The Darkmore Series (No. 18)

XIII. Perplexing

XIII. Perplexing

Completely baffling, very puzzling.

A couple of days later, Jayla walks upstairs from the Dungeon after their Potions less with Snape, who gives them three scrolls worth of homework on the history of the Strengthening Solution, and the negative and positive effects of the potions. A scroll on each.

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The Golden Quartet and their peers make it to their next lesson of the day, which is a lot better than the last so far. The Gryffindors walk to Classroom 102 but see a note to go to Greenhouse 3 instead. The class standing in the glass greenhouse on either side of the plant stands. Jayla stands with Hermione, looking carefully inside the plant pots around the room to see something inside, but it isn't clear what it is. "Morning, everyone! Good morning everyone!" Professor Sprout greets them, walking in from the back room and banging on a plant pot to gain the class' attention.

"Good morning, Professor Sprout!" The class chimes back, happy to see the woman.

"Welcome back to Greenhouse 3, Second Years. Now, gather around, everyone. Today, we are going to re-pot Mandrakes." She announces, turning around, picking up a pot behind her, and putting it on the bench. "Who here can tell me the properties of the Mandrake root?" Sprout looks around the students and sees Hermione has her hand up. "Yes, Miss Granger?"

"Mandrake, or Mandragora, is used to return those who have been Petrified to their original state. It's also quite dangerous. The Mandrake's cry is fatal to anyone who hears it." Hermione explains, and Jayla smiles at her as everyone looks at her.

"Sounds like when Ron sings." Jayla jokes, making everyone laugh though Professor Sprout gives her a warning look. "Sorry, Professor. Also, their leafs are used to become Animagi."

"Excellent! 20 points to Gryffindor! Now, as our Mandrakes are still only seedlings, their cries won't kill you yet. But they could knock you out for several hours, which is why I have given each of you a pair of earmuffs for auditory protection. So, could you please put them on right away! Quickly!" Sprout warns them, and the students pick the earmuffs in front of them, placing them on their heads. "Flaps tight down and watch me closely. You grasp your Mandrake firmly, you pull it sharply up out of the pot...." She pulls the Mandrake out of the warm soil, making an ear-piercing scream like a tiny newborn baby, which is what it sort of looks like. "Got it? And... now you dunk it down into the other pot and pour a little sprinkling of soil to keep him warm." The class watch the Herbology Professor as she places the Mandrake in an empty flower pot and sprinkles a little soil quickly when Neville falls with a thud on the floor, growing light-headed, making the class look at the boy. "Uh, Longbottom's been neglecting his earmuffs."

"No, ma'am, he's just fainted." Seamus corrects her, looking at the unconscious form of his dorm mate.

"Yes, well, just leave him there." Professor Sprout dismisses the poor boy. "Right! On we go! Plenty of pots to go around. Grasp your Mandrake, and pull it up!" She reminds them, and Jayla grasps the root with everyone else, then they pull them quickly out of the soil with dozens of shrieking Mandrakes. Draco stupidly puts his finger in the seedling's mouth, which snaps its jaw shut, and he struggles to pull his finger free unharmed. The class place them into a new empty pot sprinkling on fresh soil while Harry and Ron laugh about something, and Jayla shakes her head at them, throwing some leftover dirt their way, making them stop their laughter.

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Finally, it's lunchtime after Herbology, and Nearly Headless Nick floats down the corridor outside the Great Hall, passing some students. "There's Nearly Headless Nick." A group of first-year boys gawk at the floating ghost.