LESSON ONE HOMEWORK (ALL CLASSES)

[NEVILLE FRANK LONGBOTTOM]

( h e r b o l o g y . h o m e w o r k )
lesson one

( o . w . l . s )
Please write at least a 100 word essay about the characteristics of mandrakes and what their leaves are good for. The more in depth you go, the more points you will earn for your house!

( n . e . w . t . s )
Please write about the wood that your wand is made and why you think that wood was meant for you. Also, write about at least one other wood type and the special properties of that wood. At least 150 words please.

Please post all homework here!

[roxanne]

Mandrakes by Roxanne Weasley
Mandragora, more commonly known as mandrake, is a plant that roots look quite like a human. The mandrake plant is known to even go through periods in growth that are quite similar to the development of a human. When a mandrake is immature it is quite useless and must be taken care of until it reaches the mature stage. One must keep re-potting it as it grows and be extremely careful during these re-potting session for the mandrake lets out a scream, close to that of a banshee's, that is fatal when it is mature but when the mandrake is not fully grown it is known to knock people out for a good amount of time. So wear earmuffs while replanting them. As the mandrake grows closer to maturity they are known to get acne, throw parties, and become moody. This occurs during their teenage years and quite close to finishing their growth. Once a mandrake is full grown the roots may be chopped up and used in the Mandrake Restorative Draught which helps people who have been petrified.

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[HECTOR ALLEN WULFE]

OAK WANDS:
Oak wands are considered to be the most flexible, rather bendy. The Oak tree is the longest and oldest of the trees. It is also called Duir or Dwyr, meaning Druid or Wizard. It is considered one of the more powerful wands. It is a long lasting wood, even for being so flexible, earning it a nickname of Father Wood. The reason that this wand of oak chose me is because I can be so flexible. I can change with the wind, but stay true to my shape, and last through the storms. The core is the hair of a werewolf, one of the only in its existence. I can only assume that it chose me due to my blood. This wand is very good with transfiguration work, which could be why its my favorite class!

ASH WANDS:
The Ash wand is a wand of water. Since snakes fear water, they tend to shy away from those that wield a wand made of Ash. It is a wand most commonly know for healing or protection, so many Healers are known to have this wand type. These types of wands tend to chose a Wizard/Witch who command respect of their peers or want power. It's natural element is air and water. It is best used with Charms.

ASPEN WANDS:
This wand proves to be a great wand for spoken spells. It is associated with beauty, and happens to be a good wand for defensive spells. Its natural element is water. This wand usually chooses a caring person, someone who tries to help others.

BIRCH WANDS:
This is known as a 'flaky' wand. Birch wands can be beautiful wands, but only with appearance. It can shine like the dickens when you polish it. Even though this wand is considered flaky, it chooses a Wizard/Witch who is intelligent and logical. They are great for purification spells. The user of one of these wands is usually great at warding spells and cleansing spells.

YEW WANDS:
This is the wood of death. The yew tree grows its branches into the ground, so when the trunk of it dies, the branches live on, becoming new trees. It is commonly used as a symbol of transfiguration and reincarnation. It is very good when using spells that involve spirits or raising the dead. It is a wand associated with the Dark Arts.

[shailene]

Wand Wood Properties by Shailene Wood
In the profession of wand making the type of wood used is a very important detail. There are various types of woods used in wand making, at least over fifty woods that can be made into a wand, though not all are common in the British wandlore. Each wood type carries certain properties that allow certain individuals bond to a wand depending on it's wood as well as the core of the wand. For example my own wand is made out of a willow tree. Wands made from a willow tree are often to be carried by a female for it is a very feminine wood. A willow tree is also known as the tree of enchantment therefore being a very good wand to have for charm work; a class I do extremely well in. Its properties are also geared toward healing and protecting due to the nature of the Willow tree. A willow tree is good to have planted near your home to help ward away dangers, mainly dealing with natural disasters for they grow best in lots of rain so they can help during floods and storms. This wand wood is associated with me because I believe I am very protective, enjoy the art of charm work and healing, as well as the willow tree being the tree for my month of birth.

