Harry Potter and the Stitch in Time

Chapter 55

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Chapter 55

Harry knocked again on his grandfather's office. He had tried his rooms already and found he wasn't there. Harry was having a little difficulty in his essay about how the age of some plants could actually change their effects in potions. He could easily understand why a plant would get more or less potent but some actually changed their properties altogether. Like mandrake, if you used it too young it had a withering effect but if you waited until they were older then, they had restorative properties. And Harry couldn't understand why.

Normally he would go to Hermione for a point in the right direction but she was busy helping Ron understand their latest bit of Transfiguration homework. So Harry had tried to look for his grandfather to either explain it or to point him to the best books to read. But apparently, he wasn't in either his room or his office. Harry was a little curious about that but there were plenty of things that could have drawn him from his routine.

Harry gave up and was just about to head to the library and start researching the long way when he had a brain wave. It may be potions homework but it was on magical plants. Perhaps Professor Sprout would be able to point him in the right direction. So he turned around and headed for the greenhouses where the professor spent most of her time caring for the plants.

He found the professor in Greenhouse Three. He checked the hazardous warning sign to see if there was a warning about her repotting mandrakes or something but it was clear so he knocked and went in. He had to wait because the professor was helping a few of her Hufflepuffs with something. When they left the professor called him over. "Evening Mr Potter. What can I do for you?"

"I was hoping you would point me in the right direction. I have an assessment for potions and I'm a little confused. I tried to find Professor Potter but couldn't and as the question involves magical plants I was thought maybe you could help."

"Well I can't make any promises but I will help if I can. What is confusing you?" She asked.

Harry went on to explain about checking the age of certain harvested ingredients for potions as their properties can morph as they age.

"Ah I see your confusion. The plant's properties don't change at all. They have the same properties when they are saplings as when they are mighty trees. What you need to remember is that most magical plants have multiple properties. Those properties however aren't equal. A young mandrake has a withering property when it's young because it needs to defend itself when its Cry is too weak to defend it. Once it's Cry is developed however it doesn't need to keep putting energy into building up its withering property so it focuses the majority of its efforts into the restorative properties that help it grow better. One property gets stronger and the other gets weaker. They are separate properties, not one property transfiguring itself into another. For reference material try Daffy Dill's Guide to Magical Gardens."

Harry thanked the professor before turning around and heading for the library to look for the recommended book.

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Professor Sprout was humming to herself as she tended to her plants. She had just helped Mr. Potter with an inquiry and she was feeling rather proud of herself for being able to help. She was just watering her fanged geraniums when she heard a scream of pain. She immediately dropped the watering can she was using and rushed out of her greenhouse to see what was going on as it sounded like a student needed help.