I'm a Good Snake (Harry Potter Fan Fiction) | Book 1

Ten

"... and then you'll put them in the pot," Professor Sprout spoke loud and clear while trying to hold the plant still enough, "then, cover their roots with dirt!" She'd then take her small hand shovel and start scooping dirt into the large pot the plant had been placed in.

Most students looked down at their plants, seeing how the purple bulb on the plant bounced ever so slightly in their peaceful state. A glance back up helped them see their professor finishing the dirt and lightly packing it in.

"Now, you will do the same as me. Work with a partner. One restrains the little ones while the other gets it out. Always keep two hands on them if you restrain them. These bouncing bulbs may be young, but their defenses can give you a broken nose or a black eye."

"I'd rather not get hurt..." Rosalie mumbled to herself.

"I'll hold it then," Heidi responded from her spot on the left. "I think I'm stronger than you, too."

A light chuckle came from Rosalie as she grabbed the hand shovel in their spot. "Maybe, we never really have tested physical strength against one another. Remember how Professor Sprout held the bulb, Heid..."

The plant had already hit the girl in the chin, causing Heidi to accidentally bite her tongue. "Bloody hell... This little thing hurts!"

Professor Sprout appeared from behind the two of them and grabbed Heidi's hands. "Remember, you do it like this, Miss Wilcher. Perfect!" She'd remove her larger hands from Heidi's and smile largely. "You took the hit quite well too, I must say. Five points to Slytherin for being able to endure that hit!"

"Thank you..." Heidi said with a slight smile. "Never been given points for pain tolerance before."

"Do it in potions," Rosalie suggested. "Bet Snape would give us more points if we seem tough."

The friends laughed lightly before returning to replanting the bouncing bulbs. The first one seemed to calm down when Rosalie rubbed its free roots. It gave a moment for Heidi to place it in the larger pot and continue restraining it while Rosalie poured soil on top. Soon both were patting the soil down together and pushing the replanted one away before grabbing the other bouncing bulb on their table to replant.

"Want to try this one?" Heidi offered.

Rosalie shrugged her shoulders. "Why not? I'll hold the little guy down."

She'd go and restrain it like their professor had shown them as Heidi began to remove the dirt. The plant became more aggressive as the soil was removed from it and began to push against Rosalie's hands.

"Hurry, this thing is getting aggressive... And it's bigger than the one you handled. Heidi...!"

Rosalie yanked the bulb out then and there, now being able to from how fast Heidi loosened part of the soil. With the movement came a moment to gather herself again and keep the grip on the bouncing bulb, but it was too quick for Rosalie to restrain yet again. Pain erupted throughout her nose and even spread to her cheekbones in the same instant. In a rush, she dropped the bulb down into the larger pot before going to feel her face.

"Oh my... You're bleeding!" Heidi spoke in shock.

They'd take a moment to quickly wipe what spillage was on Rosalie's face before Professor Sprout came over to the commotion.

"Oh, dear... I was hoping it was only one student maximum this week... Off. Off to Madam Pomfrey now. Those bulbs can be quite nasty as they get bigger." She'd do a slight wave motion for Rosalie to exit the greenhouse and also offer a rag with her other hand. "For if your nose is still bleeding on the way there."

Rosalie mumbled a thank you before leaving the classroom, but not before hearing the murmurings of some Ravenclaws as she passed by.

"She deserves it. Slytherins are evil after all."

"They all follow You-Know-Who. An injured Slytherin means that punishment is being served."

Rosalie shoved the greenhouse door open with force, anger starting to fill her from the nasty comments. The anger even fueled her walk to be faster and more of a hit on the stone floors. People swerved away due to the physical indicators of her mood, not wanting to feel the wrath of a Slytherin. Thanks to their behavior, Rosalie was soon on the fourth floor and entering the hospital wing.

"Is Madam Pomfrey here?" Rosalie asked as she looked over the room.

A boy resting in the nearby bed glanced at Rosalie before readjusting himself with his slung foot. "She's been running around. Give 'er a minute."

She'd give thanks and wait in the room. Her eyes scanned over who was all in there: the boy she just talked to, a girl with boils all over her face, and a kid who botched a polyjuice potion, similar to Hermione's cat appearance in the second year. It wasn't the worst she had seen but were for sure cases that the nurse had her hands full with. 

"Alright, Mr. Knight, I have this for you..." Madam Pomfrey hurried in and set a cup down next to the boy with the broken leg before hurrying over to the girl with a jar. "And we will get this on those boils to make them go away."

The girl hissed in pain as Madam Pomfrey applied the concoction, but the effects started to immediately show. As she finished applying the cream to the girl's face, Pomfrey looked over to Rosalie.

"Sorry, dear. I had to tend to them first." She got up from the side of the bed and hurried over to Rosalie. "Now let's see what's happened to you." One hand gently pried Rosalie's hand with the rag away from her nose, seeing the disfigured nose contorted and slightly turned more upright. "Oh, dear... What caused this? You weren't goofing off on a broom were you?"

"No," Rosalie responded. "I lost grip of a bouncing bulb in herbology. It was a bigger plant."

"Good thing it's just a broken nose, then..." Madam Pomfrey looked at it closer for a minute before going over to her small storage there in the wing. "How painful is it?"

"Just super bad. I think it's giving me a headache..." Rosalie moved to rub her forehead in that instant, feeling pressure build behind her brow.

The nurse was over in a minute and handed a small cup of liquid to Rosalie. The girl was quick to down it and started to feel instant pain relief. 

"That should help with any pain. Especially for the spell I'll be using to fix this." Madam Pomfrey then got out her wand and waved it without speaking. 

While Rosalie felt no pain, she felt her bones connect again and realign themselves in their proper place in the nose cavity. Fresh blood began to trickle out of her nose again. Pomfrey was fast to hand the girl cotton strips, which Rosalie shoved up her nose.

"The blood should stop soon. Your nose may hurt a bit when that medicine wears off, but that will be expected. Be more careful with those bulbs next time."

"Thank you, Madam Pomfrey," Rosalie spoke. She'd turn then and exit the room to return to class. 

The halls were quite bare, save for students without an hour during their Friday morning. More students were out in the courtyards and enjoying themselves with the free time they had. Those who did walk the hallways acted their normal selves, especially if they saw a Slytherin without their group.

The stares were something Rosalie was used to, but the feeling of judgment and hatred made her skin crawl. Never did someone usually look at her in a positive light if they didn't know her. They would immediately assume she was a muggle-born hater and a prick.

It was one of the things she hated most about being sorted into the house of green and silver.

People hated you simply for wearing those colors.