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Chapter 144: Hogwarts Gets a Makeover
Chapter 144: Hogwarts Gets a Makeover
Kyle walked alongside Professor Sprout through the entrance hall, up the marble staircase, and down a corridor.
Professor Sprout's office was not large, but it was filled with the fresh scent of soil. A warm fire crackled in the fireplace, and lush vines crawled up the walls, intertwining with various magical plants that mirrored those in the greenhouses outside the castle.
Near the window sat a small desk.
Professor Sprout approached the desk and pointed to a brown box on its surface.
"I received this package two days before the start of term," she said. "It was sent by the Magical Law Enforcement Patrol at the Ministry of Magic, along with a letter stating that it was to compensate for the damage done to the Forbidden Forest."
As she spoke, a strange expression crossed Professor Sprout's face.
"But I recall Miller didn't request any compensation from the Ministry, so I assume these items are meant for you."
"Cough, yes, Professor," Kyle admitted. "I did write to the Ministry, but it was at the Aurors' insistence. They seemed to know that I used some valuable magical items in the Forest to survive Auror Oren and his crew. So, they generously decided to compensate me."
"I see," Professor Sprout said with a smile.
"But the letter also mentioned that they would soon send someone to build a new greenhouse for Hogwarts. Did you request that as well?"
"Er... no," Kyle hesitated. "I only mentioned in the letter that a lot of dark magic had been cast in the Forest, damaging precious magical plants and centuries-old trees. I assume they decided to compensate the school in this way."
Professor Sprout's expression became even more peculiar, and a hint of redness crept into her cheeks as she glanced out the window unconsciously.
She was all too familiar with the plants in the Forbidden Forest.
Most of the rare and precious varieties had already been relocated by her to the greenhouses, leaving only common species like Bubotuber or Bubaluboo behind.
As for the so-called centuries-old trees... well, to be honest, it had taken her and Professor Flitwick just five minutes to restore the Forest to its original state after the Aurors had left.
After all, the Corrosive Spell wasn't exactly advanced dark magic, and a simple Reparo Spell had done the trick.
Clearing her throat, Professor Sprout said righteously, "Yes, it's a shame about those plants. It's good to see that the Ministry is thoughtful enough to build a new greenhouse to protect them."
She seemed pleased and continued in a light tone, "So, go ahead and check their compensation here to ensure nothing is missing. But be quick about it; I believe the Sorting Ceremony will begin soon."
With that, Professor Sprout left the office, closing the door behind her.
After she left, Kyle approached the desk and opened the box.
There wasn't much inside—half of it was stacked Galleons, amounting to about fifty, with a note saying "Broomstick" beside them.
Indeed, Kyle had discarded a broomstick in the Forbidden Forest, and during the subsequent battle, it had been crushed by a falling tree, rendering it useless.
Apparently, the Ministry couldn't find that outdated model, so they had reimbursed him instead.
Kyle set the Galleons aside.
The broomstick had been school property, so the Galleons weren't his concern. The remaining items were what truly mattered.
The bottles were labeled with their names.
"Biting Borage"
"Mandrake"
"Water Hemlock"
"Devil's Snare"
"Poison Fanged Geranium"
Kyle picked up the bottles and carefully placed them into his Chameleonic Lizard Leather Bag. He felt a sense of relief; to make his claims more believable, he had listed these plants as part of the "losses," which was why the Ministry sent the package to Hogwarts.
After all, almost all of these plants were classified as "extremely dangerous," especially Biting Borage and Devil's Snare, which were prohibited from trade. The Ministry strictly forbade their private cultivation and sale.
To be honest, Kyle had taken a gamble with this plan, hoping that whoever received the package wouldn't open it. If they did, these seeds would have to magically appear in the new greenhouse later on.
Fortunately, Kyle's luck held. Professor Sprout paid little attention to anything other than the greenhouse and its plants.
After putting away the bottles, Kyle heaved a sigh of relief. He was truly grateful to the Ministry for their thorough packaging.
It had been a thrilling endeavor to acquire these seeds right under a master herbologist's nose.
Leaving Professor Sprout's office, Kyle made his way down the stairs and back into the Great Hall.
The new students had arrived, and the Great Hall was now a sea of pointed hats, with students filling the long House tables.
On the stool in front of the Head Table sat the old and tattered Sorting Hat, looking a little different from the previous year.
Wrapped around its tip was a red and blue cloth, resembling a tea towel or a headscarf, and perched on its brim was a tiny pair of sunglasses.
As Kyle entered, the Sorting Hat was in the midst of its song.
"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, quite a school, Teaching spells that are a drool,
Brave Gryffindor, in your chest, You'll know no fear nor take no rest,
Hardworking Hufflepuff, honest and true, Toil and labor, you will pull through,
Wise old Ravenclaw, in books you'll find, Secrets and knowledge intertwined,
Or perhaps in Slytherin, you'll make your mark, Cunning and ambitious, you'll never shy from the dark.
So, put me on, don't be afraid, And I'll tell you where you're best placed.
One last thing, I must confess, My name, is the Sorting Hat."
The moment the Sorting Hat finished its song, the Great Hall erupted in applause, as if the young witches and wizards sought to bring down the ceiling.
Kyle turned and made his way to the Hufflepuff table, where Cedric had saved him a seat between himself and Michael.
"It's a shame you missed the Sorting Hat's song, Kyle," Cedric said with a hint of regret. "It was completely different from previous years."
"Yeah, I heard the end of it," Kyle replied with a smile.
It seemed the Sorting Hat had received his Christmas gift from last year. He never expected that Hogwarts would be able to play those tapes, though.
(End of Chapter)
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