Kneel Down to Examine the Potted Plants

[Guest Hogwarts Staff]

[glow=pink,2,300]Herbology NEWT[/glow]

Congratulations - you’ve found your Herbology NEWT!  The task at hand is to prove your ability to handle one of the most potentially dangerous magical plants—Mandrakes!  You have made a good choice sticking with Herbology for so long, and if you pass this exam, you may find it helps you with other subjects.

 

Before taking this exam, you must have achieved the following:

• E or O in your Herbology OWL

Should you take this exam without doing so, your results on it will be voided and your house will lose points.

 

This is one of your core NEWTs, and you are required to pass at least three core NEWTs before your final exams end on June 28. If you're ready to start it, you must post in this thread prior to making any of the posts/reviews/stories it requires. Be aware that though you are free to begin this exam at any time, once you sit down your house cannot begin another exam until you’ve completed this one. Keep in mind that the higher your score, the more points you'll earn, and you may find that a higher mark is a prerequisite to moving onto another exam or area.

 

When you begin your exam, you must post below to indicate that you are starting.  Failure to do so may result in a penalty.

 

To pass this NEWT, you must meet the following requirements.

 

Supplies:  Every gardener needs tools and supplies, especially when working with magical plants.  The required items for this NEWT are dragon dung fertilizer and dragonhide gloves.  You MUST have them in order to proceed.  The optional item for this NEWT is a pair of earmuffs.  You can find these items elsewhere in the maze or potentially purchase them in Hogsmeade.  You may proceed without the optional item, but you do so at your own risk!  Your exam will be more difficult without them, and you cannot leave the exam to obtain them once you begin.

 

To receive an A-Acceptable, re-pot 1 mandrake:

 

• Write 500 words from the POV of a mandrake.  You may write in any format and distribute the task amongst your house however you wish.
  
• Post 1 story recommendation featuring Neville Longbottom.*
  

 

If you have chosen to take your exam without the earmuffs, the mandrakes will knock you unconscious.  As a penalty, the above requirements are increased to 600 words and 2 story recommendations for the Acceptable mark.  You will also face a 12 hour delay from the time you begin your exam to the time you may proceed to another area, even if you finish it quicker than that.

 

 

To receive an E-Exceeds Expectations, you must re-pot 2 mandrakes.

 

• Write 600 words from the POV of a mandrake.  There must be at least 2 mandrake characters.  You may write in any format and distribute the task amongst your house however you wish.
  
• Post 2 story recommendations featuring Neville Longbottom.*
  

 

If you have chosen to take your exam without earmuffs, the mandrakes will knock you unconscious.  As a penalty, the above requirements are increased to 700 words and 3 story recommendations for the Exceeds Expectations mark. You will also face an 18 hour delay from the time you begin your exam to the time you may proceed to another area, even if you finish it quicker than that.

 

 

To receive an O-Outstanding, you must re-pot 3 mandrakes.

• Write 700 words from the POV of a mandrake.  There must be at least 3 mandrake characters.  You may write in any format and distribute the task amongst your house however you wish.
  
• Post 3 story recommendations featuring Neville Longbottom.*
  

 

If you have chosen to take your exam without earmuffs, the mandrakes will knock you unconscious.  As a penalty, the above requirements are increased to 800 words and 4 story recommendations for the Outstanding mark. You will also face a 24 hour delay from the time you begin your exam to the time you may proceed to another area, even if you finish it quicker than that.

 

 

*In case of difficulty finding stories featuring Neville, he should at least be an important character or there should be a scene in which he plays an important role.

 

 

Once you finish these tasks to your liking, submit your story or stories to the queue and post the author name/story title below.  Please do not include any indication in your story summary or notes that the piece(s) are written for the house cup.  Also post links to your recommendations, as well as any reviews you may have left.

 

Should you run into difficulties, you’re free to take a fail - but be aware that you won’t be able to change your mind later, and it will result in the NEWT for this subject and (potentially) related subjects, along with any advantages passing them bestows, being permanently inaccessible to you even if you can find the exams themselves.

 

Reward for passing:  If you received an A, you unfortunately do not get to pick anything.  If you received an E, choose one item from the list below.  If you received an O, choose two items.

 

Tincture of Thyme

Fluxweed

Sopophorus Bean

Knotgrass

 

Please do not include any indication that requirements for this exam are linked to the house cup outside of your house, either in the posts/reviews/stories themselves or on social media. You only have one chance to submit your exam, so choose what mark you want to aim for carefully. Once you've completed these tasks to your liking, post a reply to this topic including all of the relevant text and links.

 

Should you run into difficulties, you’re free to take a fail - but be aware that you won’t be able to change your mind later, and it may result in other areas of the maze and exams (along with any advantages passing them bestows) becoming permanently inaccessible to you even if you can find them the exams themselves.