The Son of Lord Voldemort

Chapter 35

When it was time for the Slytherins first Herbology lesson of the year they crossed the vegetable patch, and made for the greenhouses, where the magical plants were kept. As they neared the greenhouses, they saw the Hufflepuffs standing outside waiting for Professor Sprout.

"Harrison," Susan said grinning, a faint blush on her cheeks.

"Hello Susan," Harrison said in a charming voice.

"I haven't seen you since your birthday," Susan said. "How was the rest of your summer?"

"It was brilliant," Harrison told her. "I was able to spend time with some people I hadn't seen in awhile and learned some more magic." Harrison wasn't going to tell her that the people he saw were Death Eaters and the stuff he learned was torture techniques. "Did you do anything interesting?"

"My Aunt Amelia took me to the beach for my birthday," Susan informed him. "We had a nice dinner at this restaurant that overlooked the water." She paused before her eyes lit up. "Thank you for the bracelet by the way, it was beautiful."

"You're very welcome," Harrison assured her.

After a few minutes Professor Sprout came striding into view, her hair as gray as Harrison remembered and her nails dirty as usual.

"Greenhouse three today, chaps!" Professor Sprout said in her usual cheery manner.

There was a murmur of interest. They had only ever worked in greenhouse one before — greenhouse three housed far more interesting and dangerous plants. Harrison was glad they'd finally be working with plants that weren't so boring. Professor Sprout took a large key from her belt and unlocked the door. Harrison caught a whiff of damp earth and fertilizer mingling with the heavy perfume of some giant, umbrella-sized flowers dangling from the ceiling. Harrison immediately recognized a pot filled with venomous tentacula and decided not to sit anywhere near it.

Professor Sprout went to stand behind a trestle bench in the center of the greenhouse. About twenty pairs of different-colored earmuffs were lying on the bench. Harrison took a place and Blaise and Draco sat to either side of him. Once everyone was ready, Professor Sprout began the lesson. "We'll be repotting Mandrakes today. Now, who can tell me the properties of the Mandrake?"

Several hands shot into the air and Sprout called on Theo.

"Mandrake, also known as Mandragora is a powerful restorative," Theo answered. "It's most common use is to return people who have been cursed, petrified or transfigured to their original state. However when handling the plant one must be careful because the cry of the mandrake is fatal to all who hear it."

Sprout looked extremely pleased with his answer. "Very impressive Mr. Nott." She smiled at him. "Twenty points to Slytherin for answering my question and unknowingly answering the question I was going to ask next." Ernie, Zacharias and Justin glared at Theo who only rose an eyebrow in response. "The Mandrake forms an essential part of most antidotes. Now, the Mandrakes we have here are still very young." She pointed to a row of deep trays as she spoke, and everyone shuffled forward for a better look. A hundred or so tufty little plants, purplish green in color, were growing there in rows. "Everyone take a pair of earmuffs."

There was a scramble as everyone tried to seize a pair that wasn't pink and fluffy.

"When I tell you to put them on, make sure your ears are completely covered," said Professor Sprout. "When it is safe to remove them, I will give you the thumbs-up. Right — earmuffs on."

Harrison snapped the earmuffs over his ears. They shut out sound completely. Professor Sprout put the pink, fluffy pair over her own ears, rolled up the sleeves of her robes, grasped one of the tufty plants firmly, and pulled hard. Instead of roots, a small, muddy, and extremely ugly baby popped out of the earth. The leaves were growing right out of his head. He had pale green mottled skin, and was clearly bawling at the top of his lungs. Professor Sprout took a large plant pot from under the table and plunged the Mandrake into it, burying him in dark, damp compost until only the tufted leaves were visible. Professor Sprout dusted off her hands, gave them all the thumbs-up, and removed her own earmuffs.

"As our Mandrakes are only seedlings, their cries won't kill yet," she said calmly as though she'd just done nothing more exciting than water a begonia. "However, they will knock you out for several hours, and as I'm sure none of you want to miss your first day back, make sure your earmuffs are securely in place while you work. I will attract your attention when it is time to pack up. Four to a tray — there is a large supply of pots here — compost in the sacks over there — and be careful of the Venomous Tentacula, it's teething." She gave a sharp slap to a spiky, dark red plant as she spoke, making it draw in the long feelers that had been inching sneakily over her shoulder.

Harrison didn't enjoy the lesson at all. The Mandrakes didn't like coming out of the earth, but didn't seem to want to go back into it either. They squirmed, kicked, flailed their sharp little fists, and gnashed their teeth; Harrison spent ten whole minutes trying to squash a particularly fat one into a pot. All in all, for Harrison it was the first lesson he had ever attended at Hogwarts that was even remotely challenging. By the end of the class, Harrison, like everyone else, was sweaty, aching, and covered in earth. Everyone traipsed back to the castle for a quick wash before dinner.