The Serpent Trio

Part 12- The Prewett Incident

TW- language use is hurtful and hateful within this part.

Cressida POV

The weekend had been a blur. So much had happened and to think I had only been at Hogwarts for a week! I needed to focus my mind back on my studies, ancient magic and Ranrock. It was at that moment I realised Professor Garlick was offering me something from a basket she had ahold of. 

"Ah, hello!" Her voice was sweet like honey and she was younger than our other professors, she looked barely 20 years old. "Class, please welcome the newest rose in our garden!" She turned to introduce me to all the other students in class. I blushed at the grandeur of the introduction she gave me. I glanced around the room to see Sebastian looking directly at me with a smile on his face, I felt my blush intensify. "We do look forward to growing together." I nodded to her, afraid my voice would fail me before heading over to occupy the other half of the bench Sebastian was occupying. She began to introduce the lesson to the class and Sebastian leant in.

"How does it feel to be so well loved by all the professors?" He whispered into my ear with a playful jab to my ribs.

"Stop it, they're only being nice as I'm new and have a lot to catch up on." I whispered back. 

"Now then. Today we will be acquainting ourselves with the mellifluous tuber known as the Mandrake Root." Professor Garlick took herself to the front of the classroom and took out her wand. "Accio." A pot with twitching leave was placed in front of each of us. "Let's see if we can make our fibrous friends a bit more comfortable, shall we? First, let's protect our ears." I noticed clumps of cotton on the table next to the plant, following everyone else I placed them in my ears. "Now everyone, grip your Mandrake by the tendrils and give it a firm tug." I spotted that Sebastian already had ahold of his, clearly he had done this before. I gripped my own and pulled it up. As soon as I did so I noticed that it was larger than my classmates, it let out a deafening screech. Sebastian took a few steps backwards, placing his free hand against his ear. Unable to really hear the next instructions I dumped the Mandrake in it's new bigger pot, I glanced up to see the ceiling had began to crack. I quickly shoveled dirt onto the Mandrake and it's cries subsided. I sighed, relieved that it was done. Garlick continued to teach the class about the Mandrake, I resigned myself to the fact herbology was certainly not my strongest subject. After she repaired the ceiling that had become damaged she came over to me.

"I'm very sorry about that... Yours was a bit mature, I'm afraid." I felt the eyes of everyone in the room on me as she said this. "Alright then, off you go! Splendid work everyone!" Professor Garlick set us off on our assignments.

"Causing trouble yet again?" Ominis had come round to join Sebastian and myself at our potting station.

"It wasn't my fault the Mandrake was bigger than everyone elses." I protested. He chuckled at me as we got to work on planting our Dittany seeds. Professor Garlick called me over to the front of the classroom. 

"Yes, Professor?" I asked her, aware of the other student stood next to her, Leander Prewett. 

"Firstly, well done with your Mandrake, they can be rather difficult to- get a grasp of." She beamed at me as she said this.

"Thank you Professor, although I must admit I thought I would go deaf. Perhaps herbology is not my strong suit." I replied, trying my upmost to be civil and positive.

"Well, I was hoping to introduce you to a different kind of flora- the Chinese Chomping Cabbage." She batted off my response and kept her smile on her face. "You'll find that some plants are better suited for uses outside of a cauldron." She waved to Prewett. "They're in the other greenhouse. It's just at the end of the footbridge leading out of this room. Your classmate, Mr Prewett has kindly offered to accompany you."