Chapter 86: Devil's Snare
Chapter 86: Devil's Snare
With the automatic cleaning set, Snape's detention became a simple task.
That night, it took George just over an hour to clean all the crucibles in the Potions classroom.
Moreover, he used the set discreetly, and although Filch, who was nearby, found it a bit strange, he didn't notice anything amiss and attributed George's efficiency to his numerous detentions, assuming he had simply become adept at the task.
Not one to boast, Filch admitted to himself that if he had been the one cleaning, it would have taken him just half the time.
So, after inspecting and confirming that everything was in order, he escorted George out.
George, however, had a tale to tell.
The next morning, at the Gryffindor table, he regaled his peers with a story of his nocturnal wanderings in the Potions classroom, claiming to have found a letter addressed to Snape among the discarded crucibles, which Filch had subsequently confiscated.
Though he didn't say it outright, the implication was clear—the letter was a love letter.
This sent the young lions into a frenzy of excitement.
They didn't care about the truth of the matter; a good gossip was all they needed.
Over at Hufflepuff, Kyle was also in high spirits.
But his cheer had nothing to do with Snape's gossip; he was merely delighted because today was Herbology class.
Professor Sprout had announced in the previous lesson that the myrtle phase of their studies had ended, and they would now be moving on to Devil's Snare.
There couldn't have been better news.
After breakfast, Kyle made his way with the others to the greenhouses outside the castle, where they would be joined by students from Gryffindor for their lesson.
"You seem a little excited," Connor remarked, glancing at Kyle. "Aren't you worried, considering what a dangerous plant Devil's Snare is, according to our books?"
"Not really," Kyle quickly suppressed the smile tugging at his lips. "In fact, Devil's Snare is only intimidating by name. It's not that dangerous once you know how to handle it; it'll be as docile as a Puffapod."
"Absolutely correct," came a voice from behind them, and Professor Sprout appeared, a smile spreading across her face as she regarded Kyle. "Don't mind me, continue sharing your knowledge."
"Okay," Kyle cleared his throat. "According to Magical Climbing Vines, Devil's Snare was once very popular, and many wizards would have a plant or two in their homes as they could keep basements free from rats and spiders.
However, since the Ministry of Magic classified Devil's Snare as a dangerous plant and prohibited private cultivation, it has gradually disappeared from wizarding households."
"I couldn't have said it better myself," Professor Sprout said happily. "Five points to Hufflepuff."
"As Kyle mentioned, Devil's Snare isn't as dangerous as its name suggests, but..."
Her voice trailed off, and her expression turned serious. "The premise of it not being dangerous is that you must understand it. If you know nothing about Devil's Snare, it can be extremely dangerous, even life-threatening."
The young witches and wizards fell silent, absorbing her words.
Only then did Professor Sprout nod in satisfaction.
Today's lesson would take place in Greenhouse Two.
Upon entering, the first impression was of dim lighting, with the roof and surroundings completely obscured, the only sources of light being two dim oil lamps.
Fortunately, the greenhouse wasn't large, and once their eyes adjusted, they could make out their surroundings.
Compared to Greenhouse One, the plants here were far more peculiar.
"This is Devil's Snare."
Professor Sprout stood behind a propped-up bench, pointing at the large clump of vine-like strands in the middle of the room that resembled a spider's web. "It's quite beautiful, but also very dangerous. Can anyone tell me why?"
In unison, everyone turned to look at Kyle.
"Devil's Snare can extend tendrils like snakes, entangling anyone who approaches, resulting in injury or death," Kyle blurted out.
"Completely correct, five points to Hufflepuff," Professor Sprout said, pointing at the roots of the Devil's Snare. "As you can see, the Devil's Snare here is still quite young."
Due to the dim lighting, everyone leaned in closer to get a better look, but they couldn't discern anything unusual and had no idea how Professor Sprout determined that they were "young."
This thing was almost two meters long!
Professor Sprout tossed an empty flowerpot toward the Devil's Snare.
As soon as the flowerpot landed, the tendrils of the Devil's Snare wrapped around it tightly, followed by a "snap" as it shattered into pieces.
The young witches and wizards collectively took a step back, their eyes wide as they glanced at each other and then at Kyle and Professor Sprout.
Was this what they called "not that dangerous"?
"Take a look at those tendrils; they are still a pale green. Mature Devil's Snare, on the other hand, is a dark, inky green," Professor Sprout explained as she casually cleaned up the shards of the flowerpot. "So, while getting entangled by it won't kill you, it certainly won't be a pleasant experience."
"Now, who can tell me what to do if you find yourself caught in Devil's Snare?"
Once again, all eyes turned to Kyle.
"If you get entangled, don't panic. When you relax your body and stop struggling, the Devil's Snare will loosen its grip," Kyle said. "Also, Devil's Snare dislikes light and fire. Sometimes, a simple Lumos spell can free you from its grasp."
At this, Mike, standing next to him, suddenly let out a proud chuckle and puffed out his chest.
Lumos spell? He was a pro at that!
Without exaggeration, among all the young witches and wizards present, no one understood the Lumos spell better than he did.
"Absolutely correct, five points to Hufflepuff..."
"...and three more points for that excellent demonstration of the Lumos spell, Mr. Corner."
"Today, we will learn how to fertilize the Devil's Snare."
Professor Sprout held up a small wooden bucket. "Here are the tools and compost. Remember to be gentle in your movements. If you do get entangled, remember to relax your body.
Now, who would like to give it a try first?"
For the third time, Kyle felt the weight of everyone's gazes, and this time, Professor Sprout's eyes were also fixed on him.
"I'll go first," Kyle volunteered, stepping forward.
"Don't be nervous," Professor Sprout encouraged, handing him a spade.
Kyle slowly reached out with the spade toward the root tendrils of the Devil's Snare.
Everyone held their breath.
With a steady hand, Kyle skillfully avoided each tendril, successfully digging a small pit at the root.
He then used a pair of tweezers to pick up a silver grain, no larger than a soybean, from the wooden bucket filled with compost and placed it into the pit.
Finally, he refilled the pit with soil, completing the fertilization process.
As Kyle withdrew his hand from the Devil's Snare, he heard Professor Sprout's voice.
"Ten points to Hufflepuff!"
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
