and struggles with this probably more than any other subject. She is not prone to loud or noticeable objections, though possibly now and then quiet apprehension.

Name: Eileen Prince
Year: fifth
Average grade/participation: Probably averagely E’s, sometimes A’s, for written work which would always be prompt and meeting given objectives, but never terribly imaginative. Eileen likes school quite a bit, though she wouldn’t demonstrate that in her actual manner or participation. So her overall mark in the class might be lower, depending on how Beery marks. She will always pay attention in class and be irritated with disruption, but she wouldn’t offer very much of her own input.

Name: Lisette Scamander
Year: seventh
Average grade/participation: Tending towards P’s generally, sometimes a little more with assistance. Lisette is distinctly unskilled in Herbology and rather uninterested in the actual subject. However, it’s undoubtedly her favourite class and she is a cheery, appreciative attender of the class. Her favour with Beery probably keeps her from failing (?) buut she will be in trouble a little when NEWTs come around. She’s being tutored by Isaac this year, which is likely to have at least some positive affect on her work. Though maybe not a great deal because most of her problem is that she really isn’t that interested.

Name: Beatrice Dearborn
Year: seventh
Average grade/participation: O’s, usually. Beatrice is obviously talented at Herbology and also obviously passionate for the subject. She can be impatient and ungenerous in class if others are moving more slowly than her, but she’s also gratifyingly interested in what they do, and she’s not as disruptive as Isaac. She will pursue conversation with Beery on specific topics that interest her and ask for extra readings, out of genuine interest rather than eagerness to improve her schoolwork. She prefers her personal projects and research to class, but she definitely respects that she has a lot to learn from Beery.

Name Gilbert Weasley
Year Fourth
Average grade/Participation Gilbert is a serial plant killer his participation is immense but his grades are marginal, he gets mostly Ps I imagine.

Name: maitaine whisp.
Year: fifth.
Average grade/participation: besides comc, herbology is may's strongest subject. she probably gets Es and As and participates relatively frequently in class, since she would very much like to impress her head of house. her answers during class might not be right, but the work that she's had the opportunity to take home and do with reference books is always solid.

Name: abner yaxley.
Year: sixth.
Average grade/participation: abner probably pulls solid Es, with the occasional O on written work that doesn't involve dirt getting under his fingernails. not that he'd ever tell anyone, but he enjoys the subject. he probably doesn't speak up too much in class, but does his work well, thoroughly, and accurately.

Name: arnold peasegood.
Year: fifth.
Average grade/participation: although he kills the occasional plant, arnold probably gets Es/As in the class. he puts in a lot of hard work, enjoys learning about neat wizarding plants, and is always very enthusiastic when it comes to volunteering. whether it's for an answer or an example, it doesn't matter. he likes the hands-on aspect, although he can probably get slightly distracted if alastor isn't there to keep him on track. he probably has a tendency to ask incredibly tangential questions.

Name: nathaniel ulby.
Year: fourth.
Average grade/participation: nate works hard in herbology, since he knows it's related to being a healer, which is only what he wants to be when he grows up! although he looks and acts like a scruffy brat (although less so in class), he probably gets mostly Es with the occasional O when he manages to do something really well (which he'll try his hardest to replicate much more often). the extracurricular gardening club probably helps slightly.

Name: WILLY WAGSTAFF
Year: sixth
Average grade/participation: probably p's and a's. he learns pretty quickly when he's paying attention, but most of the time, he is not paying attention. mostly he chose this class because it is outside and warm and nice, and all of the other pranksters are also there. he turns in homework late and sometimes sleeps in class. he does, however, laugh really loudly whenever beery is being snarky.

Name: VITELLARY LOVEGOOD
Year: sixth
Average grade/participation: she's genuinely very interested in the class - she thinks plants and the like ares absolutely fascinating. however, she's also kind of daydreamy and unfocused, so depending on the day, she will be more absorbed in some circumstances than others. her homework is turned in on time, though it often involves tangents. probably a's, due to her interest in the subject.

Name: antares lestrange
Year: fifth
Average grade/participation: o's, mostly. antares is ridiculously studious and naturally intelligent. he invests an absurd amount of effort into doing well in his classes, and it shows. although he's quiet in class unless he needs to be, his written work and exams would be top-notch.

Name: betty braithwaite
Year: fifth
Average grade/participation: p's to a's. betty is not very interested in getting her hands dirty, or in academics at all. she'd probably spend a lot of time gossiping or being bored, like the fifteen year old she is. does not participate a lot.

Name: Carling Whisp
Year: Fourth Year
Average grade/participation: Acceptable. Again, essays aren't exactly her strong suit, even though she tries. When it comes to lessons, it's all over the place. Sometimes she manages the tasks assigned without any problems, but then sometimes she winds up with dirt all over her front and face and her limbs tangled in vines or what have you. She generally manages to pull it all together by the end of class, though.

Name: Miranda Goshawk
Year: 6th
Average grade/participation: Mostly O's. Miranda's mother is an herbologist and she hersel is quite interested in it as well. She has an excellent memory to classify plants and remember their properties and work them to her advantasge and a fair share of patience. She's shy and not prone to speaking up in class unless directly questioned, although I figure she probably approaches Beery after class with questions and whatnot.

Name: Augusta Selwyn
Year: 5th
Average grade/participation: mostly E's. Augusta is a perfectionist and will obsess over projects until she gets them right. She's not particulraly patient, and will probably have a better performance writing essays than in practical work with plants.