Chapter 127: Mandrake
Chapter 127: Mandrake
Professor Sprout strode over, and seeing the students gathered together in a confrontational manner, her alarms immediately went off.
"What are you all doing? Why aren't you in class yet?"
With a stern expression, she asked sharply.
Pansy quickly tattled, "Professor, Grey cast a nasty curse on Draco; he can't speak now!"
Professor Sprout was surprised. She glanced at Malfoy and then frowned, asking Weasley, "Did you do this, Mr. Grey?"
Padma immediately raised her hand and spoke up, "It was Malfoy who insulted our classmate first, Professor! Weasley hasn't done anything wrong."
Pansy interjected, "It was Michael who humiliated Draco first! He deserved it!"
Padma immediately retorted, "How did he humiliate him? All he did was ask Malfoy how he's been communicating with his parents."
"Er..."
Pansy was left speechless.
Professor Sprout had a headache from the bickering of these two girls. She randomly pointed to a student, "You, tell me what happened, Gr—".
No, today's incident involved Weasley.
Professor Sprout's finger awkwardly shifted to point at Anthony Goldstein standing beside them.
"...Mr. Goldstein."
Anthony hesitated for a moment before stepping forward and impartially recounting what had transpired:
"...and that's how it ended, with Grey using the Silencing Charm on Malfoy."
"Silencing Charm?"
Professor Sprout looked at Weasley with surprise, her tone softening.
As it was already time for class, she simply undid the curse on Malfoy and said, "Regardless, insulting a classmate or using spells on them is wrong. I will be deducting five points from each of you... as well as imposing a three-day detention."
Weasley quietly accepted the punishment.
Malfoy, on the other hand, looked indignant, but under the professor's stern gaze, he remained silent.
Next to Weasley, Michael stared coldly at Malfoy.
"Today, we're heading to the third greenhouse."
Professor Sprout led the students to a greenhouse they had never visited before.
Upon opening the door, they saw hundreds of mandrake seedlings inside, half of which were still in their seedling pots, while the other half had been transplanted into larger pots.
There was also a long bench in the greenhouse, on which lay more than twenty earmuffs of various colors.
"Today, we will be repotting mandrakes. As you can see, Gryffindor and Hufflepuff have already completed half the work in their first class, and I expect the same smooth process from your class."
Professor Sprout scanned the group and asked, "Now, who can tell me the characteristics of mandrakes?"
Several students raised their hands, and Professor Sprout randomly chose one to answer.
Weasley looked at the purple-tinged green seedlings with a hint of desire.
Mandrakes were a powerful restorative, and in the original story, they had even restored ghosts petrified by basilisks to their original state.
Additionally, mandrakes were also a necessary ingredient for practicing advanced Transfiguration—Animagus.
Repotting mandrakes was no easy task, as their roots resembled ugly babies that would squirm and scream when unearthed, and hearing their cries could render one unconscious for several hours.
If it were a fully grown mandrake, the screams could even be fatal.
Weasley, wearing earmuffs, prepared the holes in the larger pots in advance. He then quickly pulled out the mandrake seedlings and transplanted them, while Michael skillfully filled the pots with soil.
The baby with leaves sprouting from its head didn't even have time to stretch its arms before it was buried in the soil.
They worked efficiently.
After planting the third seedling, Michael looked up and noticed that many students were still struggling with their first mandrake seedling.
The light green baby mandrake writhed vigorously in their hands, kicking its legs and even throwing tiny punches.
The students looked like they were holding onto a frenzied large rat, unsure whether to hold on or let go, and three or four of them were working up a sweat trying to manage it.
Especially Malfoy's group.
Crabbe and Goyle were, as always, much clumsier than the rest. The two of them took half the time to hold down a single seedling and almost let it pull off their earmuffs.
Malfoy was so angry that he started cursing, but with everyone wearing earmuffs, no one could understand a word he was saying.
Michael smiled mockingly.
...
To finish repotting all the mandrakes, the class ended about ten minutes later than usual.
As the students left, exhausted, Professor Sprout asked Malfoy and Weed to stay behind.
"Mr. Malfoy, your detention starts at 9 pm today. Go to the entrance hall and find Mr. Filch; he will tell you what to do."
Professor Sprout said.
Malfoy glared at Weed and turned to leave.
"Mr. Grey." Looking at Weed, Professor Sprout's expression softened considerably: "I am very satisfied with your performance in class today."
"Thank you, Professor," Weed said softly.
Professor Sprout smiled and asked gently, "Have you mastered the Silencing Charm now?"
It wasn't that she wanted to treat them differently, but in this witch's eyes, the Slytherin students had often been giving Weed malicious looks since the start of last semester.
As for the reason... did it need to be said?
Slytherin's targeting of students from non-magical families never required a reason.
She could be sure that there had been direct and serious conflicts between the two parties.
All the professors at school knew that one day last year, several first-year Slytherin students had gone to the infirmary in tears.
Since then, the conflict between the two sides had eased... but Malfoy still seemed to be holding a grudge.
Between the two, even without considering the difference in houses, just looking at their attitudes, the witch couldn't help but lean towards Weed.
"The Silencing Charm is a bit difficult. I can only use it with a small portion of my spells."
Weed answered humbly and then waved his wand.
The earmuffs and spades that the students had casually placed on the shelves flew up and landed neatly back where they belonged, and the dirt and manure on the floor disappeared.
It was so smooth and natural, without any sign of being "forced" or "strained".
"Excessive humility is arrogance, Mr. Grey."
Professor Sprout smiled, "A beautiful Silencing Charm, I'll give you ten points. And... hmm... your detention will also start at 9 pm tonight, at the second greenhouse."
"Yes, Professor," Weed replied.
The two of them tacitly understood that this was less of a detention and more of a private lesson that the professor wanted to give him.
As they left the greenhouse together, Weed said, "Professor, can I request a leaf from these mandrakes when they grow up?"
"A leaf?" Professor Sprout understood: "Do you want to practice Animagus?"
"Yes." Weed did not hide it.
"That's a very advanced Transfiguration spell."
Professor Sprout said admiringly:
"Professor McGonagall must be very satisfied with your Transfiguration grades, but I don't think she would agree to you practicing Animagus at this grade?"
"Actually, I have a very excellent private tutor."
Weed smiled, "Can I ask the professor to keep this a secret for now? The preparation time for Animagus is very long... Before I have a good chance of success, I don't want others to know about it."
Some people's Animagus forms could take years to prepare, so it wouldn't be unusual for him to start now and only succeed in his sixth or seventh year.
Therefore, Professor Sprout said indulgently, "Of course. But you have to promise me that the final step of this magic must be performed under the supervision of a teacher."
"Yes, I won't be reckless." Weed said seriously.
He wanted to master this magic of transforming from human to animal, but he didn't want to become a mindless animal.
(End of Chapter)
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