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It was raining outside Hogwarts Castle. Thin streaks of rain fell slowly from the sky, forming a curtain beneath the heavy clouds.
After lunch, Augustus and Lillian Malfoy walked through the castle toward the greenhouses, where all kinds of magical plants were grown.
They had Herbology with Professor Sprout that afternoon. As they got close to the greenhouse, they saw the other students already waiting outside for Professor Sprout.
The moment the three of them joined the group, they saw her striding across the lawn toward them—accompanied by none other than Gilderoy Lockhart. Professor Sprout's arm was covered in bandages.
Professor Sprout was a short, round witch who always wore a patched-up hat over her wild hair and whose robes were constantly smudged with dirt. She'd always been fond of Augustus, and he often earned extra points in her class.
"Oh, hello everyone!" Lockhart called out cheerfully, beaming at the students. "I just gave Professor Sprout a little demonstration on how to treat a Whomping Willow! But don't get the wrong idea—
I'd never claim to be better than her at Herbology! I just happened to run into a few of those fascinating trees during my travels..."
"We're in Greenhouse Three today," Professor Sprout cut in, sounding a lot less cheerful than usual.
The students murmured excitedly. They'd only ever been inside Greenhouse One before—Greenhouse Three had rarer and more dangerous plants.
Sprout pulled out a large key from her belt and unlocked the door. Outside, the fine rain kept falling, connecting sky and earth like a wispy, scattered Milky Way pouring down from above.
Inside the greenhouse, Augustus was hit with a strong mix of smells—damp soil, fertilizer, and thick floral scents. Some flowers were as big as umbrellas, hanging from the ceiling.
Professor Sprout stood behind a bench in the middle of the greenhouse. On the bench were about twenty pairs of earmuffs in different colors."We're repotting Mandrakes today," she said. "Now, who can tell me what's special about Mandrakes?"
Her gaze skipped over most of the class and landed straight on Augustus. He smiled helplessly and raised his hand."Mandrakes, also known as Mandragora, are a powerful restorative," he said after a brief pause. "They're used to bring people who've been cursed or transfigured back to normal."
"Excellent. Ten points to Slytherin," said Sprout with a nod. "Mandrakes are a key ingredient in many antidotes. But they're also dangerous. Can someone tell me why?"
Lillian, who was sitting next to Augustus, raised her hand. Malfoy pulled a weird face beside her.
"Their cries are fatal," Lillian blurted out, then shot a proud, smug look at Augustus.
"Absolutely right. Another ten points to Slytherin," Sprout said. "Now, the Mandrakes we have today are still young."
She pointed at a row of deep trays. Everyone leaned forward for a better look. Inside were about a hundred seedlings, green with streaks of purple."Doesn't look that special," Malfoy muttered. "Not as scary as Lillian made it sound."
"Everyone grab a pair of earmuffs," said Sprout.
There was a scramble—no one wanted to end up with the pink fluffy pair.
"When I tell you to put them on, make sure your ears are completely covered," Sprout warned. "And when it's safe to take them off, I'll give you two thumbs up. Alright—earmuffs on!"
Everyone followed her instructions. The moment the earmuffs went on, the world went silent.
Sprout herself put on the pink fluffy earmuffs, rolled up her sleeves, and grabbed a clump of leaves. With a strong yank, she pulled it out—what came up wasn't a root but an ugly baby-like creature, with leaves growing from its head. Its skin was pale green and covered in spots. It was clearly screaming its lungs out, but thanks to the earmuffs, they heard nothing.
Sprout took a large flowerpot from under the table, shoved the Mandrake into it, and buried it in dark, damp compost until only the leaves stuck out. She clapped the dirt off her hands, gave two thumbs up, and took off her earmuffs.
The students removed theirs as well."Ugh, I think I lost my appetite for dinner," Malfoy muttered, rubbing his forehead. "Who knew a plant could be that ugly?"
"You should be thankful," Lillian said, not missing the chance to roast him. "There are way more disgusting ones coming up. That was nothing."
"Our Mandrakes are still young, so their cries won't kill you," Sprout said calmly, as if she'd just watered the begonias. "But they can knock you out for a few hours. I'm sure none of you want to miss the first day of term, so keep those earmuffs on at all times when working. When it's time to clean up, I'll get your attention somehow."
"Four to a group—plenty of pots here. Compost's in the bags over there—watch out for the Venomous Tentacula, it's teething."She smacked a dark red plant with spiky leaves that had quietly reached a tentacle toward her shoulder, making it recoil.
Augustus, Malfoy, and Lillian were grouped with a boy named Antonio Cross."I'm Antonio Cross," he said a little shyly. "I've wanted to meet you for a while, Augustus. And of course you too, Miss Lillian. You two are the role models for all us Slytherins in this year—I've admired you both for a long time."
Augustus nodded warmly. "Hey, we're classmates—no need to be so formal.""Relax a bit," Lillian added with a smile. Antonio still looked a little awkward, but tried his best to loosen up. Meanwhile, Malfoy was absent-mindedly poking at the plants, clearly distracted and miles away in his head.
They all put their earmuffs back on and got to work on the Mandrakes. It had looked easy when Sprout did it—but it wasn't, not at all. The Mandrakes didn't want to be pulled out, but they didn't seem to want to be potted either. They squirmed, kicked, flailed their little fists, and gnashed their teeth.
By the time class ended, the rain was still falling outside. Augustus, Malfoy, and Lillian walked out into it. The fine drizzle landed softly on Augustus' black robes and golden hair. A gentle breeze blew through, and the whole world smelled fresh and earthy.
"....."