Hogwarts is my Home

Chapter 22: Herbology Class (CS CH6)

Harry's POV

I never saw Toni that morning, so I went to my first class not knowing when she'd be free to hang out next. If anything, I could talk to her at lunch.

Herbology was the first class of the day, and this year Gryffindors and Ravenclaws had it together. I was late because Lockhart wanted to have a word with me. 

I snuck in as quietly as I could and stood next to Ron and Hermione. "What did Lockhart want?" Ron asked.

"Nothing important."

"Today, we're going to re-pot Mandrakes. Who here can tell me the properties of the Mandrake root?" Hermione's hand shot straight in the air. "Yes, Miss Granger?"

"Mandrake, or Mandragora, is a powerful restorative. It's used to return those who have been transfigured or cursed to their original state." She sounded like she had swallowed the textbook.

"It's also quite dangerous," a timid voice spoke. "The Mandrake's cry is fatal to anyone that hears it."

"Excellent, you two. 10 points to both Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. 

"Now, as our Mandrakes are still only seedlings, their cries won't kill you yet, but they could knock you out for several hours. Which is why I have given each of you a pair of earmuffs. Work in groups of four to a tray."

Everyone quickly got together, but there were only three of us working on a Mandrake. Professor Sprout noticed after a while, and there was another student who was working alone. "Ah, Miss Marston, you can come up here and join these three."

"Not Toni's sister," Ron muttered as she walked to the front of the class.

Spencer Marston looked similar enough to her older sister. They had the same exact eyes, almost as if someone had copied Toni's and pasted them onto Spencer. They had the same facial features, except Spencer's were more defined and Toni's were softer, making Spencer the more conventionally attractive one, while Toni could be seen as prettier by comparison and nicer looking in general. In the light, Spencer's hair had a red sheen to it in a way Toni's never did. 

Hermione spoke to her first, asking, "You're Toni's sister, aren't you?"

She smiled sweetly, flattered that Hermione vaguely knew who she was. "Yes. I was scared she'd died for good last year." 

The three of us shushed her at once and glanced around to look if anyone was listening. "She doesn't want people talking about that again," I said. "Everyone stopped when she won the House Cup for us."

"Oh, sorry," she said in a hushed voice. "I just don't know what I'd do without her."

"Enough talking. Put your earmuffs back on and continue," Sprout told us.

Spencer knew exactly what to do, so she and Hermione ran the whole thing while Ron and I just stood back and watched. It was great.

Class was over too soon, and we had a break after lunch. Hermione asked to see Spencer's schedule and saw that she also had a break at the same time we did, so she asked her to join us in the courtyard, which she happily accepted.

"I didn't think you and Toni were close," Ron said, trying to pry. 

"We aren't, really. There's just things she's done for me that I can never repay her for."