The star, his moon and their comets

CHAPTER 57 Courses and Curses

The fourth-year students of Gryffindor and Slytherin gathered for a double period of lessons, first for Herbology with Professor Sprout, followed by Care of Magical Creatures with Hagrid.

In the greenhouse, students donned their protective gloves and began working with a particularly prickly variety of magical cactus. They listened carefully to Professor Sprout's instructions on handling and pruning the cacti, taking notes and sharing insights with their classmates.

As the students worked on the magical cacti under Professor Sprout's watchful eye, Theo, who had been handling his cactus rather clumsily, accidentally poked himself with one of the spines. He winced and let out a soft yelp of pain, shaking his hand to try and dislodge the spine.

His friends couldn't resist the opportunity to tease him. Emma chuckled and said, "Well, Theo, it seems you've made a prickly friend for life there."

Pansy added with a smirk, "Maybe you should consider a career as a cactus whisperer, Theo. They clearly like you."

Octavia chimed in, "Oh, come on, Theo, don't be such a cactus-hater. They're just showing their affection."

Theo rolled his eyes with a grin. "Very funny, guys."

Blaise and Draco, who had been watching the exchange between Theo and his friends, couldn't resist joining in on the good-natured banter.

Draco smirked at Theo, "Theo, I've heard that cacti can be excellent conversation partners, especially if you're in the mood for a prickly debate."

Blaise chimed in, "Indeed, Theo, they might have some thorny opinions to share with you."

Theo couldn't help but laugh along with his friends, despite the gentle teasing. "Alright, alright, enough with the cactus jokes. Just wait until Care of Magical Creatures. You'll all have a taste of what it's like to handle Blast-Ended Skrewts."

As the Herbology lesson continued, Emma noticed Draco's approach to handling the magical cacti was a bit off. She leaned over and couldn't resist a playful jab. "Draco, you're going to get yourself pricked if you keep grabbing the cacti like that."

Draco, always up for a playful argument, raised an eyebrow. "Oh, and I suppose you're the resident cactus expert, Emma?"

Emma grinned, her competitive spirit shining through. "Well, I did read up on them over the summer. Trust me; you're doing it all wrong."

Emma couldn't resist showing Draco the correct way to handle the cacti. She carefully demonstrated the proper technique for gripping the cactus without getting pricked. "See, it's all about balance and steady hands," she explained.

Draco watched intently and stared at her for a moment. His gray eyes locked onto her, and there was a certain intensity in his gaze. It was as if he wanted to say something but was hesitating.

Emma, noticing his gaze, furrowed her brow in curiosity. "Is everything alright?"

He blinked and seemed to come back to the present. "Oh, yeah, everything's fine. Just got lost in thought for a moment."

He shrugged off and then attempted to replicate her technique. After a few tries and some good-natured teasing from their friends, he finally got the hang of it. "Alright, alright, I stand corrected. You've got this herbology thing down, Potter."

Emma grinned at his admission. "Glad I could help you avoid a painful experience, Malfoy."

After Herbology, the group made their way to Hagrid's hut for Care of Magical Creatures. As they approached, they could see Hagrid pacing around his cabin with a mixture of excitement and anxiety. The students took their seats in the clearing, ready for whatever unusual creatures Hagrid had in store.