https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-149-The-Dark-Wizard-and-the-Fraudulent-Professor/12538260/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-151-There-Are-No-Giants-in-Hogwarts/12538262/
Chapter 150: Cedric's Unpleasant Experience
Chapter 150: Cedric's Unpleasant Experience
The topic of Professor Quirrell did not occupy their discussion for long.
Cedric shared with them that the previous Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher before Quirrell was even worse.
Back then, he had just enrolled at Hogwarts, a fresh-faced student full of dreams and aspirations, eagerly anticipating the wonders of the school.
However, this sense of wonderment lasted less than two days. During their Dark Arts class, the professor at the time indiscriminately cast nasty curses on them under the guise of teaching.
The Vomiting Spell.
The Horn-Growing Hex.
The Hair-Growth Jinx.
The Leg-Locker Curse.
The Skewer Hex...
Cedric had endured them all.
Although the professor always removed the negative effects of the curses promptly, preventing any lasting physical damage, the sensations while under the influence of the curses were extremely unpleasant.
Especially the Skewer Hex, the dizzying discomfort it induced was something Cedric could still vividly recall.
Moreover, the professor would divide the students into two groups based on their houses and pit them against each other, encouraging them to duel using these malicious curses.
As a result, every Dark Arts class was torturous for Cedric, and it would take him several days to recover afterward.
Fortunately, this situation didn't last long.
According to Cedric, on Halloween, a group of fully armed individuals stormed Hogwarts and took the professor away.
Initially, everyone assumed they were dealing with a malevolent dark wizard.
But it wasn't until a few days later that they learned from the Daily Prophet that the individual was actually an escaped patient from St. Mungo's Hospital.
And he was from the Department of Mental Illnesses, no less.
...
Upon hearing Cedric's story, both Kyle and Connor stared at him, dumbfounded.
"It's true," Cedric said, shrugging at their disbelieving expressions. "If you don't believe me, you can ask the Weasley brothers. They know about it too."
Kyle shook his head, silently sympathizing with Cedric and the Weasley brothers for a moment.
Indeed, those who dared to apply for the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts were certainly not ordinary.
With Cedric's experience as a comparison, Professor Quirrell's class didn't seem so bad after all.
When afternoon came and it was time for their Herbology class, the magical Greenhouse Three made them forget all about Quirrell.
This place was a paradise for magical plants.
Mandrake, Venomous Tentacula, and Bubotuber... These plants, which they had only heard about before, could all be found here.
"Today, we'll be repotting the Mandrakes."
Professor Sprout pointed to a row of deep-bottomed pans beside them and asked, "Now, who can tell me the properties of Mandrake?"
Autumn, who was taking the class with them, was the first to raise her hand.
"Mandrake is a powerful restorative," she said without hesitation. "It's used to restore people who have been transfigured or cursed back to their original state."
"Very good, Ravenclaw gets ten points," Professor Sprout said. "Mandrake is an important component in most antidotes, but it's also dangerous. Can anyone tell me why?"
"Hearing the cry of the Mandrake can be fatal," blurted out a boy standing in the middle.
"Absolutely correct, Ravenclaw gets another ten points," said Professor Sprout.
At the same time, she glanced at Kyle with a hint of regret.
This child was too honest. Raising his hand in class wasn't enough; he needed to speak up directly... just like that Ravenclaw boy had done.
"Oh, Kyle, do you have something to add?" Professor Sprout asked.
"Yes, Professor," Kyle said. "In addition to its cry, the dried leaves of the mandrake are also quite dangerous to Animagi."
"Yes, you're right about that," Professor Sprout nodded, but then quickly shook her head. "However, it's not as dangerous as you might think."
"In fact," she continued, "the effect of dried mandrake leaves on Animagi is very slight. Only if consumed in animal form for an extended period of time will it cause irreversible consequences.
By extended, I mean at least three years, and if the wizard returns to human form during this period, the negative effects can be instantly eliminated.
Moreover, Animagi are quite rare in the wizarding world to begin with. According to the Ministry of Magic's registry, there are only seven registered Animagi. To my knowledge, none of them would willingly remain in their animal forms for long periods, let alone eat mandrake leaves.
So while it's true that mandrake leaves do affect Animagi, the probability of such an incident occurring is actually very low.
Aside from the greedy Barnabus a century ago, there has been no second recorded case in the wizarding world."
"Is that so?" Kyle nodded thoughtfully. "I guess I was overthinking it."
"No," Professor Sprout said with a smile, "I'd say you've read extensively. I recall only one very obscure herbology book that mentions this, what was it called again?"
"'Medieval Herbology'?" Kyle offered. "I saw it at Mr. Scamander's place."
"Yes, that's the one," Professor Sprout said with a smile. "Everyone knows that Mr. Scamander is an extraordinary Magizoologist, but few are aware that he is also a master herbologist."
"Hufflepuff gains ten points!"
Professor Sprout clapped her hands and addressed the entire class, "Consider this an extra bit of knowledge. You don't need to memorize it, just be aware of it."
Then, she once again pointed to the row of deep-bottomed pans and began instructing them on the matters to keep in mind when repotting the mandrakes.
"Four to a pan, remember to always wear your earmuffs," Professor Sprout cautioned. "Even though these mandrakes are still young, their cries won't be lethal, but they can render you unconscious for several hours.
I assume none of you want to miss the first day of school, so make sure to keep your earmuffs on while you work. When it's time to clean up, I'll find a way to get your attention."
With the earmuffs in place, repotting the mandrakes wasn't too difficult, as long as one was careful not to put any body parts near their mouths.
Even though the mandrakes didn't have teeth, they had a hard, keratinous layer inside their mouths that could give a nasty bite.
Kyle grabbed a clump of leaves and skillfully pulled out a mandrake.
The little guy immediately started screaming at the top of his lungs, writhing and twisting his pale green body.
He was making a lot more fuss than the others', seemingly very resistant to Kyle.
"I just accidentally pulled out a few of your leaves, no need to be so dramatic," Kyle muttered. "You're so petty!"
Kyle then reached under the table and pulled out a large flowerpot, into which he placed the mandrake.
(End of Chapter)
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