Party Police.

Chapter Eight.

(Y/n) had the very same classes as she did the previous year and her teachers had not changed one bit. (Y/n) and Katie sat side by side during their first Herbology class. Professor Sprout had set out about twenty pairs of different-coloured earmuffs on the bench she stood behind.

"We'll be repotting Mandrakes today. Who can tell me the properties of the Mandrake?" asked their professor. (Y/n)'s hand raised levelled to her face. Professor Sprout stood on her tip-toes, trying to see the face the hand belonged to. Cho ducked down. "Yes, (Y/n), go ahead."

"Mandrakes— Mandragora if we want its scientific name— have powerful restoratives," (Y/n) answered. "It's used to return people who have been cursed or transfigured back into their original states."

"Brilliant! Ten points to Ravenclaw," Professor Sprout applauded. "The Mandrake forms an essential part of most antidotes. It is also, however, extremely dangerous. Who can tell me why?" When no one raised their hand (the Ravenclaws were already bored and the Gryffindors either didn't know or didn't care to answer), Professor Sprout decided to call on a random student. At their lack of an answer, she called on Marietta.

"The cries of Mandrakes are fatal to anyone who is unfortunate enough to hear it," Marietta answered promptly.

"Exactly! Another ten points, Ravenclaw," Professor Sprout said. "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 colour, were growing there in rows. They looked quite unremarkable to the plain eye.
"Everyone, take a pair of earmuffs," instructed Professor Sprout. There was a scramble as everyone tried to seize a pair that wasn't pink or fluffy. (Y/n) merely took a pink and fluffy pair, seeing no problem with it. Cho did the same. "When I tell you to put them on, make sure your ears are completely covered," Professor Sprout emphasised. "When it is safe to remove them, I will give you the thumbs-up. Right— earmuffs on."

(Y/n) slid the ear muffs on, deeply surprised with the amount of sound they shut out, for there was an entire lack of it. Professor Sprout put on a white, fluffy pair over her own ears, rolled up the sleeves of her robes, grasped one of the tufty plants firmly, and pulled hard.
From the corner of her eye, (Y/n) saw Katie's look of disgust.
Instead of roots, a small, muddy, and extremely ugly baby popped out of the earth. The leaves were growing right out of its head. It had pale green, mottled skin, and was clearly bawling at the top of its lungs.
Professor Sprout took a large plant pot from under the table and plunged the Mandrake into it, burying it in dark, damp compost until only the tufted leaves were visible. Professor Sprout dusted off her hands, gave them all a thumbs-up, and removed her own earmuffs.

"As our Mandrakes are only seedlings, their cries won't kill yet," Professor Sprout said calmly as though she'd done nothing more exciting than water a daisy. 

"Did she say kill?" Katie hissed.

"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's time to pack up.
"Four to a tray— there is a large supply of pots here— compost in the sacks over there— 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. 

Marietta and Cho had gone off to save a tray as Katie and (Y/n) went to get soil. 

"What does she mean by kill?" Katie asked quietly.

"What do you think 'dangerous' means, Katie?" (Y/n) smiled.

"Harmful! Not deadly!"

"Well... I guess deadly would have been a better word," (Y/n) agreed. She and Katie hurled a bag of compost over to their table. The four girls went on to make small talk as they filled their planting pots with compost.
Other than that, they didn't have much chance to talk. Their earmuffs were back on and they needed to concentrate on the Mandrakes. Professor Sprout made it look extremely easy, but it was, in fact, not. The Mandrakes didn't like coming out of the earth, but didn't seem to want to go back in either. Maybe it was just their little second-year strength that prevented this from being an easier task. The Mandrakes squirmed, kicked, flailed their sharp little fists, and gnashed their teeth. 
By the end of class, everyone was sweaty, aching, and covered in earth. Everyone traipsed back to the castle for a quick wash and then the Ravenclaws hurried off to Transfiguration.