It would be made known ICly that the rules regarding growing potted plants and conjured objects in the halls of Hogwarts have been changed, as of Sunday 2/28/16.
With regard to plantsPreviously, it was not against the rules to grow plants in the halls, but there were also no rules against the destruction of plants left lying around the halls. Under the new rules, plants will be allowed to be grown in certain locations, and it will be against the rules to poison, set on fire, or otherwise deliberately kill them, unless they are planted in a prohibited location.
The areas where plants may not be grown are as follows:
1. By the rules sign. Professors have requested that the area around the rules sign be kept clear of foliage, so that it is easier to see.
2. Near benches, chairs, sofas, and other forms of seating. This is largely an OOC issue, as plants produce spam, and this spam disrupts RP. If you can hear your plant when you're sitting on the nearest bench, it is too close and should be moved away. Pillars are not considered to be chairs for the purposes of this rule. (Before I played WoHP, I never thought I would have to type that last sentence.)
3. Blocking doorways or hallways. Next to doorways or along the edges of halls are okay.
4. Inside classrooms.
See
this map of the Entrance Hall for an example of how these rules impact the areas you can grow plants. The no-go radius might be a little larger than shown on the map, as I wasn't sure quite how far the plant spam reaches when I made the map, but it shows the general idea. There should be plenty of places to brighten up the halls that aren't blocking paths or causing inconvenient spam to people who are trying to RP! You can also plant in areas that aren't the Entrance Hall, I'm just not going to sit here and make maps of every zone. That would be silly.
Students would have been made aware along with the rule change that professors would prefer that plants in violation of these rules be reported to them, rather than vigilante justice taking place. While it would not be a rule violation to kill a plant that is in a disallowed location, it is frowned upon. Let me put it this way: you won't lose points or get detention, but
Professor McGonagall will make this face at you.
Prefects would be aware that they are empowered to report the sight of students planting in inappropriate locations, as well as the destruction of plants that are planted in appropriate locations. Please note that the name labels on plant pots are OOC - it is not known ICly that Sam McKinnon planted that Devil's Snare right in front of the rules sign, unless he ICly wrote his name on the declaration of anarchy that accompanied it.
Note that the only 100% guaranteed safe place to garden is still the greenhouse, where Professor Sprout watches over students' plants and protects them from interference. There are no scripted protections in the rest of the mod, however the change here is that it is now ICly against school rules to destroy plants that are not in violation of the new regulations.
With regard to conjuresSimilar rules are in place. There is to be no obstruction of hallways, doors or the rule sign. Conjuration within classrooms is a no-no, unless allowed by an instructor. However, conjuration near seating areas is considered okay, unless the conjured objects obstruct the use of the bench, sofa, etc.
Conjured objects are expected to be cleaned up when you are finished using them, and if the amount of objects conjured is considered "excessive" you may be asked by a professor to clean them up. The exact definition of "excessive" is left purposely vague, understood by most wise students to be a catch-all clause for when things are taken too far.
As with plants, destruction or removal of conjured objects abiding by these rules while students are attempting to use them may be reported to prefects or professors. Similarly, students who violate the rules on where and how conjures may be used can be similarly reported.
