Chapter 210

Chapter 210

The next day, Ron and Harry dashed into the greenhouse at the last possible moment for Herbology.

“Mind your feet, Potter! Weasley!” Professor Sprout shouted. “That vine is one of the young plant’s shoots!”

“Sorry, Professor.” Ron and Harry arrived just before the lesson began. They breathed enormous sighs of relief, lowered their heads and found places at random.

Professor Sprout glared at them in annoyance, but her good temper prevented any further rebuke. She clapped her hands and began the day’s lesson.

“Children, today we shall study a magical plant. Can anyone tell me its name?” Professor Sprout raised a flowerpot containing a plant that shaded from pink to green, with a cluster of pink pods drooping from its crown.

“It’s a Puffapod, Professor.” Neville gathered his courage and raised a hand. Herbology was the subject in which he felt most confident. There were no Slytherins in this lesson, and no ferocious Professor Snape.

“Yes, yes, Mr Longbottom is correct. Five points to Gryffindor.” Professor Sprout nodded happily. “Can you tell us anything more, Longbottom?”

Everyone immediately turned towards Neville. The attention made him uncomfortable, but encouragement shone in one pair of eyes. His face scarlet, Neville drew himself upright and answered.

“It grows fruit shaped like pods, which is where the name Puffapod comes from. Inside are shiny beans that can be used in basic potions. And…”

Neville paused.

“And the beans are very unusual! If they touch anything solid, they immediately burst into flowers. People can use them to decorate houses or celebrations!”

“Excellent!” Professor Sprout led the applause, and the young wizards instantly joined in. Neville scratched his head with a bashful smile.

“A lovely answer. I believe I shall have to award Gryffindor another five points.”

“Right, children, back to the lesson. What Longbottom described occurs in a mature Puffapod. Beside each of you is a pot containing a growing plant. Today, you must learn to replace its soil, prune it and fertilise it. This is essential. It will determine whether the pods grow plump and whether their magical properties reach the expected strength.”

“Watch me carefully. Do not damage the roots. If anyone injures them and touches the liquid that escapes, congratulations: you will enjoy three full days of itching skin.”

Professor Sprout never made empty threats. The students swiftly withdrew their attention from a dancing plant on the other side of the greenhouse and listened closely.

“When a Puffapod settles into a new home, it uses its own leaves to press down the soil. Therefore, we must be careful when removing it from the old pot. Keep the trowel against the side, like this…”

“Now the soil is loose, we can lift the plant and its soil out together…”

“Prepare another pot and fresh soil. If you listened properly, you should know the correct proportion of soil to fertiliser…”

“Now we have removed most of the soil. For the last little bit clinging to the roots, use your brush. Gently–your movements must be gentle. Treat it as you would your most precious possession. Puffapod roots are extremely fragile…”

Professor Sprout explained every precaution in meticulous detail as she completed each step.

“There.” She placed the Puffapod in its new pot and slowly poured in the freshly prepared, enriched soil, pressing it lightly from time to time until the soil was level with the rim.
“Begin, children. We must finish repotting every plant before the lesson ends. Remember the ratio of fresh soil to fertiliser! It is very important!”

The young wizards picked up red buckets and trowels, then crowded into a corner by the greenhouse door, where several sacks of fresh soil had been piled.

Carrying a bucket, Ron threaded precisely through the crowd to find Suer pressed close beside Hermione.

“Scabbers is exactly as agitated as you said,” he reported.

“Did you secure the cage? This condition will continue for a while.” The corner of Suer’s mouth lifted as he answered.

“Remember, you must never mention bringing Scabbers to me for treatment while the rat can hear you. A pet needs a gentle owner at a time like this. Don’t let Scabbers out. Refill the food and water at fixed times and in set amounts.”

“And be careful when you add the food. Don’t get scratched.”

“Too late.” Ron’s face twisted with misery. “Scabbers shot out the moment I opened the cage to add more.”

“Harry and I missed breakfast. We only just caught the rat in time to avoid being late. Scabbers scratched me and went completely mad, struggling in my hands and trying to bite me. The rat never behaved like that before.”

Ron displayed his arm. Three clear red scratches, still seeping blood, lay exposed.

“That’s the first time Scabbers has ever scratched me.”

“I hardly dare go near the cage. Scabbers screamed horribly when we put the rat back. We didn’t sleep properly all night.”

Suer’s expression changed abruptly…

Question: did pet rats carry plague? Should he run, or should he run? Oh, right. Scabbers was a transformed human…

Then there was no problem!

“But doesn’t Scabbers seem much more energetic than before?” Suer asked with a smile.

“Now that you mention it, yes.” Ron nodded happily. “Scabbers has never been this lively in all the time since Percy gave the rat to me.”

Peter Pettigrew: You call that lively? I want to kill you! Snow swirled, the north wind howled–my precious equipment, gone… never to return…

Suer was gratified. It sounded as though Scabbers was delighted.

“Be more careful next time. If the noise keeps you awake, I’ll teach you a very useful spell after class. It’s extremely simple.”

“You can also cover Scabbers’s cage with a black cloth and remove it in the morning. Studies show that magical creatures become insecure when their freedom is restricted. You need to create a quiet environment that makes the animal feel safe. This is called preventing a stress response.”

“Also…”

Suer conscientiously supplied Ron with a great many recommendations. Ron repeated each one until he had memorised them all.

By then, the students at the front had finished collecting soil, and it was their turn.

“You go first, Suer.”

“We’ll go together.”

…

While they repotted the plants, Hermione secretly nudged Suer with her elbow and mumbled around the leaf in her mouth.

“What bad thing have you done now?”

Suer knew Hermione extremely well, and Hermione knew some of his habits just as well. For example, whenever he had done something wicked, the corner of his mouth rose without his noticing.

“I haven’t done anything bad. I’m merely helping Ron and removing a health risk from his pet.”

“As if I’d believe you.” Hermione rolled her eyes. She tried to add something else, felt the Mandrake leaf beneath her tongue threatening to slip out and immediately clamped her mouth shut.

“Heh heh. How could a wizard as kind as me ever do anything wicked?”