Another type of wand wood would be Ivy, though extremely uncommon due to the difficulty of putting enough pieces together to form the wand it is a very sturdy wand. An Ivy wand has the properties of protection, healing, binding lovers, and ironically cooperation. An Ivy wand is a representative of life going on after death, for Ivy often lives on after it's host plant dies, perhaps why a wand made of Ivy wood can last generations.

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[zmeyette]

Woods and Their Connections by Zmeyette Greyback
Certain woods are attracted more to people of the same nature as them making it easier for those that have their wand in the matching wood would have better luck at controlling their wand. Trees seem to have personalities just as people have therefore many can associate with the traits of their wand wood has. Those who own an wand made of aspen wood tend to be more talkative and defiant more so over someone who carries a wand made of hazel wood. Also some woods seem to be more common amongst in the dark arts rather than the light side. For example, my own wand, made of ash, is typically associated with the dark arts for the ash tree strangles the plants around it, trying to take up the most sun so it will survive. This fits me very well seeing as I was placed in Slytherin, the house of the determined, and I would do anything to make sure I live before giving my life for someone else.

What is most interesting is that most woods you can predict which way it might lean, though not all lean in a certain direction, but there are a spare few that the name might fool you. Take the black walnut, many associate the word black as dark, or evil, but this wood actually is a strong light wood seeing as the tree's walnuts produces a chemical that kills poisonous plants of the nightshade family. So it fights against something that kills others, just as the light side tend to do.

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[ALAYA SILANE TIAUN]

Properties of Wood and Wands, Alaya Tiaun
Wands chose their owners, that much is fairly certain. But what makes a wand attached to one specific wizard? The wood that the wand is made of has a large correlation with the choosing. For example the wood from a Birch is associated with leadership, rebirth, patience, and loyalty. Because this wood is a fire-oriented wood it is used for cleansing and purifying. This wood would chose someone with a fiery spirit and the potential to being a leader.

The wood that my wand is made from is Kingwood. This specific wood is one that would never be attached to someone untrustworthy. This wood is associated with strength, protection, assertive, change, and willpower. This wood will chose someone who is a loyal, strong and trustworthy. Because this wood is very closely tied with willpower it is essential for the owner to have a strong will otherwise the spells will not work as well. There have been cases where the owner of a Kingwood wand has casted an impenetrable protective barrier. The wood connects with its owner through their mot sincere beliefs. My wand is a perfect match for myself. I was sorted into Gryffindor, and have a very strong sense of loyalty and strength that has helped me to stay calm and alive for so long.

[arianna]

Mandragora by Arianna Covington
Mandrake plants are from the nightshade family, consisting of hyoscyamine, scopolamine, and mandragorin. In the medical world this plant has been used as a pain killer or sedative. There are three variants of Mandrake plant; Mandragora Offininarum is the most common, the smaller form, nicknamed Womandrake, Mandragora Autumnalis. Lastly the most rare form of the Mandrake plant is Mandragora Torcomanica, which is almost extinct. The Mandrake plant has been used in all its various forms since ancient times.

The Mandrake has always been compared to humans due to the slight resemblance and behavior. A young Mandrake roots, when unearthed, looks like an infant. Therefore it's scream is not very harmful, though it is still strong enough to knock someone out for a few hours. It is always best to wear earmuffs while handling a Mandrake for when the plant has matured its scream is fatal. Mandrakes need to be re-potted as the grow older, the need more space to grow. During different stages of growth the Mandrake mimics human behavior. For example a Mandrake reaching adolescence will become quite secretive just like a human approaching that stage in life. Soon after they sprout acne and want to throw parties. Finally, just as humans do, Mandrakes begin to move into each others pots showing that they are fully grown and ready to be used. The process of maturing a Mandrake can be quite hard but once it is done the roots of a Mandrake can be used for the Mandrake Restorative Draught.

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